TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Report on Merritt Pasture Vegetation and Maintenance Management Plan
DATE: November 12, 2001
The attached resolution would authorize the Manager to implement a Vegetation and Maintenance Management Plan for the Merritt Pasture.
The Town purchased the Merritt Pasture in 1991 for $400,000, using proceeds of the 1989 Parks bond.
On April 26, 1999, the Council charged the Greenways and Parks and Recreation Commissions to investigate potential access to the Merritt Pasture and other issues. The Commissions created a Committee consisting of members of both Commissions, nearby residents, and citizens at large. The Merritt Pasture Access Committee finalized its Report in August 2000. The Report recommended that a permanent access be developed from the west and that a vegetation management plan be adopted.
On November 27, 2000, the Council adopted the Report. The resolution included a provision that a Vegetation Management Plan be developed for later consideration by the Council.
DISCUSSION
Description of the Property: The Merritt Pasture is a 30-acre parcel bounded to the south by Morgan Creek, to the west by the Duke Energy sub-station and Highway 15-501, to the north by homes that front on Winter Drive, and to the east by homes that front on Morgan Creek Road. The property is predominantly cleared and large portions are occasionally mowed. Some mature trees are found on the property, predominantly along Morgan Creek and at the rear of the lots that face Morgan Creek Road. Since grazing on the pasture ended in the early 1990s, saplings and vines now dominate several sections of what was once pasture. Please see the sketch on page 3 of the attached Merritt Pasture Vegetation and Maintenance Management Plan.
Maintenance Issues: Maintenance activities related to the pasture are currently restricted to bi-annual mowing of selected areas and maintenance of the access gate adjacent to Fordham Boulevard.
We believe that implementation of the attached Merritt Pasture Vegetation and Maintenance Management Plan would allow us to deal with several key issues including:
· Pasture restoration
· Pond and dam maintenance
· Gate maintenance and enhancement
· Mowing schedule
Restoration of the pasture would allow us to reclaim critical portions of the site that are currently undergoing the initial stages of natural reforestation. This would be done primarily to enhance the visual qualities of the site for motorists, adjacent residents, and people using the property for recreation purposes. We believe that at least some of the areas in question can be returned to pasture by mowing and brush removal. Other areas would need a more extensive treatment including clearing, grubbing and seeding.
We believe that this can be accomplished while also enhancing the pasture’s value as wildlife habitat. Three years ago the Public Works Department cleared some of this recent regrowth but stopped the practice in response to citizen concerns about specific wildlife impacts. We agree that this process would reduce the amount of young trees in the pasture and initially look disruptive. However, we believe the end result would be an increase in the quality of wildlife habitat because of the resulting increase in open pasture and forest/pasture edge. Edge habitats provide a greater variety of food sources and nesting sites.
The pond merits specific attention. An inspection by Public Works staff found considerable recent tree growth on the dam and pond edges and some indications of minor erosion around the pond’s outlet pipe. We recommend that all trees be removed from the dam and that other pond edge trees be thinned to improve the vistas of the pond from various areas of the pasture. Selective trees on the uphill (north) side of the pond would be cleared as part of the overall pasture restoration clearing.
There did not appear to be significant sedimentation in the pond or serious functional problems with the pond’s drainage structures.
The maintenance access gate adjacent to Fordham Boulevard has been vandalized on a number of occasions. We believe that, because the existing gate is locked, pedestrians may have knocked down portions of the fence to gain access to the pasture. The proposed maintenance plan includes provisions to repair the fence and gate as needed. In addition, a pedestrian gate would be installed adjacent to the existing vehicle access gate for residents that walk to the site from surrounding neighborhoods.
Mowing Schedule
We are currently mowing the pasture twice a year, once in April and again in November. We recommend that we maintain this schedule in order to prevent the establishment of saplings and the resulting shading out of herbaceous pasture species, such as grasses and some wildflowers. Mowing the pasture once a year is sufficient to maintain the predominance of herbaceous species and prevent most vines and saplings from invading the pasture edges. Mowing more frequently discourages the growth of brambles and other large semi-woody species. This results in a more uniform and level vegetated surface that is easier to walk and generally perceived to be more attractive.
The frequency and time of year that mowing occurs can affect which herbaceous pasture species dominate. More frequent mowing tends to favor fescue and other grasses while less frequent mowing can promote taller growing wildflowers, such as goldenrod. We believe that our current April and November mowing schedule promotes a healthy diversity of herbaceous species.
If the Council adopts the attached resolution we would flag the areas intended for pasture restoration in order to allow review prior to clearing by citizens, as recommended the Merritt Pasture Access Committee, and staff prior to clearing. In addition, we would seek approval from NCDOT for vegetation removal along Fordham Boulevard. Pasture restoration could be accomplished this winter.
We would also make any needed repairs to the existing gate and fence and add a smaller unlocked pedestrian access gate near Fordham Boulevard.
The Committee voted unanimously (9-0) on October 2, 2001, to support adoption of a vegetation and maintenance plan that includes a number of specific recommendations. Please see the attached recommendations. The recommendations of the Committee are consistent with the Report.
Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council adopt the attached resolution, which would authorize the Manager to implement the proposed Merritt Pasture Vegetation and Maintenance Management Plan.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Merritt Pasture Vegetation and Maintenance Management Plan (p. 5).
2. Recommendations of the Merritt Pasture Access Committee (p. 8).
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT THE MERRITT PASTURE VEGETATION AND MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN DATED NOVEMBER 12, 2001(2001-11-12/R-9)
WHEREAS, the Council has adopted the Merritt Pasture Access Committee’s Report of the Merritt Pasture Access Committee to the Town Council; and
WHEREAS, the Council authorized the Manager to develop a Vegetation Management Plan for Council review; and
WHEREAS, the Merritt Pasture Access Committee has made recommendations consistent with the Manager’s recommended Vegetation and Maintenance Management Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council adopts the Merritt Pasture Vegetation and Maintenance Management Plan dated November 12, 2001.
This the 12th day of November, 2001.
ATTACHMENT 1
This plan includes procedures to address a number of vegetation and maintenance issues including:
· Pasture restoration
· Pond and dam maintenance
· Gate maintenance and enhancement
· Mowing
Pasture Restoration
The goal of pasture renovation will be to return certain portions of the property to a look that predominated when the land was first purchased by the Town. Saplings and vines will be removed in certain areas to enhance and maintain views.
Other areas will remain undisturbed to provide additional habitat for birds and other wildlife and provide visual as well as environmental diversity. The wooded edges created by pockets of trees are particularly favored habitats for a number of wildlife species.
The size of some of the vegetation in these regrowth areas will require the land to be cleared, grubbed and seeded, while some other areas will be returned to pasture with a bush hog. This process will initially result in a disturbed and disruptive appearance, but the end result (within one year) will be a return to pasture and an increase in the habitat value of wooded edges in some areas.
Town staff will set the clearing boundaries and monitor restoration work. Prior to clearing, the clearing boundaries will be available for public review and comment.
The four general areas for this approach are highlighted on the attached sketch.
AREA 1 – Fordham Boulevard:
Remove a relatively small area of young trees within and directly adjacent to the Fordham Boulevard right-of-way. This vegetation has begun obstructing the view of the pasture from Fordham Boulevard and eventually may screen the view from South Columbia Street. We will contact NCDOT to secure the approvals needed to perform the clearing. We do not anticipate objections from NCDOT.
AREA 2 – Northern Perimeter:
A 50’ – 100’ band of saplings and small trees has become established in several areas between the mowed walking trail and the nearby residential lots to the north. In some areas it appears that residents have removed some of this vegetation to retain their views of the pasture. In consultation with neighbors who live adjacent to the pasture, a new pasture edge line will be established in this area. Once this is done, the Town will proceed with the necessary clearing, grubbing and reseeding necessary to reestablish the pasture. If neighbors are satisfied with existing conditions we will leave the northern pasture edge as it now exists.
AREA 3 – Eastern Interior:
We will selectively clear portions of the regrowth area north and east of the pond. Selective clearing will focus on improving wildlife habitat and long views into the pasture from the northern part of the trail.
AREA 4 – Eastern Perimeter:
The area at the eastern end of the pasture consists of a dense stand of young trees, saplings and vines. We will restrict clearing to widening the walking path.
Pond and Dam Maintenance
All trees will be removed from the dam. Pond edge trees will be thinned to improve the vistas of the pond from various areas of the pasture.
The maintenance access gate and fence will be repaired as needed. A gate suitable for pedestrians will be installed adjacent to the existing maintenance access gate.
Mowing Schedule
Mowing will generally occur once in April and again in November. This schedule will be maintained except that it may be altered or adjusted to accommodate weather related vegetation growth fluctuations. Mowings may be rescheduled or in some unusual circumstances a third mowing may be required. The need to alter the mowing schedule will be determined on a season to season basis with the goals being to keep vegetation at a height that will allow hiking on the perimeter trail and maintenance of a diverse plant inventory.