AGENDA #4f

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Revisions to the Booker Creek Linear Park Project

 

DATE:             June 10, 2002

 

This attached resolution would authorize the Manager to make necessary changes to the Booker Creek Linear Park project to reflect changes to the site since the adoption of the plan and new flood study information.

 

BACKGROUND

 

On October 27, 1997 the Council adopted a resolution endorsing the concept of building a park and trail along this portion of Booker Creek and directing the Manager to seek funding for the project.

 

On February 9, 1998 the Council authorized the Manager to use up to $25,000 to develop a conceptual plan for the project. The Council also established a Booker Creek Linear Park Advisory Committee.

 

On July 6, 1998, the Council approved a Special Use Permit for the Staples property that included provisions for a paved greenway trail to be built from Franklin Street to the extreme southeast corner of the property, as well as a direct pedestrian connection to the Eastgate Shopping Center.

 

On August 23, 1999, the Council authorized the staff to submit a grant application for NCDOT Enhancement funds to pay for trail and park construction.

 

On September 13, 1999, the Council adopted the Booker Creek Linear Park Advisory Committee’s Report to the Town Council.

 

On February 12, 2001, the Council accepted a NCDOT Enhancement grant for the project.

 

DISCUSSION

 

Project Description

The adopted conceptual plan contains a number of major program elements including:

 

·        Continuation of the main greenway trail from the southern end of the Staples property, across Booker Creek, to Elliott Road and Fordham Boulevard.

·        Provision of a natural surface trail and installation of a pedestrian bridge over Booker Creek. This trail would be located in the wooded area surrounding Booker Creek.

·        Provision for entranceway improvements at the corner of Elliott Road and Fordham Boulevard.

·        Extension of sidewalks along Fordham Boulevard and Elliott Road.

·        Restoration of the Booker Creek floodplain, including removal of debris and trash.

·        Preservation of natural areas including enhancement of the existing pond.

 

Changes to the Plan: Since the conceptual plan was adopted changing conditions have required two significant revisions to the plan. Please see attached sketch.

 

  1. Drainage Improvements for Eastgate Shopping Center: In order to mitigate flooding to the Eastgate Shopping Center, the owners of the property have built a new stormwater drainage system that is intended to divert water away from the structure. A new drainage channel was constructed through an area on the Eastgate property that was originally intended, in the Booker Creek Linear Park plan, to be left in a natural state. Much of this area will revert to natural vegetation after the completion of the drainage project. However, the drainage channel itself will be maintained in order to allow continued flow of stormwater away from the building. This will result in a wider and more open wetland/conveyance area. The wetland is being designed to filter out pollutants from stormwater flowing through the constructed swale system.

 

The un-maintained pond that was in existence at the time the plan was adopted is now gone. However, it will be restored and optimized for wildlife habitat, environmental effectiveness and recreation values prior to completion of the project.

 

  1. Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridges: We recently commissioned a flood study of the creek as part of the project design. The study revealed that the planned bridges cannot be built without a 0.6 foot rise in the 100-year flood. Although the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) could technically allow us to build the bridges with this level of rise, it cannot be done without the permission of affected landowners. For this reason and because of the history of flooding in this area, we are investigating options for continuing the trail over Booker Creek that result in no rise in the 100 year floodwaters.

 

We believe that it is likely that the trail will have to travel over either an extension of the culvert behind Eastgate Shopping Center or will have to be placed adjacent to the Elliott Road Bridge. We will make the necessary change based on updated flood data that should be available in late June or early July.

 

Instead of two bridge crossings in an area with a relatively natural look, the new single crossing will likely be located closer to features with a more urban look.

 

Budget: We have not yet been able to estimate the effects of these changes on the budget, although preliminary indications are that the changes, including the costs of investigating the options, should be neutral. Once we have determined the best location for the bridge or culvert crossing we will determine if any changes to the budget will be necessary.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

We will continue to work on the project and place the pedestrian bridge in a location that is both acceptable to landowners and that would not create a rise in the 100 year flood.

 

The Manager recommends that the Council adopt the following resolution that authorizes the Manager to make changes to the Booker Creek Linear Park project necessitated by changes to the site since the adoption of the plan and based on new flood study information.

 

ATTACHMENT

 

  1. Sketch showing current and potential changes to Booker Creek Linear Park plan (p. 5).

 

 

 

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MANAGER TO MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES TO THE BOOKER CREEK LINEAR PARK PROJECT BASED ON CHANGES TO THE SITE SINCE THE ADOPTION OF THE PLAN AND NEW FLOOD STUDY INFORMATION (2002-06-10/R-6)

 

WHEREAS, on September 13, 1999, the Council adopted the Booker Creek Linear Park Advisory Committee’s Report to the Town Council.; and

 

WHEREAS, on February 12, 2001, the Council accepted a NCDOT Enhancement grant for the project; and

 

WHEREAS, the site conditions have changed since the adoption of the plan; and

 

WHEREAS, recent flood studies have revealed that the planned bridge cannot be constructed in the location approved by the Council without an increase in 100 year flood levels;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council authorizes the Manager to make necessary changes to the Booker Creek Linear Park project based on changes to the site since the adoption of the plan and based on new flood study information.

 

This the 10th day of June, 2002.