Title
Vote on a request to approve a Resolution of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners Supporting the Formation of the Triangle Trails Initiative.
Abstract
Action Requested: Vote on a request to approve a Resolution of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners Supporting the Formation of the Triangle Trails Initiative.
Introduction & Background: Triangle Trails is an ad hoc initiative being developed in partnership with the East Coast Greenway Alliance, headquartered in Durham, NC. The initiative is studying long-term organizational structures to determine how to best serve the needs of its supporters within the region with respect to the mission of leveraging existing trail assets within the region to create an interconnected regional network of greenways and trails. Triangle Trails seeks to establish collaboration between government, business, anchor institutions and civic leaders to make the Research Triangle Region a national leader in greenway and trails. According to Triangle Trails, there is currently a constructed network of more than 300 miles of trails and greenways in place, but there is no existing organization within this region whose job it is to provide guidance and technical support to this regions’ communities for planning, design, development, funding, marketing, promotion, programming, operation and management of a regional trails and greenways systems. Triangle Trails’ stated intent is to fill this void.
Discussion & Analysis: The Chatham County Board of Commissioners is being asked to consider the adoption of the proposed resolution, which expresses support for a regional approach for interconnectedness between trail systems within the region; and further supports the formation of the Triangle Trails Initiative as a facilitating and supporting organization dedicated to this purpose.
How does this relate to the Comprehensive Plan: The proposed resolution, in part, seeks support for a regional framework within which greenways and trails are planned; whereas, the intended result of which would leverage existing trail assets of this county and region to design future projects within the region in a way that promotes and causes the interconnectivity of these existing assets to create a larger connected network of trails within the region. This framework tends to support the objectives expressed in the Chatham County Comprehensive Plan in at least two ways. First, this concept of planning and developing future trails and greenways can provide expanded recreational opportunities and access to open space as promoted by Objective #6 of the Comprehensive Plan. Furthermore, fostering a healthy community with active living by way of supporting access to walking and biking as transportation options is promoted in Objective #10 of the Comprehensive Plan.
Budgetary Impact: The proposed resolution in support of the regional framework and the formation of the Triangle Trails Initiative is not anticipated to have any direct budgetary impact. With the formation of the Trails Initiative, it is, however, anticipated that some staff time will be required for attending meetings and working with the Triangle Trail Initiative personnel when it comes to future Chatham County trail projects. The devotion of staff time, as might be anticipated, should have no greater budgetary implications than what’s already recognized within the annual operating budget.
Recommendation: Approve a Resolution of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners Supporting the Formation of the Triangle Trails Initiative.