HomeMy Public PortalAbout08-15-2017 Minutes PRB Regular MeetingPage 1 of 4
Minutes
Parks and Recreation Board
7 p.m. Aug. 15, 2017
Town Barn, 101 E. Orange St.
Present: Chairman Todd Stabley, Vice Chairwoman Kate Albrecht, Robb English, Annie Jarabek,
Board of Commissioners representative Brian Lowen (ex officio), Nancy Taylor, Planning
Board representative Chris Wehrman and Kim Woodell
Absent: Ashley Campbell, Noah Mace and Rebecca Swartz
Staff: Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood
Item 1: Call meeting to order; confirm presence of a quorum.
Chairman Stabley called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Ms. Trueblood called the roll and confirmed the
presence of a quorum.
Item 2: Consideration of changes or adjustments to the agenda
There were no changes or adjustment.
Item 3: Approval of minutes of July 18, 2017, meeting
Motion: Vice Chairwoman Albrecht moved to approve the July minutes.
Second: Ms. Jarabek seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
Item 4: Update on survey of Riverwalk greenway users
Vice Chairwoman Albrecht reported she surveyed users at lunchtime on a Monday and a Wednesday.
She spoke with 25 individuals in 18 different groups. Most people worked in town and were walking to
or from some place to have lunch. Most were walking in groups of two or three. A few had driven to
Weaver Street Market to eat and go for a walk. Users like that the greenway is shaded. One
improvement suggestion that came up a few times is for the trail to be a bit wider. One older person
wished there were no puddles after rain. Many of these users accessed Riverwalk from the River Park
entrance because they worked in a county building or the Orange County Schools office.
Ms. Taylor said several users she surveyed wished there were water fountains. People also told her they
wished the trail were a bit wider.
Vice Chairwoman Albrecht said she heard some feedback for more natural surface like Chapel Hill gravel
as the trail expands.
There was brief discussion about whether these survey results would be shared with the public. Ms.
Trueblood said the survey was intended to inform this board and to pass any useful information to the
Board of Commissioners. The town will conduct a citizen survey this fall.
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Item 5: Discussion of Turnip Patch Park Master Plan
Ms. Trueblood said the Turnip Patch Park master plan does not need to be as expansive as the Kings
Highway Park plan. She reviewed the ideas mentioned in previous discussion, including to move the
butterfly garden out of the stream buffer to a protected spot near the playground and buckeye tree.
A few board members asked about adding a chalkboard to the fence as recommended at the last
meeting. Ms. Trueblood said that is still part of the plan. Volunteers offered to help install the
chalkboard soon.
There was consideration of expanding the concrete pad at the park to accommodate a picnic table. Vice
Chairwoman Albrecht suggested using it as a base for interactive play, like a giant checkerboard.
Ms. Trueblood mentioned that child-sized furniture and creek access are still on the recommendations
list.
There was support for a small plaque that very briefly shares the history of the park.
At its next meeting, the board will discuss a master plan for Murray Street Park. Ms. Trueblood will
reach out to nearby residents of the park to get feedback on what kind of park would get greater use
because the Murray Street Park is not frequently used.
Item 6: Reports and updates — (Parks and Recreation-related reports)
• Board of Commissioners: Brian Lowen — Commissioner Lowen reported the board did not hold
regular meetings in July but had met the previous evening. There was a long discussion at that
meeting about a house that has been in extreme disrepair for a long time on West Queen
Street.
Also, Commissioner Lowen reported discussion about commercial uses of the parks and how to
implement fees. He said he would like to hear from this board whether uses like selling snow
cones should be allowed. Ms. Trueblood reviewed that last summer this board came up with a
prohibited activities list. That was sent to Planning Director Margaret Hauth, who converted it
into an ordinance. However, the language did not specifically state that commercial uses are
prohibited unless a permit is issued. The issue came before the Board of Commissioners in
August to clarify that the uses are prohibited unless the town has issued a permit. Ms.
Trueblood noted that the list of prohibitions is something this board will need to review
regularly to keep it up to date. Ms. Trueblood said she will give both boards a copy of the list of
the Parks and Recreation Board’s recommendations on this matter. When asked whether this
board should schedule further discussion on the matter, Ms. Trueblood emphasized that this
board already discussed the list and made a recommendation.
Ms. Trueblood informed the board that staff has seen a need to add a prohibition of digging for
artifacts in the parks. That will be an agenda item at a future quarterly joint public hearing.
• Planning Board: Chris Wehrman — Mr. Wehrman reviewed that the Planning Board had
recommended the Board of Commissioners approve the special use permit for the Gatewood
property owner to build an additional building for a restaurant and brewery, build an addition to
the existing large house to convert it to a restaurant and build the parking needed for the
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businesses on U.S. 70 East. Ms. Trueblood reviewed that there were sidewalk discussions about
connecting to Walgreens.
• Orange County Parks and Recreation Council: Annie Jarabek — Ms. Jarabek said most of the
meeting was spent reviewing the capital investment plan. She reviewed which county parks
have completed master plans. She noted that at the Sept. 19 Orange County Board of
Commissioners meeting, the master plan for Blackwood Farm Park will be presented and there
will be discussion about the Orange County routes for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Regarding the
Blackwood Farm master plan, there is an idea for an amphitheater or nature center. There are
plans for a disc golf course in the northwest corner. This board expressed interest in having the
park open more days of the week. Ms. Jarabek said for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, Orange
County has identified several possible routes. One is proposed. A complaint is that the proposed
path is not on a natural feature line and that it would not be easy to buy the land needed to
complete the section. Ms. Jarabek said she was dismayed that the debate was portrayed as 50-
50 on whether this part of the trail should be completed because she believed generally most
people support this section of trail being completed. She noted there is an alternate route
proposed along Chestnut Ridge property. She said the third choice is along a rural road. Ms.
Trueblood said her understanding is that the Mountains-to-Sea Trail organization will not accept
a trail along the road.
Ms. Jarabek noted that walks along the Mountains-to-Sea Trail are scheduled for Sept. 9 in
honor of the 40th anniversary of the organization.
There was discussion that this board is scheduled to meet on Sept. 19 and yet board members
want to attend the Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting to speak in support of
completing the Mountains-to-Sea Trail route through Orange County. This board will cancel its
September meeting to support the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
Ms. Trueblood advised that if someone wanted to speak on behalf of this board at the meeting,
then a vote would need to be taken to authorize someone to speak.
Motion: Ms. Jarabek moved to send a Parks and Recreation Board member to the Orange County
Board of Commissioners meeting on Sept. 19, 2017, to speak in favor of all efforts made
toward completing the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Orange County.
Second: Ms. Taylor seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
• Intergovernmental Parks Work Group: Staff — The next meeting is scheduled for October.
• Park steward reports:
1. Gold Park: Annie Jarabek — No report. Dog Park: Nancy Taylor — No report. When
someone asked about the multi-use field, Ms. Trueblood said it is in good shape right now.
2. Cates Creek Park: Robb English — Mr. English said it is heavily used. There is wear and tear
on the multi-use field. Vice Chairwoman Albrecht said exercise classes are using this park
heavily and the restrooms are getting heavily used when there is a class, so she thinks fees
should be charged.
3. Turnip Patch Park: Annie Jarabek — Ms. Jarabek said it looks good.
4. Murray Street Park: Ashley Campbell — Ms. Trueblood said the mulch has been added and
the sign has been reinstalled.
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5. Kings Highway Park: Todd Stabley — He had no report.
6. Hillsborough Heights Park: Kim Woodell — Ms. Woodell said the right-side fence needs
mending. The tree branches are hanging low over the picnic tables. The mulch is matted.
She thinks the mulch looks like an unsafe level by the slide.
7. Riverwalk: Todd Stabley — Mr. Stabley said the greenway looks great.
• Staff updates:
Churton Street Access Improvements Project — Ms. Trueblood reported the project is going well
and is on schedule and on budget.
Kings Highway Park Update — Ms. Trueblood reported that she has contracted a tree service to
clear the overgrown trails. There are two big dead trees at the back of the park that will be
removed. The trees between the parking lot and the powerlines will be removed to open
visibility into the parking lot. Ms. Trueblood did not see blockage on the north side trails, so no
work is being done there. She is also planning a meeting with Piedmont Electric to talk about
opportunities for locating parking within the power easement.
Flood Cleanup — Ms. Trueblood reported that a contractor is coming to remove the sticks and
debris underneath the boardwalk on Riverwalk, which will eventually cause rot if left in place.
Manhole Repair — Sometime in September, Riverwalk will need to be closed near Cameron
Street for a manhole repair. The dates of scheduled events will be avoided.
Bee Hotel — Ms. Trueblood shared a rendering of the structure that will be built and installed in
Gold Park.
Item 7: Adjourn
Motion: Ms. Taylor moved to adjourn at 8:41 p.m.
Second: Ms. Jarabek seconded.
Vote: Unanimous