August 2003

August 25, 2003

The Board of Directors of Triangle Greenways Council met on August 25, 2003, in the Board Room of The Healing Place, at 1251 Goode Street in Raleigh, at 7:00 p.m., for a specially called meeting. Barb Oslund presided. Board members attending were Bill Flournoy, Bill Bussey, Leslie Kennedy, Norman Camp, Dean Kanipe, and Wendy Olson. Larkin Kirkman also attended.

It was noted that Larry Bailey and Judy Weseman would not be attending. It was noted also that Jeff Brewer had begun his walk across North Carolina.

Alan Reep, Development Director for The Healing Place, was invited to give an introduction to The Healing Place. He stated that the shelter is an attempt to deal with the some 2200 homeless on the streets of Wake County, of whom some 60% are having difficulties with alcohol or other drugs. It is modeled on the similar institution set up in Louisville, KY by the Medical Society of Louisville. There are now five in the country. It opened on January 15, 2001. It has received 2 appearance awards, has graduated 160 people, and has an expense per resident of about $24.00 per night. A facility for women and children is planned. It is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) corporation.

Minutes for the June 23, 2003, Board meeting were approved as distributed. The Secretary requested, due to the minutes’ being late, and possibly not read carefully, that final approval be delayed until the Chairman of the Land Trust Committee consider whether they accurately cover the actions pertaining to that committee in the June meeting.

A Treasurer’s Report reporting a balance of $19,776.94 on August 18, 2003, was approved.

A draft resolution in support of the 2003 City of Raleigh Parks Bond Referendum was circulated. This was not taken up until the meeting was ending and it was decided that Wendy Olson would put this in proper form and circulate this to members of the Board for e-mail approval.

Barb reported on a September 6 meeting at the Treyburn Country Club with regard to developments at Treyburn. Bill Bussey is attending. There was discussion of use of a rail line through that area into Roxboro. Bill Bussey will bring up the use of horses.

Barb announced that she had sent a letter of support for the Triangle J Phase 4 of Triangle Green Print. It is applying for funding.

Barb asked for volunteers for the Nominating Committee.

Barb announced the Strategic Planning committee of Leslie Kennedy, Robert Hinson, Julian Prosser, Judy Weseman, Paul Embler, and herself is to meet at the Secretary’s home from 6-8 on September 3.

The Board sought and received permission to meet at The Healing Place for the remaining meetings of this year. The Board reserved meeting time from 7-9 p.m. on September 22, October 27, November 24, and December 8.

[The Secretary interjects that it is important to end the meeting before 9:00 p.m. so that we may clear the meeting place by 9:00 p.m. This is so we will not inconvenience, Mr. Reep, and our other hosts.]

Website: Dean reported that the efforts to set up the website with persons he had selected had not proved satisfactory. He will look for a new provider. The name to be used is Triangle Greenways Council. org. The Nominating Committee was asked to consider facility with website matters in looking for a nominee.

Land Trust:

Bill Flournoy reported on various sites, distributed maps and slide logs for several sites, and showed sides of two sites.

As to Duke Power land he reported a negative response, reflecting the recent blackout. The Committee will explore alternative approaches.

As to the Triangle Rail-to-Trails Conservancy, through Thad Howard, the Committee is working on a connection to the Chancellor’s Ridge tract. It will ask Dan Jewell to stay in touch with local government.

As to the Elliott Tract, 75 acres on Crabtree Creek in Raleigh, which was accepted last year, Bill passed out a slide log and showed slides.

Boundaries are Marsh Creek on the West, Crabtree Creek on the south, and railroad on the north and east. There is no road access. There is a sewer line and an oxbow lake. The entire tract is in the flood plain. One adjoining property is held by York and others and presumably will not be available for donation. The Committee is trying to put together a site for the Natural Science Magnet School with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.

As to the Habitat for Humanities land, Bill showed slides and passed out 2 location maps. This location is on the Raleigh Greenways System. One map shows lot 29, 4 acres, accessible from Coletrain Court. Water goes under I 40. The second site is on State Street, and is a site we saw at the time of the retreat. It is c. 0.5 acres at the corner of Darby and State, lot 12 on the map. There is a drainage pipe under Darby. The property behind is Fuller Elementary School. It is not a typical site in that it is on the perimeter of the corridor. Habitat is ready to arrange a transfer. The Committee does not recommend an endowment gift. Bill expects this to roll over as part of a larger project and believes we have the potential of other agreements with Habitat.

As to a 12 acre tract on Lake Johnson owned by the Trust for Public Lands, there is discussion of a lease with an option to buy, a Clean Water Trust Fund grant, and a conservation easement on the tract. This involves both the City of Raleigh and Wake County, and People for Parks. The Committee wants to use an expedited approval process and seeks approval of acceptance from Habitat and approval of the offer of an easement to the Clean Water Trust Fund.

Bill reported that People for Parks was not set up to serve primarily as a land trust.

Motion: It was moved by Dean and seconded by Norm and passed without dissent that the Board approves acceptance of the proposed donation from Habitat and the offer of an easement to the Clean Water Trust Fund.

At this point Barb left the meeting and Bill Bussey presided.

As to the Morris Tract Bill gave out a slide map and showed slides. This is a tract of some 11.08 acres on Walnut Creek just off a cul de sac. Adjoining is an auto salvage yard, for which a phase one showed no problem. The Committee is waiting for a response from the owners.

Motion: If the owners accept the conditions set by the Board, the Committee is to go ahead with acceptance. [The Secretary’s notes do not show a disposition of this motion.]

As to the Benton Tract, this may involve the Wake Audubon.

Again it was mentioned that Raleigh has a parks and greenways bond issue in October. The proposed resolution was referred for e-mail approval.

The meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Larkin Kirkman
Secretary