Carolina Thread Trail Master Plan for Rowan County Communities
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carolina thread trail master plan for rowan county communities October 2014 1 2 3 table of contents acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................... 6 executive summary .................................................................................................................................. 8 chapter 1: introduction Carolina Thread Trail ...................................................................................................................................... 15 chapter 2: greenway benefits Connecting Communities ................................................................................................................................ 19 Health ............................................................................................................................................................ 20 Economic ...................................................................................................................................................... 21 Environmental ............................................................................................................................................... 23 chapter 3: existing conditions Geography of the Study Area/Land Cover .......................................................................................................... 25 History .......................................................................................................................................................... 25 Population ..................................................................................................................................................... 26 Economy ....................................................................................................................................................... 26 Development Trends ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Existing Parks and Trails ................................................................................................................................. 27 Community Plans ........................................................................................................................................... 38 Destinations .................................................................................................................................................. 39 chapter 4: proposed trail network Planning Process ............................................................................................................................................ 41 Greenway Master Plan Trail Routes .................................................................................................................. 44 chapter 5: recommended actions for implementation Adopt the Plan ................................................................................................................................................ 61 Build Public Support ....................................................................................................................................... 61 Plan and Develop Priority Segments ................................................................................................................. 63 Identify Funding and Financing ....................................................................................................................... 65 Evaluate Land Acquisition Options ................................................................................................................... 66 Design, Construct and Maintain Trails .............................................................................................................. 68 chapter 6: conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 71 4 Table of Contents, continued appendices: Appendix I: Community Engagement Sessions .................................................................................................. 73 Appendix II: Survey Summary ~ Winter 2013/Spring 2014 ................................................................................. 79 Appendix III: Draft Master Plan Review Forums Summary ................................................................................. 89 Appendix IV: Alternative Funding Options ........................................................................................................ 91 Appendix V: Design Guidelines ........................................................................................................................ 97 footnotes .................................................................................................................................................... 119 5 acknowledgements The following organizations signed resolutions of support Carolina Thread Trail for Rowan County Communities at the outset of this eff ort to work with neighboring communities Steering Committee Members: and with the Carolina Thread Trail to plan, design, and build trails that will connect our communities: Andrew Morgan Town Landis Parks Town of China Grove Susan Closner Town of Cleveland Town of Granite Quarry Planning & Zoning Administrator Town of East Spencer Gary Mills City of Kannapolis Parks & Recreation Director Town of Faith Larry Smith Town of Granite Quarry Town of Spencer Town Manager City of Kannapolis Kathryn Clifton Town of Spencer Land Management Director Town of Landis Macon Sammons Town of Rockwell Town of East Spencer Town Administrator City of Salisbury Wendy Brindle City of Salisbury City Engineer Town of Spencer Dan Mikkelson Civitan Club of Salisbury Citizen of Salisbury Granite Quarry Civitan Dr. Michael Goodman Catawba Center for the Environment Salisbury/Rowan Runners Club Eric Phillips Skinny Wheels Bike Shop - Owner Other Supporting Organizations: Vivian Hopkins Community of Gold Hill Community of Gold Hill Barbie Blackwell Land Trust for Central North Carolina Town of Granite Quarry Town Clerk & Human Resources Bob Pendergrass LandTrust for Central NC Catherine Garner City of Salisbury Department of Transportation 6 Acknowledgements, continued Mary Ponds Consultant Team: Town of Granite Quarry Board of Aldermen Randi Gates Christy Churchill Carolina Thread Trail Duke Energy Jon Wood David Freeze Stewart Salisbury Road Runners Emily Blackwell Greg Philpot Stewart Novant Health Meredith Beard Phil Conrad Stewart Cabarrus-Rowan MPO Bob Heuer Steven Brown Trust for Public Land City of Salisbury Parks & Recreation Joe Morris Citizen, LandTrust for Central NC Thanks also to the Town of Granite Quarry for hosting all of the Steering Committee meetings in the Town Board Room. The Steering Committee also served as the Technical Advisory Team who assisted in collecting and analyzing data, and proposing alternative scenarios for consideration by the public. 7 executive summary The Carolina Thread Trail Greenway Master Plan for The Carolina Thread Trail Greenway Master Plan for Rowan County Communities outlines the steps necessary Rowan County Communities includes 107.8 miles of trails to preserve natural amenities, conserve historic sites, located along stream/river corridors, road rights-of-way, and provide public recreation facilities through greenway abandoned rail lines, undeveloped land, and dirt roads. and trail development. This plan is the fi rst step in the In addition, a total of 69.7 miles of blueways have been process of developing a network of trails through the local identifi ed along the Tuckertown Reservoir, High Rock Lake municipalities and communities in Rowan County. Trail and South Yadkin River – the defi ning boarder between segments will link residents and visitors to the sites and Rowan County and Davidson and Davie Counties. destinations that make the area unique, and will connect The development of the Carolina Thread Trail local users to trails across the Carolina Thread Trail region. Greenway Master Plan for Rowan County Communities This plan is the result of a 12 month planning process will occur over many years. Trail segments will probably be led by the Carolina Thread Trail and developed by a steering developed one at a time, focusing fi rst on priority segments committee made up of local community staff , community and taking advantage of trail development partnerships and leaders, county residents and regional representatives. The funding opportunities. As development continues within goal of the Carolina Thread Trail is to connect the people, the county and land uses evolve, trail segment locations businesses, and communities of the 15-county Carolina and priorities may need to take advantage of site conditions Thread Trail region, located in North and South Carolina, and connection opportunities. The following steps are through a network of trails that will promote economic recommended to begin the process of transforming development, healthy lifestyles, and the protection of land planned trail segments into trails on the ground. These and sites that make the region unique. steps outline a trail planning process that is fair, consistent, The primary deliverable produced through this and achievable for the residents within the communities of planning process is a map that depicts recommended trail Rowan County. segments connecting Rowan residents to local and regional destinations.