MECKLENBURG COUNTY
Park and Recreation Department
Briar Creek Greenway
Randolph Road to Meadowbrook Road
First Community Workshop
Mint Museum of Art
February 2, 2009
Minutes
City Council Representative
Andy Dulin
Greenway Advisory Council
Representatives
Scott McClure, Chair
Roy Alexander
Dick Winters
Cilla Laula
Brian Malec
Kevin Walsh
Gerald Hopkins
Ron Gentry
Park and Recreation Representatives
Julie Clark, Division Director, Greenway
Planning and Development
Greg Clemmer, Regional Manager,
Central Park District
Jason Pauling, Senior Greenway Planner
Gwen Cook, Greenway Planner
Joe Mangum, Greenway Planner
Maya Agarwal, Greenway Planner
Taylor Piephoff, Resource Management,
Natural Resources Division
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water
Representative
James Gordon, Project Manager
County Real Estate Services
Representative
Rod Fritz, Project Manager
Charlotte Department of
Transportation Representative
Andy Grzymski, Transportation Planner
Consultants present
PBS&J – Auggie Wong, Program
Manager
Wildlands Engineering – Emily
Reinicker, Senior Water Resources
Engineer
Citizens present: 29 citizens signed in, approximately 40 attended the meeting.
Call to order – 6:45 PM
Mint Museum of Art
2730 Randolph Road, Charlotte NC 28207
1. Welcome – Scott McClure
Greenway Advisory Council Chairman Scott McClure welcomed everyone to the
workshop and gave an overview of the greenway program, 2008 Greenway Master
Plan update, 2008 Park and Recreation bond referendum, and the overall greenway
planning process. Scott stated that the community survey conducted as part of the
2008 Park and Recreation Master Plan cited greenways, walking, and nature trails as
the most popular amenity requested by the citizens of Mecklenburg County. Scott
also stressed that the community workshops are a citizen-driven process. Scott
addressed the agenda for the meeting and encouraged the audience to hold their
questions until the end of the presentation and the opportunities and constraints
identification.
2. Introductions – Julie Clark
Julie welcomed workshop attendees and introduced all Greenway Advisory Council
members, City and County staff, and consultants. Julie further explained the agenda
for the meeting and the discussed how workshop attendees will be asked to identify
opportunities and constraints of the project so that direct input can be provided into
future design work. She also mentioned that those wishing to ask detailed questions
about the greenway and stream restoration projects would have a chance to directly
interact with staff and consultants during the break out session.
3. Explanation of Stakeholder and Public Workshop Process – Roy Alexander
Roy described the stakeholder group and public workshop process as outlined in the
Greenway Master Plan. A targeted group of stakeholders, which included
neighborhood representatives, citizen advisory council representatives, and city and
county staff were invited to view and discuss the greenway concept plan. Roy
explained that the stakeholder meeting was designed to identify opportunities and
constraints and shared that these ideas would be presented to the audience later in the
meeting. The public workshop then provides the opportunity for all residents and
property owners in the project area to identify additional opportunities and concerns
to help inform the planning and design process.
4. Site Orientation – Julie Clark
Using the Greenway Atlas Map for orientation, Julie identified the existing sections
of Briar Creek Greenway as well as future greenway trail development plans. She
described the two developed sections of Briar Creek Greenway – ¼ mile section north
of Central Ave. and a nearly 1 mile trail within the Myers Park High School Campus
off of Colony Rd. Using the atlas map, she identified sections of greenway in the
immediate vicinity that are identified as part of the five and ten year development
plan:
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Central Ave. to Commonwealth Ave. – 5 year plan (funded by 2008 bonds)
Bay St. to Monroe Rd. – 5 year plan (funded by 2008 bonds)
Monroe Rd. to Randolph Rd. – 10 year plan
5. Stream Restoration Project – Emily Reinicker
Emily gave an overview of the stream restoration project being designed by County
Storm Water Services. She described the limits of the project as being between
Randolph Rd. and Providence Rd. She mentioned that the project also includes a
restoration and relocation of the tributary within Eastover Park.
6. Greenway Trail Location and Features – Auggie Wong
Auggie gave an overview of the geographical setting of the greenway project and
identified major destinations including Eastover Park, the Mint Museum, and the
Catawba Lands Conservancy property. Auggie identified the route of the greenway
beginning in the north with a trailhead at Eastover Park near Randolph Rd. following
parallel to the creek through the park to a bridge crossing the creek and landing on the
Eastover Ridge apartments property. The trail is then proposed to follow the berm
adjacent to the creek downstream to the Catawba Lands Conservancy (CLC) property
where it will move further from the creek into the woods and terminate at a trailhead
at Meadowbrook Rd.
7. Stakeholder Meeting Summary – Roy Alexander
Roy discussed the initial results for the stakeholder group meeting held on January
12, 2009. He presented the following opportunities and constraints as identified by
the stakeholder group:
Opportunities
• Use the greenway to reconnect Eastover Park following the tributary restoration.
Meander the greenway further into the park.
• Connect the greenway to the existing linear walkway and seating area extending
from the Mint Museum entrance.
• Leave a “placeholder” at the southern greenway terminus at Meadowbrook Rd.
and across from Twiford Pl. to acknowledge expectations for future trail
development.
• Connect the trail to Twiford Pl.
• Continue conversations with Jim Griffith to get greenway access to Eastover
Ridge apartments.
• Develop a loop trail within the CLC land.
• Develop a spur trail to connect with Randolph Rd. Park.
• Connect trail underneath Randolph Rd.
• Connection underneath Randolph Rd. creates opportunity for joint-use parking.
• Develop an environmental education partnership with CLC.
• Create an education station with kiosk, benches, and interpretative signage at the
Meadowbrook Rd. trailhead.
• Develop education programs for invasive species.
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Investigate potential neighborhood connections to Hungerford Pl. Investigate
right-of-ways and easements.
Add stormwater Best Management Practices within CLC property.
Study the opportunity for joint-use parking at the medical offices across Briar
Creek from Eastover Park. Investigate Eastover Ridge Dr. to determine if it is a
public road.
Tie in trails under Randolph Rd. near the County Health Department and
Billingsley School to the primary greenway.
Create connection from Placid Pl. to Twiford Pl.
Cross over the tributary at Placid Pl. as part of this project.
Develop a creek crossing somewhere near Twiford Pl. to create connectivity to
the west wide of the creek.
Incorporate art along the trail. Explore a partnership with the Mint Museum.
Constraints
• Increased access to the neighborhoods could be perceived in a negative light.
• Not enough parking for the greenway.
• Pervious surface material would be preferred in certain locations, particularly
within the CLC property.
• Lack of connectivity to the west side of the creek.
• Lack of connectivity to the senior center and apartments.
• Need for law enforcement on the greenway.
• Overflow parking within Eastover Park should be maintained and signed.
• Trailhead terminus at Meadowbrook Rd. feels like a dead end. Don’t discourage
a future extension.
• Easement from Jim Griffith is still not recorded.
• Make the connection to Twiford Pl. a condition of development of future
greenway to Providence Rd.
• Lack of parking at Meadowbrook Rd. creates difficulty for handicap access.
• Lack of neighborhood involvement in stakeholder meeting.
8. Identification of Additional Opportunities and Constraints – Julie Clark
Julie asked workshop participants to identify additional opportunities and concerns
about the greenway. Joe recorded the following comments on a flipchart:
• Is the greenway plan being coordinated with the bicycle plan?
• Consider plans for land acquisition to Providence Rd.
• Explore stream restoration of the Placid Pl. tributary.
• Explore flood mitigation on Briar Creek for smaller rain events.
• Consider the effect of the greenway on property values.
• Investigate the validity of FIRM maps.
• Explore better greenway connectivity.
• Continue citizen involvement for downstream connections.
• Concern that greenway will increase traffic in neighborhood.
• Concern that wildlife, especially large animals, will be negatively impacted by
bikes, pedestrians, and dogs.
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Concern that condemnation will be used for downstream property.
Provide a loop trail on Catawba Lands Conservancy property to discourage
parking on Meadowbrook Rd.
Neighborhood is happy with existing park – no other amenities needed.
Invite neighborhood associations to all meetings and workshops.
Learn more about neighborhood sentiment towards greenway development.
What is the projected use of a short section of greenway?
Is this an effective use of tax dollars?
Many questions were received from the audience. Some of the recurring questions
and comments concerned increased pedestrian and bicycle traffic within the Eastover
neighborhood, questioning of the benefits of such a short section of greenway, and a
perceived increase in crime as a result of the greenway. Scott McClure and Julie
Clark both encouraged the audience to remain after the primary meeting to ask
specific questions to the appropriate people during the break out session.
9. Summary – Julie Clark
Julie recapped the primary themes of the workshop and thanked the citizens who
attended the meeting. She explained that the opportunities and constraints identified
in the meeting would be explored as the design process continued and that there
would be a second public workshop in which these items would be addressed and the
revised concept plan would be shown. She reminded participants that all meeting
minutes and the conceptual map would be available on the Park and Recreation
website at:
http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Park+and+Rec/Greenways/Briar+Creek+Gree
nway.htm.
Joe made a note to obtain the contact information of the current Eastover Residents
Association president in order to provide them with all information about the
greenway plans and include them in upcoming meetings. Julie directed workshop
participants to three tables in the adjacent conference room where staff and
consultants were available for questions and comments:
• Greenway (Greenway staff, County Real Estate Services, PBS&J)
• Stream Restoration (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water, Wildlands
Engineering)
• Environment, Operations and Maintenance (Park Region staff, Natural Resources
staff)
10. Closing and Invitation to Remain for Questions – Scott McClure
Scott thanked the citizens for their input and reminded them that the planning process
is a citizen driven process. He encouraged citizens to ask specific questions about
the greenway plans, stream restoration plans, and operations and maintenance to the
appropriate staff and consultants during the break out sessions following the formal
meeting.