Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 08:18:01 -0800 (PST)
From: megan lynch
Subject: Public parks and public access on the Haw River
I would like to correct some mis-information I read on the Chatlist. ( see below my entry for the original)
The Haw River is blessed with acres of public land. The access to this land is hindered by the cost of development and suitability of the land to be developed. Did you know that you as a citizen of North Carolina and the US own most all of the adjoining riverfront lands?
NC State Parks ( old Duke Forest lands) and the US CORPS of Engineers own most of both sides of the river from Bynum to Jordan Lake. There exists a trail on the east side of the river from the old mill site (small but developing park area) to the US 64 canoe take out, a public canoe take out at Robenson Creek and a public boat ramp at Robenson Creek.Most of the other land is managed by the NC Wildfife agency for hunting and fishing. Up stream, State Parks own riverfront lands at Chicken bridge and at the 15-501 access. Seems to me a lot of public access lands.
The Chatham Park development does not own any lakefront lands. The US government owns those lands and has state agencies manage them. Development of lake facilities are restricted to areas delineated in the lake master plan and no areas are near the Chatham park lands.
It has also been mentioned that Chatham Park will be providing a new YMCA. My understanding is that land could be set aside (donated) for a YMCA. However ( and a big however for PIttsborro) the Y would be built and developed by the existing and any new members of the present Y. The facilities that everyone wants ( pool!) cost a great deal and the monetary support to build would be huge.
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 19:05:19 -0500
From: samantha capitol
Subject: Chatham Park: New public parks and public access to the Haw River.
*We have heard a lot of talk about the Haw River becoming an amenity for
the Chatham Park Development as if that were a bad thing, when it is
instead a very good thing for Pittsboro. Most of these areas will be
open to all the people of Chatham County. There is currently almost no
public access to the river and the surrounding area. It is all privately
owned and access is restricted, not publicly controlled. The Chatham
Park masterplan requires hundreds of acres in publicly accessible areas
of park land, greenways, bikeways, wooded areas and sport facilities,
each and every site to be approved by the Pittsboro Town Board and most
to be designated open to the public by the Town Board.*