Overview
The Town has approved the relocation of a 1,200-foot segment of the Black Creek Greenway. The segment is approximately .2 miles north of Weston Parkway & approximately .4 mile from where the trail ends at Old Reedy Creek Road.
Current Status
Dedication of the Black Creek Greenway Realignment and the Kassel A. Smit Memorial Water Fountain will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2006 at 10 a.m.
Why Current Alignment was Changed
On Sept. 9, 2004, the Town Council approved rezoning and land use changes that Highwoods Realty requested within the Weston development. The request included a 22-acre tract off Winstead Drive where apartments are planned.
The Black Creek Greenway bisected the rear of this property, approximately 150’ from the edge of Lake Crabtree. It was determined that the existing trail would be too close to the apartment complex and that there was room to move the trail closer to the shoreline.
The developer relocated the trail, widened it to 10 feet (from the previous 8-foot width) and constructed a new sheltered observation deck overlooking Lake Crabtree.
See answers to frequently asked questions.
Review of Environmental Issues
An advisory on eating fish from Lake Crabtree led some to question whether moving the trail closer to the lake increases health risks from PCB exposure. (The May 2004 advisory did not apply to boating, swimming, wading, catching fish and releasing them, or using trails near the lake.)
In April 2005, the Town consulted with a nationally renowned toxicologist/epidemiologist who concluded that it was safe to move the greenway. She based her findings on her independent review of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency analysis.
Following the scientist’s presentation at the Town Council’s April 28, 2005 meeting, the council approved the plan to move the greenway.
Public Meetings
Town staff met with citizens March 28, 2005 to review realignment plans. See a summary of citizen comments from the initial public meeting on Feb. 22, 2005.
Primary Goals of the Project
• Ensuring a usable, high quality trail experience
that is currently enjoyed by Cary citizens along this segment of the
Black Creek Greenway
• Ensuring there is no additional flooding of the trail once relocated.
• Improving on the current alignment of the trail to assure safety
and enjoyment of trail users
• Providing an opportunity to develop a more usable overlook
• Ensuring a sufficient buffer that limits the visual impact of
any development adjacent to the trail
• Limiting any impact to the current use of the trail.
Schedule
Project completion - June 2006
Contact
Doug McRainey
Parks Planning Manager
P.O. Box 8005
Cary, NC 27512-8005
(919) 460-4973
doug.mcrainey@townofcary.org