Paul contacted Charles Peek for additional information about the proposed plans for parking and paving at Umstead as informal conversations with a PAC member and a ranger had provided somewhat contradictory information. Please see below for Mr Peek's response via e-mail. We are pleased to see that paving the gravel surface road leading to the Sycamore Day Use area is not withing the scope of this project. What is unclear is whether paving is still under consideration for the future. As we have previously stated, paving would significantly worsen the current significant safety issues involving cars traveling too fast, and runners/bikers/etc. not following basic safety rules. To quote one of the rangers, "paving was a stupid idea."
Mr. Fisher,
Your idea to share information about the project on our website is indeed a good one. It would be to the benefit of the park and the community for everyone to have a clear idea of how traffic patterns at William B. Umstead State Park will be altered by our plans to add parking and access areas. Unfortunately, we are not quite to that point, yet. The effort to improve traffic flow at both the visitor center and the Sycamore Day Use Area is a joint project of DPR and the DOT. Details of the project are still undergoing revision and it’s yet to be decided which portions of the project will be undertaken by DOT and which may be bid to contractors.
To recap, the major components of the project are:
To improve and widen the gravel-surface road to the Sycamore Day Use area (This road would not be paved in the scope of this project.);
To improve the Sycamore parking area with better organization for passenger vehicles and horse trailers and with a new gravel surface;
To construct a section of multi-use trail to link the Sycamore parking area to the multi-use trail network;
And, to create a new parking area on an unused roadbed behind the visitor center. This one-way spur is expected to accommodate up to 58 vehicles.
The state parks system is committed to this project, although it’s obvious that state budget constraints and other current priorities may slow our progress a bit more than we’d like. But, we will make plans to display progress on the project on our website when construction is imminent. As always, thanks for your interest in the park.
chp
Charlie Peek
Public Information Officer
N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation
919.715-8709
Mobile 919.218.4622
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
No sunshine when it comes to Graylyn
We continue to have serious questions about the ethics surrounding the Graylyn issue
What we know:
DOT was somehow able to prioritize paving this short, dead-end road with few residents--thus eliminating the roadside parking and greatly restricting access at this point even to neighbors living close to this entrance but not directly on Graylyn.
One of these residents at the Graylyn entrance, Sam Greenway, not only serves on the Umstead Park Advisory Committee but also utilized his position as part of the PAC to effectively persuade the others to eliminate prior plans for parking at Graylyn from the draft of the General Management Plan in a PAC meeting on 11/14/07. Of course, one of the recurrent concerns brought up was security. We attended PAC meetings where Mr Greenway made sure his statement of finding "condoms and needles" at Graylyn repeatedly made its way into the PAC meeting minutes. We also attended a meeting with Rep. Weiss where Billy Totten, former regional superintendent, added to the theatrics by indicating they did not want anything similar to the Eve Carson situation to happen at Umstead. We understand that security can be a valid concern. But based on our own experiences and in talking with others, while we saw people use poor judgment in selecting places to park at times of high demand, we NEVER, EVER observed evidence of illicit,illegal or threatening activity. We once observed beer bottles and remains of fireworks that we assumed were left from neighborhood teenagers. We attempted to learn the truth about the security issue at Graylyn to learn whether these concerns were valid or.... Paul requested the incident data from Carol Tingley, Chief of Natural Resource and Regional Planning, on 12/9/09 and has never heard back from her.
Another PAC member repeatedly made statements about the "uproar" from public meetings eons ago when the issue of having Graylyn as the main entrance was discussed. We note this was a very separate issue that had occurred in the remote past--and does not seem to have any bearing on being able to access the park from Graylyn. The current issue did not involve Graylyn as a main entrance--only continued use of it as an access for more than a select few. Ironically, NC Parks chose to ignore the current "uproar" of the petitioners and conveniently dismissed the majority opinion of their own survey of public opinion when making their decision about Graylyn. As NC Parks opted for their original plans, we believe all they did was allowed all of us to speak--but had no intention of listening. We find their decision both fiscally and environmentally irresponsible. Most parks are trying to reverse the adverse impact of increased vehicular traffic and NC Parks' decision only increases it by having cars come into the park rather than access it from the perimeter.
Also, effectively their decision gave the park superintendent and Mr Greenway private entrances to the park.
Is this how government is supposed to work?
What we know:
DOT was somehow able to prioritize paving this short, dead-end road with few residents--thus eliminating the roadside parking and greatly restricting access at this point even to neighbors living close to this entrance but not directly on Graylyn.
One of these residents at the Graylyn entrance, Sam Greenway, not only serves on the Umstead Park Advisory Committee but also utilized his position as part of the PAC to effectively persuade the others to eliminate prior plans for parking at Graylyn from the draft of the General Management Plan in a PAC meeting on 11/14/07. Of course, one of the recurrent concerns brought up was security. We attended PAC meetings where Mr Greenway made sure his statement of finding "condoms and needles" at Graylyn repeatedly made its way into the PAC meeting minutes. We also attended a meeting with Rep. Weiss where Billy Totten, former regional superintendent, added to the theatrics by indicating they did not want anything similar to the Eve Carson situation to happen at Umstead. We understand that security can be a valid concern. But based on our own experiences and in talking with others, while we saw people use poor judgment in selecting places to park at times of high demand, we NEVER, EVER observed evidence of illicit,illegal or threatening activity. We once observed beer bottles and remains of fireworks that we assumed were left from neighborhood teenagers. We attempted to learn the truth about the security issue at Graylyn to learn whether these concerns were valid or.... Paul requested the incident data from Carol Tingley, Chief of Natural Resource and Regional Planning, on 12/9/09 and has never heard back from her.
Another PAC member repeatedly made statements about the "uproar" from public meetings eons ago when the issue of having Graylyn as the main entrance was discussed. We note this was a very separate issue that had occurred in the remote past--and does not seem to have any bearing on being able to access the park from Graylyn. The current issue did not involve Graylyn as a main entrance--only continued use of it as an access for more than a select few. Ironically, NC Parks chose to ignore the current "uproar" of the petitioners and conveniently dismissed the majority opinion of their own survey of public opinion when making their decision about Graylyn. As NC Parks opted for their original plans, we believe all they did was allowed all of us to speak--but had no intention of listening. We find their decision both fiscally and environmentally irresponsible. Most parks are trying to reverse the adverse impact of increased vehicular traffic and NC Parks' decision only increases it by having cars come into the park rather than access it from the perimeter.
Also, effectively their decision gave the park superintendent and Mr Greenway private entrances to the park.
Is this how government is supposed to work?
Monday, March 29, 2010
compromise needed for parking at Manorbrook
The Public Works committee recently had a split vote on the petition by the Manorbrook Rd residents in the Lakes of Umstead Community to eliminate parking in their neighborhood. Russ Stephenson and Bonner Gaylord voted for a compromise to allow parking on one side of the road; John Odom voted to eliminate parking and Mary Baldwin wanted to have a full council vote. Fortunately, Mayor Meeker recommended an opportunity for public comment through 4/6 when the issue will be revisited. As you may know, this type of compromise was previously agreed upon for Trenton Woods Way as a temporary parking solution. As always, we encourage everyone to remain considerate of the neighbors to allow for continued access.
As you can see, the city council needs to hear from you. Phone calls to John Odom (996-3000) and Mary Ann Baldwin is also encouraged (828-5591). We support the compromise allowing for parking on one side of the road as put forth by Mr Stephenson and Mr Gaylord.
To contact the entire city council at once, e-mail them at Citycouncilor@ci.raleigh.nc.us or contact each of them individually at the following e-mail addresses:
charles.meeker@ci.raleigh.nc.us
mary-ann.baldwin@ci.raleigh.nc.us
russ.stephenson@ci.raleigh.nc.us
nancy.mcfarlane@ci.raleigh.nc.us
john.odom@ci.raleigh.nc.us
james.west@ci.raleigh.nc.us
thomas.crowder@ci.raleigh.nc.us
bonner.gaylord@ci.raleigh.nc.us
As you can see, the city council needs to hear from you. Phone calls to John Odom (996-3000) and Mary Ann Baldwin is also encouraged (828-5591). We support the compromise allowing for parking on one side of the road as put forth by Mr Stephenson and Mr Gaylord.
To contact the entire city council at once, e-mail them at Citycouncilor@ci.raleigh.nc.us or contact each of them individually at the following e-mail addresses:
charles.meeker@ci.raleigh.nc.us
mary-ann.baldwin@ci.raleigh.nc.us
russ.stephenson@ci.raleigh.nc.us
nancy.mcfarlane@ci.raleigh.nc.us
john.odom@ci.raleigh.nc.us
james.west@ci.raleigh.nc.us
thomas.crowder@ci.raleigh.nc.us
bonner.gaylord@ci.raleigh.nc.us
Monday, January 25, 2010
Bike Lanes on Hillsborough St
We received an e-mail today from DT, a fellow cyclist, informing us about the Hillsborough Street Bike Lanes being on the agenda for the City of Raleigh Public Works agenda tomorrow. Please see the link below for information and actions you can take to help:
http://www.newraleigh.com/articles/archive/hillsborough-street-bike-lanes-on-public-works-agenda-tuesday/
http://www.newraleigh.com/articles/archive/hillsborough-street-bike-lanes-on-public-works-agenda-tuesday/
Request from Sig Hutchinson re: Greenways
Please read the e-mail from Sig below. Based on our experiences, Access Umstead is all too familiar with rude and vocal groups making the same tired argument...
Action Alert – Action Needed
Your Greenways Are under Threat!!!!
(Please Forward)
Within several years, your greenway system in the Triangle will soon span hundreds of miles from the Falls Lake Dam through Raleigh or down the Neuse River to Umstead Park, Cary (and many more towns and cities) connecting up to the American Tobacco Trail and then to Durham. AMAZING!!!! But now the greenway system is under threat of being severed by a small group of VERY vocal neighbors in Summerfield North subdivision, (North Raleigh off Strickland Rd.) who are literally objecting to signage directing users through their subdivision on public streets and sidewalks for the 2 ½ blocks to where the greenway restarts heading south towards Shelly Lake. Staff has said they have never seen such a rude and vocal group of citizens at a public meetings shouting down our supporters and basically making a spectacle. They proposed two alternate routes that would add unnecessary time, cost and distance to a direct link though the neighborhood. (You might be reading the ongoing battle in the N. Raleigh News) They are making the same old tired arguments about crime, vandals and property values; all of which is totally untrue and in fact, the opposite is true.
Property Values
http://www.railstotrails.org/resources/documents/resource_docs/tgc_economic.pdf
Crime
http://www.railstotrails.org/resources/documents/resource_docs/Safe%20Communities_F_lr.pdf
What can you do?
Contact members of the Raleigh City Council and the Parks and Greenways Advisory Board
Mayor - Charles Meeker - charles.meeker@ci.raleigh.nc.usDistrict A - Nancy McFarlane - nancy.mcfarlane@ci.raleigh.nc.us (This is in her District)At-Large - Russ Stephenson - russ.stephenson@ci.raleigh.nc.us (Chair, Public Works Committee)District B - John Odom - john.odom@ci.raleigh.nc.us (Member, Public Works Committee)District E - Bonner Gaylord - bonner.gaylord@ci.raleigh.nc.us (Member, Public Works Committee) District C - James West - james.west@ci.raleigh.nc.us (Mayor Pro Tempore)At-Large - Mary-Ann Baldwin - mary-ann.baldwin@ci.raleigh.nc.usDistrict D - Thomas Crowder - thomas.crowder@ci.raleigh.nc.us
Entire City Council at once – Citycouncilor@ci.raleigh.nc.us
Then CC. the Members of the Parks & Greenways Advisory Board
Mr. Eugene Weeks (Chair) - eweeks1@bellsouth.net
Mr. Jimmy Thiem (Vice-Chair) – jthiem@hagersmith.com
Ms. Gail Till – gtill@nc.rr.com
Mr. Greg Barley - gbbarley@msn.com
Mr. Kevin Brice – Kmbrice@nc.rr.com
Ms. Doris Burke – johnnieburke@bellsouth.net
Mr. Jay Chaudhuri – jay.j.chaudhuri@gmail.com
Mr. Mark Turner – jmarkturner@gmail.com
Mr. Scott Reston – scott@therestons.com
Ms Rebecca Oxholm – rboxholm@gmail.com
Ms. Jan Pender – jan@ctnc.org
Ms. Elaine Perkinson – eperky@bellsouth.net
Ms. Shoshanna Serxner – sserxner@nc.rr.com
Mr. Christopher Smith – csmith5@nc.rr.com
Mr. Gerald Wright – Gerald.Wright@Duke.edu
Subject: Honeycutt Greenway
“Please complete the Honeycutt Greenway in North Raleigh in the most direct way possible, including a direct link through Summerfield North. Our greenways are of real value to our community and the interconnection of our system is one of its greatest strengths.”
You can add about how much you love and use the greenway, and how much you appreciate the City Council funding the expansion of our greenway system if you would like. Sign it and your good to go.
And/Or
You Can Attend a Meeting
We need some people in the audience to counter the large group of opposition that will be out in force. You don’t need to say anything but simply be there to support the greenways. In talking with City Councilors and Parks Board members, this group is a very intimidating crowd and we need to neutralize their impact so our elected officials will have the support and courage to do the right thing. Most importantly, this sets a precedent for elected officials and Boards in the future to do the right thing when uninformed neighbors show up trying to sever the greenway. These elected and appointed leaders need to know that the public support the greenway system and most importantly, the interconnectivity of our system.
Meetings
Parks, Recreation & Greenways Advisory Board
Thursday, January 21st, 6:00 pm, City Council Chamber of the Raleigh Municipal Building, Avery C. Upchurch Complex, located at 222 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh, North Carolina.
You can sign up for a 2 minute public comment at the beginning but this is not necessary
(But your presence is important)
City Council Meeting
Tuesday, February 2nd at 1:00 in the Council Chambers, 2nd Floor Municipal Building
222 W. Hargett St. Raleigh, NC
The meeting starts at 1:00 pm, This will be part of the PRGAB report that should be around 2:00 but you never really know. They could approve it or refer it to the Public Works Committee, (Most likely) to be worked out there and then to come back to City Council at a later date.
Public Works Committee
Tuesday, February 9th at 5:00, and Tuesday, February 23rd 5:00 (2nd and 4th Tuesday)
Council Chambers 2nd Floor - 222 W. Hargett St. Raleigh, NC
Once in Public Works, Chairperson Stephenson decides when it is to be placed on the agenda, so we won’t know till later when it will be heard by the PW committee. If you are planning to attend these later meetings, e-mail me at Sig@SigHutchinson.com and I can keep you posted to the latest information.
I’ll thank you in advance for your support and attention. Rarely do I ask for help and when it do, I promise it’s important!!!
Sig Hutchinson
Sig@SigHutchinson.com
Action Alert – Action Needed
Your Greenways Are under Threat!!!!
(Please Forward)
Within several years, your greenway system in the Triangle will soon span hundreds of miles from the Falls Lake Dam through Raleigh or down the Neuse River to Umstead Park, Cary (and many more towns and cities) connecting up to the American Tobacco Trail and then to Durham. AMAZING!!!! But now the greenway system is under threat of being severed by a small group of VERY vocal neighbors in Summerfield North subdivision, (North Raleigh off Strickland Rd.) who are literally objecting to signage directing users through their subdivision on public streets and sidewalks for the 2 ½ blocks to where the greenway restarts heading south towards Shelly Lake. Staff has said they have never seen such a rude and vocal group of citizens at a public meetings shouting down our supporters and basically making a spectacle. They proposed two alternate routes that would add unnecessary time, cost and distance to a direct link though the neighborhood. (You might be reading the ongoing battle in the N. Raleigh News) They are making the same old tired arguments about crime, vandals and property values; all of which is totally untrue and in fact, the opposite is true.
Property Values
http://www.railstotrails.org/resources/documents/resource_docs/tgc_economic.pdf
Crime
http://www.railstotrails.org/resources/documents/resource_docs/Safe%20Communities_F_lr.pdf
What can you do?
Contact members of the Raleigh City Council and the Parks and Greenways Advisory Board
Mayor - Charles Meeker - charles.meeker@ci.raleigh.nc.usDistrict A - Nancy McFarlane - nancy.mcfarlane@ci.raleigh.nc.us (This is in her District)At-Large - Russ Stephenson - russ.stephenson@ci.raleigh.nc.us (Chair, Public Works Committee)District B - John Odom - john.odom@ci.raleigh.nc.us (Member, Public Works Committee)District E - Bonner Gaylord - bonner.gaylord@ci.raleigh.nc.us (Member, Public Works Committee) District C - James West - james.west@ci.raleigh.nc.us (Mayor Pro Tempore)At-Large - Mary-Ann Baldwin - mary-ann.baldwin@ci.raleigh.nc.usDistrict D - Thomas Crowder - thomas.crowder@ci.raleigh.nc.us
Entire City Council at once – Citycouncilor@ci.raleigh.nc.us
Then CC. the Members of the Parks & Greenways Advisory Board
Mr. Eugene Weeks (Chair) - eweeks1@bellsouth.net
Mr. Jimmy Thiem (Vice-Chair) – jthiem@hagersmith.com
Ms. Gail Till – gtill@nc.rr.com
Mr. Greg Barley - gbbarley@msn.com
Mr. Kevin Brice – Kmbrice@nc.rr.com
Ms. Doris Burke – johnnieburke@bellsouth.net
Mr. Jay Chaudhuri – jay.j.chaudhuri@gmail.com
Mr. Mark Turner – jmarkturner@gmail.com
Mr. Scott Reston – scott@therestons.com
Ms Rebecca Oxholm – rboxholm@gmail.com
Ms. Jan Pender – jan@ctnc.org
Ms. Elaine Perkinson – eperky@bellsouth.net
Ms. Shoshanna Serxner – sserxner@nc.rr.com
Mr. Christopher Smith – csmith5@nc.rr.com
Mr. Gerald Wright – Gerald.Wright@Duke.edu
Subject: Honeycutt Greenway
“Please complete the Honeycutt Greenway in North Raleigh in the most direct way possible, including a direct link through Summerfield North. Our greenways are of real value to our community and the interconnection of our system is one of its greatest strengths.”
You can add about how much you love and use the greenway, and how much you appreciate the City Council funding the expansion of our greenway system if you would like. Sign it and your good to go.
And/Or
You Can Attend a Meeting
We need some people in the audience to counter the large group of opposition that will be out in force. You don’t need to say anything but simply be there to support the greenways. In talking with City Councilors and Parks Board members, this group is a very intimidating crowd and we need to neutralize their impact so our elected officials will have the support and courage to do the right thing. Most importantly, this sets a precedent for elected officials and Boards in the future to do the right thing when uninformed neighbors show up trying to sever the greenway. These elected and appointed leaders need to know that the public support the greenway system and most importantly, the interconnectivity of our system.
Meetings
Parks, Recreation & Greenways Advisory Board
Thursday, January 21st, 6:00 pm, City Council Chamber of the Raleigh Municipal Building, Avery C. Upchurch Complex, located at 222 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh, North Carolina.
You can sign up for a 2 minute public comment at the beginning but this is not necessary
(But your presence is important)
City Council Meeting
Tuesday, February 2nd at 1:00 in the Council Chambers, 2nd Floor Municipal Building
222 W. Hargett St. Raleigh, NC
The meeting starts at 1:00 pm, This will be part of the PRGAB report that should be around 2:00 but you never really know. They could approve it or refer it to the Public Works Committee, (Most likely) to be worked out there and then to come back to City Council at a later date.
Public Works Committee
Tuesday, February 9th at 5:00, and Tuesday, February 23rd 5:00 (2nd and 4th Tuesday)
Council Chambers 2nd Floor - 222 W. Hargett St. Raleigh, NC
Once in Public Works, Chairperson Stephenson decides when it is to be placed on the agenda, so we won’t know till later when it will be heard by the PW committee. If you are planning to attend these later meetings, e-mail me at Sig@SigHutchinson.com and I can keep you posted to the latest information.
I’ll thank you in advance for your support and attention. Rarely do I ask for help and when it do, I promise it’s important!!!
Sig Hutchinson
Sig@SigHutchinson.com
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