Carrboro council argues whether it’s time to fish or cut bait on Bolin Creek

GOVERNMENT

CARRBORO– Some Carrboro Town Council members say that, given the uncertain economy and tight budgets ahead, the town should postpone spending money on designing the Bolin Creek Greenway. Other members argue that, given the community’s support for the project, it’s time to stop talking and start planning.

“This is the thing we have talked about the most in my time on this council,” member Danny Nowell said at the May 6 meeting. “I think this is a common-sense slam-dunk on a project.”

The discussion between Nowell and Council Member Randee Haven O’Donnell, a long-time project critic, became barbed enough for Mayor Barbara Foushee to call a halt. “Let’s not do this, colleagues.”

A long and winding road

The council adopted a master plan for the Bolin Creek greenway in 2009. Public opposition resulted in the project lying fallow until 2023, when the council selected a creekside alignment for the greenway. The project has several separate phases:

1a, already completed, runs .4 miles from Wilson Park to the railroad across Estes Drive.
1b runs from Chapel Hill High School across Bolin Creek, then under Homestead Road.
Phase 2 will run .61 miles, connecting trails at Lake Hogan Farms to the Jones Creek Greenway. It’s part of the town’s long-range transportation plan.
Phase 3 provides centralized east/west connections from the greenway to nearby neighborhoods.
Phase 4 continues from the railroad tracks through the PH Craig tract.

Supporters and opponents of the project have long debated the merits of greenways or their lack thereof. The city’s proposed budget includes $1.2 million for designing phases three and four, though that work wouldn’t be funded until the 2027 fiscal year. The May 6 budget hearing led to more debate, with both sides speaking passionately.

Greenway supporters said connecting more trails through the area would make it easier for residents to travel without driving. Fighting climate change is one of Carrboro’s goals, so more travel with fewer cars would be a win. Navigating a paved path would also be safer for people on walkers or canes.

“I want there to be paving,” resident Apollonia Maria Otto said, because the risk of falling while walking on soil is too high with her glaucoma.

Brian Crawford, who lives north of Carrboro, said the greenway would enable him to get into town without driving. “I am frustrated I have to be here yet again to talk about something the community has made abundantly clear that we need to do.”

Diane Robertson, who lives by Bolin Forest, restated the view of the greenway’s opponents that building the path would damage the environment and the tree canopy too much. Far from helping the environment, it “flies in the face of client resilience.”

Opponent Bob Proctor said it was too soon to design the path because e-bikes are becoming increasingly popular. There was no way to know yet how they’d affect the safety of pedestrians walking beside the cyclists. “We can’t afford to pay a million dollars on a plan that will become outdated as soon as a ton of concrete is poured next to the creek.”

Managing Carrboro’s money

Proctor was one of several speakers who said the current economic climate was too uncertain to commit funds. By the time the design is done, the town will probably be unable to find construction funding, so anything spent on design will be wasted.

With rising local property taxes and water bills, inflation from tariffs and cuts to federal services, “this is the time to hunker down and be conservative,” Margaret Weiner, a Friends of Bolin Creek board member, told the council.

Resident Linda Haac said current federal policies cutting research funding, grants, and the federal workforce would lead to many white-collar professionals living in Carrboro losing their jobs. Cutting spending and lowering taxes would benefit them more than spending on greenway design.

Doing their duty

“This is a project that has been stalled on purpose for 15 years,” Council Member Eliazar Posada said later in the meeting. He said the city should try to budget for at least some of the design work in fiscal year 2026. “After so much engagement, I do not want to move back into a place of ‘We’ll do it next year.’”

“It’s not like there’s a block of us here who want to ram through ecocide,” Nowell said, arguing to move forward.

“Everything has radically changed,” Haven-O’Donnell said, arguing for a delay. She said there were multiple other paths under consideration in the area, such as a bike path along Estes and a rails-to-trails transition when the Co-Gen railroad closes. The designs for those projects haven’t been completed, and when they are, the town might have to pay to redesign Bolin. “Feeling like we have to do something because we didn’t do it yesterday is not a reason to do something.”

In response to Nowell’s comment, Haven-O’Donnell emphasized that she supported greenways. “Do not shade me here!” That led to Foushee requesting the councilors calm themselves.

The council did not vote on the greenway plan on Tuesday. The budget presentation was to inform the council and allow them to request changes. Next is a public hearing on May 20 and a final vote in June.

Town Manager Patrice Toney said the city had enough wiggle room in the budget to speed up some of the design work. She said that by December, she and her staff should understand what shape Carrboro’s 2026 finances are in. “I think we can move forward in some part of the project in January.”

You can stream the entire council meeting on YouTube.

Fraser Sherman has worked for newspapers, including the Destin Log, the Pensacola News-Journal and the Raleigh Public Record. Born in England, he’d still live in Florida if he hadn’t met the perfect woman and moved to Durham to marry her. He’s the author of several film reference books and has published one novel and several short story collections. This reporter can be reached at: Information@TheLocal Reporter.press