Secondary and Cumulative Impacts Master Management Plan - 2014

SECTION 4 – DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENT IN PLANNING AREA

4.6 Public Lands and Scenic, Recreational, and State Natural Areas This category includes Federal, State, and local parks, and other scenic and recreational areas. Some major parks present within the Planning Area are Morrisville Community Park, Shiloh Park and Cedar Fork District Park (Table 4-4), the latter of which stretches across the Planning Area boundary into Cary. Figures 4-1 and 4-2 show the parks as open space. Morrisville Community Park offers sports facilities and a half-mile trail. Crabtree Park, which is just outside the Planning Area, surrounds Lake Crabtree, is used extensively for recreation, and is maintained by Wake County. These open spaces provide both scenic and recreational opportunities for residents. A major new park funded by Bonds approved in 2004 is the RTP Park, with completion of construction scheduled for fall 2014. This park will feature tournament quality Cricket facilities. The Town has a total of 157 acres of dedicated land for parks and open space, with 90 acres developed, 44 acres undeveloped, and 23 acres dedicated for open space. The undeveloped park space includes a 37 acre Crabtree Creek Nature Center, which is adjacent to the Cedar Fork District Park and is planned for 2040. A detailed inventory of the parks and greenway system is found in the Town’s 2011 Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Privately held recreational open space totals 585 acres, primarily including the Prestonwood Golf Course (Town of Morrisville, 2011). There are no gamelands within the Planning Area (NCWRC, 2013a)

TABLE 4-4 Open Space within the Planning Area Park

Total Acres Acres within Planning Area

Owner

Morrisville Community Park

35

35

Town of Morrisville

Cedar Fork District Park

Wake County/Town of Morrisville

31

4

Shiloh Park

8

8

Town of Morrisville

Indian Trailhead and Open Space

18

18

Town of Morrisville

RTP Park

25

25

Town of Morrisville

Undeveloped 1

44

44

Town of Morrisville

Dedicated Open Space

23

23

Town of Morrisville

Total

184

157

Source: Town of Morrisville, 2011 1 Includes the 37-acre Crabtree Creek Nature Center 4.7 Areas of Archaeological or Historical Value

SEPA requires the conservation and protection of the State’s natural resources and preservation of “the important historic and cultural elements of our common inheritance.” The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the formal repository of information pertaining to historic structures and districts; it is maintained by the National Park Service

4-11