This week Emerald Isle town commissioners will receive and discuss a long-awaited master plan for 30-acre McLean Spell Park located behind the Emerald Isle Community Center and along Archers Creek. The town bought the heavily wooded property, which was then zoned for multifamily residential development, for $3 million in 2017. One reason for the purchase was the Town’s interest in maintaining the land, or most of it, in its natural maritime forest state forever. This idea dovetailed nicely with the Department of Defense which was interested in preventing dense development in the flight path of planes that come and go from Bogue Field, a landing strip and training facility for the US Marine Corps. Both of these goals fit in well with the North Carolina Land and Water Trust which was looking for a way to protect and improve the water quality in Archers Creek, a tributary of Bogue Sound. As a result of these synergistic reasons, the necessary funds for the purchase came together in a creative Half of the purchase cost, $1.5 million, came from the military. Another $500,000 came from the state General Assembly and $545,000 came from the state Clean Water Management Trust Fund, known now as the N.C. Land and Water Trust Fund. A rare collaboration of local, state and federal agencies that should be celebrated and replicated time and again.
Most of the land – about 20 acres – is to remain forever in its natural, maritime forest state under terms of the state grant that contributed much toward the purchase cost, but town officials have said about 10 acres could eventually be used for such things as a dog park and possibly a ballfield. And that is why Town manager Matt Zapp and the commissioners’ hired Summit Design and Engineering of Hillsborough back in April to develop a master plan for the heavily wooded space criss-crossed with walking trails and named after two of the town’s founding fathers, John McLean and Arnold Spell. Town Manager Matt Zapp will brief commissioners during their monthly session, which will begin at 6 p.m. in the meeting room beside the police department and online via the town’s Facebook page. The plan calls for minimal development in the park – a dog park, safety updates for trails through the woods, a picnic shelter and exercise stations along the trails – but no ballfields, as has been recommended by town officials for years.
Summit developed a survey and more than 1,200 residents responded to the survey. The vast majority wanted the park kept as natural as possible. Some did not want any development in the park at all. Many said there were already ballfields nearby in Western Park in Cedar Point. In a meeting earlier this year, all five Emerald Isle commissioners expressed support for the residents’ desire to maintain the park in its current state: dense maritime forest with walking trails. Seemingly, Summit listened. Its plan takes a minimal impact approach. “With the goal of preserving existing vegetation while creating more passive recreation opportunities, the plan is broken down into two phases of implementation. Phase I takes place within the existing park boundary and includes an arborist report, trail updates, exercise stations, a dog park for small and large dogs, a water fountain and a picnic shelter. Bogue Banks Water Corporation is now constructing a well in the park on a small piece of land it leases from the town, and that well would provide water for the dog park. Phase II will mostly take place outside of the McLean-Spell Park boundary, utilizing the space at Blue Heron Park next door and includes an updated restroom facility and pickleball courts.
Summit recommends that the town obtain an arborist report to examine the health of the maritime forest trees directly adjacent to the trails. Once the arborist report is done, the plan other updates such as signage, erosion control and new trail connections could be implemented. Constructing stairs on hills would minimize erosion on the sandy soil, signage can function as wayfinding, as well as environmental educational talking points, and boardwalks can help to minimize impact on any frequently flooded parts of the park. In addition, the arborist report will identify any safety risks associated with low-hanging limbs or trees in poor health. However, Summit recommends that trees located off the trail, even if they are dead or dying (known as 'snags'), should remain as-is since they provide important ecological benefits such as habitat for woodpeckers, bats, insects, fungi, and more. The plan states that exercise stations placed at various nodes along the trail can create recreational opportunities without significant environmental impact. Prefabricated or easily assembled equipment can simplify the job. Opting for wood rather than plastic will blend with the existing ‘naturalistic’ character of the park.
As for the dog park, Summit recommends adding a 1-acre dog park with separate runs for large and small breeds, along with signage, trash receptacles and waste bags. By fencing in an area and not removing any healthy trees or performing major topography work, the canine park can give dogs a perfect place to be off-leash without significantly impacting the maritime forest or the enjoyment of the general public. Finally, Summit recommends the construction of a picnic shelter within the park as it can provide rest opportunities for park users. Summit recommends that this shelter could be sited near the main entrance, outside of the existing wetlands and in a relatively cleared and level part of the park to best minimize its impact. In Phase II of the development, Summit recommends that the town upgrade the restroom facility in the adjacent Blue Heron park in order to better serve the needs of users of both parks and examine the possibility of constructing another pickleball court in Blue Heron, as well as a rain garden to buffer any runoff from entering Archers Creek. The board is expected to act on the plan during its December meeting. To learn more about how the Town of Emerald Isle will develop or not develop its remaining tract of unspoiled maritime forest, please go to my website, www.EmeraldIsleHomesforSaleNC.com and sign up for my blog. Ready to buy or sell? Call me at 919-308-2292. Explore the video tab for my weekly uploads to my YouTube channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and receive free donuts at my Flip Flops Donut shop. Text your email address to 919-308-2292 and subscribe to my newsletter. My book, "Live Where You Vacation" is available on Amazon.com or at Kindle.
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