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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-17-2009 - 6bORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 17, 2009 Action Agenda Item No. (o - b SUBJECT: Consideration of Official Name for Northern Park (working title) DEPARTMENT: ERCD, R&P PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Recommendation from RPAC Laura Blackmon, 245-2300 Listing of Names Submitted by Public David Stancil, 245-2590 Adopted County Property Naming Policy Lori Taft, 245-2660 PURPOSE: To consider a report from the County Manager on a recommendation for approving a name for the Northern Park project, currently under construction on NC 86 northwest of Hillsborough. BACKGROUND: The Parks and Open Space Bond of 2001 included funding for the construction of a park adjoining the Northern Human Services Center on NC 86 North six miles north of Hillsborough. This park is identified in the adopted Parks Element of the Comprehensive Plan (1988), and a master plan for the park was completed in 2005. A North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant in the amount of $500,000 was awarded to this project in summer 2007. Construction began in early 2008 and is nearing completion. During the master plan process the name "Northern Park" was adopted as the working title for the park, which will serve northwestern Orange County. In early 2008, the Board authorized staff to solicit public opinion on potential names for the park for subsequent Board consideration. In late-spring, flyers were distributed in the community and suggestion boxes placed at the Northern Center Branch Library and another site within the Northern Human Services Center. Names were collected over a period of 3 months (by drop box, mail and email) and forwarded to the Recreation and Parks Advisory Council (RPAC) for a recommendation. A total of 20 names were suggested by the public for the park (please see attached list). Of the 46 votes cast, the high vote-getter was "Cedar Grove Park" (with some including the word "Community"), and this is the name recommended by the RPAC. On March 3, 2009 the Board approved a new property naming policy for the County. The approach taken for this naming (Board direction to staff to solicit name suggestions) is consistent with the policy (Section 2.4.c). Following the creation of proposed names, the policy calls for a recommendation from the County Manager on the name. The recommended name, 2 Cedar Grove Park, would be consistent with Guideline 2.1.6 of the policy, which states that names "shall be based on geographical, historical, ecological, functional or other such factors...". The name Cedar Grove has been associated with this part of the County since at least the antebellum era and is the name of the township of location and a nearby crossroads community. The Board's property naming policy is attached. As per the policy, if the Board agrees on a name and states its intent to adopt the name, a resolution to this effect will be drafted and brought back for action on April 7. The park opening is set for Saturday, April 18. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with the selection of a name. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends, in keeping with the adopted policy, that the Board select the name "Cedar Grove Park" for this facility, consistent with resident suggestions, the RPAC recommendation, and the adopted policy. It is suggested that the word "community" not be used as part of the name, as these distinctions on types of parks may be changed or discarded in future years. Jeecreattion a.~ ~arlcs ~~ytisory Gvuncit ~ D f Dran9e Gos~nt~ P.O. Box 8181, 300 W. Tryon St., Hillsborough, NC 27278 (919) 245-2660 September 12, 2008 Dave Stancil, Director Environment and Resource Conservation Department Dear Dave, Members of the Recreation and Parks Advisory Council (RPAC) recently had the opportunity to review the list of suggested names (attached) that have been submitted for "Northern Park." RPAC was in agreement in their recommendation that either Cedar Grove Park or Cedar Grove Community Park be adopted as the new official name. Many of the other choices were of interest, but members of the council felt that there is some value in "keeping it simple." RPAC appreciates the opportunity for input into this decision and in the planning process for the park. The Council looks forward to the final selection of the park name by the Board of Commissioners and to joining you and the Board at the parks grand opening in the spring. Sincerely, Lary Tait Lori Taft, Director Parks and Recreation Department 4 Suggested Names for new park adjacent to Northern Human Services Center (names shown as written) Cedar Grove Park .- . 14 --Cedar Grove Communit Park 5 Vincent/Wri ht Memorial Park 7 Northern Cedar Grove Park 2 Mariah McPherson Park 2 Cedar Forest 2 Northern Oran a Park 1 The Oran a Grove 1 Cedar Ride 1 Northern Communit Park 1 Northern Recreation Park 1 Northern Park 1 The Grove 1 Sawmill Park/Cedar Park 1 Cedar Woods 1 Northern Hills Park 1 Sunwind Oran a Park 1 Friendshi Park and Recreation 1 Cedar Pines Park 1 Woodland/Pines Park 1 TOTAL VOTES 46 S Orange County Property Naming Policy Policy x.x "Policy Statement" County owned buildings, facilities and land shall bear such names as the Orange County Board of Commissioners shall approve pursuant to this policy. This policy follows all applicable local, state and federal laws, rules and regulations. Purpose This policy is to establish the Board of County Commissioners as the responsible authority for naming County buildings, facilities, and land. Guidelines 2.1. The naming of public buildings, facilities and land shall be done only by the Board of County Commissioners by resolution adopted by majority vote. 2.1.1. Property to be given names or titles shall be either owned by Orange County government or leased by Orange County government for its use. 2.1.2. Properties to be named or given a title include buildings, any areas in buildings, other physical facilities, collections of books, records or other printed or audio-visual materials, land or water areas 2.1.3. Official names or titles for property belonging to the County shall only be changed by the Board of County Commissioners as it deems appropriate. 2.1.4. Current names for property belonging to the County shall remain the same unless changed by the Board of County Commissioners upon relocation or change in function of the property. 2.1.5. No property belonging to Orange County shall be named for living persons with the following exceptions. a. Living persons who make a significant monetary contribution to the development of a public building or facility when such a contribution is made with the intent and agreement of the Board of County Commissioners that said building or facility will be named for the contributor b. Leased property that has been conferred a name by the lessor that is a person's name need not be renamed if it has locational or other value 2.1.6 Official names or titles for property belonging to or leased by the County shall be based upon geographical, historical, ecological, functional, or other such factors as the Board of County Commissioners deems appropriate. If a geographical reference of locational value is derived from the name of a person, such as a street name, it may be used in naming County property. a. A public building/facility under construction/renovation or land purchased for park development or conservation/preservation will be given a "working title" which will only become the official title of the property when formally approved as such by the BOCC b. Memorial naming of a public building, facility or land is in addition to the official title of the building/facility/land and is bestowed in accordance with Section 2.2 of this policy t0 c. Leased property naming will respect historical names that may already be attached to the facility or as may be negotiated with the owner of the building. 2.1.7 Exceptions to this policy of naming property belonging to the County may be made by the Board of County Commissioners as it deems appropriate. 2.1.8 This policy does not apply to the naming of public streets, roads, alleys and other similar thoroughfares. 2.1.9 This policy shall not be construed as the mechanism for selling the permanent naming rights to County structures, buildings, facilities or land. 2.2. Memorial Naming (in honor of a deceased individual) of Public Buildings, Facilities, or Land: In the event Orange County wishes to honor a deceased individual by naming a public building, facility or land after such an individual, the following shall apply: 2.2.1. The person who is being honored by such a memorial shall have made a significant contribution to the well-being and betterment of Orange County. 2.2.2. The party requesting a memorial shall submit a brief biography of the person to Orange County government for recording purposes. 2.2.3. The memorial naming of a public building, facility or land will be in addition to the official name as defined in Section 2.1.6 of this policy. 2.2.4. Renaming a public building, facility or land which has previously been named in honor of or in memorial to an individual shall only be done in extraordinary circumstances as determined by the Board. Procedures 2.3. A public building/facility under construction/renovation or land purchased for park development or conservation/preservation shall be given a "working title" by staff for easy identification of the property. 2.4. The proposed naming of a public building, facility or land may be generated in the following manner. a. Staff shall recommend to the BOCC an official title of the public building, facility or land in accordance with Section 2.1.6 of this policy. Such recommended by staff will be made prior to the completion of any project to construct, renovate or develop the property. b. Any person, firm or association may propose a name for a County owned building, facility or land by submitting the proposal in writing to the County Manager or Clerk to the Board. c. Under certain circumstances the BOCC may wish to set in place a public process for soliciting input in the official naming of a public building, facility or land. 2.5. The County Manager shall prepare a report with recommendations for the proposed naming of the public building, facility or land and present it to the BOCC for consideration at a regularly scheduled public meeting. 7 2.6. Upon receipt of the report and the recommendations of the manager the BOCC will state its intent to consider the adoption of a resolution for the naming or renaming of the public building, facility or land at the next or some subsequent meeting as determined by the BOCC. 2.7. The Board may determine the public building, facility or land is of significant public interest and direct a notice be published informing the public of the Board's intent to consider the naming or renaming of the public building, facility or land and fix a time and place for a public hearing on the question. 2.8. Upon approval of the resolution by the BOCC, the public building, facility or land shall bear the name assigned to it from and after the date of Board action or such subsequent date as the BOCC may prescribe.