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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 05-18-1999 - 9di •~- ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 18, 1999 Action Agenda Item No. q-d SUBJECT: Disposition of County Property on Markham Drive DEPARTMENT: County Manager/Purchasing PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): 4/12/99 CH Town Manager Memo w/Draft Resolution INFORMATION CONTACT: John Link, ext 2300; Pam Jones, ext 2650 4/22/99 CH Mayor Letter TELEPHONE NUMBERS• Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider the disposition of property on Markham Drive, Clark Hills Subdivision, Chapel Hill. BACKGROUND: Several months ago, a citizen contacted the County regazding the status of a County- owned lot on Markham Drive. The citizen expressed interest in purchasing the property upon which to construct a personal residence. The property was acquired by the County in February 1985 in conjunction with a tax forfeiture. The property is comprised of about 1.15 acres on the north side of Markham Drive, and was acquired at public auction at a price of $3,200. The lot contains a utility easement and resource conservation district (RCD) restrictions. There would be significant site development costs if someone wished to construct a building on this site because of the aforementioned constraints. The potential buyer has been made aware of the site limitations and has continued to express serious interest in acquiring the property. The County Assessor has visited the property and has estimated that the property's market value would be in the range of $40,000 - $70,000 (assuming a potential builder received a Town building permit, and depending on the extent of the development costs that would be required to render the property buildable). County Engineer Paul Thames and Housing and Community Development Director Taza Fikes have also visited the site and view it as impractical for affordable housing purposes because of the significant site development expenses that would be involved. The county has no identified present or future need for the property. The site occupies a low area that is surrounded on three sides by much higher ground, which drains diagonally across the site through a small creek. The site itself is a very flat and poorly drained floodplain for this creek. 2 At its meeting on February 16, 1999, the Board considered the disposition of this property. At the direction of the Board, the Chair contacted the Town of Chapel Hill in an effort to determine the impact that disposal of this property for private purposes would have upon the Town's adjacent property and greenway development in that area. The agenda material prepared by the Town staff and presented during an April 1999 Town Council meeting indicated that there was no impact on their development plans and expressed no Town interest in the property (attachment # 1). However, during the meeting a Council member indicated that the County might donate the property to the Town and suggested that the Council not endorse the Town staff recommendation until they posed a specific question back to the County. The County Commissioner Chair has received correspondence from the Mayor posing that question (attachment # 2). In an effort to dispose of the matter, it appeazs that the Board has the following options: 1. To declare the property surplus and move forward with negotiation to sell; or 2. To declare the property surplus and move forward to donate the property to the Town of Chapel Hill for use in their greenway system; or 3. To leave the property ownership as it currently stands. Should the Board choose to divest themselves of the property, the necessary resolutions for disposal would be drafted by the Attorney and brought back to the Board for approval prior to final disposition of the property. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Financial impact is contingent upon the plan of action chosen by the Board. The corresponding financial impact for each of the options listed above is as follows: Option #1. If the Board were to declare the property surplus and move forward with negotiation and sale of the property, then the County would receive the price of the land, plus annual taxes paid on the residence and land. Option #2. If the Board were to declare the property surplus and move forward to donate the property to the Town for use in their greenway system, the County would receive no additional monetary compensation and would not recoup the original $3,200 purchase price of the land. Option #3, If the Board chose to leave the ownership as it currently stands, the County would experience financial impact no different that what is currently the case. RECOMMENDATION(S): As the Boazd decides. 1 ~ MEMORANDUM T0: Mayor and Town Council FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager SUBJECT: Recommendations Concerning Orange County Property on Mazkham Drive DATE: April 12, 1999 The attached resolution would communicate to the Orange County Boazd of Commissioners that the Town sees no conflict with Town greenway plans if the County negotiates to sell a parcel it owns on Mazkham Drive. BACKGROUND In 1985 the County acquired a 1.15-acre tract of property on Markham Drive, identified as Chapel Hill Tax Map 42, Block A, lot 17, as part of a tax forfeiture. Recently, a citizen interested in purchasing the lot has approached the County Commissioners. The County is awaze that the property adjoins Town-owned land and has sent a letter to the Mayor asking that the Council comment on how the property may fit into the future plans for Town property in this area. Please see the attached letter from Commissioner Gordon. DISCUSSION The Town cuaently owns two parcels along Booker Creek, north of the existing Greenway Trail that connects Tadley Drive and Daley Road. Please see the attached map. The lazger tract includes the planned location of part of the Lower Booker Creek Trail, now in the planning phase. The Council has approved a land trade as part of the Lower Booker Creek Trail project that, later this month, will place the smaller tract in private ownership. The County property is adjacent to, but not part of the Greenways system described in the Town's current Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan. Several informal trails have been developed by residents that connect the current Town property, the Orange County property, and Eastwood Lake. These trails are not part of the Town' formal trail system and in at least one location a resident has constructed a fence to restrict access. If the Orange County lot is developed, the current users of the informal trail on that property would have to walk an additional 400.500 feet along Markham Drive to gain access to Town property. This access would be via the existing Phase I of the Lower Booker Creek Trail. lam' A RESOLUTION INFORMING THE BOARD OF ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT THE SALE OR THE COUNTY PROPERTY ON MARI{HAM DRIVE WOULD NOT CONFLICT WITH THE TOWN'S PLANNED GREENWAY TRAIL ON THE ADJOINING PROPERTY (99-4-12/R-'n WHEREAS, the County owns a 1.15 acre tract of property on Markham Drive adjacent to the Town's planned Lower Booker Creek Trail; and WHEREAS, the County has asked that the Council indicate any potential conflict between that property and the Town's plans for its adjoining property; and WHEREAS, the property is not located within a Greenways trail conidor as shown in the Town's Comprehensive Greenways Master Plan; and WHEREAS, the informal access through the property currently being used by residents can be accomplished by using existing Town property; NOW, THEREFORE, BE TT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the sale of the parcel of property on Markham Road owned by Orange County would not conflict with the Town's plans for a greenway trail on the adjoining property. BE TT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Council that the Council extends its appreciation to the Orange County Board of Commissioners for soliciting the Council's input prior to negotiating a potential sale of the property. - I This the 12`x' day of April, 1999. OFFICE OF THE MAYOR TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL 3O5 NORTH COLUMBIA STREET CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA 27516 ~~C..~YVI C;k~ ~' Z ~, v- m 9 ` ~ lip;-^ ~ 't ~y•y ~~r~ _ .. G _ 'A: fit. S ~ i~ i. 1~ r.~R~ ~ ,i ~ A Apri122, 1999 Dr. Alice Gordon, Chair Board of Orange County Commissioners PO Box 8181 Hillsborough, N.C. 27278 Dear Alice: (919)968-2714 FAX (919) 967-8406 DISTRIBUTED 5- cc,c /- .T. G.~~l~ . ~~ ~a,K~L,r~+~ I am writing concerning your letter of March 8 concerning the Town's plans for its land adjacent to a County-owned lot on Markham Drive. This item was on the Council's agenda of April 12. During the discussion, the question was raised of whether the Commissioners would be willing to give-the lotto the Town of Chapel Hill. It is that question that I put before you now: Would the Commissioners give this lot to the Town? I shall bring your answer back to the Council for their consideration and we will prepare a response to your letter as quickly after that as possible. Thank you. r Sincerely, Lv Rosemary W dorf Mayor