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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-15-1998 - 10bORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTPACT Meeting Date: December 15, 1998 Action Agenda /o_ 6 Item No. SUBJECT: Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission — Northern Community Park DEPARTMENT: Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N ) ATTACHMENT(S): 10/5/98 Mayor Waldorf Letter Project Summary INFORMATION CONTACT: Albert Kittrell, ext 2300 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732 -8181 Chapel Hill 968 -4501 Durham 688 -7331 Mebane 336- 227 -2031 PURPOSE: To receive a report from the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission concerning the development of the Town's Northern Community Park. BACKGROUND: Funds were included in the successful November 1997 County bond referendum to assist in the development of the Town of Chapel Hill's Northern Community Park. Earlier this year, the Board of Commissioners conveyed to the Chapel Hill Town Council the County's desire that it be included in the planning for this project, and the Southern Community Park project which will follow. Representatives of Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation will make a presentation and respond to the Board's questions about the Northern Community Park. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the report for information only at this time. N S f ` CAE TOWN of CHAPEL HILL 306 NORTH COLUMBIA STREET CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA 27516 OFFtcB op rim MAYOR October 5, 1998 Ms, Margaret Brown Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners 1509 Smith Level Road - Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Dear Margaret: (919) 968 -2714 FAX (919) 967 -8406 2 On September 28 the Council voted to fund abatting cage for the Northern Community Park, using our bond funds, and to initiate a conceptual study for the final phase of the park. We continue to support strongly an indoor swimming pool on that site, consistent with the way the 1996 bonds were promoted to the citizens. The study will explore different pool options and non- pool uses that might be accommodated in a community center -type building. Our Parks and Recreation Commission would like to schedule a presentation to the commissioners on the Northern Community Park, to give you a good picture of the progress to date and solicit the commissioners' questions and ideas about the next phase. Dan Costa, Chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, will be in touch to schedu8le this presentation to your board. We are very excited about this park, and believe it will be a great resource for the citizens. Sincerely, Rosemary I. Waldorf CC: Orange County Commissioners Dan Costa Council Members NORTHERN COMMUNITY PARK PROJECT The project was begun in 1990 when the site was purchased. The park is located off Airport Road and Homestead Road and encompasses almost exactly 40 acres. Council approved an initial conceptual plan in 1993. Council approved a site plan in 1994. Funding has come from a variety of sources: Town 1989 park bond funds, Town 1996 park bond funds, County 1997 park bond funds, and Capital Improvement Project funds. The project, as is currently approved and funded, is $4,578,000. This includes $250,00 in design and engineering; $35,000 in land purchase (beyond initial purchase); and approximately $30,000 in OWASA tap fees. The site has been very grading intensive. The basic infrastructure of the park should be completed by the end of 1998. At that point, the park will contain an outdoor basketball court and a picnic area ready to use. Two 300' softball fields and 2 full size soccer fields —all lighted and irrigated —have been developed and should be ready for use in the fall, 1999. The turf has not been determined —still considering sodding or seeding. All roads, paths, utilities, etc. have been installed for the park. The concession/shelter by the skateboard facility should be completed by the end of 1998. What's left to do? Skateboard Facility: The main slab has been poured. A Skateboard Design Committee (comprised of community youth and adult skateboarders and staff) has been working with a planner to develop a site plan. There is a budget for $60,000. Staff expects the facility construction to be completed by spring, 1999. Playground: The playground facility has been put out to bid. The bids will be opened December 15, 1998. A committee of citizens has been formed to review proposals. $60,000 is budgeted for the project. Staff anticipates construction during the winter /spring, 1999 to be completed by late spring /early summer, 1999. Batting Cage Facility: At its September 28, 1998 Council adopted allocated $200,000 in Town park bonds all for development of batting cage project. Staff is currently working with the architectural firm that designed the park to develop a conceptual plan for the batting cage. The next step will be engineering drawings then the Town will go out on bid for construction. At the current schedule, staff anticipates the batting facility to be ready for public use in early fall, 1999. Aquatic Facility /Community Center: At its September 28, 1998 Council appropriated $53,000 from FY98 -99 budget for conceptual plan process of aquatic facility /community center. Staff anticipates 3 4 developing a bid process for conceptual plans in early, 1999. Cost estimates for the building are approximately $3.5 to $4 million. Currently there is not sufficient funding to complete the project. Current remaining money is approximately $2,055,000 ($1.2 million in 1996 Town park bonds and $855,000 in 1997 County park bonds allocated for Northern Community Park). At its August 24, 1998 meeting the Chapel Hill Town Council adopted a recommended timetable for use of $2,000,000 in funds from the 1997 Orange County parks bonds. The adopted schedule is: YEAR AMOUNT SCHEDULE OF TOWN NEED FOR FUNDS 1998 $145,000 Construction of concession/restroom building at Northern Community Park 1999 $205,000 School soccer field at Southern Village ($105,000) and Southern Community Park conceptual plan/construction drawings ($100,000) 2001 $795,000 Construction of Phase I of Southern Community Park 2002 $855,000 Construction at Northern Community Park . Future Development of Southern Community Park No Council decisions have been made at this point, except soccer field at school. The field will be available for use in the fall, 1999 and will be fully lighted and irrigated. There is no conceptual plan for the remainder of the park at this point. ' County Corn Meeting 12/15/98 DL Costa — P &R Chair NORTHERN COMMUNITY PARK PROJECT The Northern Community Park is located off Airport Road and Homestead Road and encompasses almost exactly 40 acres of land north of the Duke Power Headquarters Facility. This is beautiful area which in the park design has preserved much of the natural foliage and the flowing stream cutting through the site. The project was begun in 1990 when the site was purchased from the Maddry family. The Chapel Hill Town Council approved an initial conceptual plan in 1993 and approved the site plan in 1994. So far a total of $5,649,000 has been allocated or pledged toward the current project. - $2,147,000 in 1989 park bonds - $100,000 in Town Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funds - $3,257,000 in Town 1996 park bond funds - $145,000 in Orange County 1997 park bond funds for the restroom/concession building Funds have been used for the following general purposes: - $250,000 for design and engineering fees - $1,115,000 for land purchase - $30,000 for OWASA fees - $4,054,000 for construction and misc. fees such as legal and construction administration - $200,000 in current contingency fund Current Schedule The site required extensive grading and was delayed last winter due to extreme wet and mud conditions. Construction progress has improved tremendously since the onset of dry conditions this past summer. The basic infrastructure of the park should be completed by the end of 1998. At that point, the park will contain: - an outdoor basketball court with 2 hoops - a picnic area of 5 outdoor tables and a covered picnic shelter with 4 tables - trails and sidewalks - parking - extension of Stateside Drive County Corn Meeting 12/15/98 DL Costa — P &R Chair What is there left to do? In 1999 the other park amenities currently approved by the Council will come on line: - In February -March the playground structure should be complete. The current budget is $60,000 for playground equipment. Bids will be opened December 16, 1998 for the equipment and installation. Work should begin in January or February. - In April -May the skateboard park should be finished. At this time we have completed the slab, fencing, and lights. The restroom/concession building is almost finished. The skateboard committee has almost finished its work on designing the ramps. Once a design has been completed we need to secure insurance and then construct the ramps. - In September two 300' softball fields and two full size soccer fields with irrigation and lights should be ready for use. The approach to establishing field turf has not been determined. The staff is still considering various options such as sprigging, sodding and/or importation of additional soils. - In October - November the batting cage complex should be complete. At its September 28, 1998, meeting the Chapel Hill Town Council adopted the P &R Commission's proposal for the allocation of $200,000 in Town park bonds for development of batting cage project. Staff is currently working with the architectural firm that designed the park to develop a conceptual plan for the batting cage. The next step will be engineering drawings, which will be followed by requests for construction bids. Aquatic Facility /Community Center: For several years citizens of the Town have requested expanded or new aquatic facilities for public use. The 1996 bond of $5M was passed by the Town's citizens to provide for the development of NCP, including the building of a community center and indoor pool. The high bids on NCP, anticipated higher construction costs in the Triangle, and the need to use some funds ($428 K) for the completion of Northside (Hargraves) Gym has left insufficient funds from the bond to complete the pool and community center. However, the Town Council and the P &R Commission are committed to fully develop the NCP project. In fact, in an effort to get ahead of the process — having learned from the Southern Village Gym proposal of 1996 - the P &R Commission has had initial discussions with members of the CH- Carrboro School Committee and Superintendent Neil Peterson to explore how we could better leverage P &R and school construction funds to provide for mutual needs. Obvious areas of common interest are fields, and facilities — notably, in our minds would be the aquatic facility. Without funding to provide funds for pools at each high school, the teams are in need of practice pool- time ... right now provided by P &R at the Estes Rd. CC. Perhaps, joint efforts in the future can be productive for the schools and community at large. For the moment... at its September 28, 1998, meeting the Town Council appropriated $53,000 from FY98 -99 budget for a conceptual plan process for an aquatic facility /community center. Staff anticipates developing a bid process for conceptual t County Corn Meeting 12/15/98 DL Costa — P &R Chair What is there left to do? In 1999 the other park amenities currently approved by the Council will come on line: - In February -March the playground structure should be complete. The current budget is $60,000 for playground equipment. Bids will be opened December 16, 1998 for the equipment and installation. Work should begin in January or February. - In April -May the skateboard park should be finished. At this time we have completed the slab, fencing, and lights. The restroom/concession building is almost finished. The skateboard committee has almost finished its work on designing the ramps. Once a design has been completed we need to secure insurance and then construct the ramps. - In September two 300' softball fields and two full size soccer fields with irrigation and lights should be ready for use. The approach to establishing field turf has not been determined. The staff is still considering various options such as sprigging, sodding and/or importation of additional soils. - In October - November the batting cage complex should be complete. At its September 28, 1998, meeting the Chapel Hill Town Council adopted the P &R Commission's proposal for the allocation of $200,000 in Town park bonds for development of batting cage project. Staff is currently working with the architectural firm that designed the park to develop a conceptual plan for the batting cage. The next step will be engineering drawings, which will be followed by requests for construction bids. Aquatic Facility /Community Center: For several years citizens of the Town have requested expanded or new aquatic facilities for public use. The 1996 bond of $5M was passed by the Town's citizens to provide for the development of NCP, including the building of a community center and indoor pool. The high bids on NCP, anticipated higher construction costs in the Triangle, and the need to use some funds ($428 K) for the completion of Northside (Hargraves) Gym has left insufficient funds from the bond to complete the pool and community center. However, the Town Council and the P &R Commission are committed to fully develop the NCP project. In fact, in an effort to get ahead of the process — having learned from the Southern Village Gym proposal of 1996 - the P &R Commission has had initial discussions with members of the CH- Carrboro School Committee and Superintendent Neil Peterson to explore how we could better leverage P &R and school construction funds to provide for mutual needs. Obvious areas of common interest are fields, and facilities — notably, in our minds would be the aquatic facility. Without funding to provide funds for pools at each high school, the teams are in need of practice pool - time...right now provided by P &R at the Estes Rd. CC. Perhaps, joint efforts in the future can be productive for the schools and community at large. For the moment ... at its September 28, 1998, meeting the Town Council appropriated $53,000 from FY98 -99 budget for a conceptual plan process for an aquatic facility /community center. Staff anticipates developing a bid process for conceptual ' County Corn Meeting 12/15/98 DL Costa — P &R Chair plans in early1999. Cost estimates for the building are approximately $3.5 to $4 million. Currently there is not sufficient funding to complete the project. Current remaining funds total approximately $2,055,000. These include: - $1.2 million in 1996 Town park bonds - $855,000 in 1997 County park bonds allocated for Northern Community Park Alternative funding is being explored by Town staff under direction of Council (2/3 rule and lease installment plan). At its August 24, 1998 meeting the Chapel Hill Town Council adopted a recommended timetable for use of $2,000,000 in funds from the 1997 Orange County parks bonds. The adopted schedule is: YEAR AMOUNT SCHEDULE OF TOWN NEED FOR FUNDS 1998 $145,000 Construction of concession/restroom building at Northern Community Park 1999 $205,000 School soccer field at Southern Village ($105,000) and Southern Community Park conceptual plan/construction drawings ($100,000) 2001 $795,000 Construction of Phase I of Southern Community Park 2002 $855,000 Construction at Northern Community Park Future Development of Southern Community Par No Council decisions have been made at this point, except for the soccer field at the school. The field will be available for use in the fall, 1999 and will be fully lighted and irrigated. There is no conceptual plan for the remainder of the park at this point.