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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-05-2013 - 7b ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date:February 5, 2013 Action Agenda Item No.7-b SUBJECT: Follow-up Discussion onthe Continuation of the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood Task Force DEPARTMENT:PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N)No Solid Waste Management ATTACHMENT(S):INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Clifton, County Manager, 245- 2300 Michael Talbert,Assistant County Manager, 245-2308 PURPOSE: To follow-up on Board discussions at the January 24, 2013 regular meeting and the January 29, 2013 work session regarding the continuation of the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood Task Force with consideration of the following: 1)Requesting thatthe Towns appoint their respective representatives; 2)Confirming the appointment of Commissioners Penny Rich and Renee Price to serve on the Task Force; 3)Consider appointing David Caldwell and Robert Campbell from the Rogers Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA) to serve on the Task Force; and 4)Confirming the Charge and aTimeline for the continued activities of the Task Force. BACKGROUND: Beginning in 1972 the landfill was openedby the Town of Chapel Hill and in 1999 Orange County assumed ownership and operation of the Eubanks RoadLandfill. The Historic Rogers Road Community has lived with the Orange County Landfill for 40 years. The Community is geographically splitby the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Orange County as the currentowner/operator of the Landfillis taking the lead to make remediation improvement to the Historic Rogers Road Community. On May 17, 2011 the Board received a plan from RENA recommendingactions to mitigate the long and short term impacts of Orange County’s Landfill and Solid Waste operations on the health, safety and welfare of the Historic Rogers Road – Eubanks Road Community. At theJanuary 26, 2012Assembly of Governments meeting,the Board and the Town Boards discussed the extension of sewer service and a community center for the Historic Rogers Road Community. County and Town Attorneys haveconcluded thatutilization of Solid Waste reservesto extend sewer service to theHistoric Rogers Road Communityis not consistent with North Carolina General Statutes and would subject the local governments to legal challenges. Therefore, funding for either the extension of sewer services and/or a community center will have to come from the County’s and Towns other general revenue sources. On February 21, 2012 the Board approved the original Compositionand Charge of the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood Task Force: Two members appointed by eachTown - Chapel Hill (Council Members Rich and Ward) and Carrboro (Board Members Johnson and Slade) Two members appointed by the County (Commissioners Hemminger& Foushee) Two members appointed from the Rogers Eubanks Neighborhood Association (David Caldwell and Robert Campbell) The original Charge for the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood Task Force was to investigate and make recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners, the Chapel Hill Town Council and the Carrboro Board of Aldermen for neighborhood improvements including funding sources and the financial impact to the County & Towns, for the following: 1.Sewer Service to the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood as defined by the previously approved public water connections in the area. 2.A Neighborhood Community Center. The Task Force was also directed to: a.Submit an Interim Report back to the County and the Townsby the end of August, 2012; and b.Submit a Final Report to the Assembly of Governments on December 6, 2012. On December 6, 2012, the Assembly of Governments received an interim report from the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood Task Force and held a lengthy discussion of the accomplishments of the Task Force. One of the recommendations from the Task Force was that the Task Force continueto meet for an additional six (6)months to address the Charge with the original composition of the Task Force. Town Board Members and County Commissioners voicedtheir opinions concerning the continuationof the Task Force and the issues that are still unresolved. Since the meeting was a work session, no decisions were made and the future of the Task Force was referred back to the Board of Commissioners. On January 24, 2013 the Board of Commissioners took the following action: First, a motion was made by Commissioner Alice Gordon and seconded by Commissioner Earl McKee: That the County move forward with the construction of the community center; Instruct staff to confer with the managers and attorneys of the county and towns,to come up with legal options for constructing the center, including whatever memorandum of agreement is needed; The budget is to be $650,000, with a maximum of $700,000 and 4,000 square feet; Confer with the towns about their financial participation; The staff is to come back with recommendations for the board to consider on how the center is to be operated. The motion was approved unanimously. Second, a motion was made by Commissioner Mark Dorosin and seconded by Commissioner Renee Price: To continue the Task Force for six (6) months; To have the Task Force consider the final costs, provision and installation of water and sewer utility extensions preferably at no cost for members of the Historic Rogers Road community; Consider options to address gentrification; To consider Chapel Hill’s most recent Small Area Plan; Consider funding options, including the Greene Tract. The motion was approved with a vote of 5 to 2. At the January 29, 2013 work session, the Board approved Commissioners Rich and Price to serve as the County’smembers on the continued Task Force over the next six months. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The financial impact of funding improvements in the Historic Rogers Road Community is uncertain until direction isprovided by the Board. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: 1. Request that the Towns appoint Task Force Members; 2.Confirm the appointment ofCommissioners Rich and Price as the County’s members onthe Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood Task Force; 3. Appoint David Caldwell and Robert Campbell from the Rogers Eubanks Neighborhood Association to the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood Task Force; and 4.Confirm the Charge and aTimelinefor the Task Force.