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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 04-04-2013 APPROVED 5/7/2013 MINUTES BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Public Meeting to Discuss a Board Meeting Room in the Whitted Building April 4, 2013 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a public meeting to discuss a board meeting room in the Whitted Building on Thursday, April 4, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at Whitted Building in Hillsborough, N.C. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jacobs and Commissioners Mark Dorosin, Alice M. Gordon, Barry Jacobs, Earl McKee, Bernadette Pelissier, Renee Price and Penny Rich COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Frank Clifton, Assistant County Managers Michael Talbert, Clarence Grier, and Deputy Clerk to the Board David Hunt (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) TOWN OF HILLSBOROUGH: Mayor Tom Stevens ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS: Chair Donna Coffey NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. Chair Jacobs called the meeting to order and reiterated that this is not a public hearing, but an information session. However, there can be some public comment. Introductions were made. Mayor Tom Stevens welcomed everyone to the meeting. He recognized Town Board members. Orange County School Board Chair Donna Coffey welcomed everyone. Chair Jacobs said that there have been discussions about sharing meeting space with the County and the school board and having those school board meetings televised as well. 1. Conceptual Floor Plans &Aggregated Board Meeting Calendar Presentations Jeff Thompson and Architect Ken Redfoot made a PowerPoint presentation. Commissioner Dorosin arrived at 7:13 p.m. Whitted Space Use Public Meeting April 4, 2013 Richard E. Whitted Building Intended Outcome: ■ Share Information • Receive Public Comment • Discussion • Permanent BOCC meeting facility site • Potential Shared Use General Background: ■ Richard E. Whitted Center Highlights: ■ 1922: Grady A. Brown School ■ 1936: Auditorium Addition ■ 1957: Building "B", Central Recreation ■ 1975: Acquired by Orange County ■ Renovations ■ 1982, 1994, 2004, 2011 ■ 2nd Floor Area: 13,086 sq. feet ■ Auditorium: 286 seat limit ■ Zoning: Office— Inst. ■ Parking: 197 lot spaces - 22 on-street General Background: ■ Past & Present County Uses • Grade 1-12 School • High School • Library • Health & Dental Services • Housing, Human Rights & Community Development • Recreation • County Administrative Offices ■ Facility Use Background ■ 2010-11: • Library Move; 2nd Floor Vacancy • Link BOCC Meeting Room Study • Health Department Renovation • Sprinkler system • Structural reinforcement ■ 2012-13: • Orange County Cultural Center Discussions • Hillsborough Joint Meeting Discussions • Administrative Office Space Discussions Space Planning Principals • Effective, Permanent BOCC Meeting Space • Potential Shared Use • Orange County • Hillsborough • Orange County Schools • Visitor's Bureau • Orange County Cultural Center • Parking • Access, Egress • Restroom Requirements Parking Needs • Hillsborough Administrative Approval: ■ 192 Spaces Required ■ Paved Surfaces ■ East Lot • South of Tryon Lots • Additional 25 Spaces Constructed Access, Egress, Restrooms • Fire Egress • Effect of Sprinkler System • Areas for Rescue Assistance • Hand Railing • Handicap Egress • Restrooms ■ 15 fixtures to meet maximum need Financial Impact • Schematic Budget: ■ $1.2 million - $1.4 million—for Meetinq Facility only • Performance Center needs/costs would be addressed by Orange County Cultural Center Potential Shared Use Planning Guidelines • Board adopted Facilities Use Policy is guiding document • No leasing arrangements to potential users • Operating Agreement framework contemplated for potential arrangement with Orange County Cultural Center Aggregate Board Calendar • Typical annual calendar for Hillsborough based meetings • Annual dates established in their entirety in advance • Predominantly evening meetings Ken Redfoot showed pictures of the various options for this building. Chair Jacobs said the County had a joint meeting with the Town of Hillsborough and a presentation in February, so the County Commissioners have already had this presentation. He welcomed any questions. Jeff Thompson said staff has prepared a schematic budget for a meeting facility, but not the additional uses. He made reference to the Facilities Use Policy for any shared use of this facility. He then showed the calendar for the aggregated board meetings. Chair Jacobs said there is a potential of 22 Orange County Commissioner meetings in Hillsborough. Betty Eidner, a Hillsborough citizen, asked about the cost if another group was to use this building for meetings. Jeff Thompson referred to the Facilities Use Policy for this question. Currently, the policy is that the costs are associated with the type of resources needed for the type of use. Kathy Alberta, a neighbor to the facility, asked if there was a feeling that there were other viable meeting spaces. Chair Jacobs said that the Board of County Commissioners meets all over the place. Staff prefers having one place to meet. Donna Coffey said the school board meeting place is smaller than some people's bedrooms. The school board has not discussed this yet or explored any opportunities. Mayor Stevens said the Town Board typically meets at the Town Barn. This space in the Whitted facility is quite large, so the Town might use it for their Quarterly Public Hearings and possibly for their once a month meetings. 2. Town of Hillsborough Description of Potential Review Processes Hillsborough Planning Director Margaret Hauth said this parcel is zoned Office- Institutional, and under the Hillsborough Zoning Ordinance, the proposed uses are allowed. If the facility would be used as an "Event Center", it would have to go through a Special Use Permit process. She does not foresee this triggering the SUP process. A meeting facility, offices, and performance facility fall under the zoning ordinance. Chair Jacobs clarified there will not be decisions tonight. 3. Orange County Cultural Center(OCCC) Presentation Margo Pinkerton made a PowerPoint presentation. OCCC Partnering with Orange County and Our Community First Public Gathering • First public gathering in this room in many years • Thanks go to all of you present this evening • History of Whitted Building as gathering place OCCC Mission Statement The mission of the Orange County Cultural Center (OCCC) is to promote the public understanding and appreciation of the creative arts and cultural history of Orange County, and to stimulate the interest and participation of its members and the community by providing affordable space for exhibitions, education, and professional endeavors. A Grassroots Dream • Since mid-2000s • Grassroots origins • Desire for cultural center • Arts, culture, and community together in one place • Large space for community gatherings and performances • Educational opportunities for all ages • Serve the county, towns, and citizens • Outreach to rural communities • Supplement arts in Orange County schools • Became a 501 C3 non-profit organization in March of 2012 Contributors to OCCC Vision The Orange County Cultural Center, a grassroots, non-profit organization, thanks the following groups that have contributed to our vision for a cultural center in Orange County: • Hillsborough Arts Council • Orange County Arts Commission • Music Maker Relief Foundation • Orange County Historical Museum • Historic Hillsborough Commission/The Burwell School • Orange County Visitors' Bureau • Orange Community Players • Orange County School System • Alliance for Historic Hillsborough • Members of the literary, arts, social, and business communities Business Support OCCC also thanks the following businesses: • Antonia's • comma • The Depot • Hillsborough Gallery of Arts • Panciuto • Purple Crow Books • Time and Tide Productions • The Wooden Nickel OCCC Board • Diverse members of the community • Volunteer board members • Andrea Riley • Pat Revels • Callie Connor • Margo Pinkerton • John Delconte • Fred Stewart • Thomas Watson • Brad Curelop • Dave Gephart • Deryl McGuire • Sarah DeGennaro • Elizabeth Waugh, Executive Director Why the OCCC? Added value: • Nexus for arts, culture and the community • Hub for innovation and "Community" • Incubator for the arts as a vital public purpose • Education • Arts • Enhancement of facility usage • Provision of upfits • Gathering of diverse community members • Strong grassroots network • One-stop shopping —THE Resource Economic Impact • Arts and historical attractions = cornerstone of tourism in Orange County • 3 of top 10 Orange County attractions = arts-related • Presence of creative professionals » amount visitors will spend • Higher proportions of workers in arts-related occupations » retention and attraction of residents • Presence of creative workers » rising household incomes • The Research Triangle Region employs 42,216 people in "creative enterprise". "Economic Contribution of North Carolina's Cultural Industries" by the Policy, Research, and Strategic Planning Division of the NC Dept of Commerce, June 2009. ["I "Creative Economy: The Arts Industry in North Carolina", NC Arts Council, 2007. Economic Impact • Nonprofit arts attendees = $22.87 above event cost • Non-local attendees = 2x more than local attendees ($38.05 vs $21.75).1"'1 • Total visitor spending in Orange County = $144.07 million in 2010.I'v] • Clean "industry" • Even out seasonal fluctuations • Businesses thrive • Taxable dollars "Arts & Economic Prosperity III: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Culture Organizations and Their Audiences", Americans for the Arts. I'v]Orange County office of Economic Development What Sorts of Events? Many groups and individuals have expressed the desire for appropriate venues for: • Educational events for all ages • Art, movement, and music classes for all ages • Poetry readings, writing workshops, and other literary events • Cultural and historical exhibits • Display of local artists' work • Small and large theater productions • Music and dance performances • Rehearsals for theater and dance performances • Church gatherings and events • Reunions, weddings, dances, and conferences Whitted Use Calendar Typical 12-week calendar BOCC, Hillsborough, School Board BLUE 35%% low—impact use, 1-20 people GREEN 35%% medium-impact use, 21-50 people YELLOW 29% high-impact use 51-250 Whitted Use Calendar Typical 12-week calendar BOCC, Hillsborough, School Board, OCCC BLUE 48% low—impact use, 1-20 people GREEN 31% medium-impact use, 21-50 people YELLOW 21% high-impact use 51-250 Whitted Partners' Calendar Typical 12-week calendar for government groups and OCCC Government use = that by the Board of County Commissioners, Hillsborough Town Board, and Orange County School Board always take top priority and are set a year in advance • OCCC's goal to do the same • Start modestly—dip toes into the waters • Grow slowly and carefully • Understand the OCCC may outgrow the Whitted Building Whitted Partners' Calendar Typical 12-week calendar for government groups and OCCC Government use = that by the Board of County Commissioners, Hillsborough Town Board, and Orange County School Board that always take top priority • 48% low-impact use = 1-20 people, • 20 events • 31% medium-impact use = 21-50 people • 13 events • 5 government uses average 40-50 people, evening • 8 OCCC uses average 25 people, daytime and evening • 21% high-impact use = 51-250 people • 9 events • 4 government meetings, up to 70 people, evening • 2 OCCC uses of 75-100 people, weekend afternoon • AKA Sorority mother/daughter tea, Sunday afternoon 1 x/year in May • Central High Foundation Gospel singers, Sunday afternoon 1 x/year in May • 2 OCCC uses of 100-200 people, weekend evening • Yearly Central Orange Alumni Association dance, evening, 1 x/year in May • Theater performance, 3x/year • 1 OCCC use of 100 people, early weekend evening • Historical meeting, 4x/year • Not inconsistent with historic use of the Whitted Building. Whitted Partners' Calendar • Other 1 x/year requests: • 1 annual late-December holiday gathering, evening • 1 family reunion in October, afternoon to early evening • 1 November evening dinner, 6-10 pm • 1 jazz event to compliment town festival, weekend evening The Whitted Neighborhood The OCCC is committed to maintaining an ongoing dialogue with the neighbors by: • Having a representative from the neighborhood on the OCCC board • Holding regular meetings with the neighbors to seek their input on scheduling of events • Hiring law-enforcement officers for larger events to address parking and traffic management Summation for Sharing Space • Celebrate the arts as a vital public purpose • Education • Arts • Whitted Building - an historic but underutilized building • Elegant space that speaks to complementary usage • Demonstrated desire for a center for arts, cultural, and social gatherings in Hillsborough and northern Orange County • Support for the arts = tax dollars • OCCC as nexus for arts and cultural community • Sense of place and "Community" • Hub for innovation • Enhancement of facility usage • Provision of up-fits • Gathering of diverse community members • OCCC = Strong grassroots network • One-stop shopping —THE Resource • Start modestly, grow slowly, may outgrow space • Thank you • A number of our board will stay after the meeting to answer further questions. Donna Coffey left at 7:54:46 PM. A citizen said there is not enough parking for this facility. Ken Thompson said the recreation facility is averaging 40-50 cars daily. He said there is very little use of the east lot. Commissioner Dorosin made reference to the slide about impacts and asked if the 20 events were all OCCC events or if those included government uses. Margo Pinkerton said some of the low-impact uses are Town Board meetings and County meetings, but there are also potential workshops put on by the OCCC. Commissioner Dorosin said he wants a sense of the goal of programming for the OCCC. Margo Pinkerton said it would depend on the neighborhood because the goal is to work with the neighborhood to find a good fit. Commissioner Dorosin asked about the source of revenue for things such as hiring law enforcement, etc. Margo Pinkerton said part of it would be from fund raising and there will also be an operating agreement with the County. Jeff Thompson said he does not envision any of the revenue from the Facilities Use Agreement going to the OCCC, but only the ticket sales from events put on by the OCCC. Rosie Summers lives near the Whitted Center. She said it sounded like the intent of the operating agreement is for the cultural center to actually decide the events that will take place in the Whitted Center as opposed to the County determining that by the Facilities Use Policy. Chair Jacobs said this has not been discussed as a Board yet. Jeff Thompson said the Facilities Use Policy governs the public use of County facilities. The Eno River Farmer's Market is similar to this, in that there are very strict guidelines for the facility use. 4. Public Comments Mark Donnely is a volunteer with the Hillsborough Arts Council. One of the projects that he loves is the Handmade Parade. He said there is no place for the people to work on this, and this facility would be very helpful. He is a bit concerned that there may be another layer of administration. In the past, they have gone directly to Orange County to apply for the space. He is concerned that if OCCC coordinates it then there may be additional costs. Deryl McGuire was representing the Orange Community Players. She said this is a community theater that started about eight years ago. Orange Community Players does not have a home but has been working in cooperation with the school board and churches. This is a true community theater and it desperately needs a home. She said that this performance facility is needed. David Gephart is Chair of the Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitors Bureau. He is pleased to see the positive conversation about the cultural center. The downtown literary and arts community is growing and they need to strike while the iron is hot. He said Hillsborough's time is now. Cher Tuskey is a member of the Orange County Arts Commission and she spoke on their behalf. She said the mission of the Arts Commission is to promote the arts in Orange County. She said the cultural center's vision is consistent with the goals of the Arts Commission. This space would provide a place for citizens to enjoy the lighter side of life. Chris Graebner is a member of the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts. Many artists would be interested in teaching classes, and this facility would provide a place for this. Thomas Watson is a lifelong resident of this community. He said this location would make a great hub for showcasing the diverse and wonderful culture of the community. He thinks this building would be a perfect place to hold plays, reunions, concerts, etc. He thanked the County Commissioners for renovating this site. He would like to see it used properly. Steve Gardner lives on Tryon Street. He said he opposes the use of this building for the proposed purposes of the OCCC. He said work has been done behind the scenes and many neighbors were not aware of the proposed use until getting a letter from the Town of Hillsborough in March. There is a concern about the impact of vehicles, noise, parking, lighting, etc. He does not think these concerns have been adequately addressed. He said there was strong neighborhood opposition in the past for a proposed private event house to hold events. He said this proposal seems like an uncontrolled use of the space. He believes that the proposal would be detrimental to the neighborhood. Deborah White said, looking at the history of the building, the surrounding neighborhood was in place and the use was compatible with the neighborhood. She shared what it was like to live in the neighborhood. She hears the gravel of cars in and out of the parking lot every day. There is noise from the chiller. She said there is a disparity between what is proposed and what is experienced by the neighbors. She is concerned about the facility being used during the evening hours for public activities. She said she would like information on the assessment for impacts as presented by the OCCC. She would like to have alternative spaces considered. Tinka Jordy is Co-Chair of the Hillsborough Arts Council. She said the Arts Council supports using this facility for the arts in a very low-impact and organic manner. She sees this as a temporary solution and not a permanent solution for cultural activities so that the neighborhood is not impacted so severely. Mike Kirby lives on Hassel Street. There is a parking problem there now. There are "No Parking" signs and people still park there all day and night. Steven Burke said no one can deny the importance of the arts and culture, but he can question the location of this facility. He said this is a residential area mixed in with churches and other activities. The question is whether this area can handle the additional traffic. He said without an aggressive plan that accommodates the traffic of the narrow streets, this is not a useful idea. Paul Mitchell lives across the street and said the parking lot is a washout all the time. He said one of the reasons he moved here was because there was a library that he could walk to. He is not convinced that the community has invited this event center. He suggested looking at the area at the old Wal-Mart for an event center because there is not a residential area there. Callie Conner lives a block away from this facility and is secretary of the OCCC. She has been committed to this venture. She said that this can be a transformative, cooperative venture. She said children will be served through a variety of programs here. These uses are the guiding philosophy of the board. She said one of the neighbors wrote a letter of support, and she read, "The Whitted Building has always served as a busy place for the public betterment—a school, a library, a recreation center, a senior center, health department, and social services department. As such, this spot on Tryon Street has always been a source of opportunity and life. As Hillsborough continues to thrive even with the accompanying drawbacks of traffic and noise, we might see these as tradeoffs against the stagnation that so many small towns in North Carolina experience. As for the Whitted neighbors, the OCCC will truly make every effort to support concrete, responsible plans and solutions to ensure the continuation of the tradition of vitality and community enhancement that the neighborhood has enjoyed in the past." Robert McDonald lives on W. Tryon. He said there have been issues and problems ever since the recreation department has been there. There are issues of trash, parking, and noise. Pat Revels thanked the County for entering into this dialogue. She attended the summit on Hillsborough tourism recently and she heard words like community, hospitality, rich culture, and a sense of place to describe Hillsborough. She serves on the Historical Foundation. She serves as the representative for the Hillsborough Historic Museum on the OCCC. She made reference to a letter of support in the agenda packet. She said the concerns are legitimate, but she thinks this is a rare opportunity. Andrea Riley is the Chair of the OCCC. She lives in Efland and she goes to the different events all over the Triangle, but Hillsborough has her heart. She said this place has a special draw. She works part-time at the Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitor's Bureau. She said Hillsborough has wonderful shops and restaurants. Last Friday is a wonderful event. The Whitted Center is a place people could walk to. She said the OCCC looked at the old Wal-Mart building and there are huge pillars to hold up the ceiling and there is not a clear view. They also looked at other facilities and they were too expensive or not attractive. She said this building is beautiful and would be a perfect fit for the proposed uses. Frank Miller said he went to school at Hillsborough High School, which was in this facility. He said there are four street lights in the parking lot. He has picked up dirty diapers and beer bottles. The dust from the parking lot comes into his house. He said the last thing he wants is more traffic, dust, or noise. He said employees yell to each other across the parking lot. He is ready for some peace and quiet. He said three minutes is not much time to talk about something that may impact the rest of his life. Kathy Alberta lives across the parking lot from this facility. She supports the arts and she thinks there can be a use for it here, but there needs to be a solution for storm water runoff. There is already storm water runoff affecting her house. She is looking forward to having a contact person related to landscape architecture to help her. Chair Jacobs referred her to Jeff Thompson. 5. Board Comments (Hillsborough, Orange County Schools, County) Commissioner Rich asked about any opposition to having government meetings here. Steve Gardner said the County does own the building and it is fair for the County to utilize the building for meeting purposes. Andrea Riley said the OCCC is listening to the concerns and they take them very seriously. She wants to work with the County and the Town to figure out ways to solve the traffic problems. She asked for a chance to work on these things. She said they do not want to make this a neighborhood eye sore and concert venue. She wants to work with neighbors and not against them. Paul Mitchell pointed out that the community feels that they were not invited to the neighborhood meeting. Very few people got an invitation. He is against having things such as dancing in the gym. He said this is a place for small scale projects such as arts education instead of dancing and reunions, since such large scale events are inappropriate for this space. Citizen — said the building is in use currently from 8:00 in the morning and the proposals could extend hours of usage to 12-15 hours a day every day. She said it is not just the usage, but it is the amount of usage that is not appropriate. Margo Pinkerton said they understand the concerns. She said they want to start modestly and grow slowly with the input of the neighbors. If there was a rare large event, there would be law enforcement hired for parking and traffic. Commissioner McKee said he also attended school here and he remembers school events in this room. He said he was adamantly opposed to the bottom of the Link Center being used for a Commissioners' meeting room because the facility is not adequate and was too expensive to renovate. He supports the idea of using this facility for a multi-use purpose for three different boards and other events. He wants to get as much use out of the facility as possible. He thinks everyone is willing to listen to the neighbors' concerns. Mayor Stevens said this building has a lot of opportunity. There is some creative tension that comes with that opportunity. There are many issues not resolved such as the permanence of this building. He wants to see more engagement with the neighborhood because it has not happened yet. Chair Jacobs said the Board of County Commissioners appreciates everyone coming and it is the obligation of the Board to listen to everyone. He suggested that the OCCC engage the people that were in opposition to this use. There is potentially in the CIP $1.43 million for a meeting room in this space if the Board of County Commissioners decides to proceed. The hope is that the facility will be of use to more than just the Board of County Commissioners. There would be an agreement that would express limits. If this becomes a meeting space, the parking lot will be paved so there will not be the crunch of gravel or dust. Deborah White said most county offices have been clustered around the courthouse area. She said there should be more balance of uses between the historic district and the office district. She is not against the arts, but she has a problem with some of the proposal. Deryl McGuire said the County and the Town should get together first to come up with the policies so that everyone knows them before moving forward. Chair Jacobs said the next step is that next week the Board of County Commissioners will discuss the capital investment plan. One of the projects is whether to make this into a meeting space. The decision will be made at a regular meeting that will include public comments. He hopes the staff will address some of the issues stated tonight. Adjourn (Staff to Remain for Individual Questions and Discussion) With no further items to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 9:25 p.m. Barry Jacobs, Chair Donna S. Baker, CIVIC Clerk to the Board