Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-18-2014 - 7cORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 18, 2014 Action Agenda Item No. 7 -c SUBJECT: Approval of Contract to Purchase Real Property — Triangle Land Conservancy DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation (DEAPR) ATTACHMENTS: 1) Vicinity Map 2) Site Map 3) Master Plan Map (Hollow Rock Access Area) 4) Offer to Purchase and Contract PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 919 - 245 -2510 Rich Shaw, 919 - 245 -2514 1 PURPOSE: To consider approval of a contract to purchase 2.6 acres at 686 Erwin Road from Triangle Land Conservancy for the future Hollow Rock Access Area and New Hope Preserve. BACKGROUND: In 1992, Orange County, Chapel Hill, Durham County and the City of Durham adopted the New Hope Corridor Master Plan, which called for preservation of lands along the New Hope Creek corridor, from central Orange County to Jordan Lake. The master plan envisioned a public trail network with a number of "access areas" at strategic locations, including the Hollow Rock Access Area at the intersection of Erwin Road and Pickett Road. The planned Hollow Rock Access Area is a 75 -acre site comprised of multiple land parcels owned separately by Orange County, Durham County, the Town of Chapel Hill and the Triangle Land Conservancy. The site straddles the Orange- Durham county line and New Hope Creek flows from north to south along the western boundary. The site was acquired in a series of separate land transactions from 2001 through 2008. The Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) purchased the first two acres in 2002, and then advocated for further acquisitions by local government partners. Orange County purchased four parcels from different entities from 2005 through 2007 with the help of state grants made possible by TLC. The purchase of a 43 -acre tract from Duke University by Durham and Orange counties and the Town of Chapel Hill was completed in 2008 with funding assistance from City of Durham, the State of North Carolina, and the Erwin Area Neighborhood Group (EANG). The State grants require that portions of the site be protected with permanent conservation easements. In 2006, the four local governments signed an interlocal agreement for the acquisition, planning and operation of the Hollow Rock Access Area, and also established a Hollow Rock Master Plan Committee, co- chaired by Commissioner Barry Jacobs and including Commissioner Alice Gordon. The Committee worked over an 18 -month period to develop a master plan that was adopted by all four local government partners in 2009 -10. Orange County adopted the plan on April 20, 2010. The Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) has been involved in the project since its inception, but it is now ready to convey its portion of the property for an addition to the public recreation area. TLC has offered to sell its 2.6 -acre parcel (686 Erwin Road) to the County for $66,013 plus transaction costs. TLC purchased the property in 2001 for $132,000 with help from a grant from the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund. The current tax value is $211,915 ($144,846 land; $67,069 buildings). The proposed purchase price would be a "bargain sale ". The County has negotiated the terms of a contract consistent with TLC's offer with a closing date anticipated by the end of April 2014. Following that action, the property would be part of the future Hollow Rock Access Area. Construction of the planned public amenities is anticipated over the next two years with help from a $200,000 Recreational Trails Program grant that was recently awarded to Durham County in collaboration with Orange County. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The cost of purchase of the 2.6 acres is $66,000, with additional transaction costs of approximately $5,000. Funding for the acquisition would come from the Lands Legacy Fund (voter- approved 2001 Parks and Open Space bonds converted to alternative financing in 2008 -09) of which there is $1,467,000 currently available. RECOMMENDATIONS: The Manager recommends that the Board: Approve the purchase of approximately 2.6 acres of land located on Erwin Road from Triangle Land Conservancy; and Authorize the Chair to sign the contract on behalf of the County, subject to final review by staff and County Attorney; and Instruct the County Attorney and staffs from DEAPR and Financial Services to schedule and complete a closing on the property expected to occur on or before April 30, 2014. Attachment 1 ;r � g l i Hollow Rock Planning Area Hollow Rock Access Overview Open Space Figure B. vicinity Map Streams Roads 0.25 0.125 0 025 Miles J cc C,-,C �� Thursday, September 6, 2007 12.12:57 PM : \GI SW ollowRmk \HollawRockPlanning811.mxd L O f -- _..., , to Vl. tiol'e G, Duke Forest 0 Hollow Rock ' v-- ick tt Planning Area i 10 �bpe. ' C' OF U CIT Q�t HAP ILL i Hollow Rock Planning Area Hollow Rock Access Overview Open Space Figure B. vicinity Map Streams Roads 0.25 0.125 0 025 Miles Hollow Rock Planning Area Durham and Orange County Thursday, September 6, 2007 12.12:57 PM : \GI SW ollowRmk \HollawRockPlanning811.mxd i Rock pace Planning Area VM Open Space Hollow Rock Access Open 100- year Floodplain Figure A. Site Map �:�� Hollow Rock Planning Area ^'u^- Streams Durham and Orange County Building Footprints 500 250 500 Z"..'.- pl- ber6,M0714:MPM Feet ^� H1 \GI&11 110 rvR-c D Vpps_C stTigwe_6_sile. d Parcels � City of Durham Proposed Master Plan Attachment3 Hollow Rock Access Area at New Hope Preserve (Enlarged Area) 0 5D 100 200 X N /' Parking Area - °C q /' Phase 1 (and 2) "/ �Restroorn Relocated Driveway /- Picnic ° `.Entrance � 4-1 -Z Area � Existing Driveway /' Entrance Closed Fisher Pr perty V 0 � — Kiosk and Bike Racks ` —Grass Overflow Nature Viewing Parking Overlook Ij \—Relocated Hollow Rock Store — DADA Loop Trail (1/3 Mile) _C n I Existing --Interpretive Signage ' J Meadow � along Trail Existing TLC Barn /Shed Potenial Educational / Outdoor Classro -' Possible Trail connection to the Mill Site and Duke Trails Hangir Rock Information Kiosk 5 1 Possible Stream Crossing L s r Nature Viewing Overlook Pickett Road Phase 1 - Pickett Rd Open - No parkinq to be provided 1 Possible Stream Crossing L s r Nature Viewing Overlook Attachment 4 Return to John Roberts, Office of the County Attorney, Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF ORANGE OFFER TO PURCHASE AND CONTRACT THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND CONTRACT ( "Agreement "), made and entered into this the day of , 2014 by and between TRIANGLE LAND CONSERVANCY, a North Carolina non -profit corporation having an address of 514 South Duke Street, Durham, North Carolina 27701, hereafter called "Seller ", and ORANGE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, a body politic and corporate, a political subdivision of the State of North Carolina, having an address of P.O. Box 8181, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278, hereafter called "Buyer "; WITNESSETH: Buyer hereby offers to purchase and Seller, upon acceptance of said offer, agrees to sell and convey, all of that plot, piece or parcel of real property located in Orange County, North Carolina, which said real property is hereinafter referred to as "the Property" and is more particularly described as follows: The approximately 2.58 acres of land and any improvements thereon, and which land is illustrated on the GIS map that is Exhibit A hereto. The Property is identified as having Orange County PIN 9891919120. 1 7 THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. PURCHASE PRICE: The purchase price for the Property shall be SIXTY -SIX THOUSAND AND 13/100 DOLLARS ($ 66,013) plus any amount due Seller as the result of the calculation made in Section 4(c) below for ad valorem taxes on the Property for the calendar year in which the Closing occurs. The purchase price shall be paid by payment in cash at the closing. 2. TITLE: Title will be delivered to Buyer at closing by a General Warranty Deed from Seller, made to Orange County, North Carolina, which shall be fee simple marketable title, free of liens, encumbrances, easements, restrictions, rights and conditions, including, but not limited to, any promissory note, mortgage, deed of trust, real estate contract, right of first refusal, or option to buy, other than current property taxes and rights, reservations, covenants, easements, conditions, and restrictions of record as of the effective date of this Agreement that do not materially affect the value of the Property or unduly interfere with Buyer's intended use of the Property, which exceptions must be approved in writing by Buyer ( "Permitted Exceptions "). The deed conveying the Property shall be on a North Carolina Bar form General Warranty Deed. The Property description in the deed shall conform to the survey of the Property to be prepared as prescribed in Section 4(a) of this Agreement. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF SELLER: Seller makes the following representations and warranties to Buyer as of the effective date of this Agreement and again as of the Closing Date: (a) Title. At the Closing Date, Seller shall have good, marketable, and indefeasible fee simple title to the Property subject only to the Permitted Exceptions, and Seller is aware of no other matters that adversely affect title to the Property. (b) Leases. There are no leases, licenses, or other agreements granting any person or persons the right to use or occupy the Property or any portion thereof except as described in Section 3(d) of this Agreement. (c) Options. Seller has not granted any options nor is Seller committed nor obligated in any manner whatsoever to sell the Property or any portion thereof to any party other than Buyer. (d) Construction Liens. To the extent any improvements have been made or will be made to the Property prior to the Closing Date that might form the basis of mechanics' or materialmen's liens, Seller agrees to keep the Property free from such liens that might result and to indemnify, defend, and hold Buyer harmless from any and all such liens and all attorneys' fees and other costs incurred by reason thereof. (e) Reports. All Reports, certificates, and other documents containing factual information delivered by Seller, or by Seller's agents in connection with this Agreement, are and shall be, to the best of Seller's knowledge, true and complete and shall not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact, the disclosure of which is necessary to make the statements contained therein and in this Agreement, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. (f) Environmental. (1) Seller has no knowledge of any underground storage tanks being located on the Property. Buyer agrees to perform a Phase I Environmental Assessment of the Property (hereafter "the Phase F), at Buyer's expense. Should the Phase I disclose that one or more underground storage tanks are located on the property, a condition precedent to Buyer's obligation to close on the sale of the Property is that the following be done at Seller's expense: (1) any underground storage tanks located on the Property be removed, (2) all discharged fuel oil 3 9 or other contaminants be removed from the Property, (3) a copy of a certificate demonstrating removal and clean -up be provided to Orange County, c/o Jeffrey Thompson, Director of Assets Management Services, P.O. Box 8181, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278, as soon as the certificate is available and (4) the original of the certificate be provided to Buyer at the closing. (2) Seller warrants and represents to Buyer as follows: (i) Seller has no knowledge of, and no reason to believe (A) that any industrial use has been made of the Property, (B) that, except for chemicals used in the farming of the Property, the Property has been used for the storage, treatment or disposal of chemicals or any wastes or materials that are classified by federal, State or local laws as hazardous or toxic substances, or (C) that any manufacturing, landfilling or chemical production has occurred on the Property. (ii) To the best of Seller's knowledge, the Property is in compliance with all federal, State and local environmental laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 ( "CERCLA "), Public Law No. 96 -510, 94 Stat. 2767, 42 USC 9601 et seq., and the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 ( "SARA "), Public Law No. 99 -499, 100 Stat. 1613. (iii) Seller has fully disclosed to Buyer that Seller has no knowledge of the existence, extent and nature of any hazardous materials, substances, wastes or other environmentally regulated substances (including without limitation, any materials containing asbestos), in or under the Property or use in connection therewith. (3) Seller shall indemnify and hold Buyer harmless from and against (i) any and all damages, penalties, fines, claims, liens, suits, liabilities, costs (including clean -up costs), judgments and expenses (including attorneys', consultants' or experts' fees and expenses) of every kind and nature suffered by or asserted against Buyer as a direct or indirect result of any warranty or representation made by Seller in subsection (e) herein being false or untrue in any material respect, or (ii) any requirement under any law, regulation or ordinance, local, State or federal, which requires the elimination or removal of any hazardous materials, substances, wastes or other environmentally regulated substances existing or placed on the Property at any time up to and including the Closing Date. (4) Should the Phase I disclose the existence on the Property of any hazardous materials, substances, wastes or other environmentally regulated substances (including without limitation, any materials containing asbestos), a condition precedent to Buyer's obligation to close on the sale of the Property is that the following be done at Seller's expense: (1) any such material or substance located on the Property be removed, (2) other found contaminants be removed from the Property, (3) that a copy of a certificate demonstrating removal and clean -up be provided to Orange County, c/o Jeffrey Thompson, Director of Assets Management Services, P.O. Box 8181, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278, as soon as the certificate is available and (4) that the original of the certificate be provided to Buyer at the closing. (5) Seller's obligations under this Section shall survive the closing and continue in full effect notwithstanding receipt of the purchase price. (h) Representations /Warranties. All representations and warranties contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the date of execution of this Agreement and will be true as of the Closing Date and shall survive closing and execution and delivery of the Deed and shall not be merged therein. 5 10 4. SETTLEMENT CHARGES: 11 (a) Seller shall pay for the preparation of a deed, for the preparation and recording of all documents necessary to convey marketable fee simple title free of liens and encumbrances, and for the excise tax required by law. (b) Buyer shall pay for recording the deed. (c) Ad valorem taxes on the Property, if any, for the calendar year in which the closing occurs shall be paid by Seller. The credit for pro -rated ad valorem taxes on the Property that would be due Seller if Buyer were not a North Carolina local government shall be added to the purchase price as provided in Section 1 of this Agreement. Seller shall pay any Orange County ad valorem taxes on personal property of Seller for the entire year of the closing. Seller shall pay all deferred taxes and any tax penalties including late listing penalties. (d) Buyer shall pay for a survey of the Property and all other closing costs other than those associated with environmental cleanup, if necessary, as provided for in Section 3(f). CONDITIONS: (a) Seller agrees to allow Buyer access to the Property for the purpose of inspecting, testing and analyzing the Property at any time prior to the closing of the purchase of the Property. (b) On request of Buyer, Seller agrees to exercise Seller's best efforts to deliver to Buyer, as soon as reasonably possible following the signing of this agreement, copies of any title information in possession of or available to Seller, including, but not limited to, title insurance policies, attorneys opinions on title, surveys, covenants, deeds, notes, and deeds of trust and easements relating to the Property. (c) Any and all deeds of trust, liens or other charges against the Property not assumed by Buyer must be paid and cancelled by Seller prior to or at closing. 0 12 (d) Seller will have up to two (2) months following closing to remove personal property from the Property. Any personal property that is not removed by Seller within the two (2) months following closing will be considered abandoned property and may be retained or disposed of by Buyer in its sole discretion. All structures located on the Property are real property. Seller agrees to move personal property located on the Property as necessary to enable Buyer to complete its site evaluation, soil evaluation and any other engineering or site preparation deemed reasonably necessary by Buyer. (e) Buyer agrees that this Purchase and Contract is for the Property only, including any structures located on the Property and is not for the purchase of personal property which is located on the Property such as tools, equipment, supplies, and other furnishing located in or around the structures or otherwise on the Property. (f) A condition precedent to Buyer's obligation to close on the sale of the Property is that Buyer's Board of Commissioners formally approve the purchase of the Property by action in an open public meeting as provided by law. 6. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS: (a) This Agreement embodies and constitutes the entire understanding between the parties with respect to the transaction contemplated herein and all prior agreements, understandings, representations and statements, oral or written, are merged into this Agreement. Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, modified, amended, discharged or terminated except by an instrument signed by the party against whom the enforcement of such waiver, modification, amendment or discharge or termination is sought, and then only to the extent set forth in such instrument. 13 (b) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina, without, however, giving effect to any principle of conflicts of law. (c) The captions in this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and in no way define, describe or limit the scope or intent of this Agreement or any of the provisions hereof. (d) Any provision herein contained which by its nature and effect is required to be observed, kept or performed after the Closing Date, shall survive the closing and remain binding upon and for the benefit of the parties hereto, their heirs, personal representatives, successors or assigns, until fully observed, kept or performed. (e) This Agreement shall be binding and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective beneficiaries, heirs, personal representatives, successors and permitted assigns. (f) As used in this Agreement, the masculine shall include the feminine and neuter, and vice versa; the singular shall include the plural and the plural shall include the singular, as the context may require. (g) Any provision contained in this agreement which by its nature and effect, if required to be observed, kept or performed after closing shall survive the closing and shall remain binding upon and for the benefit of the parties hereto until fully observed, kept or performed. 7. CLOSING: All parties agree to execute any and all documents and papers necessary in connection with the closing and transfer of title to the Property on or before April 30, 2014 in Hillsborough, North Carolina ( "Closing Date ") POSSESSION: Possession of the Property shall be delivered at closing. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Seller has caused this instrument to be signed by its Executive Director, the day and year written above, and Orange County has caused this instrument to be signed by the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners and attested by the Clerk to its Board of County Commissioners, all the day and year written above. ATTEST: Donna S. Baker, Clerk to the Board of Commissioners SELLER: TRIANGLE LAND CONSERVANCY a North Carolina Non -profit Corporation Chad Jemison, Executive Director :1. . ORANGE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA 0 Barry Jacobs, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners 14 NORTH CAROLINA ORANGE COUNTY I, , a Notary Public of Orange County, North Carolina, certify that Chad Jemison personally appeared before me this day and acknowledged the due execution of the foregoing instrument. Witness my hand and official stamp or seal, this the day of , 2014. Notary Public My commission expires: NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF ORANGE I, a Notary Public of the County and State aforesaid, certify that Donna S. Baker personally came before me this day and acknowledged that she is Clerk to the Board of Commissioners for Orange County, North Carolina and that by authority duly given and as the act of Orange County, North Carolina the foregoing instrument was signed in its name by the Chair of said Board of Commissioners and attested by her as Clerk to said Board of Commissioners. Witness my hand and official stamp or seal, this the day of , 2014. My commission expires: 10 Notary Public 15