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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-05-2015 - 7cORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 5, 2015 Action Agenda Item No. 7 -c SUBJECT: Proposed Veterans Memorial Site on the Southern Campus DEPARTMENT: Asset Management Services, PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation ATTACHMENT(S): 1) Site Locator 2) Copy of April 29, 2015 Electronic Letter to BOCC Chair INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Thompson, 919 - 245 -2658 David Stancil, 919 - 245 -2522 Commissioner Barry Jacobs, 919 -245- 2130 Commissioner Renee Price, 919 -245- 2130 PURPOSE: To approve in principle the siting of a future Veterans Memorial upon the Southern Campus in accordance with the recently approved Campus Master Plan and authorize the Manager and staff to participate in the ongoing project planning process. BACKGROUND: Over the past several years, interested Orange County residents and supporters of honoring the contributions and service of Orange County veterans have organized in an effort to raise funds, site and construct a Veterans Memorial ( "Memorial ") within Orange County. In the past several months, these supporters have raised modest funds for this effort and have focused efforts on siting the Memorial in the Chapel Hill area, working in conjunction with Town of Chapel Hill staff. In the spring of 2015, representatives from the Board (Commissioners Barry Jacobs and Renee Price) and County staff began meeting with the committee. During these meetings, the potential for locating the memorial on County -owned sites in southern Orange County was discussed, and ultimately, strong interest was reflected for the Southern Human Services Center campus. On April 13, a class of students at C.W. Stanford Middle School, which had been working independently on a class project to design a veteran's memorial, presented their designs to the committee. The committee also had the opportunity to walk the Southern Campus site with the project designer to look at possible locations, and expressed interest in the former home site within the campus. On April 21, 2015, a meeting of the Veterans Memorial Committee with Town and County staff was held at the Chapel Hill Library to discuss and reach consensus on requesting the siting of the Memorial on or near the former Hoyle home site in compliance with the recently approved 2 Southern Campus Master Plan (note Attachment 1, "Site Locator "). Attendees of this meeting included residents and supporters from southern, central and northern Orange County - all of whom participated in the consensus. This resident group submitted an April 29, 2015 electronic letter (with the formal signed letter to be provided) to the Board Chair outlining the consensus and the desire to site the Memorial according to the Site Locator. The letter (Attachment 2) emphasized the desire to begin raising funds for the design, construction and maintenance of the Memorial. Should the Board approve the site in principle, staff recommends the Board reserve the right of final construction approval contingent upon Board approval of: 1) ownership, 2) design; 3) budget and certification of adequate development and construction funds raised; and 4) the approval of an ongoing operations and maintenance agreement for the Memorial. Additionally, the development will also be contingent upon the approval of the Memorial according to the design guidelines and other requirements stipulated within the approved Special Use Permit issued by the Town of Chapel Hill. The time frame of this potential project aligns with that of the development of the Southern Human Services Center expansion capital project currently contemplated for FY2016 -17. Fundraising activities will be the priority task and has an estimated duration of 2 years. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None at this time. The preliminary recommendation is for the County to own the property underlying the Memorial as well as the finished Memorial itself. Final Board approval is contingent upon ownership structure, the project budget, certification of adequate funds raised for the project, design approval, and operations and maintenance agreements acceptable to the Board. These elements will be developed and presented to the Board as the project progresses. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board: 1) Approve in principle the siting of a future Veterans Memorial upon the Southern Campus in accordance with the recently approved Campus Master Plan, with development contingent upon the approval of the Memorial according to the design guidelines and other requirements stipulated within the approved Special Use Permit issued by the Town of Chapel Hill; 2) Authorize the Manager and staff to participate in the ongoing project planning process; and 3) Reserve the right of final construction approval contingent upon Board approval of: 1) ownership, 2) design; 3) budget and certification of adequate development and construction funds raised; and 4) the approval of an ongoing operations and maintenance agreement for the Memorial. Attachment 1 M Attachment 2 April 29, 2015 The Honorable Earl McKee Chairman, Orange County Board of Commissioners 5200 Kiger Road Rougemont, NC 27572 Dear Commissioner McKee: On November 22, 2010, Colonel Fred Black, U.S. Army (Retired) and a Vietnam Veteran, then serving as the Veterans Memorial Committee Chairman, petitioned the Town Council to approve the siting of a proposed Veterans Memorial at Chapel Hill at the Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery. This request was approved and the Veterans Memorial Committee began the design phase. A preliminary concept design was developed and brought before the Town Council and approved in April 2013. This memorial is for all veterans and includes veterans in neighboring communities. We are now formulating the plan for project funding where we will solicit funds needed for memorial construction. Concurrent with our efforts, veterans, students, and families of veterans of Orange County have also asked the question, "Why don't we have a County Veterans Memorial ?" That challenge has created an opportunity for the veterans of Chapel Hill to join with county veterans to build a noble memorial for the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County within Chapel Hill. We have shared our memorial's concept with Orange County veterans and it has been well received. This county memorial may be a good and appropriate fit for the Orange County Southern Human Services complex on Homestead Rd. Space for a memorial on the "homestead" site area may be available. The Veterans Committee has looked at this alternate site and, if available, would provide a premiere location for a Veterans Memorial at Chapel Hill. It is well- suited for a memorial on the upper hillside. There is ample parking, public transportation, and the center is frequently visited by both Chapel Hill and county citizens. I share this information with you now, as we have been asked to consider combining efforts. The county will soon be asked about a memorial and an appropriate site. We think that Homestead Road site in Chapel Hill would be well - served to be the home for a veterans' memorial for the veterans of Orange County. Most respectfully, JIM MERRITT BRUCE RUNSBERG Veterans Memorial Committee Chairman Co- Chairman