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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-01-2015 - 8a 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 1, 2015 Action Agenda Item No. 8-a SUBJECT: Fairview Park — Parking Lot Project DEPARTMENT: County Manager; Environment, PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Agriculture, Parks & Recreation, Asset Management Services ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Adopted Fairview Park Master Plan Bonnie Hammersley, 245-2300 David Stancil, 245-2510 Jeff Thompson, 245-2650 PURPOSE: To report to the Board on a recommended additional parking lot solution for Fairview Park, as directed by the Board at the June 16, 2015 meeting. BACKGROUND: The County's Fairview Park opened in 2011, funded by a combination of 2001 voter-approved bonds, a grant from the NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF), and payment-in-lieu funds. Because of site limitations (the northern portion of the site is the former Town of Hillsborough landfill, predating current-day landfill regulations), the park design and ultimate construction was focused on the southern portion of the property. Park facilities include a baseball/softball field, tennis courts, playground, picnic shelter with restrooms, basketball courts, walking track, volleyball courts and trail connecting to the Town Police substation on Rainey Avenue, and a parking lot. The current parking lot was constructed as approved through the Town's Conditional Use Permit approval process. The existing parking lot, which is located off Torain Street and adjoins the picnic shelter, contains 44 spaces. Over the past four years of park operations, occasional events at the shelter or ballfield have taxed this existing parking lot, with vehicles occasionally parking along the street and in front of residents' homes. Phase II of the park was the construction of a second, 68-space parking lot, which was not part of the Phase I construction. This planned additional lot utilizes a new second entrance into the park from the east along Orange County Public Works Drive. The existing drive would be extended through the Public Works site, and wind its way up through a hilly wooded area to a site adjoining the existing tennis courts. During budget deliberations, the Board asked the Manager and staff about additional parking needs at Fairview, and instructed that a recommended solution for additional parking be brought 2 back to the Board for review and direction after the summer break. A placeholder amount of $100,000 was appropriated in the Capital Investment Plan (CIP) for the current fiscal year, pending a more-complete recommendation. Over the last three months, staff has looked at several potential parking options, including the original master plan, variations on new parking areas, and short-term solutions previously identified using the existing Town police substation parking lot and roadsides. This includes sketches and designs with pricing prepared by the engineer who prepared the construction drawings for Fairview Park, and the County's Landscape Architect. Several different possibilities were examined, and discussed in meetings with Town and County staff and the Sheriff. After considerable review and discussion, the Manager and staff recommend that the County proceed with the original master plan parking lot option, extending Public Works Drive into the park and building a lot adjacent to the tennis courts. While this option is more expensive than other options, it has the substantial benefit of being located within the park adjoining existing facilities, and minimizing some of the safety issues that other more-remote parking options might create. It also brings the additional traffic coming from outside the community to the park without increasing traffic on streets in the Fairview neighborhood. In talking with local groups and the Town police, the predominant need for additional parking is for park patrons coming from outside of the community. If the Board agrees with this parking solution, the Manager and staff will incorporate the needed funding for this parking lot in the upcoming CIP for FY 2016-17. Implementation of this (or any of the) parking options will require additional survey work before construction drawings can be prepared and submitted to the Town of Hillsborough for a Conditional Use Permit modification. This permit and the work associated with the permit or construction will take several months, which coincides with timing of additional funds that would be needed for the new fiscal year in July 2016. Proceeding with this plan would enable the construction of the parking lot to be in position to move straight to construction in the summer of 2016. Between now and July, the Town also plans to pave the police substation parking lot, creating new parking spaces. Parking along the east side of Rainey Avenue adjoining the park may also be used as overflow parking until the new lot is built. FINANCIAL IMPACT: As part of the FY 2015-16 budget approval, the Board appropriated $100,000 for this project, pending a plan for the parking solution that is presented herein. If this parking lot solution is desired, an additional $250,000 would be requested in the upcoming FY 2017-22 Capital Investment Plan (CIP) and FY 2016-17 budget to complete the project, with all needed work and permits to be pursued and completed prior to July 1 to enable a quick move to construction once funds are available. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following two Orange County Social Justice Goals are applicable to this agenda item: • GOAL: FOSTER A COMMUNITY CULTURE THAT REJECTS OPPRESSION AND INEQUITY The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race or color; religious or philosophical beliefs; sex, gender or sexual orientation; national origin or ethnic background; age; military service; disability; and familial, residential or economic status. 3 • GOAL: CREATE A SAFE COMMUNITY The reduction of risks from vehicle/traffic accidents, childhood and senior injuries, gang activity, substance abuse and domestic violence. The new planned parking lot is a further investment in the Fairview community, and will provide additional parking to the park while decreasing traffic on local neighborhood streets. Park patrons accessing the park from the new lot will help make community streets safe, the parking lots location within the park adjoining the tennis courts and walking track minimizes safety concerns about remote parking lots accessed through wooded areas. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive this report and consider the planned parking lot solution. If desired, the Board may authorize staff to prepare plans, permit and construction documents for the purpose of constructing this parking lot in the summer of 2016. Accordingly, the Manager and staff will include needed additional funds for this project in the FY 2017-22 CIP and the FY 2016-17 County capital budget. ESIDE TIAL 4 RESIDENT L Typ.Stream Buffe,-\ RESIDENTIAL Wooded Area Wooded Area �I 1 1 1) �\ I Intermittent \ Stream Ephemeral \\ �� Stream I Storm Debris Site Wooded Area Former Dump Site I Ball Field \\ Open Meadow Area \\ I \\ Future Community I RESIDENTIAL \\ Center Location \I Typ.Stream Buffer Intermittent St ream ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS D XIEA E. � I\ � I1 FACILITY Educational Slgnage �� RESIDENTIAL Playground Swings Parking Area I 1 �\ r Police Sub-Station with ��_J Exterior Restroom Facilites — / Former Storm I Debris Site I / Open Meadow Area I I Possible Future Public Works Expansion Area RESIDENyIAL RESIDENTIAL � O � / O Court Tennis Typical Natural Trails Courts Future O _ Parking Area RESIDENTIAL 0 H MEM NT AVE Possible Future COMPAERCIAL 2 Basketball Courts C County Facility \\ Location RESIDENTIAL n 1 Volleyball Court I--F Paved Mea ured \ LLLLJJJJ I Ball Field Walking Tr] (nppo­mile) � d NC 5T f Future Extension of TO ND 56 an PER RD O Connector Drive to Hwy 86 iI o Intermittent Stream J Typ.Stream Buffer z and Hardwood Wooded Area \ RESIDENTIAL Forest Parking Icnlc Shelter Area To be Preserved (10.5.2010*) �mHorseshoes O m Park Sig s� Park Entrance RESIDENTIAL N �\ ARESIDENTIAL \ Fairview Park �ay Town ��, Hi Phase 1 ®� - _ Site Plan Orange County and the Town of Hillsborough, NC Orange County North Carolina October 2010*