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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda Abstract -Joint Meeting Discussion Items ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HILLSBOROUGH BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS JOINT MEETING AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 22, 2018 SUBJECT: Joint Meeting Discussion Items DEPARTMENT: County Manager/Town Manager/County Asset Management Services/County Housing & Community Development/County Economic Development ATTACHMENT(S): As noted in “Background” section INFORMATION CONTACT: Bonnie Hammersley, 245-2300; Eric Peterson, 732-1270; Margaret Hauth, 732- 1270; Travis Myren, 245-2300; Jeff Thompson, 245-2568; Sherrill Hampton, 245-2592; Craig Benedict, 245-2575; Steve Brantley, 245-2325; Greg Wilder, 245-2300 PURPOSE: To discuss topics of mutual interest between the governing boards of Orange County and the Town of Hillsborough. BACKGROUND: 1. Opportunities for Collaboration This subject area provides the opportunity for the two governing boards to discuss the following items: a) Museum The Town has an interest in assisting the Orange County Historical Museum to find a new home. This is in part to find a more appropriate owner of this historic building and in part to help the museum reach a broader audience with an easier to access site. The County has office rearrangements on the horizon that might make a desirable space available in a year to 18 months. An arrangement like the one between the Alliance and County for the Visitor Center is one option to be considered. Whether this can expand into the cultural/genealogy center the County has envisioned may also be worth studying. The Boards can discuss issues related to this item as necessary, and staff will be available at the meeting. No Attachments 1 b) Downtown Redevelopment The Town and County both own properties downtown that may become available for redevelopment or sale in the next five years or so. A map of the properties is attached. Previously, both boards have indicated an interest in working together on how the properties are disposed or redeveloped. Should the Town and County pursue a joint effort to determine mutually desirable timing and uses for these properties using a small area plan process? Options for that format are: staff meeting to offer options or a short term committee with elected officials and staff? The Boards can discuss issues related to this item as necessary, and staff will be available at the meeting. Attachment 1b – Map of Downtown Properties c) Sidewalks - Connectivity Plans The County and Town both have adopted plans to facilitate pedestrian connectivity to schools. Links to both plans: https://www.hillsboroughnc.gov/media/page-documents/community-connectivity- plan.pdf http://www.orangecountync.gov/document_center/Transport/Adopted_Safe_Route s_to_School__SRTS__Plan_AdoptedSRTSPlanallchapters.pdf The Town can require sidewalks within its planning jurisdiction. When those sidewalks are on state roads outside the city limits, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will not allow them to be constructed in the right of way without a maintenance commitment by the government. Previous discussions have not come to a resolution about how to address maintenance of sidewalks outside the Town limits. A method to implement these plans for the benefit of the community that leverages each government’s strengths and works within the jurisdictional and funding constraints is desired. The Boards can discuss issues related to this item as necessary, and staff will be available at the meeting. No Attachments d) Affordable Housing The Town of Hillsborough and Orange County are engaged in a number of strategic collaborative initiatives in an effort to enhance affordable housing opportunities in the Town and County. Several of these initiatives are included below: • Senior staff from Hillsborough and County senior staff, along with their respective counterparts from the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill meet monthly to review, discuss and share ideas on various affordable housing activities and other related matters. One such initiative is Housing for Teachers and Other Community Workers. The discussion between the 2 jurisdictions are in the very early stages but staff have begun the due diligence as it relates to best practices being utilized in other communities across North Carolina and the United States. • Hillsborough Senior staff, along with senior staff from the County and the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill, also meets monthly with the County Manager and various Town Managers to continue strategic discussions around areas of collaboration and those matters that have a countywide relevance for all County residents. • In October and November 2017, Orange County, along with the Towns of Hillsborough, Carrboro and Chapel Hill’s local elected officials, expanded the role of the HOME Review Committee to include broader discussions regarding affordable housing and related matters. The action taken also renamed the Committee as the Orange County Local Government Affordable Housing Collaborative (the Collaborative). The expansion of the role of the Committee and creation of the newly named body was in direct response to elected officials and Orange County residents’ desire for jurisdictions in the County to take a more strategic and collaborative approach as it relates to enhancing affordable housing opportunities. Residents’ suggestions for the more collaborative and strategic approach was articulated during many of the public meetings that were held in regard to the 2016 Affordable Housing Bond. The Boards can discuss issues related to this item as necessary, and staff will be available at the meeting. No Attachments e) Parks Orange County has expressed an interest in forging partnerships with Town governments to leverage investments in park creation. The Town is interested in acquiring an existing private facility and expanding the scope of services available to the whole community. A partnership with the County may help this project occur on a quicker schedule. The Boards can discuss issues related to this item as necessary, and staff will be available at the meeting. No Attachments 2. Collins Ridge Update (Orange County Schools Transportation Concerns) The Town continues to encourage the developer of Collins Ridge to address the concerns raised by Orange County Schools’ transportation staff about bus stops, turning radii, and access to the neighborhood. Clearing of the property has not yet begun. The Town estimates it may be about 18 months before there are residents in the neighborhood. The development will phase over time to comply with erosion control recommendations about limiting the amount of grading. 3 The development has also committed to bus stops for public transit. The Town is available and anxious to discuss these locations with Orange County Transportation staff at the appropriate time. The Boards can discuss issues related to this item as necessary, and staff will be available at the meeting. No Attachments 3. Economic Development a) Town/County Perspectives on Economic Development (Short/Mid/Long Term Plans and Mutual Objectives The Town does not have an adopted economic development plan or policy. However, the Town has consistently striven to maintain its tax base mix which is roughly 60% residential and 40% non-residential. Additionally, the Town Board has been increasingly interested in compact and connected development. The adoption of the Urban Services Boundary was a strong step in that direction and the Town Board has been committed to that boundary. The Town Board has also discouraged three different residential developers with potential projects within the boundary from pursuing requests for utilities or annexation at present as they were still located rather far from the core of town and were therefore less desirable. The focus of the Town’s economic development planner has been to respond to inquiries for new non-residential space and attempt to match users with available spaces, assist applicants navigating the planning processes, increase visibility of local events, and work with the chamber on growing its membership and serving as a voice for local business. The County has been working with the Town of Hillsborough on extending utility service to the Hillsborough Economic Development District. As part of the Utility Extension Agreement with the Town, McAdams Engineering has been retained to design the extension of sewer through the northwest to southwest quadrant of I-40 and Old NC 86. The infrastructure also includes a water loop system from Old NC 86 westward to improve water quality, quantity and pressure in the general area. The design is 95% complete with bids and construction later this year. Orange County Economic Development and Planning, in collaboration with Town of Hillsborough, have also submitted a grant request to the Golden Leaf Foundation for partial funding of the utility extension. More information regarding grant awards is expected in mid-April of 2018. Over the past 12 months, Orange County Economic Development responded to 14 separate investment prospect inquiries (light industrial, commercial, hotel, and warehouse) by submitting real estate data on available sites and commercial buildings in the Hillsborough market, to include Settlers Point, and generated 9 actual prospect visits during 2017. Several of these projects remain active. Throughout 2017, Orange County Economic Development managed the County’s “Small Business Loan” program to 6 existing businesses in Hillsborough, which 4 comprised 77% of the County’s total small business loan activity for the year. Local Hillsborough businesses that are currently receiving the County’s financial support include: Accidental Baker, Bacon Meat Market, Beau Catering, The Cherry Peal/Cup A Joes, Seal The Season, & MasterPeace Barbershop. Over the past 12 months, the County also approved “Small Business Investment Grants” to 5 local Hillsborough small businesses, which comprised 37% of the County’s total business grant activity for the year. The Hillsborough- based grant recipients were: Judit Beres, Kyooks, Boro Beverage, Beau Catering & Cardinal Workshop. And for the same period, the County also approved “Agriculture Economic Development Grants” to 2 local Hillsborough-based businesses, representing 32% of the County’s total agriculture grant activity for the year: Patrick Purcell, & Garland Gourmet Mushrooms and Truffles. The Boards can discuss issues related to this item as necessary, and staff will be available at the meeting. No Attachments b) Extension of Water/Sewer Boundary in Economic Development District The Town conducted its public hearing on designating the 85-acre extension to the water and sewer boundary on February 15, 2018. The mutually agreed land use designation proposed was Suburban Office. The Orange County Planning Board has deferred action on recommending a new land use on the expanded Water and Sewer boundary area. Similarly, the Board of Orange County Commissioners has requested a delay in considering the proposal pending further study. Orange County planning staff is planning an open house ‘Planning 101’ meeting for County residents, in general, to explain the various elements of planning. This is not specific to the area but maybe helpful to many new and existing residents in Orange County. The Boards can discuss issues related to this item as necessary, and staff will be available at the meeting. No Attachments FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impact associated with discussion of these topics. There are no action items requiring formal Board decisions. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There is no Social Justice Goal impact associated with discussion of the items above. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Managers recommend the Boards discuss the topics listed and provide appropriate direction to the respective staffs. 5 KING TRYON C H U R T O N MARGARET C A M E R O N C O U R T EXC H A N G E P A R K NASH AND KOLLOCK CA M E R O N Legend Orange County properties Orange Rural Fire dept property town properties streets 110317 Jan1_2018_ParcelView Map of downtown properties 1 inch = 200 feet 6