Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRC minutes 120314 Meeting Summary Parks and Recreation Council (PRC) Monthly Meeting Summary MEETING: December 3, 2014 LOCATION: Environment and Agricultural Center Conference Room ____________________________________________________________________________ MEMBERS PRESENT: Neal Bench, Joel Bulkley, Allan Green, Rob Robinson, Tori Williams Reid, Betty McDade Khan, Teri Driscoll MEMBERS ABSENT: Eric Roeder, Erin Dillard, James Carter (excused) STAFF PRESENT: David Stancil GUEST: Timothy Halpin ____________________________________________________________________________ I. Call to Order / Welcome New Member The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m., with a quorum present. Bench introduced new member, Teri Driscoll, then allowed the rest of the Board to introduce themselves. II. Review Meeting Summary (10/1)/Additions or Changes to Agenda: The October 1 summary was reviewed without comment. Bench wanted to add his report on the BOCC/Advisory Board Chairs Meeting to his comments. Green wants to discuss orienteering, so Bench added that to the agenda. III. Report of the Chair (Bench) a. New member, Teri Driscoll was officially introduced. She fills the Town Of Hillsborough position. b. Membership status. The current Vice-Chair, Eric Roeder, in the Town of Carrboro position, is unable to continue due to his job commitments, so he has officially resigned from the Board. One order of business is to select a vice-chair. Tori Williams Reid was nominated by Green. Robinson seconded the nomination. Reid accepted the nomination. All unanimously voted in favor. The Town of Carrboro position is now open and Roeder had mentioned that he was trying to help us fill that slot. Robinson has a potential candidate for the Carrboro position through his work. She has given an application. There is still an at large position to be filled. The Board had submitted Robb English’s name to the BOCC. The BOCC is discussing many issues related to Board Members in general, to include a past Board member, like English, reapplying to same Board. His application remains under review at this time. Erin Dillard has not attended meetings in a long time. Her situation, at the time, is in question. Staff will attempt to contact her again. She filled an at - large position on the Board. Bench sees this as a position soon to open and asked the Board to look out for potential folks who can fill that slot. Sandy Green, recently nominated, is not able to serve after all. She was to fill the Cheeks Township position. An application by another person has been submitted in case he can fill a vacancy. c. BOCC/Advisory Board Chairs Meeting: Bench reported on this meeting. The BOCC purpose was to get all the chairs and vice-chairs of County Boards together for a discussion. Chair Jacobs was interested in getting information from the Boards directly to the BOCC. The goal is to improve this flow of communication. IV. New Business a. Guest Timothy Halpin was recognized to discuss the prospect of a disc golf course he would like to propose for Blackwood Farm Park. Halpin stated that he is an avid player with local and national affiliations with disc golf. He first described the game and a typical course. Over the past eight years, the game has grown in popularity. There are current courses at UNC, Dogwood Park in Chapel Hill and at Anderson Park in Carrboro. Durham has two older courses and two newer courses. A new park in Pittsboro was recently featured in the Disc Golf magazine. He saw Blackwood Farm as ideal as it could have a mix of open and forested areas. Professional players only have parks and universities for their games. There are no professional courses, so there is the potential draw of professional players. He asked the Council to consider asking the BOCC to add it to the park Master Plan. The price could be anywhere from $25,000 for a low grade course up to an elite course at near $100,000. Reid asked about maintenance. Halpin responded that often volunteers can do the maintenance. Bench asked Halpin if he can get the designer’s and financial information about the renowned Pittsboro course. Pay to play is not a popular notion amongst courses . Halpin left contact information with the Council. b. 2014 Annual Report/2015 Workplan (for BOCC). Stancil described this annual item. The person who would address the BOCC on this would be the chair. The draft includes accomplishments, most importantly, the Parks and Recreation Master Plan (PRMP) and outside agency funding requests. There is also a list of tasks and events. In October of 2015, it will be the County’s turn to host the Biennial meeting of all the town and County Parks and Recreation Councils. Next in the draft are accomplishments in carrying out the BOCC goals. Issues for further study from the master plan are also included. Bench asked that the information about the disc golf course be added. Emerging issues include the swimming pool issue from the PRMP. The draft offers the Council to explore the public’s comments on the need for a pool.. Another is the issue of the appropriate level of service at a Community Center. A Bingham District Park is another issue, the Council may be able to conduct additional survey work on the need and facilities for this park.. Green asked if the document could address examining the potential for primitive camping in all County parks? The Council discussed these additions, specially related to the role of community centers. c. Changes to Chapter 26, Orange County Code of Ordinances to be moved to future meeting. d. Schedule of Meetings for 2015. The Council does not meet in January. Adhering to the usual schedule, February 4 is the next meeting with meetings falling on the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the EAC conference room, unless otherwise noted. There is no meeting in July. Bulkley moved the schedule be approved as written, McDade Khan seconded the motion. All voted in favor of the 2015 schedule as written. e. Green spoke on Orienteering. It is a low cost venture. He would be willing to do it, maybe at Little River Park. Information was brought to Little River Park staff. Stancil will follow-up with staff. V. Old Business a. Blackwood Farm Park. $180,000 was provided to get Blackwood Farm Park up and running in 2015. This is just a portion of the money needed to fully develop the park as designed. Over four miles of trails have been developed. Interpretive signage would be provided and there will be a picnic shelter. Most of the cost will go into the parking area, with additional grassy parking behind it. There will be a path to the pond for fishing, and staff is regenerating the old orchard area with a small agricultural demonstration plot. BOCC approved money for a full time staff member to be on site with additional seasonal staff in support. Stancil currently expects opening in March, perhaps with a soft opening before that. In response to a question, Stancil noted there will be portable toilets. b. Nest Steps-Adopted P&R Master Plan will be moved to next meeting. VI. Report of the Director (Stancil) a. River Park, behind the Court House. In discussion with the Town of Hillsborough. The Town is receiving a grant to put in a bus turn out right across from Weaver Street Market, which may force the County to create a new entrance to the park. We may have to come up with ADA access and signage. b. OWASA Cane Creek area. We have been talking to OWASA about the Cane Creek Recreation area helping meet the park needs for the Bingham area. Would OWASA be willing to help fund this? Discussions are ongoing, however this is not an imminent issue. c. Community Centers. Space Study committee looking at needs. VII. Committee Reports a. Intergovernmental Parks Work Group: No report b. Friends of P&R: No report VIII. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Next Meeting- 2/4/15