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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-20-2018 6-a - Blackwood Farm Park – Proposed Revised Master Plan ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 20, 2018 Action Agenda Item No. 6-a SUBJECT: Blackwood Farm Park – Proposed Revised Master Plan DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation (DEAPR) ATTACHMENT(S): Adopted 2011 Park Master Plan/Map Proposed Revised Master Plan 2018 Detailed Phase 2-A Map December 12, 2017 Memorandum INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 919-245-2522 Marabeth Carr, 919-245-2516 Dan Derby, 919-967-3766 PURPOSE: To consider approving amendments to the Blackwood Farm Park Master Plan map to incorporate updated plans for infrastructure improvements and park facilities (The proposed Board action is only to approve the amendments to the master plan - no additional action or funding is requested.). These amendments are needed to move toward hiring engineering and design consultants to prepare the construction documents for the planned roadway, entrance drive and parking improvements (Phase 2-A) previously authorized and funded by the Board. BACKGROUND: At the December 12, 2017 BOCC meeting, the Board received an update on plans for improvements at Blackwood Farm Park located on NC 86 and New Hope Church Road between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. The park opened with limited facilities and hours of operation in June 2015. Blackwood Farm Park is a 152-acre regional park that currently features several miles of natural surface trails, fishing, a historic farmstead with interpretive signage, a small picnic shelter, and a 10-space parking area located along the existing narrow driveway. Due to limited facilities, the park is currently open only on weekends. The park master plan, adopted in 2011, reflects a design that features the many natural and cultural resources present on the site, adding several low-impact recreation or community gathering features. As noted in the December 12 memo, the first step in bringing the park’s planned amenities to fruition is the completion of several infrastructure needs (known as Phase 2-A) that will enable more visitors to access and enjoy the park. Funding for this infrastructure was previously approved. Specifically, the components that would be constructed with the existing funds are: • A new entrance and turn lane on NC 86, to be located further north on NC 86 (please see the attached “Proposed Revised Master Plan” map); • A parking area with approximately 60 spaces and room for bus turnarounds; and • Lighting, septic and stormwater measures needed to accommodate the infrastructure improvements 1 In conjunction with these infrastructure improvements, a planned child-friendly “Discovery Trail” with nature and environmental signage would also be added. In addition, ongoing stabilization work of the Blackwood Farmhouse would continue (using existing funds). Some of these infrastructure features are refinements from the original adopted master plan, and in some cases additional changes are suggested based on these refinements, the relocation of the planned Parks Operations Base, and additional plans and discussions of the past seven years. Accordingly, the Proposed Revised Master Plan includes the following primary changes or additions: • Realignment of the planned park entrance drive and parking area to a more site- sensitive, scenic and efficient design; • Addition of the Discovery Trail; • Deletion of the Parks Operations Base and associated yard space; and addition of a small Park Office in its place (pending future decisions on potential new County campus); • Addition of the re-established Blackwood Farm Orchard; • Relocation of the trailhead; • Addition of a disc golf course; • Deletion of a planned northern boundary road and parking areas; • Deletion of the possible Informal Multi-Use Field; • Selection of a preferred amphitheatre site (the original master plan had three options); • Identification of the Agricultural Exhibits and Garden Area; and • Addition of new picnic shelters and restrooms. Of the additions, refinements and changes detailed above, the only significant change is the proposed creation of a disc golf course, a concept that was discussed in the 2016 and 2017 Capital Investment Plan (CIP) review and discussions, and informally authorized by the Board. The deletion of the Parks Operations Base from this location and its inclusion at a new site is also based on previous Board discussions, and deletion of the planned northern road and parking areas is based on discussions with neighbors whose homes back up to the northern boundary of the park, and the lack of need for these facilities based on the updated design with the disc golf course. Staff has communicated the Proposed Revised Master Plan to park neighbors who have expressed appreciation for the deletion of the planned road and northernmost parking lot. Adoption of a revised master plan will enable staff to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for an engineering and design firm to prepare detailed construction documents for the park infrastructure using existing funding. It is recommended that the scope of work for this consultant also include the planned future park construction (Phase 2-B), if current timetables remain in place. Staff anticipates bringing a design/engineering consultant recommendation to the Board for approval by the summer break. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with amending the park Master Plan. This action will enable staff to solicit and propose a recommended consultant for design and engineering later this spring. Funding for both the design and infrastructure improvements in Phase 2-A (and the ongoing farmhouse work) would come from previously-appropriated funds 2 in the amount of $1.26 million approved in FY 2016-17. Subsequent construction of park facilities is currently scheduled for FY 2018-19 at $1,795,000, pending CIP and budget approval this spring. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There are no Orange County Social Justice Goals associated with this item. While not inconsistent with the adopted Social Justice Goals, the amendment of the Master Plan would take a step toward providing an enhanced location for public recreation, nature enjoyment and community gathering. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board adopt the Proposed Revised Master Plan for Blackwood Farm Park, with any changes or revisions as deemed necessary. With an approved revised master plan and the funding previously approved by the Board, the next step will be for staff to begin a process of selecting and recommending a design/engineering consultant to the Board. 3 4 5 6 Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation PO Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone: (919) 245-2510 Fax: (919) 644-3351 MEMORANDUM To: Bonnie M. Hammersley, County Manager From: David Stancil, Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation Director Date: December 12, 2017 RE: Blackwood Farm Park Status Report The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an update on progress toward scheduled improvements at Blackwood Farm Park. As you know, Blackwood Farm Park opened on a limited basis (and limited facilities) in June 2015. Since that time, the park has been open Friday-Sunday and has seen a growing number of patrons who hike the trails, visit the farm outbuildings, and casually use the open mowed area of the park for low-impact recreation that were created in what we have called Phase 1 of the park. The adopted park master plan may be found as Attachment 1. This year, the Board approved funding for the next step in Blackwood Farm Park’s maturation – funds to construct the needed infrastructure that will be required for the park to be open on a more regular basis and have the capability to support the amenities planned for the facility. This infrastructure improvement project, titled Phase 2-A of the park, includes: • Turn lanes on NC 86 for the new park entrance, to be located north of the current narrow driveway; • A new entrance road for the park; • A parking area with approximately 60 spaces; • Lighting and stormwater measures needed for these improvements; and • In a different vein, completion of the “Discovery Trail,” a child-friendly trail with environmental signage. (This is included here based on implementation ability and timing) 7 Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation PO Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone: (919) 245-2510 Fax: (919) 644-3351 Completion of these components, estimated to cost around $1.2 million (with previously-appropriated funds), will enable the County to be in position to move sequentially ahead with the planned park amenities that would be in Phase 2-B of the park. This park construction phase, estimated at just under $1.8 million, is slated for FY 2018-19 in the approved FY 2017-2022 Capital Investment Plan (CIP). Those amenities are envisioned to include (as funding permits): • A nature center with exhibits and classroom/learning space • Amphitheatre site for concerts and special events • Disc golf course • Additional picnic shelter(s) with restrooms • Historically-correct restoration of the Blackwood Farmhouse (parts of which date to 1827) • Agricultural exhibits and gardens • Park office and garage Before the above listed park amenities can be constructed, the infrastructure needs must be addressed to ensure that the park can accommodate the increase in visitors and hours. It is anticipated that the infrastructure and planned park improvements would enable Blackwood Farm Park to open daily (assuming planned upgrades in personnel and operating expenses) in FY 2019-20. The following five subsections provide updates on the planned infrastructure improvements and on some components or questions that were raised previously. 1. Hiring of a Design and Engineering Firm for Construction Drawings and Bid Documents While considerable work has been done to date by our Landscape Architect, the design and construction of the new driveway, turn lanes and parking areas will require engineering services. The firm that performs this work could also create the needed construction documents for the components of the park construction in FY 2018-19, assuming that construction plans stay on that schedule. Staff has prepared a new layout for the driveway and parking area, taking into consideration the approved location of the new entrance by NCDOT and the relocation of the Parks Operations Base to another site. A draft layout of the new driveway and parking area is shown below. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) has been developed by staff and is ready to be placed for submittals by qualified firms. Staff plans to have a recommended firm for this work to the Board for approval of a design contract in January/February. Staff will also provide a courtesy update to park neighbors to 8 Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation PO Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone: (919) 245-2510 Fax: (919) 644-3351 let them know that the previously discussed work will be proceeding in coming months. Proposed Parking and Infrastructure Improvements 2. Master Plan Revisions / Disc Golf Course Planning In the decade since the creation of the master plan by the Blackwood Farm Park Master Plan Committee and its adoption by the Board, a few changes have become necessary that will require recommended revisions to the master plan. These changes would be brought back for Board approval in early-2018. In summary, the changes that will be reflected in the master plan include a) Changes to the entrance and parking areas (as discussed in Section 1 above); b) The location of a disc golf course as a new amenity for the park, to be located in the north-central and northwestern areas of the park; c) Addition of the Children’s Discovery Trail as a new amenity; d) Refinement of the amphitheatre location; e) Refinement of the planned Nature/Learning Center concept (please see Section 4 below); and f) Elimination of a planned road and parking area along the northern park boundary, to help buffer adjoining homes. Disc Golf Course As discussed in previous CIP’s and included in the adopted FY 2017-22 CIP, a disc golf course is proposed for Blackwood Farm Park. The Landscape Architect 9 Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation PO Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone: (919) 245-2510 Fax: (919) 644-3351 and staff recommend that this new amenity be located in the wooded area in the northwestern corner of the park, and in the open meadow that adjoins it to the east. The Master Plan revision in early 2018 would reflect the course boundaries. The exact layout of the course would be created by an informal working group of staff and disc golf organization representatives in the winter and spring of 2018. Discovery Trail Over the past two years, the Assistant Parks Superintendent and the Resource Program Support Coordinator with Soil and Water Conservation have worked on a Discovery Trail to be located near the current trailhead on the eastern edge of the property. Grant funds and other donations have enabled a local high school artist to develop a series of signs on environmental education for this trail, with an orientation toward K-8 grades. The trail will offer learning opportunity stations and signage will help children explore the many and varied wildlife of the N.C. Piedmont. A mockup of one of the planned signs is provided as Attachment 2. 3. Investigation of Maintenance and Management of Former Hay Fields As instructed by the Board, staff met with representatives of the agricultural community and the staffs from Cooperative Extension and Soil and Water Conservation to explore whether there is a viable alternative to using a tractor and attachment (included in the current year capital project funding) to periodically clear the former hay fields – including the scenic vista portion of the property from New Hope Church Road north toward the farmstead. Staff was asked to explore the possibility of animal / livestock in this capacity. After several meetings and discussions, it is staff’s recommendation that one of two options (or a combination of the two) be pursued: a) Putting the fields not used by the park (including the vista) back into hay production; and/or b) Using prescribed burns in certain portions of the park to create wildflower meadows or “Piedmont Prairie.” Staff looked at both goats and cattle grazing as an option for maintaining the hay fields. While the use of goats in parks is becoming a viable and popular option for eliminating unwanted vegetation, goats are better suited to shrubs and vegetative cover as opposed to grasslands. Goats also tend to be used most often for smaller areas, such as clearing old playground areas (as recently done in Durham). Grazing of beef cattle was another option explored, and the County has an existing arrangement with an adjoining farmer on the future Northeast District Park site for grazing of beef cattle. However, that site is an expansion of grazing land for existing cattle located on adjoining land, which already has adequate 10 Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation PO Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone: (919) 245-2510 Fax: (919) 644-3351 animal housing and animal waste disposal on the farm. To introduce beef cattle at Blackwood Farm would require a farmer to move and rotate the cattle off and on the fields. The animals would need to have housing, and an animal waste system would need to be constructed and installed. If there is no local farmer to take on these duties, someone would need to be hired to manage the animals. There is also the potential for cattle and human interaction, which brings public health concerns. In summary, the introduction of beef cattle was found to create significant increases in cost and create the potential for public health issues at the park. Having animals from other locations demonstrated at the park for short periods of time was noted by the staffs as a possible alternative. Within a few growing seasons, the former hay fields could be put back into grass production with the needed soil amendments (typically, the addition of lime and fertilizer). Agricultural staff feels that this is the most practical use of these fields and one that will reinvigorate the scenic vista on the property. One local farmer has expressed interest in managing the fields for hay if this option is selected, although other farmers would be solicited as well. Staff remains interested in creating a wildflower meadow and perhaps a “Piedmont Prairie” in a portion of the former fields, both as a pilot project and another park amenity. Information on Piedmont Prairies is provided as Attachment 3. Organizations with strong conservation backgrounds and ethics, such as Duke Forest, Triangle Land Conservancy and the NC Botanical Garden, all use prescribed burns that are carefully managed and well-planned as a forest and field management technique. Staff in the County’s Parks Division have been trained in the proper techniques and the County Forest Ranger has also indicated a willingness to help with a prescribed burn. Staff would propose to begin with a small area on the interior of the park as a pilot project in 2018. 4. Farmhouse Renovations The historic farmhouse, now known as the Strayhorn-Blackwood House, is a vernacular frame dwelling built in 1827, enlarged in 1840 and again ca. 1910. It has a present floor area of approximately 1,800 square feet of heated space on two floors. The house is currently in stable condition but has undergone numerous exterior and interior alterations between the 1950s and 1980s that have marred its historic character. Significant work is now required to prevent deterioration that will be costly to repair in the future. Existing mechanical and electrical systems are outdated and inadequate. Staff has assessed the structure and developed an RFQ to restore the house to return the exterior and interior appearance to the period of about 1920-1930. Current plans call for it to be used as a historic house museum and history exhibit facility, to complement the numerous historic farm buildings restored between 2007 and 2010. Proposals will be obtained from qualified architectural 11 Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation PO Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone: (919) 245-2510 Fax: (919) 644-3351 teams with special background and experience in historic preservation and restoration of comparable structures. This is a significant historic property that is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Planning and design work will take place in early-mid 2018, with actual restoration work planned for late 2018/early 2019. All work on the house will be carefully coordinated with the proposed site work and facility improvements elsewhere in the park. 5. Nature/Learning Center The master plan for Blackwood Farm Park has, from the beginning, envisioned a “Learning Center” or “Nature Center” where nature programs could be held and exhibits displayed. However, the scope and size of the structure was left for future determination by the Master Plan Committee. There is a wide variety of styles that fall into this category of facility, ranging from small rustic wooden structures with a few fixed exhibits and an indoor/outdoor classroom, to much more elaborate buildings with classrooms, large exhibits and hands- on demonstration areas (such as at Reedy Creek Nature Preserve in Mecklenburg County and Blue Jay Point in Wake County). It is expected that the park construction and design team will develop alternatives for this facility for future decision as a part of their work. It is important to note that a larger indoor facility will almost certainly exceed the park construction budget in the CIP, which was based on a smaller, rustic facility that might include a classroom and perhaps restrooms. If there is interest in pursuing a more-comprehensive type of nature center, the potential may exist for partnerships with other non-profit or private entities. Staff has already been approached by two organizations about the potential for participating in the center’s construction and programming, and there may be other organizations which have needs that could be met in partnership with the County for a larger nature center at the park. Staff proposes to explore these possibilities in the next several months and have possible options for partnership ready when the design alternatives are completed and ready for Board consideration. It should also be noted that, if a more-comprehensive center is found desirable, that this component of the park could be pulled out and made a stand-alone future project. Please let me know if you have any questions, or I may provide more information prior to the next planned review in January/February. 12