Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-23-2004-7aORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 23, 2004 Action Agenda Item No. 7 a- SUBJECT: West Ten Soccer Park Concept Plan Process and Update on Bidding Procedures DEPARTMENT: Purchasing & Central Services PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No Recreation and Parks Planning and Inspections ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Vicinity Map Subject Property Map Pam Jones, ext 2652 (both under separate cover) Lori Taft, ext 2673 "Next Steps" Summary Craig Benedict, ext 2592 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider apre-concept plan for the soccer park planned for the Euliss property (working title West Ten Soccer Park); and to authorize the Purchasing Director to work with Orange County Schools (OCS) and our mutual consultant, Corley Redfoot Zack (CRZ) to: 1) determine the most appropriate method of bidding the soccer park element of the project concurrently with OCS; 2) to approve the issuance of the bid for the pre-grading (earthwork) component of the soccer park; and 3) to work with the Manager and Attorney to develop and enter into an interlocal agreement between OCS and the County that formalizes the outcome of this collaborative effort. BACKGROUND: In June 2003, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) appropriated funding that enabled the Orange County Board of Education to obtain options to purchase several parcels of property on West Ten Road, approximately 1 mile between Mt. Willing and Buckhorn Roads, south of I-85/I-40 (see attached map,) The property, totaling slightly more than 100 acres, was being considered for use by the Orange County Schools (OCS) as the site of a planned new middle school, and possible other uses, In subsequent months, the Board of Education determined that it would not need for the middle schcol the 33+ acre Euliss property that was part of the overall 100 acres. In March 2004, the Board of Education purchased the remaining 67 acres, and Orange County purchased the Euliss property with the intent of using it primarily as the site of a soccer complex with a working name of West Ten Soccer Park, 2 In recognition of previously adopted resolutions that establish a policy of pursuing CountylSchools coordinated and joint use facility planning when it is feasible to do so, County and OCS staff and the middle school architects have held discussions about how the adjacent locations of the middle school and soccer park sites might lead to economies of scale during design and construction and could possibly lead to many "smart growth" cast savings in both projects, County staff developed a team to investigate the feasibility of using the existing middle school design firm of Corley Redfoot Zack (CRZ) for the soccer park design, The BOCC approved a contract with CRZ for these services on May 18, 2004. Pre-Concept Planning: At this .June 23 meeting, the BOCC is reviewing draft concept plans as the owner of the soccer park property. After outreach and Economic Development District (EDD) site plan processing (see "Next Steps" summary), the final site plan would be prepared. Because of the synergies between the two projects and the extraordinary coordination opportunities that exist by retaining the same designer for both projects, staff recommends that the Board proceed with sanctioning the pre-concept plan at this time and authorizing staff to proceed in July with community outreach, in accordance with the 'Soccer Superfund' process. In addition, the Board is requested to authorize staff to work with the Orange County School Board and CRZ, our mutual designer for both elements of the project, to determine the best manner in which to bid the project such that the earthwork, in particular, may be bid and construction occur concurrently with the similar component of the school project, As previously mentioned, this allows a cast savings to be realized in both projects, The bid is expected to be put to the street during the late summer, after final planning process approvals that are scheduled for consideration later on this .June 23 meeting agenda. The Board is further asked to authorize staff to develop and approve any interlacal agreement that may be required to formalize the agreement that emerges from these discussions between the County and OCS. FINANCIAL. IMPACT: Funding would come from $1 million in 2001 general obligation bond funds earmarked for the "Soccer Superfund" that will be included in the bond sale that is scheduled for July 2004, Potential savings from coordination of the middle school and soccer park projects cannot be accurately estimated until further design work is accomplished, However, based on previous experience with the Smith Middle School and soccer field project, staff are confident that a minimum of $100,000 in savings can be achieved through economies in grading and fill, parking, lighting, road access, restrooms, and the like. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: 1) consider this pre-concept plan as acceptable for purposes of community outreach and then direct staff to pursue the outreach effort; 2) authorize the Purchasing Director to work with Orange County Schools and Carley Redfoot Zack to determine the most appropriate method of bidding the soccer park element of the project concurrently with the School; 3) direct staff and the consultant to consider in the preliminary design process the community input received through the outreach process, consistent with the pre-concept plan approved by the BOCC; 4) approve the issuance of the bid for the pre-grading component of the soccer park; 5) authorize the Manager's and Attorney's offices to develop an interlocal agreement with the Orange County Board of Education to effectuate concurrent bidding of school and West Ten Soccer Park to achieve economies of scale; and 6) authorize staff and the Attorney to develop and consummate any and all easements (to include cross-access, utilities, parking, etc) necessary, 6/I8/04 "Next Steps" for West Ten Soccer Park Public Input Session -This meeting will be conducted on or before July 16, 2004. In accordance with the "Soccer Superfund" process, a public meeting with the Soccer Alliance and other interested parties will be conducted to informally discuss the pre-concept plan presented and revised, if necessary by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) at this June 23 meeting, The principles or parameters of the BOCC pre-concept plan will remain as the basis of outreach discussion, A report of the comments will be provided to the BOCC in August or September, Site Plan Process -The site plan will be submitted by July 30 and be acted upon prior to August 30th. After the public input session, the consultant will develop a final site plan in accordance with the county's Economic Development District (EDD) zoning and site plan regulations. This site plan application includes aspects such as environmental review, erosion control, access, parking, lighting, landscaping, setbacks, signs, and buildings, Projects within the Economic Development District (EDD) that are permitted by right, such as this public park, have a specific review and approval process, After the application is found sufficient by Planning Staff, the application is forwarded to review agencies (County Engineer, County Attorney, Erasion Control, Building Inspection, Public Works, Emergency Services, ERCD, Sheriffs Department, NCDOT, Fire District, Utility Provider) in preparation of a Development Review Committee Meeting, in approximately 21 days. All review agencies, as well as, the applicant are invited to the Development Review Committee Meeting, Deliberations are conducted and action is made to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application. This action is made at the meeting by a staff team of the Economic Development Director and the Planning Director whom considers agency comments and notes compliance with the EDD Design Manual, The applicant will be notified in writing of the decision by August 31, 2004.