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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-21-2004-9cORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 21, 2004 Action Agenda Item No. q-G SUBJECT• Fairview and Northern (HSC) Parks -Timetables and Status Reports DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Conservation, Recreation and Parks ATTACHMENT 1) Park Facility Projects (PFP) Schedule 2) Northern Park-Adopted Preliminary Concept Plan 3) Northern Park -Adopted Process 4) Northern Park -Possible Timetable 5) Fairview Park and Campus -draft Preliminary Concept Plan 6) Fairview Park and Campus -Possible Timetable and MOA status report INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 245-2590 Lori Taft, 245-2660 Geof Gledhill, 732-2196 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To review a status report, preliminary concept plans and the proposed schedule for design of the next two County parks projects -the Northern (Human Services Center) Park and the Fairview Park and Campus (Phase II), BACKGROUND: As of September 2004, several County parks projects are in various stages of construction (Little River Park), and pre-construction (Efland-Cheeks Park Phase 2, Smith Fields lighting project, Twin Creeks Park Phase I). As previously identified in the Park Facilities Project (PFP) schedule, the next two projects to get underway would be Northern Park and Fairview Park, Phase IL. Steps have been taken late in 2003 and earlier this year to prepare for the design process of these two facilities, which are funded by voter-approved 2001 Parks and Open Space Bonds. A Preliminary Concept Plan and a process for accomplishing the design and public outreach was adopted for Northern Park by the Board in Fall 2003., The process calls for design to be accomplished through a series of community meetings instead of a Master Plan committee. Preliminary survey work (detailed topographic survey, cultural and biological assessments) has been completed. At Fairview, a Steering Committee of elected officials from the County and Town of Hillsborough has conducted site visits, and a staff Site Analysis report has been prepared and reviewed by both boards. A draft Preliminary Concept Plan has been developed 2 (attached) and a draft Memorandum of Agreement (initial draft attached) between the County and Town is under review by the attorneys to address the roles and responsibilities of the jurisdictions, as well as the process for park design, construction and operation. In June, the County authorized construction of a storage facility and base for Recreation and Parks on land within the overall site to address immediate operational needs, and this project would move forward outside of the Fairview design process. A pending land swap to allow expansion of the Orange County Public Works facility, and relocation of the Hillsborough facility, is one of the key decision points to be addressed by the MOA. With the number of projects underway in the construction or pre-construction phase, staff believes that it is feasible to undertake one of these two projects in the fall of this year, and would propose to initiate the other project on or around February 2005. A general timeframe of 2-4 months is anticipated to complete the design process (from initial design meeting to draft Master Plan). Information on the current status of both projects and draft plans and processes are provided as attachments. The existing PFP timetable (which is updated periodically as events changed but is not an adopted document) would have Northern Park design occur first, followed by Fairview Park as the design for Northern Park winds down, Staff feels that that this sequence is still the most appropriate, Both the County Attorney and staff are of the view that the County/Hillsborough joint project at Fairview requires key decisions within the Memorandum of Agreement (primarily the Master Plan) that impact the order of activities at the Fairview Campus, Additionally, surveys (topographic, biological and cultural/archaeological) have not yet been undertaken for Fairview, Staff would propose to begin the process of the getting these surveys done in October. The County Engineer has advised that the design process for the Northern Park would not cause any adverse impacts on implementing proposed improvements to the water and sewer system of the Northern Human Services Center building, should the Board direct staff to move forward with the park design process at Northern Park, FINANCIAL IMPACT: Funding exists for the design of both projects through previously- appropriated funds in FY 2003-04 and FY 2004-05, A total of $49,416 has been expended to date for the preliminary survey work at Northern Park (including survey work related to the wastewater system). No funding for Fairview Park (Phase II) has been expended to date, Design for the projects would be done in-house by the Open Space Design Specialist in conjunction with other staff from ERCD, Recreation and Parks, Planning, and the County Manager's office. Additional design and pre-construction costs are expected to be minimal. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board consider the attached schedule and status reports, and provide direction to staff on the Board's preferred sequence of activities, 3 V d O .U V Y ~. m a° C 9 ~ u V ~ u p)a C 'n L c a ua o' ~ a`W z d >. a a N a m` t e A r 2 v w A ~~ v P ~ m N ~ -u n v ~ O u ~ 9 a ~ a ~ o m Z 6 m N G N O v o LL ~ .~ N Q`a ~z ~~ a E °-' c m°@ h q 7 d ~E ¢'- y 11 O E~J E Q N 2 5 m O L a .2 v ~ O N U y O C ~ a d E e a c5 ¢° m C 2 m n a a E 3 N N S m LL a 0 N .o mo~~ .. ~ ~~~N xp ' m ro^ `o cry a cE ' y0 ~s~~ w~ ~~ ~ N (I3 ~ L ~ + PIG gG .~- C ~ VQ ~ LL ° cn ~ .., •~ ~c~+(( o ® V V N ^^,, /' W {.{~ ( `~ i ~ O C =U c ~ ~ ~ _ o ~ . z a, L ^ LL d c m ~°~' d ~ ¢ U l0 G d O Z ~~ ' Q tU N ~~ ~~ d G ~ O ~ ~~ ~ d ~ U _ ~ O d l0 m N~= N N E ` y 8 ~ 3 'C '~ c m _ \ a ¢ ~ z° ¢ a° in ~ > lJ --- r 5 aster :Plan. rcess Northern ~Iurnan Services Center Park Adopted June 3, 2003 (Preliminary Concept Plan adopted 9/2/03) A. Site Information Size: 48 acres (i~zcluditzg existi~zg btzilditzgs and fields), with atz addittioizal 12,2 acres located across NC 86. Location: Co-located with Northern Human Services Center, seven miles north of Hillsborough on NC 86 in Cedar Grove Towns7iip Status: Existing Northern Hunzatz Services Center and one ballftield and playground on original 8 acres, County acquired a,ddtitional 40 acres in 1998. Draft Preliminary Concept Plan for parla included in Northeriz Human Services center report of 2001, Funding: $1,200,000 Source: 2001 Parizs Bond ($200, 000 appropriated in FY 02-03) B Proposed Timetable of Actions Board approves charge and process Topographic and culturaUarchaeological surveys Board reviews timetable and adopts Preliminary Concept Plan Staff develops base maps and site analysis Initial Community Meeting -Base Maps and Opportunities and Constraints Analysis (preceded by notices and public service Second Community Meeting -Community Interests for the Parlc, begin design Third Community Meeting -Design Charette Fourth Community Meeting -Community Forum /final plan revisions Master Plan recommendations completed Board of Commissioners reviews and approves Master Plan, instructs staffto develop construction documents and drawings Site plan submitted to Planning Department, bid documents, solicit onroves contract for cc 7 C. Rationale for Process Development of the Master Plan for this park will involve planning for both active and low-impact recreation opportunities at the site. Special attention and consideration will be given to coordination with plans for the adjoining Northern Humana Services center°, to ensure compatibility of proposed uses with the planned improvements to the Center. D. Description of Design Process The park design would be accomplished via a series of four community meetings held over three months. Citizens in the community will be invited to participate in the process by attending meetings and participating in the design. Notice about the community meetings will be publicized through mailings, public, service announcements and notices placed in stores and community centers. The Open Space Design Specialist will be responsible for the actual site design, working with the County Manager (or designee), ERC Director and Recreation and Parks Directo~° -with the Planning Director, County Engineer, Purchasing Director and Land Conservation Manager also asked to participate as available or needed. The end-product of this process will be a Master Plan for the park, along with a brief written report, to be prepared by the end of December 2003, E Guiding Principles In addition to the charge, the Master Plan process shall use fhe following Guiding Principles: • Any proposed substantive modifications to the Preliminary Concept Plan should be conveyed to the Board of Commissioners as soon as practical for approval • The facilities to be designed and built should recognize the co- loration with the Northern Human Services Center, working in concert with future plans for the center and sharing infrastructure where possible • The park should, to the degree possible, promote apedestrian- friendly environment and discourage unnecessary automobile traffic or parking areas • The protection of important stream corridors and natural areas should be a foremost consideration, and facilities should be designed in concert with the natural surroundings wherever possible. Grading and alteration of the natural landscape should be minimized • Generally, all portions of the site not identified for playing fields or other active recreation facilities should adhere to "Olmsteadian" park and open space design principles, promoting open spaces, meadows, and fields that may flexibly be used for a variety of public leisure purposes • Open spaces, including trails, should be developed with a vision for both an internal and potential future external network, with leisure and pedestrian movement between the Northern Human Services Center and the park addressed internally, and linkage to any nearby residential areas considered externally • The plan should promote xeriscaping (native vegetation and minimal water use) within the entire site • The Work Group should hold at least one community forum or open house to present draft recommendations, prior to submittal of the Committee report • Additional basic operating principles may be developed Northern HSC Parlc -Proposed Project Timetable 9/04 •o `'January 2004 Conduct topographic, biological and culttual suiveys September-October 2004 Draft Challenges and Opportrurities report (staff prepared October 4 Initial meeting notice placed on NHSC sign, flyers to citizens and conununity stores about first park design community meeting October 28 Community Meeting #1 (Opportunities and Constraints report presented, initial park design ideas solicited) November 18 Communty Meeting #2 (Design charette) December 9 Community Meeting #3 (Complete char'ette /develop draft recommendations) Tanuary 20, 2005 Gomrnunity Meeting #4 (Final meeting -recommendations and Park Master Plan) February 2005 Park and Campus Master Plair presented to BOCC March 2005 BOCC approves Park Master Plan with/without modi£cation Apri12005 BOCC approves site plan submittal for" park April -September 2005 Park construction bid documents prepared, bids solicited and received October 2005 Bid award to BOCC for action November 2005 - October 2006 Park Construction Fall 2006 Park opening (tentative) Timetable subject to change Fairview Campus -Preliminary Concept Plan Draft io Q County & Hliisborough Parcels ~ Parcel Boundary Sbeams. Stream Buffer, Steep Slopes Exlsling Public Works / Storage Faclilty -Orange Courtly '. Public Works FJrpansion-orange County Proposed Public W orks -Hillsborough TI1 Posslbie Hillsborough Public Works / Mature Hardwootl Stand f ~ Active Recreation Storm Debds ® Fortner Landfill 8 Surface Trash Low Impact Recreation 8 Open Space BO 0 BO 160240 Feet ~® ~l Gounly al Osage Environmenl8 Resource Canservalbn eepvMenl M Jones BIfWM Fairview Parlc and Campus -Proposed Project Timetable 9/04 •~ e.• October-December, 2004 Conduct topographic, biological and cultural surveys November-December 2004 Pre-Concept Plazr and MOA (with master plan process) approved December 2004 -January 2005 Draft Challenges acid Opportunities report (staff) prepared January 2005 Appointments made to Fairview Parlt and Canlpus Master Plan Committee February 2005 Committee Meeting #1 (Opportunities and Constraints report presented, initial park design ideas solicited) Mazch 2005 Corrunittee Meeting #2 (Design charette) April 2005 Committee Meeting #3 (Complete charette /develop draft reconunendations) May 2005 Committee Meeting #4 (Final meeting - reconunendations and Pazk Master Plan) August 2005 Pazic and Campus Master Plan presented to BOCC September 2005 BOCC approves Park Master Plan witlr/without modification October 2005 Land swap reviewed az7d approved. BOCC approves site plan submittal for Phase II of pazk November 2005 -April 2006 Parlc (Phase II) construction bid documents prepared, bids solicited and received May 2006 Bid award to BOCC for action June 2006-May 2007 Park (Phase II) Constniction Late-spring 2007 Pazlc (Phase II) opening (tentative) Timetable subject to change Status Report of Draft Fairview Parlc and Campus Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) The Town Attorney and County Attorney have begun review of the draft MOA (dated 4/23/0.3). The MOA addresses a variety of topics related to the site, including agreement to master plan and utilize both Town and County lands for the project, the process for designing the Master Plan (including the appointment of a citizens committee), and operation and management issues related to the park. The County Attorney has noted that the master plan should be adopted prior to the proposed land swap for public works taking place, to ensure that the lands to be swapped are consistent with plamring for the site (infi astructure, roads, parking etc). The mechanism to accomplish the master plan is currently included within the MOA - it could be separated from the IvIOA and begun. while the remaining issues of the MOA are discussed, if desired.