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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-20-2001-WORK SESSION AGENDA Orange County Board of Commissioners Hillsborough Board of Commissioners March 20, 2001 5:30 p.m. Government Services Center Welcome by Chair and Mayor 2. Economic Development District Work (5:35:00) a. Land Use, Zoning and Process -Craig Benedict b. Transportation Workgroup -Dianne Reid c. Concept Plan -Informal Presentation of Old NC 86/I-40 project by Scott Radway of Kimley Horn 3. Occaneechi Camping Exemption for Paw Wow (6:00-6:15) The County Attorney and Staff are collaborating with Jahn "Blackfeather" Jefferies to prepare an agreement that accommodates the requests of the Occaneechi- Saponi in reference to the Indian Village and the park area behind the Courthouse. The County and the Town may have mutual interests, particularly as it respects such activities as camping and open fires on the site. The discussion is intended to familiarize all parties with the issues in an effort to bring forward solutions expeditiously in anticipation of the Pow-Wow scheduled far June 10, 2001. 4. Water/Sewer Interests (6:15-6:30) a. Update on Efland (See attachment from Paul Thames) b. Watershed Preservation -Craig Benedict c. Update on Water Treatment -Report will be given by Hillsborough d. Water Capacity/Sewer Capacity -Report will be given by Hillsborough 5. Courtesy Review Agreement (6:30-6:45) (Agenda Abstract dated 3/6/01, Craig Benedict/Margaret Hauth) 6. Joint Recreation Projects (6:45-7:00) (See attachment from Bob Jones) 7. Affordable Housing Report (7:00-7:15) (Agenda Abstract dated 3/13/01 and the Task Force .report) 8. Adjournment NOTE: Food will be available at 5:00 p.m. The meeting will start promptly at 5:30 p.m. Z. OCCANEECHI SAND OF THE SAPONI NATION 511 Latimer Street Hillsbarough,,NC 27278 January 1, 2001 Orange County~cvmmissioners Stephen Halkiotis, Chair 200 South.eameron street Hillsborough, NC 27278 Dear commissioner Halkiotis~and`Co1],eagues R ~~ ~ ~. IJ P; JAN ~ 2u01 For the past five years, the second weekend of June, member's of the occaneechi Band of the saponi Nation have held their. Annual spring Festiv< and Pow Wow on Friday and Saturday. This event is held on the site dust beha.nd the "new" Court House on. Margaret Lane in downtown Hillsborough. This is the h~,storical area where the Occaneechi dwelled far many years before visitors from other lands joined them. As was the way for generations. some of the. people who come to share in t~ festivities would like to camp at the site. We have indigenous people coming from across the United states of America to participate in the Festival and Pow Wow every year. These visitors have only the greatest regard and respect for the people of Hillsborough, Orange County, North Carolina. The members of the Occaneechi Sand of the saponi Nation are, therefore, requesting "conti.nuous apsn~permission" to allow camping on the site of t Festival ~aad Pow Wow each year: This request covers three days: Thursda Friday, and Saturday. some friends of the occaneechi come on Thursday to help set up for the upcoming festivities. Most of the pa,.rticipants have departed by late Sunday evening to return home for wgrl~, school and other family obligations. Please note that many others do utilized hotel/motel accommodatzans within the county. Mahy of you have joined us during the preparations and the celebration, a can speak of what it meant to you to participate on th~.s weekend. It is always our way to leave the area cleaner than we found it. When, the festivities are over, the grounds are policed and all collected trash•is placed where it can easily be picked up. we are most appreciative of a1] the town and county has done to afford us this opportunity to celebrate c the land our people once called home. Th~.s in itself makes this Fest~.va] and Pow Wow very unique on the east coast. ''hank y~u for your consideration regarding this request. Most ~~s~.nc rely : , . ~ ~ ~~ ~~~ Gt~~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~: .~_.___c::. ..~ ~~1~L~~IIw .•~y..tS«...w '/'.h ..fir MEMORANDUM TO: County Commissioners Hillsborough Town Council FROM: Paul Thames, PE, County Engineer DATE: March 16, 2001 SUBJECT: Background and update an Efland sewer system and sewer expansion issues Historical Bac~k.~round y In the early 1980's, an environmental and public health crisis compelled Orange County to begin a process of creating amunicipal-type sewer utility that would provide wastewater collection for the Efland-Cheeks Elementary School and the Efland Estates subdivision in western Efland. An engineering study (the Efland sewer master plan) advised the Orange County Board of Commissioners that, although the problems with existing on-site waste treatments systems were the worst in western Efland (at and near the Efland-Cheeks Elementary School), the entire community -- from Buckharn Road to the Eno River -was at risk for such problems. In a process designed to evaluate the extent of a potential customer base for the Efland sewer system, the County obtained commitments from approximately 170 sewer customers for nearly 200 sewer connections. This exceeded the recommendations of the master plan study, which indicated that a customer base of at least 17d households/businesses would be required for the sewer system to function as a self sustaining enterprise operation. Orange County moved forward with the task of creating a sewer system far Efland. Simultaneously with the processes of system design, funding acquisition, etc., the County entered into agreements with Hillsborough (ta accept and treat the wastewater flow), the Orange-Alamance Water System (ta provide billing and collection services enforced by its power to terminate water service) and OWASA (to provide maintenance and repair services for the central pumping station, sewer and force mains and other equipment). Construction began on the system in 19$7 and the system became operational in October 1988. The initial customer base consisted of approximately 11 S sewer services (some of which were not actually connected to the system but were billed anyway) generating approximately 15,000 gallons of wastewater flow per day. Funding constraints limited the initial sewer construction project to one which could provide sewer service only to those in the area most seriously afflicted by failing on-site waste treatment systems. However, as this area contained only just over half of the requested sewer services, an obligation to provide sewer service for those who request service were left without it remained. Accordingly, Orange County included $1,200,000 for an expansion of the Efland sewer system to serve central Efland (around the intersections of US 70 with Efland-Cedar Grave and Brookhollow Roads) in the 1997 bond campaign. Efland Sewer Bond Pro'ect The sewer system infrastructure, as proposed in the 1997 bond campaign, can provide gravity sewer service to all potential customers within the bond-defined service area (see the attached map). It is estimated that the entire consultant solicitation, design, permitting, bidding, construction and project close-out process will take approximately 28 months to complete (approximately 6 yeazs after the passage of the bond, if the project is initiated very shortly). Expanding sewer service to the area defined in the 1997 bond will make sewer service available to all but 10 individuals who sighed up for sewer service during the initial drive to solicit customers in 1985. Six of those individuals are located along US 70 beyond the western reach of the existing system. The remaining four customers are located along US 70 beyond eastern reach of the gravity collector system that would be constructed as the bond project. The properties of two of these customers lie outside of the Transition Area and in the Eno River watershed critical azea. There are several more potential customers (those who did not sign far sewer service in 1985) along US 70, Gym Road and Lloyd Dairy Road who are also beyond the eastern reach of the proposed bond financed collector system and who aze also in within the Eno River/Seven Mile Creek watershed critical areas. Although the Efland Sewer Bond was passed in November 1997, the sewer expansion process (consultant selection, surveying, identification or acquisition of easements, preparation of construction documents, permitting, etc.) has not yet been initiated. This delay has occurred as a consequence of the close association between expansion of the Efland sewer system as a whole and a number of unresolved and interrelated issues associated with the development and evolution of the Efland-Cheeks community. These issues, which have been enumerated and incorporated in the Efland Sewer Goal since 1998 and are currently being addressed by the BOCC and staff, include: ^ joint planning process with Mebane ^ Efland or Efland-Cheeks small azea plan ^ Orange Alamance water shortage situation ^ developing the Buckhorn Road EDD and its utility services ^ Efland-Cheeks sewer master plan/utility service district! Transition Area(s) Another issue, albeit one that is not plainly explicated in the BOCC's current Efland Goal, is that bond financing could play a role in securing funding for additional sewer expansion beyond the bond-defined area. Specifically, it maybe possible to use bond funds to leverage grant funds that could then be used to pay some portion of the costs of expanding the sewer system to other areas of the Efland-Cheeks community. As the County's plan for the ultimate configuration of the Efland sewer system has not yet been defined, the potential for grant fmancing of sewer expansion interjects yet another element of uncertainty. However, resolution of all of these issues and concerns not withstanding, it is possible that the process of expanding the sewer system to the bond-defined area could commence this spring. Current Status of S stem Currently the Efland sewer system service base contains approximately 1~S customers {nearly all of which are connected to the system) which generate nearly 35,000 gallons of wastewater flow per day. While most services are typical domestic users, there are two institution customers (the Efland-Cheeks Community Center and Efland-Cheeks Elementary School) and three industrial customers (Hancor, Barber & Ross and the Lloyd caz wash). In nearly 13 yeazs of operation, the customer base has grown by about 30 customers. However, the new Richmond Hills subdivision (Habitat's development project) will add 42 new residential units (approximately 8000 gallons of additional wastewater flow) when fully developed. Furthermore, a proposed new development project (Ashwick) - if approved -would add another 50-odd residential units with approximately 10,000 gallons of additianai wastewater flow per day. Other than the developments listed above, there are very few remaining tracts available far development or unoccupied building lots within the existing sewer service area. If the system is expanded into the band-defined service area, there are few undeveloped tracts but quite a number of unoccupied lots of record available for development. It is certainly conceivable that the bond defined service azea could eventually provide as many as 150 new residential, commercial and industrial customers for the system and generate 30,000 to 50,000 gallons per day of additional wastewater flow. However, all of these projected potential wastewater flaws when totaled, consume less than half of the amount of wastewater capacity that Hillsborough has allocated to the Efland sewer system as per the wastewater collection and treatment agreement. If I may provide additional information an this matter please advise. ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 6, 2001 Action Ag Item No. SUBJECT: Orange County/Hillsborough Courtesy Review DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig N. Benedict, ext. 2592 Revised Draft Agreement with Revised Map (Previously discussed on February 20, 2001) TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane (33fi)227 2031 PURPOSE: To consider a courtesy review agreement with Hillsborough on a formal basis. BACKGROUND: This item was tabled on the February 20, 2001 meeting with revisions that have been incorporated in the draft submitted herewith. This subject was discussed at the January 29, 2001 Board of Commissioners work session and again during the joint meeting with the Town of Hillsborough Board of Commissioners on January 31, 2001. The Joint Orange County/Hillsborough EDD Task Force has developed various new regulations to improve the standards of development in the common areas of interest around and ii Hillsborough. A discussion point that has surfaced is that courtesy review of projects by both jurisdictions would further our interests to manage the impacts of growth. Issues such as traffic, stormwater control, environmental impact, and public service provision are shared impacts that are better reviewed together. ee The county and the 1`own of Hillsborough have informally reviewed major project proposals like Corbin Downs, The Preserve Planned Development, and Hampton Pointe. This agreement would formalize this system so the applicant would be familiar with the combined concerns of both local governments. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is passible personnel resource impact as one planner would add to their responsibilities and be assigned to react to proposals in relat'vely short time frames and attend meetings to understand the proposal and offer comment. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve such an agreement. COURTESY REVIEW AGREEMENT 2 THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this day of , 200 by and between the COUNTY OF ORANGE, a political subdivision of the State of North Carolina, the TOWN OF HILLSBOROUGH, amunicipal corporation duly created and existing under the laws of North Cazolina. WITNESSETH: Jn consideration of the public benefits expected to flow from the cooperative efforts of the . parties in establishing a coordinated system of planning within their respective azeas of public concern, the parties to this Agreement hereby mutually agree as follows: ARTICLE 1. PURPOSE, DEFTNTTIONS, EFFECTIVE DATE Section 1.1 Purpose of the Agreement The purpose of this Agreement is to establish a method of coordinated planning in the Orange County-Hillsborough Courtesy Review Area, as defined herein. Further the process is intended to provide a forum for discussion of development impacts and exchange information and ideas. This agreement does not provide for j oint approval. Section 1.2 Definitions A. Courtesy Review Area. The azea designated on the Courtesy Review Area Land Use Map and attached hereto as Exhibit A. (As across-reference this is the azea also noted on the draft Public Water/Sewer Service Boundary Agreement as the Town of Hillsbomugh's primary service azea.) B. Development proposal means a: 1. Land use amendment, 2. Rezoning, 3. Special use permit, 4. Subdivisions: a. residential projects of greater than 351ots, b. all non-residential projects, 5. Annexations, Fi. ~1tP. Plane 3 Section 1.3. Effective Date and Duration A. This Agreement, except as provided below, shall become effective on the effective date of an Orange County ordinance adopting this Agreement (after it has been approved by Hillsborough). Any previously adopted Agreements in conflict with this Agreement shall become null and void upon this date. The Courtesy Review Area Map in Appendix A to this Agreement shall become effective upon the execution of this Agreement. B. This Agreement, including any Appendix hereto, shall remain in effect until terminated by mutual agreement or by withdrawal of any party. Withdrawal of one party shall not invalidate the Agreement with respect to remaining party. C. Upon execution of this Agreement, the parties agree that each will take, in a timely manner and without unnecessary delay, all steps required to cause this Agreement to become effective, and will notify the other parties when those steps have been taken. ARTICLE Z. ADOPTION, ADMINISTRATION AND AMENDMENT OF STANDARDS All proposals noted in Section 1.2B shall be submitted for courtesy review in the following areas: a. Aforesaid Courtesy Review Map azea outside of Hillsbomugh's ETJ, b. Within the Town of Hillsborough's ETJ azea, c. An azea within the Town of Hillsborough city limits that is south of the Eno River. °~ Section 2.1 Proposal Administration Within The Courtesy Review Area in Hillsborough's Jurisdiction Whenever Hillsborough receives an application for a development proposal as defined in this Agreement relating to land within the Courtesy Review Area, if shall forwazd copies of the full application and associated materials to Orange County for review. The Town shall establish timetables to insure that Orange County has an opportunity to make recommendations regazding such applications within the framework of the County's regularly scheduled meeting dates. To the extent possible, the timetables of the County and the Town shall provide for 4 simultaneous review to expedite application processing; provided, however, the Town may not vote to issue or deny a proposal until it has received the recommendations of Orange County or until the expiration of thirty (30) days after Orange County has received the application, whichever comes first. Section 2.2 Proposal Administration Within The Courtesy Review Area in Orange County's Jurisdiction Whenever Orange County receives an application for a development proposal as defined in this Agreement relating to land located within the Courtesy Review Area , it shall forwazd copies of the full application and associated materials to Hillsborough for review. The County shall establish timetables to insure that the Town has an opportunity to make recommendations regarding such applications within the framework of its regulazly scheduled meeting dates. To the extent possible, the timetables of the Town and the County shall provide for simultaneous review to expedite application processing; provided, however, Orange County may not vote to issue or deny a peimit until it has received the recommendation of the Town or until the expiration of thirty (30) days after the Town has received the application, whichever occurs first. Section 2.3 Enforcement Remedies. Development proposaUpermit revocation, if necessary and authorized by ordinance, shall be handled by the same individual or board authorized to issue the original proposal. 0 P C STATUS OF PARK PROJECTS Hillsborough Township March 16, 2001 FAIRVIEW PARK BALLFYELD Following a review of the environmental site assessment prepared by Trigon Engineering Consultants, it was determined that the ball field area at Fairview Park could be rehabilitated and improved to provide an adequate and safe playing area. Though test results found the area to contain some refuse and debris there were no environmental contaminants present at the site at levels such that use of the site for recreational activities would be unwise. • In October, 2000 staff received recommendations for site improvements to include removal of surface growth, grading, hauling in red clay, seeding, and installing backstop and fencing and bleachers at a preliminary estimate of $40,000. • On November 30, 2000 the ad hoc committee of Town and County Commissioners and staff reviewed the recommendations and discussed ways to reduce the cost that would be feasible to the project. • At the December County Commissioners Retreat, the Board endorsed in concept the construction of an improved playing field and authorized staff to proceed with the improvement projects. Staffwas also directed to determine availability of existing fill material and haul to the site or to contract forces to accomplish the work. On January 11, 2001 staff met to identify equipment needs to haul fill materials and to grade the site. It was also determined that existing fill materials for another site was not available. • On January 17, 2001 staff from the Town and County concluded that proper equipment was not available For hauling and grading. It was also decided that the existing fill material at the southern portion ofthe Fairview Pazk site be used on the field to reduce cost of outside sources. • On February 15, bids were received and awarded in the amount of $17,600 with additional costs for bringing in needed fill material at $6.00 /cubic yard. Backstop fencing and bleachers aze estimated to cost approximately $12,000. • To Date: Contractors are on site and it is anticipated that the field will be playable by the first week in June. RIVER /COURTHOUSE PARK • Field work /survey of the creek behind the Government Services Center has been completed by the staff of the Soil and Water Conservation Department. The civil engineer assigned to this project has almost completed the restoration plan. There have been delays due to assignment down east fallowing the floods from Hurricane Fran. • With the discussions and reviews of the proposed expansions of the justice facilities, it has been suggested that the final park design and construction documents be included in the Scope of Work for the requests to the architects. The selection process for architects should begin in the next few months. • Stream Restoration; Funds through the N.C. Wetlands Restoration Program have been identified to cover the cost of approximately $50,000 - $70,000. Upon review of the recommended restoration plan discussions will be held to determine the size of a conservation easement that may be required along the creek. Thirty to fifty feet on each side have been mentioned. • .The park plan /design will be impacted by the stream restoration and the future design of the justice facilities. The future architects will be required to take both of these projects into consideration in designing pedestrian access, bridges, and other amenities. ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT .. Meeting Date: March 13, 2001 Action Agend Item No. ~~ ~ . SUBJECT: Commissioners Affordable Housin Task Force - Prelimina Re ort DEPARTMENT: Housing/CD PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Tara L. Fikes, ext 2490 Preliminary Report (under separate cover) TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To receive a preliminary repork from the Commissioners Affordable Housing Task Force. BACKGROUND: In April 2000, the BOCC created the Commissioners Affordable Housing Task Force to investigate and analyze information and problems, and recommend strategies and policies, to assist the County Commissioners in fom~ulating a comprehensive, long-range vision of decent and affordable housing in Orange County. Commissioners Margaret Brown and Barry Jacobs serve as Co-Chairs for this Task Force. A group of approximately 30 people comprised of non-proft organization representatives, elected officials, staff members, and members of the general public began meeting in June 2000 and have met monthly to date. In addition, four subcommittees (Inventory/Needs, Funding, Zoning, and Education) have also met monthly. The results of these deliberations are presented at this time as a Preliminary Report in order to obtain feedback and,comments from members of the Board. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the Preliminary Report as information.