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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-16-2002 - 9e !r 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 16, 2002 Action Agen a Item No. SUBJECT: Chapel Hill Township Park and Educational Campus— Master Plan Process DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Conservation ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Draft Master Plan Process David Stancil, 245-2590 Pre-concept Plan TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider a draft proposal for the Master Plan process for the 193-acre Chapel Hill Township Park and Educational Campus. BACKGROUND: In May 2001, the County purchased 193 acres of land near the intersection of Old 86 and Eubanks Road for a future Chapel Hill Township Park and Educational Campus, coordinating with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools for part of the acquisition. Funding in the amount of$1.2 million to develop phase I of the park was approved as part of the November 2001 bond. Since that time, a Board of Commissioners task force has worked to evaluate the site and develop preliminary ideas for the co-located school facilities and park. These ideas were coalesced into a "pre-concept plan," which the Board reviewed and agreed to on November 13, 2001. Preliminary planning for the site has been shared with representatives of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. A draft process for planning the site was initially developed in the late summer of 2001, and reviewed in October and November 2001. A revised draft proposal is attached, based on schedule changes, comments from the Board and additional information gathered. The draft process outlines a timetable and charge for the creation of a Master Plan. A Master Plan Work Group is proposed, which would operate within guiding principles and a charge set by the Board (contained in the draft process). This Work Group would coordinate with other schools-oriented committees working on related subjects, as noted at the March 25 BOCC/School Boards meeting. Y 2 ' The intent of the Master Plan process is to comprehensively plan the entire site, while recognizing that some flexibility will likely be needed to address long term school facility and other needs that may not yet be apparent. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact related to discussion of the Master Plan process. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board review and approve the attached Master Plan process, with any changes or revisions as needed, and that the Master Plan Work Group be appointed in May and begin work on the Master Plan in June. 3 CHAPEL HILL TOWNSHIP PARK & EDUCATIONAL CAMPUS Master Plan Process DRAFT April 2, 2002 In order to begin the process of planning for the new park and educational campus on the County's 193-acre site near Old 86 and Eubanks Road, the following is offered as a draft proposal for the Board of Commissioners' consideration. This draft is based on previous drafts, comments provided by the Board at October 22, 2001 and November 13, 2001 worksessions, and subsequent meetings and/or discussions. This draft process for the Master Plan Work Group is designed to comprehensively integrate the planning of the educational campus and park site to ensure maximum efficiency and flexibility of use. NOTE. Recent correspondence from the CHCCS Superintendent to the School Board — augmented by discussion at the March 25 BOCC/School Boards meeting - have noted the plans for a second school at this site (a middle school), as well as potential location for a high school as part of a three-school campus. Tentative Schedule of Activities* Action Date Master Plan Work Group charged, begins work May-June, 2002 Interim report to Board of Commissioners November, 2002 Work Group completes Master Plan February 2003 Board of Commissioners reviews and approves March 2003 Master Plan Town of Carrboro review and approval of site March 2003- January 2004 plan Develop bids and bid project January-February 2004 Construction of Phase I- Schools component Winter 2004—Fall 2005?? Construction of Phase I—Parks Component Winter 2004—Fall 2005 * - best-case scenario, assumes no unforeseen delays 4 I. Proposed Master Plan Work Group Charge: 1 . DEVELOP A MASTER PLAN FOR THE CHAPEL HILL TOWNSHIP PARK AND EDUCATIONAL CAMPUS, WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PRE-CONCEPT PLAN, GUIDING PRINCIPLES (PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT 1 ) AND OTHER DIRECTION PROVIDED FROM THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ON 10/22/01 , 1 1 / 13/01 , AND 2/ 18/02. 2. THE MASTER PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS: • A concel2t plan for both the park and educational campus*. The concept plans should include all proposed buildings, playing fields, roads, parking, other facilities, amenities, infrastructure locations, vegetative cover, hydrology and other components that are commonly included in park or school facility concept plans. To accomplish this task, the Work Group may wish to divide into two subcommittees — a Park Subcommittee and an Educational Campus Subcommittee. The subcommittees would need to communicate regularly and openly to ensure that an integrated design for the whole site is maintained. The Work Group as a whole would then reconvene to approve the overall Master Plan to be submitted to the Board of Commissioners for approval. • A written report outlining the proposed uses, the design rationale, description of work group process, natural and cultural features, means of soliciting community input, the potential future phases, and construction cost estimates. The report should also include a phasing plan for both concept plan components, showing how the park and school facilities could be developed over time in a cost-efficient fashion. * - It is recognized that the level of detail for the educational campus may of necessity be less precise. However, it is expected that the educational campus component of the Master Plan should, to the degree possible, show the proposed uses, general building locations and functional layout of the school facilities 5 3. THE MASTER PLAN SHOULD SERVE TO PROVIDE FOR A "SEAMLESS TRANSITION" BETWEEN SCHOOL FACILITIES AND PARK FUNCTIONS WHEREVER POSSIBLE 4. THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WILL, VIA A SEPARATE PROCESS, ADDRESS THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARK Product: A Master Plan report and map, as described above, by March 1, 2003 Timeframe: May 2002- March 2003 II. Proposed Membership — Chapel Hill Township Park and Educational Campus Master Plan Work Group (17� • 2 County Commissioners • 1 Carrboro Alderman • 1 CHCCS School Board member • 1 Chapel Hill Town Council member • 1 Orange County School Board member 0 2 area citizens • 1 Commission for the Environment member • 1 Recreation and Parks Advisory Council member • 2 InterGovernmental Parks Work Group members • 1 Duke Forest Resource Manager • 1 Carrboro Northern Transition Area Committee member • 1 Carrboro Parks and Recreation Commission member • 1 Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission member • 1 Chapel Hill.Greenways Commission member Proposed Staff: Environment and Resource Conservation Director Land Conservation Manager Open Space Design Specialist Recreation and Parks Director (Assistance also to be solicited from Planning Director, County Engineer, Purchasing Director, and Public Works Director). Note: Parks and Planning staff from Town of Carrboro would be invited to attend and participate ex-officio. 6 ATTACHMENT 1 Guiding Principles In addition to the charge, the Work Group shall use the following Guiding Principles in developing a Master Plan for the site: • The park and school facility functions and uses should conform to the Pre- Concept Plan reviewed and agreed to by the Board of Commissioners on October 22, 2001 and November 13, 2001 • The site should promote a pedestrian-friendly environment and work to discourage automobile traffic between the different components of the site • The protection of important stream corridors and natural areas should be a foremost consideration, and active recreation facilities should be designed in concert with the natural surroundings wherever possible. Grading and alteration of the natural landscape should be minimized, with the understanding that some portions of the active recreation area will require grading for playing fields • Generally, all portions of the site not identified for school facilities, playing fields or ancillary uses 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 • Efficiency opportunities in grouping of playing fields and related facilities (lighting, restrooms) should be explored • The open spaces, including trails, should be developed as both an internal and external network, with leisure and pedestrian movement between school facilities and the park addressed internally, and linkage to future Carrboro greenways externally • The plan should promote xeriscaping (native vegetation and minimal water use)within the entire site • The plan should address incorporating the farmstead structures and log cabin into the overall park design • Accordingly, the plan should reflect design that is sensitive to adjoining landowners (particularly the "in-holding" parcel) • The Master Plan should ensure that educational facilities and park amenities are inter-twined based on access and commonality of use, with as seamless of a transition between uses as possible 1 1 EUB NKS Duke`Forest no.F Schools •� .I Facility Site Duke Forest ♦ Schools Schools Recreation Facility Site ♦♦ Area P s P m Schools @� Facility Site 2 W% Q i Id 9 Log Cates Ir : • % i ♦ ♦ r Suggested �:c�o'�� I • r , Park Entrance • p ir -N ! / A - - - - - - - - - - - TE — I ■ p Chapel Hill Township District Park and Existing Farm Road(unimproved) Chapel Hill Township District Park Educational Campus Structure and Educational Campus Educational Campus Proposed Carrboro Greenway ® Schools Recreation Area 14.5 acres Utility Pole Schools Facility Site 58.3 acres Potential School Site 19.29 acres Stream Pending Further Study Pond Low-Impact Recreation E� Parcel Boundary Low Impact Area 35.1 acres Proposed Connector Road w •- Active Recreation E Active Fields 50.8 acres // Proposed Sewer Line s Farm House Complex N Existing Water Line 0 Picnic Area 4.39 acres 0 300 600 Feet Entrance/Meadow 5.7 acres [] Parking(P)