HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD-2024-025-Professional services contract with Development Finance initiative UNC School of Government for pre development services for the greene tract and approval of budget amendment #1-A ORD -2024 - 025 ! � I5
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date : September 5 , 2024
Action Agenda
Item No . 6 - a
SUBJECT : Professional Services Contract with Development Finance Initiative ( UNC School
of Government) for Pre- Development Services for the Greene Tract and Approval
of Budget Amendment # 1 -A
DEPARTMENT : Planning and Inspections
ATTACHMENT ( S ) . INFORMATION CONTACT .
1 . DFI Scope of Services Perdita Holtz , Deputy Director , 919 -
2 . Letters of Support from the Towns of Chapel 245 - 2578
Hill and Carrboro Cy Stober , Director , 919 -245 -2592
3 . Greene Tract Master Plan and Entitlement
Timeline
4 . Year-to - Date Budget Summary
PURPOSE : To authorize the County Manager to sign a contract on behalf of Orange County to
procure a professional services contract with the Development Finance Initiative ( DFI ) for pre .
development services for the Greene Tract and to approve Budget Amendment # 1 -A to provide
for the total cost of the project .
BACKGROUND : With the anticipated conclusion in late September/October of the current
community engagement and Master Plan efforts on the jointly- owned Greene Tract , the three
local government owners/partners ( Orange County and the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro )
are looking ahead to the next necessary phase of realizing development of the Greene Tract . An
in - depth financial feasibility analysis of the Master Plan is necessary , including an analysis of
providing housing at various levels of affordability and public investment support . Additionally , a
development partner(s ) must be identified and selected .
Staffs have identified the DFI program at the UNC School of Government as uniquely suited to
perform the necessary analyses and project marketing to private sector developers ( both non -
profit and for- profit) who would construct the Master Plan . DFI partners with communities "to
attract private investment for transformative projects by providing specialized finance and real
estate development expertise . " The Scope of Services for the proposed contract is included in
Attachment 1 . Letters of Support from the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro are included in
Attachment 2 .
Many of the tasks in the Scope of Services are expected to be completed in a 12 - 18 month
timeframe . However , the contract with DFI will be for 10 years , until December 1 , 2035 , as DFI
will be a partner in soliciting private sector developers to bring the Master Plan to on -the - ground
fruition , which may occur in phases .
item on this September 5 , 2024 Business meeting agenda , the existing
In a separate agenda
contract for Master Plan services with Thomas & Hutton is proposed to be extended in the event
that adjustments to the Master Plan resulting from community engagement efforts are necessary
as a result of the financial feasibility analysis DFI will complete .
The proposed DFI contract is one part of overall efforts to develop the Greene Tract in accordance
with community desires , to include affordable housing . Other processes , such as " entitlement"
(zoning approval ) by the Town of Chapel Hill will run concurrently with DFI ' s and Thomas &
Hutton ' s work . The entitlement process is expected to be in the form of a Development Agreement
and is expected to commence in October 2024 . Attachment 3 is a DRAFT timeline of the Master
Plan and Entitlement , with the timeline subject to refinements as a variety of activities are
underway that could necessitate updates .
FINANCIAL IMPACT . Orange County allocated $ 399 , 800 for Greene Tract costs during FY
2023 -24 . The DFI ' s Scope of Services is for $ 132 , 400 , payable over two installments of $ 66 , 200
each , over two fiscal years . This creates a total project cost of $ 532 , 200 .
Based on the 2021 Green Tract Interlocal Agreement , the Towns shall reimburse funds to the
County based on the adopted cost share agreement of 43 % - Orange County , 43 % - Chapel Hill ,
and 14 % - Carrboro . Per the approved cost-share agreement for Greene Tract expenses , the
resulting total financial impact to Orange County will be $ 56 , 932 funded by County Capital
Reserves after it is reimbursed for costs by the municipal partners .
Budget Amendment # 1 -A increases the General Fund authorization by $ 132 , 400 and County
Capital Reserve by $ 567932 .
DFI is also compensated by the chosen developer(s ) who will be required to pay DFI a
Development Services Fee of 1 % of the total project costs . No local government contribution to
the Development Services Fee will be necessary .
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN : This item supports :
• GOAL # 3 . HOUSING FOR ALL
OBJECTIVE #4 . Prioritize and select County- owned land and /or facilities as part of an
overall plan of facilities to create crisis , bridge , low barrier , affordable , and permanent
housing .
RECOMMENDATION ( S ) : The Manager recommends the Board :
1 . Approve and authorize the County Manager to execute and sign the contract after
approval of content and form by the County Attorney ;
2 . Authorize the expenditure of up to $ 132 , 400 for professional services to provide Pre .
Development Services for the Greene Tract Master Plan ; and
3 . Approve Budget Amendment # 1 -A .
ORD -2024- 025 16 � � i (°
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date : September 5 , 2024
Action Agenda
Item No . 6 - a
SUBJECT : Professional Services Contract with Development Finance Initiative ( UNC School
of Government) for Pre - Development Services for the Greene Tract and Approval
of Budget Amendment # 1 -A
DEPARTMENT : Planning and Inspections
ATTACHMENT ( S ) : INFORMATION CONTACT :
1 . DFI Scope of Services Perdita Holtz , Deputy Director , 919 -
2 . Letters of Support from the Towns of Chapel 245 -2578 .
Hill and Carrboro Cy Stober , Director , 919 - 245 -2592
3 . Greene Tract Master Plan and Entitlement
Timeline
4 . Year-to - Date Budget Summary
PURPOSE : To authorize the County Manager to sign a contract on behalf of Orange County to
procure a professional services contract with the Development Finance Initiative ( DFI ) for pre -
development services for the Greene Tract and to approve Budget Amendment # 1 -A to provide
for the total cost of the project .
BACKGROUND : With the anticipated conclusion in late September/October of the current
community engagement and Master Plan efforts on the jointly- owned Greene Tract , the three
local government owners/partners ( Orange County and the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro )
are looking ahead to the next necessary phase of realizing development of the Greene Tract . An
in - depth financial feasibility analysis of the Master Plan is necessary , including an analysis of
providing housing at various levels of affordability and public investment support . Additionally , a
development partner(s ) must be identified and selected .
Staffs have identified the DFI program at the UNC School of Government as uniquely suited to
perform the necessary analyses and project marketing to private sector developers ( both non -
profit and for- profit) who would construct the Master Plan . DFI partners with communities to
attract private investment for transformative projects by providing specialized finance and real
estate development expertise . " The Scope of Services for the proposed contract is included in
Attachment 1 . Letters of Support from the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro are included in
Attachment 2 .
Many of the tasks in the Scope of Services are expected to be completed in a 12 - 18 month
timeframe . However , the contract with DFI will be for 10 years , until December 1 , 2035 , as DFI
will be a partner in soliciting private sector developers to bring the Master Plan to on -the - ground
fruition , which may occur in phases .
In a separate agenda item on this September 5 , 2024 Business meeting agenda , the existing
contract for Master Plan services with Thomas & Hutton is proposed to be extended in the event
that adjustments to the Master Plan resulting from community engagement efforts are necessary
as a result of the financial feasibility analysis DFI will complete .
The proposed DFI contract is one part of overall efforts to develop the Greene Tract in accordance
with community desires , to include affordable housing . Other processes , such as " entitlement"
(zoning approval ) by the Town of Chapel Hill will run concurrently with DFI ' s and Thomas &
Hutton ' s work . The entitlement process is expected to be in the form of a Development Agreement
and is expected to commence in October 2024 . Attachment 3 is a DRAFT timeline of the Master
Plan and Entitlement , with the timeline subject to refinements as a variety of activities are
underway that could necessitate updates .
FINANCIAL IMPACT . Orange County allocated $ 399 , 800 for Greene Tract costs during FY
2023 -24 . The DFI ' s Scope of Services is for $ 132 , 400 , payable over two installments of $ 66 , 200
each , over two fiscal years . This creates a total project cost of $ 532 , 200 .
Based on the 2021 Green Tract Interlocal Agreement , the Towns shall reimburse funds to the
County based on the adopted cost share agreement of 43 % - Orange County , 43 % - Chapel Hill ,
and 14 % - Carrboro . Per the approved cost-share agreement for Greene Tract expenses , the
resulting total financial impact to Orange County will be $ 56 , 932 funded by County Capital
Reserves after it is reimbursed for costs by the municipal partners .
Budget Amendment # 1 -A increases the General Fund authorization by $ 132 , 400 and County
Capital Reserve by $ 56 , 932 .
DFI is also compensated by the chosen developer ( s ) who will be required to pay DFI a
Development Services Fee of 1 % of the total project costs . No local government contribution to
the Development Services Fee will be necessary .
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN : This item supports :
• GOAL # 3 . HOUSING FOR ALL
OBJECTIVE #4 . Prioritize and select County- owned land and /or facilities as part of an
overall plan of facilities to create crisis , bridge , low barrier , affordable , and permanent
housing .
RECOMMENDATION ( S ) : The Manager recommends the Board :
1 . Approve and authorize the County Manager to execute and sign the contract after
approval of content and form by the County Attorney ;
2 . Authorize the expenditure of up to $ 132 , 400 for professional services to provide Pre -
Development Services for the Greene Tract Master Plan ; and
3 . Approve Budget Amendment # 1 -A .