HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 11-11-2025; 2 - Options for Sale of Property at 6823 Millhouse Road 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: November 11, 2025
Action Agenda
Item No. 2
SUBJECT: Options for Sale of Property at 6823 Millhouse Road
DEPARTMENT: County Manager, County
Attorney, Asset Management
Services (AMS), Environment,
Agriculture, Parks & Recreation
(DEAPR)
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Aerial Photo of Property Travis Myren, 245-2300
Map of Possible Property Division John Roberts, 245-2318
David Stancil, 245-2522
Alan Dorman, 245-2627
PURPOSE: To consider options for the sale of all or a portion of 79.05 acres of County-owned
land at 6823 Millhouse Road for the purpose of a future soccer-oriented active recreation facility.
BACKGROUND: In November 2004, Orange County acquired 69 acres of land at 6823 Millhouse
Road, located north of Chapel Hill, from the late Mrs. Julia Blackwood for a future park site,
planned to be a soccer center for southern Orange County. The County subsequently purchased
an adjoining 10 acres in 2007 for a total of 79.05 acres. This land is located just north of the old
County landfill (north), and is across the North Carolina Railroad "J Line" spur from the Town of
Chapel Hill Operations Center. The property is in the Rural Buffer land use and zoning district —
adjoining the Orange Water& Sewer Authority (OWASA) urban services boundary on its southern
and eastern borders.
The concept for a future soccer-oriented park at this location has been listed in previous County
Capital Investment Plans (CIPs) dating back to the 2000's, known as the "Millhouse Road Park"
project. The planned focus for park is for a soccer field complex, with low-impact recreation on
the western portion of the property adjacent to Duke Forest. The northwest corner of the site
contains a portion of a State-listed Natural Heritage site, and is in proximity to Blackwood
Mountain, located within Duke Forest. The property contains two (2) access easements on the
northern and southern boundary lines, the latter of which was the subject of a future realignment
plan as part of a 2024 rezoning of an adjacent property owned by Acer, LLC (The Treeist). The
Blackwood Division of Duke Forest is located to the west and southwest of the property, and a
portion of the original Julia Blackwood property was acquired by Duke in 2004 as part of the
negotiations for the County's acquisition. This land is now a part of Duke Forest.
Preliminary design work was undertaken around 2008 for a six-field soccer complex and
approximately 25-30 acre wooded preserve adjacent to Duke Forest, but the project was deferred
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after the economic recession of 2009. In 2015, the County began discussions with the Town of
Chapel Hill regarding a joint partnership for the soccer complex, which was reflected in both the
County and Town parks and recreation master plans and CIPs (the project was subsequently
pushed beyond the 10-year County CIP in June 2025). In 2022, discussions expanded to include
a potential third party for the soccer complex. However, the project timetable was such that the
creation of the facility was still several years out.
In 2024, parties approached the County about purchase of the land for the purpose of constructing
a privately-owned soccer center. An appraisal was conducted in March 2025 which found the
value of the 79.05 acre property at $1,976,000 (or $24,997 per acre). Approximately 30 acres of
the western part of the site (see attached map) is proposed to be retained by the County to protect
the natural resources present on the property, which includes a North Carolina Natural Heritage
site and a tributary of Old Field Creek. This section of the property also includes steep slopes and
is beyond the area of the site that was planned for soccer fields and related amenities. Preliminary
discussions between County staff and Duke Forest have been held regarding this area, as it abuts
the Forest on two (2) sides.
North Carolina law generally prohibits a governmental entity from conveying property with
restrictions or conditions unless the property is conveyed to another governmental entity or to a
nonprofit entity that will use the property for a public purpose.
Interests that the County might wish to address in the sale might include:
• To ensure that the use of the property is for active recreation purposes, or if desired, more
specifically for a soccer field complex;
• Some degree of public and local government access to the future soccer fields;
• Provision of a trail corridor through the property to connect south and north to current and
future open space;
• As per a 2024 rezoning action, re-routing of the access easement on the property to the
adjacent Acer, LLC property and low-impact recreation area be addressed in any approved
site plan and plat; and
• If sold to a nonprofit, including a restriction that the property reverts to the County if it
ceases being used as a soccer field complex.
Options for the Board to consider to facilitate this outcome given the procedural requirements for
a potential sale might include:
• A private negotiated sale of the property, which once completed would be announced and
scheduled for action at a future Board meeting. The property sale would be accompanied
by binding conditions placed on the property and benefits to both parties that would be
signed prior to or during the closing.
• Enter into a lease of the property of up to ten (10) years in length (the time limit allowed by
law) for the purposes defined. The lease must be structured in such a way that it is not an
attempt to circumvent the statutory prohibition on leases. The prohibition is that any lease
of ten (10) years or longer must be treated as a sale.
• The County could enter into a structured agreement with another party to contribute to the
costs of upgrading the property to support a soccer complex, and contract with that party
to manage the facility for a term with multiple renewal options.
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• The County could sell the property without conditions under the negotiated sale upset bid
process, with no memorandum of understanding and no control or say on the future use of
the property.
• The County could retain ownership of the property, either for the present or permanently.
At this point, the County has not received a formal offer for the property, so opening the door to
solicitation of the same would be the first step required.
Staff requests the Board's direction as to 1) whether to entertain offers to purchase the property
or a portion thereof, 2) whether to retain the western natural resource lands in County ownership
for now, and 3) the manner of sale or lease process as outlined above.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: If pursued, the proposed sale price for the property would be negotiated,
based on the appraisal conducted in March 2025 (total value of $1.976 million or $24,997 per
acre). If desired, the actual land area to be sold would be refined to retain and protect the natural
resources on the approximately 25/30-acre western section of the property abutting Duke Forest,
lowering the area for active recreation to be sold to approximately 49-54 acres.
The 69-acre Blackwood property was acquired in 2004 for $1,260,500 and the 10-acre addition
was acquired in 2007 for $187,350, for a total of $1,447,850. Both acquisitions were funded by
the Lands Legacy Fund with monies from the 2001 voter-approved Parks and Open Space Bond.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: This item supports:
• GOAL 1: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND CLIMATE ACTION
OBJECTIVE 7. Conserve and protect high priority open space, including Natural Heritage
sites, nature preserves, watershed riparian buffers and prime/threatened farmland.
• GOAL 2: HEALTHY COMMUNITY
OBJECTIVE 7. Invest in services and programs that improve the health and quality of life
of the community (e.g., recreation and public open spaces, arts, etc.)
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board discuss the potential
property disposition and provide direction to the Manager, Attorney and staff.
Millhouse Road Park 4
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October 30, 2025 This map contains parcels prepared for the inventory of real property within Orange County,and is compiled from recorded deed,plats,and other public records and data.
Users of this map are hereby notified that the aforementioned public primary information sources should be consulted for verification of the information contained on this map.
PIN: 9871519160 The county and its mapping companies assume no legal responsibility for the information on this map.
OWNER 1: ORANGE COUNTY SIZE: 69.048A BUILDING COUNT: 1 1:4,800
OWNER 2: DEED REF: 3643/243 LAND VALUE: 0 0.04 0.08 0.16 mi
ADDRESS 1: PO BOX 8181 RATECODE: 08 BLDG_VALUE:
ADDRESS 2: TOWNSHIP CHAPEL HILL USE VALUE: 0 0.05 0.1 0.2 km
CITY: HILLSBOROUGH BLDG SQFT: 2519.4 TOTAL VALUE:
STATE, ZIP: NC 27278 YEAR BUILT: 1952 DATE SOLD: 12/30/2004 ORANGE COUNTY
LEGAL DESC: #1 JULIA M BLACKWOOD P96/116 TAX STAMPS: 2521 NORTH CAROLINA
Millhouse Road Park- Natural Resources Map 5
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Tract Information: 0 140 280 560 840 1,120 Feet
Legend
Landowner: Orange County ORANGE COUNTY Roads
Lat: 35' 58.69"
Long: 79' 04.86" Natural Areas
Date: 04/11/2025 4 Streams
Image: 2021 Aerial Photo
Created By: Christian Hirni
Natural Heritage Areas
Acres: —78.7 County Open Space
Sensitive Natural Department of Environment, Open Space Other
Resources: —30 acs Agriculture,Parks&Recreation
Tax Parcels