HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-20-2003-9cORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: May 20, 2003
Action Age a
Item No.
SUBJECT: Proposed Master Plan for Little River Regional Park
DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource
Conservation; Recreation and
Parks
PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
Draft Master Plan (Park Entryway Area)
Map of Proposed Trail System
Chapel Hill
Durham
Mebane
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rich Shaw, 245-2591
Lori Taft, 245-2673
David StanciN, 245-2590
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
968-4501
688-7331
336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To consider a proposed master plan for the Little River Regional Park and
Natural Area.
BACKGROUND: Establishing the new Little River Regional Park and Natural Area is a
cooperative project among the partners Orange County, Durham County, the Triangle
Land Conservancy and the Eno River Association. The 391-acre park will be jointly
owned and managed by Orange and Durham counties.
In 2001, both the Orange and Durham county boards of commissioners approved a
preliminary park conceptual plan that incorporates the following elements: entrance road
and parking area, picnic shelter, restroom facility, children's play area, group camping
area, and trail system (with separate walking/hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian
trails).
The next important action for Board consideration is to consider and approve a master plan
for the layout and construction of the park facilities. Orange County hired a design firm
(Haden-Stanziale) in May 2002. Over the past year, Haden-Stanziale has worked with staff
from both counties to develop a plan consistent with the previous guidance from both boards
of commissioners and the Little River Park Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee
held two public meetings for citizen input.
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The draft master plan was presented to the Little River Park Advisory Committee on May 14.
Comments from that committee, along with preliminary comments from the Planning
Department, will be shared with the BOCC on May 20.
Funding for the park design comes from a grant from the Land and Water Conservation
Fund (LWCF), awarded to Orange and Durham counties for developing the Little River
Regional Park. The LWCF grant (originally $262,000) is due to expire on September 30,
2003. Staff intends to request an extension once the master plan is approved and both
counties sign an interlocal agreement. The interlocal agreement will specify a 50-50 cost-
share arrangement between the two counties. These steps, plus a contract for park
construction, should enable the LWCF guidelines to be met. Note: In order to obligate
the funds in this manner, both boards will need to approve the master plan and
inter-local agreement prior to July 1.
Following master plan approval by both the Orange and Durham county boards, a site
plan will be submitted for approval and the design contractor will prepare construction
drawings, which will be used to solicit bids for park construction. Construction is expected
to begin in late Fall 2003, and the Little River Regional Park should be open to the public
by March 2004.
The Orange County Recreation and Parks Department will operate and maintain the park
consistent with an interlocal agreement (unsigned) between Orange and Durham counties.
Construction cost estimates were received from the consultant on Wednesday, May
14. The consultant's initial estimate of $812,000 has been adjusted twice, once by
the consultant (to $712,000) and once by Durham and Orange staff to yield a
$599,939 project. The financial impact section below contains scenarios for funding
which the Board may wish to discuss.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The full master plan, as designed by the consultant, is projected to
cost $712,232. Orange and Durham staffs have deleted some items from the consultant's
estimate, and revised the estimate to move some facilities (approximately $45,000) into a
second phase - leaving a cost estimate of $599,939.
Construction Cost Estimates
Consultant Estimate - 5/14/03 ' $821,942
Consultant Revised Estimate - 5/14/03 $712,232
Staffs Refined Estimate - 5/15/03 $599.,939
An additional $85,000 for a turn lane from Guess Road will be funded by the North
Carolina Department of Transportation. Additional facilities that have been designed in
the Master Plan (beyond those envisioned in the LWCF grant application) include a park
entrance turn lane, a'/-mile loop walking trail (ADA accessible), caretaker residence, park
office and maintenance shed. Some of these additional facilities will be funded from
outside sources (including the aforementioned turn lane). Construction of the'/-mile loop
walking trail is expected to be paid for from a $50,000 grant from the state Recreational
Trails Program.
Funding for the park has been previously identified from the aforementioned LWCF grant
($262,000) planned as the primary funding source for the park construction. A total of
$221,472 from LWCF grant remains (subtracting cost of site design, archaeological survey
and topo survey), and the Board has previously authorized $45,000 toward a caretaker
residence to be moved from Heritage Hills. Durham County has also budgeted $100,000
to be matched by Orange County toward additional construction costs.
Available Revenues
~
LWCF ant -remainder ,
$221,472
Trails ant $50,000
Caretaker House relocation -Oran e Coun ortion $45,000
SUBTOTAL $316,472
Other Possible Revenue Sources
Durham County akeady allocated -requires Orange County $100,000
match
Orange County Payment-in-Lieu funds (not yet authorized, $55,000
remainder of match is $45,000 in house relocation funds
above ?
TOTAL -ALL SOURCES $471,472
If Orange County were to match Durham County's $100,000 (recommended by allocating
$55,000 in additional funds from the Northern District Park Payment-in-Lieu fund), the
differential between the staff-revised cost estimate and the available funds is $128,467 (or
$64,235 for each jurisdiction).
There are two options the Board may wish to consider to address the funding shortfall:
Option 1 -Additional Revenue: The Northern District Park Payment-in-Lieu fund (after
appropriation of the $55,000 mentioned above) would have $31,574 remaining. To
address the remaining $32,661, the County could borrow funds from other park facility
projects (2001 bond projects) that designated for construction beyond 2004, replenishing
those funds in a future CIP prior to construction of these parks. The County could tap into
these funding sources to cover a portion of the shortfall, assuming Durham County
matches with a like amount.
Option 2 -Deferral of Facilities: The Board could opt to defer some of the facilities not
originally part of the LWCF project. Some options might include:
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board:
a) Discuss and consider conditional approval of the proposed master plan;
b) Discuss and consider the two funding options as listed above;
c) Authorize ERCD and Recreation & Parks to submit the master plan for Planning
Department site plan review and approval: and
d) Develop construction drawings necessary to solicit bids for park construction in
accordance with the approved plan.
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;~f Bike Trail 5.42 miles
~`'"•. ,~ Hardsurface Walkway .35 mile
N Horseback Riding Trails 3.43 Miles
N Hiking Trails 7.12 miles
• Archaeobgical Sites
Streams
Little River Regior~l Park Boundary
0 Parcel Boundary
5' Contours
' Park Entrance Facilities shown on separate site plan.
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Little River Regional Park - Prupo~ ed Trail ~"1`etwork