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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-29-2000-9a,~ ~~ ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 29, 2000 Action Agenda Item No. 9 - a SUBJECT: Greene Tract -Cultural Resource and Biological Resources Surveys DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): 2/23/00 ERCD Director Memo w/summaries INFORMATION CONTACT: Rod Visser, ext 2300 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Cultural Resource Survey Hillsborough 732-8181 Biological Resources Survey (Interim) Chapel Hill 968-4501 Solid Waste /nterloca/ Agreement Durham 688-7331 (under separate cover) Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To discuss the contents of cultural resource and biological resources surveys of the Greene Tract, and other related matters. BACKGROUND: In September 1999, Orange County and the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill approved an interlocal agreement governing the future of solid waste management in Orange County. Under the agreement (a copy of which is provided under separate cover), the County is to assume overall responsibility for operation and planning of Countywide solid waste management programs and policies. Among the provisions of the agreement are those that require, prior to County assumption of responsibility: 1) a rezoning of a 60 acre portion of the Greene Tract to make permissible certain solid waste management uses; and 2) agreement among the owners of the Greene Tract (the County and the two Towns) as to which 60 acres will be titled over to the County. In Fall 1999, the Board directed staff to commission two surveys of the Greene Tract to provide information that would be considered in deciding upon which 60 acres of the 169 acre parcel would be transferred to the County. The firm of TRC Garrow Associates was selected to conduct a cultural and archaeological survey of the property to locate and evaluate the extent and significance of any cultural resources on the tract that could be affected by future development. The final report from the consultant is provided as a separate cover attachment to this abstract. The firm of Robert J. Goldstein and Associates was retained to document significant natural resources on or adjacent to the Greene Tract that could be affected by future development. That work has not been completed, but an interim report from the consultant is provided as a separate cover attachment. The Board may also find helpful a summary of the significant findings of the two surveys to this point, as prepared by staff of the Environment and Resource Conservation Department. The Board may wish to discuss the two reports and other relevant matters concerning the designation of the 60 acres and the contemplated rezoning, and provide direction to the Manager and staff an the next steps to take regarding the implementation of the solid waste management interlocal agreement. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impact associated with the discussion of the Greene Tract survey reports. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board discuss the reports and provide appropriate direction to staff. ORANGE COUNTY ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM T0: Rod Visser, Assistant County Manager From: David Stancil~'Environment and Resource Conservation Direct r o Date: February 23, 2000 Re: Initial Review of Greene Tract Reports Please find attached quick and informal reviews of the archaeological report (completed) and the biological resources report (incomplete) from our staff. Archaeological_Re~ort In general, our findings are that the important archaeological sites on the Greene tract appear to lie south of the proposed 60-acre boundary line (as we know it from maps in the Planning Department). There are two potential National Register historic sites on the property, but both are south of the northern 60- acre portion (although one, the Byrd House, is close to the line). A Phase II level of investigation for these sites will likely be warranted before anything is disturbed on the remaining 109-acre part of the site. There are several other possible prehistoric or "isolated find" sites that do not appear to warrant further investigation at this time. Biological Resources Survey Because the biological survey is incomplete, it is difficult to assess the implications of this report. However, the consultant has identified that there is suitable habitat for five protected animal species and one protected plant species. They have not as yet identified whether these species in fact exist on the property, however. Until further work is done, it is impossible to say whether this finding will relate the northern 60-acre portion. There does appear to be more of amixed-hardwood forest (which tends to harbor more species diversity) on the northern and southeastern parts of the Greene tract. Many important sections of the biological report are not complete, and we will not be able to fully assess the biological component until the consultant provides more information (in particular, amore-detailed site visit). Please let me know if you have any questions. I have attached one-page summary reviews from Tina Moon (archaeological) and Rich Shaw (biological). Orange County Environment and Resource Conservation Department P. n. Rcrx s.~8~ Hilltiharouglt, NC?7?i8 Phone: ('919) 732-3131 nr ~~67-9251, x2583 Fret: (919) 6=14-300? Email: cnu~nn~Aco.nran~e.n~.us MEMORANDUM TO: David Stancil, Director, Environment & Resource Conservation Department T~ FROM: Tina Moon, band Use/ Preservation Planner DATE: 16 February 2000 SUBJECT: Archaeological Report of the Greene Tract Per your request I have reviewed the archaeological report prepared by TRC Garrow Associates, Inc., which analyses the survey results for the Greene Tract. The survey uncovered two historic sites, two prehistoric sites, and four "isolated finds." In the conclusion of the report, Senior Archaeologist, Heather Millis, determined that the two historic sites-the Byrd House and the Potts House--warranted further research before potentially disturbing land use activity occurred. These two sites are potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under criterion D-properties that have yielded or are likely to yield important information to prehistory or history. In addition, completing a Phase II level of investigation, for these two sites, could provide further information about the rural lifestyle of average (middle to small scale) Orange County farmer during the mid-nineteenth century tomid-twentieth century period. It appears, from my efforts to overlay the limits of the proposed extension to the Orange County solid waste deposal system with the archaeological shovel test pit (STPs) grid map that the development project will terminate just north of the boundaries of the Byrd House site. While it is possible that further subsurface investigation would enlarge the Byrd area to include the foundations of other structures such as agricultural and domestic outbuildings, the proposed development plan does not intrude on the Byrd House site as it is currently defined by the archaeologists: As the county continues to work with the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro to develop this site care should be taken to ensure that the southern boundary of the project area remains consistent with this original proposal. Should future develop occur south of this boundary line, the county may wish to pursue a Phase II survey for the Byrd and Potts House sites. Enclosures s ORANGE COUNTY ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCE GONSERYATION DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: David Stancil, ERCD Director From: Rich Shaw, Land Conservation Manager Date: February 23, 2pp0 Subject: Biological Resources Survey of the Greene Tract (Interim Report) I have reviewed the February 18, 2000 interim report for a Biological Resources Survey of the Greene Tract prepared by Robert ]. Goldstein & Associates, Inc. Although the findings are as of yet inconclusive, the interim report provides some preliminary information that may be instructive for determining future uses of this properly. Elevations range from a high of 570 in the east-central portion of the property dawn to 500 feet at the NW and SW corners. While mast of the upper and midsection of the property is high and dry, the southern portion includes a broad valley running in a west- east direction with numerous small streams. The northern half of the property drains to an un-named tributary flowing northwest into Old Feld Creek. The southern half of the property drains to an un-named tributary flowing southwest into Bolin Creek (Attachment A). Measures should be taken to avoid significant adverse effects on these surface waters and associated wetlands. Wetlands and floodplains will be delineated, mapped and described in the final report. A soils map is provided as Attachment B. Most of the tract is forested, with mature, mixed hardwoods in the northern and eastern portions of the property and pine dominated forest in the more disturbed southern half and northeast section of the tract (Attachment C). A recent Triangle Land Conservancy survey of the County identified this site as containing mature forest with wildlife value. Widespread cutting of timber will have adverse impacts on its value as wildlife habitat. No protected plant or animal species were identified thus far by the contractor, The site does, however, provide suitable habitat for five protected animal species and one protected plant species. The final document will report on additional surveys. There are two proposed Chapel Hill greenways that lead into the properly, one from the east and the other from the southwest along an un-named tributary of Bolin Creek (Attachment C). Measures should be taken so as not to compromise the proposed connection of the property to these proposed greenways. The final report will document any significant natural resources, including wetlands, floodplains, streams, natural habitats, fish and wildlife, and protected plant and animal species that could be affected by future use and development of the property. The report will recommend areas best for development from a ecological perspective. 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