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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 09-02-2008 - 6cORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 2, 2008 Action Agen a Item No. SUBJECT: Petition for Funding Assistance from Botanical Garden Foundation DEPARTMENT: ERCD PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): Petition from Botanical Garden Foundation Map of Property INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 245-2590 PURPOSE: To respond to a petition from the Botanical Garden Foundation for funding assistance from the County's Lands Legacy Program toward the purchase of property to expand the Foundation's Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve. BACKGROUND: On May 20, a representative of the. Botanical Garden Foundation, a non- profit support organization for the N.C. Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill, presented a request for funding assistance for the acquisition of property to expand the Foundation's Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve. The Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve is astate-dedicated nature preserve and part of a state- significant Natural Heritage site (the Jordan Lake Macrosite). It adjoins the NC Botanical Garden and the Mason Farm Biological Reserve, located south of Chapel Hill near the Friday Center. The Foundation has acquired an option on a 5.5-acre property owned by the Ivey family that abuts the preserve and is part of the Natural Heritage site. The Foundation's option (which includes $10,000 in earnest money) expires on October 31, 2008. The total cost of this property, which is within the Town of Chapel Hill extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and OWASA urban services area, is $500,000. However, if the Foundation raises $400,000 in funds for the purchase, the Ivey family will contribute the last $100,000. To date, the Foundation has held a fundraiser and conducted tours of the property. These events led to $7,000 raised from private donations. The Town of Chapel Hill also pledged $34,000 in funding assistance in May of this year. The Foundation notes that several area landowners have indicated a willingness to match funds raised from the town, County and private donations. The petition requests $100,000 from the County toward the purchase. 2 County staff has not formally evaluated this property, although it has been walked for observation. Staff concurs that it is within the Jordan Lake Macrosite boundaries -albeit at the farthest edge of the site. The high cost of the acquisition is supported by an appraisal of the property, which is in an area that could receive urban services (the site could support one residence). This, plus its location in the Town ETJ, would make it an unlikely candidate for Lands Legacy acquisition. There is precedent, however, for providing funding assistance to conservation groups toward acquisitions of important lands such as this site. The County provided $55,000 in 2002 to the Eno River Association's acquisition of additional lands for Eno River State Park that included Natural Heritage sites. So although this property is not a high priority for Lands Legacy acquisition, the conservation values associated with this site merit consideration of County assistance as a project partner. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The total of funds raised or committed to date is $42,000, with $34,000 from the Town of Chapel Hill, in whose jurisdiction the property lies. The Foundation needs to raise $400,000 to acquire the property, and notes that significant additional private funds can likely be raised with participation and commitment from the Town and County. The property is expected to become part of the Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve, managed by the Foundation, which does have some public access. The Lands Legacy Program currently has $1.12 million in available 2001 Parks and Open Space bond funds, and $900,000 in the Lands Legacy Opportunities Fund. Although there are a number of other potential acquisition objectives for both funding sources, the County could probably contribute up to $50,000 without jeopardizing those other acquisition priorities. If the Board wishes to participate in providing funding assistance, staff suggests matching the funding provided by the Town of Chapel Hill ($34,000) from the Lands Legacy Opportunities Fund, with the potential to increase that amount to a maximum of $50,000 if matched by the Town of Chapel Hill. Contributions of $50,000 from both County and town would equal the $100,000 requested in the petition. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board consider the petition and if desired, agree to match the Town of Chapel Hill contribution not to exceed $50,000. Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc. the non-profit membership support organization of the -:North Carolina Botanical Garden The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill CB 3375. Totten Center • Chanel Hill. North Carolina 27599-3375 • Phone 919-962-0522 • Fax 919-962-3531 DATE: May 13, 2008 TO: County Commissioners, Orange County NC FROM: Conservation Committee, Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc. RE: Ivey property purchase and conservation The Botanical Garden Foundation Inc. (Foundation) petitioned the County of Orange on August 2, 2007, requesting a partnership to help with the purchase of the 5.5-acre Ivey property. The Foundation is the non-profit membership support organization of the North Carolina Botanical Garden (Garden), who administers approximately 200 acres of nature preserves and holds conservation easements on nearly 130 acres within Orange and Durham Counties, which complements the nearly 800 acres of natural area protected by the Garden. The Foundation, through Garden, has worked with the County on conservation efforts in the past and looks forward to participating in upcoming projects. The Foundation purchased (for $10,000) an 18-month option to buy the $500,000 Ivey property in April, 2007. (And if the Foundation successfully raises $400,000, the Ivey family will contribute $100,000 toward the purchase price.) The Ivey property lies directly adjacent to the Foundation-owned Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve - a state dedicated nature preserve -all of which is part of the upper portion of the Jordan Lake Macrosite. The County and the NC Natural Heritage Program recognize Stillhouse Bottom as a natural area of state significance as noted in the Inventory of Natural Areas and Wildlife Habitats for Orange County, NC (2004), pp. 177-183. The Foundation also holds conservation easements on 12 acres of contiguous private land located to the north and west of the Stillhouse Bottom Nature Preserve, and we currently have pledged approximately 25 acres toward conserving over 60 acres of Stillhouse Bottom. But if the Ivey property is sold for development, the very heart of the natural area will destroyed or compromised (see attached map). A Petition for Open Space funds for Natural Area Purchase was presented to the Town of Chapel Hill on Apri123, 2007, from which we received $5,000. A second petition was submitted on February 11, 2008, where a pledge of up to $29,000 was received (based on anticipated end of fiscal year open space funds). The North Carolina Botanical Garden also hosted a benefit concert on November 17, 2007, where the Stillhouse Bottom Band performed. Over two- hundred people attended and contributed approximately $7,000 toward Ivey property purchase. The Botanical Garden Foundation respectively requests that the County of Orange contribute $100,000 toward Ivey property purchase. A contribution of this order will also serve to leverage anticipated private monetary contributions and additional conservation easement donations. `i \ N `' /Sr '~ mil( , ~ ~ `{~'J ~ ,-~. ,r f j ~ 1 ~, d t' f N r ,~ ~~F r r ~ ~:~ ~~ ~~ ~~~ . ', ~ ~~s~ •1 1 _. r^ ~ f ~ ~~ ~ ''~ is y'.''. ~ ~~ ~ ~. ,,,~ Ivey Property (5.5 acres} Legend ~eY RroRe~lr Q Jo rd an Lake M acros ite Chapel Hill town limits ®Chapel Hill ETJ /v, o sao 1 mo =;om see 1 1 1 i Orange County ~ W.--__ ERCD ~ ~• ^~ I 811N8 ~` f