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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-07-1999 - 8rV 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: December 7, 1999 Action Agenda Item No, S-1- SUBJECT: School /Park Reserve Report DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No Conservation ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Updated Report (with 11/22 changes) David Stancil, 245 -2590 Craig Benedict, 245 -2592 Donna Dean, 245 -2151 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732 -8181 Chapel Hill 968 -4501 Durham 688 -7331 Mebane 336- 227 -2031 PURPOSE: To consider the BOCC School /Park Reserve Committee findings, as updated and revised by the Board on November 22. BACKGROUND: On May 6, 1999, an ad hoc BOCC committee of Commissioners Brown and Jacobs met to look at the School /Park Reserve Fund and its use as a funding source for current proposals then on the table and long -term issues. The group was to present their report to the BOCC for its approval. The report was presented to the Board on June 1, with no action taken at that time. The Board considered an annotated update of the report on November 22, and added other clarifying points as part of a memorandum from Commissioners Gordon and Jacobs, and an addition from Commissioner Brown. The Board agreed to the updated version of the report and asked that it be brought back for adoption on December 7. The attached version shows the revisions from the memorandum and the change from Commissioner Brown in bold italic. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None at this time, but future allocations of moneys from this fund could impact other CIP projects and County programs. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board adopt the revised report (attached) and authorize staff to investigate short-term opportunities for school /park site acquisition using the report criteria, and bring back their findings to the Board. The Manager also recommends that the Board authorize staff to add potential future school /park sites to the upcoming Comprehensive Plan update. 2 Recommendations of the School /Parks Reserve Committee May 6,1999 (revised 11/22/99) (Revised 11 -22 -99 as per memo and addition at meeting. New language shown in italic) On May 4, the Board of Commissioners appointed members Margaret Brown and Barry Jacobs as a committee to discuss the proposed school /park combination projects raised at the May 4 meeting and the potential use of the School /Parks Reserve Fund. The Committee met with Finance Director Ken Chavious and Environment and Resource Conservation Director David Stancil on May 6. At this meeting, the committee agreed to develop both short -term recommendations on the disposition toward the school /park proposals on the table, and long -term recommendations for the future of the reserve fund. On N0110e07ber22, 1999, the Board OfComm/ssloners discussed the rreportrecVmmendatrons and revised the report w /di updaW iaformatron, Tfie updated reportis as follows.- Short- Term/Current Projects A. The two projects mentioned on May 4 should be handled as fo/%ws to meet the needs Of The cvmmun/ty,• 1. The Board has decided not to pursue the Northern Orange Elementary site because the Orange County Schools did not hold clear title to the land. 2. The Board has decided that the Smith Middle School field project in Chapel Hill - Carrboro should be pursued, but is on hold pending review by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction on lease arrangements. B. These needs can best be met without tapping into the School /Parks Reserve Fund. C. The following criteria should be used in evaluating funding for these or other short-term school /park requests: 1. As an incentive to assist the Towns in meeting parks needs, County funding of Town park projects (including school/Town park combinations) would be offered on a 1:1 matching basis. 2. The land in question for a proposed school /park co- location must be owned by a governmental entity before County funds are committed.. 3. County funding contributions should not be made for parks design or planning, unless County funds are used to complete the project. Anysuchfund/ ngissubjecttoappr rvvaiof The Board ofCounty Commissioners, and a des/gnatedrepresentative of the Boardshouid be /nvo/vedin the design /piano /ngprocays, as the Board deems appropriate, D. Funding for the expanded Smith Middle School /Carrboro Park arrangement should be addressed through use of the remaining moneys from the parks bond for facility development. The County should offer to match the cost of this proposal with a like amount from the Town of Carrboro. The estimated project cost is $450,000, which would translate into $225,000 each from Carrboro and Orange County. TheBoardhasdecided/nconcept to pursue a fustphase ofthis project with $75,000prov/ded by the Town of Carrboro and with a $75,000matrh from the County, Before thismoneyisappropriated, however, the Countyshou /d receive and approve a written proposa /concierning thisprojectandIts associated costs Long -Term / Reserve Fund Recommendations 3 As ofDecember1,1999, the School /Parks Reserve Fund balance is $2.38 million, with $2.24 million in revenue to the fund and $O,14million in accrued interest. The fund hasrecceivedone -cent on the tax base each year in revenue, which translates into an estimated $682,000 in FY 99 -00. In June, the Board changed the future funding allocation from one cent to 113 cent on the tax base per year, with 213 cent going to county capital facilities needs. A. It is recommended that the School /Parks Reserve not be used for the current needs, and instead be designated for longer -term land acquisition needs, with the following parameters: 1. The creation of the Parks Council is currently deferred pending discussion of the Joint Master Recreation and Parks Work Group report. 2. The interest accumulated in the Reserve Fund should be available for possible use to address facility development needs not addressed through bonds or other means. There is currently an estimated $147,000 in interest accrued to this fund. However, County funding assistance for facility development should be contingent the Board of Commissioners having a say in the development of the site and that value engineering is pursued for the project. 3. The existing $2.24 million in the fund (minus the interest above) should be retained for future land acquisition. Bond funds and other sources should be used for facility development. 4. In the interest of maintaining maximum flexibility for the Board of Commissioners, the school /recreation nexus need not always be readily apparent at the time of acquisition. 5. The Committee recommended that future one -cent allocations to this fund be split and re- allocated as follows: a. 50% to County capital facility needs (this will amount to approximately $341,000 in FY 99 -00) b. 50% retained for land acquisition in the reserve fund (also $341,000 in FY 99 -00) In June, the board changed the future funding allocation from one cent to 113 cent on the tax base per year, with 213 cent going to county capital facilities needs. ,, /a - 7- 9'7 ,� Recommendations of the School /Parks Reserve Committee May 6, 1999 (revised 11/22/99, adopted 12/7/99) On May 4, the Board of Commissioners appointed members Margaret Brown and Barry Jacobs as a committee to discuss the proposed school /park combination projects raised at the May 4 meeting and the potential use of the School /Parks Reserve Fund. The Committee met with Finance Director Ken Chavious and Environment and Resource Conservation Director David Stancil on May 6. At this meeting, the committee agreed to develop both short -term recommendations on the disposition toward the school /park proposals on the table, and long -term recommendations for the future of the reserve fund. On November 22, 1999, the Board of Commissioners discussed the report recommendations and revised the report with updated information. The updated report is as follows: Short- Term /Current Projects A. The two projects mentioned on May 4 should be handled as follows to meet the needs of the community: 1. The Board has decided not to pursue the Northern Orange Elementary site because the Orange County Schools did not hold clear title to the land. 2. The Board has decided that the Smith Middle School field project in Chapel Hill - Carrboro should be pursued, but is on hold pending review by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction on lease arrangements. B. These needs can best be met without tapping into the School /Parks Reserve Fund. C. The following criteria should be used in evaluating funding for these or other short -term school /park requests: 1. As an incentive to assist the Towns in meeting parks needs, County funding of Town park projects (including school/Town park combinations) would be offered on a 1:1 matching basis. 2. The land in question for a proposed school /park co- location must be owned by a governmental entity before County funds are committed. 3. County funding contributions should not be made for parks design or planning, unless County funds are used to complete the project. Any such funding is subject to approval of the Board of County Commissioners, and a designated representative of the Board should be involved in the design /planning process, as the Board deems appropriate. D. Funding for the expanded Smith Middle School / Carrboro Park arrangement should be addressed through use of the remaining moneys from the parks bond for facility development. The County should offer to match the cost of this proposal with a like amount W from the Town of Carrboro. The estimated project cost is $450,000, which would translate into $225,000 each from Carrboro and Orange County. The Board has decided in concept to pursue a first phase of this project with $75,000 provided by the Town of Carrboro and with a $75,000 match from the County. Before this money is appropriated, however, the County should receive and approve a written proposal concerning this project and its associated costs. Long -Term / Reserve Fund Recommendations As of December 1, 1999, the School /Parks Reserve Fund balance is $2.38 million, with $2.24 million in revenue to the fund and $0.14 million in accrued interest. The fund has received one - cent on the tax base each year in revenue, which translates into an estimated $682,000 in FY 99 -00. In June, the Board changed the future funding allocation from one cent to 1/3 cent on the tax base per year, with 2/3 cent going to county capital facilities needs. A. It is recommended that the School /Parks Reserve not be used for the current needs, and instead be designated for longer -term land acquisition needs, with the following parameters: 1. The creation of the Parks Council is currently deferred pending discussion of the Joint Master Recreation and Parks Work Group report. 2. The interest accumulated in the Reserve Fund should be available for possible use to address facility development needs not addressed through bonds or other means. There is currently an estimated $147,000 in interest accrued to this fund. However, County funding assistance for facility development should be contingent the Board of Commissioners having a say in the development of the site and that value engineering is pursued for the project. 3. The existing $2.24 million in the fund (minus the interest above) should be retained for future land acquisition. Bond funds and other sources should be used for facility development. 4. In the interest of maintaining maximum flexibility for the Board of Commissioners, the school /recreation nexus need not always be readily apparent at the time of acquisition. 5. The Committee recommended that future one -cent allocations to this fund be split and re- allocated as follows: a. 50% to County capital facility needs (this will amount to approximately $341,000 in FY 99 -00) b. b. 50% retained for land acquisition in the reserve fund (also $341,000 in FY 99 -00) Note: In June, the board changed the future funding allocation from one cent to 1/3 cent on the tax base per year, with 2/3 cent going to county capital facilities needs.