AGENDA #9
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Proposed Changes to the Processes Required to Develop Pritchard Park and Sell Property to the Siena Hotel
DATE: March 27, 2006
This memorandum forwards recommendations of the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee, Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission, Library Board of Trustees, Library Building Committee, and Parks and Recreation Commission, along with staff comments concerning proposed changes to the current plan for development of Pritchard Park and the proposed Pritchard Park Art Garden.
The attached resolution would direct the:
The Town Manager recommends adoption of the resolution.
In 1996, the Town began the planning process to develop Pritchard Park. The process was halted in April 1996, when the owner of the Siena Hotel petitioned the Council to consider leasing or selling a portion of the park property to the Hotel. In 1997, the Council decided to postpone a decision until after completion of a concept plan for the park.
A Pritchard Park Conceptual Plan Committee was formed. On November 27, 2000, the Council adopted the Report of the Pritchard Park Conceptual Plan Committee. At that time the Council authorized the Town Manager to complete a plan for development of an art garden and to involve the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission, the Library Board, and the Parks and Recreation Commission.
On November 25, 2002, the Council adopted the Report of the Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee. The Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee consisted of two members each of the Public Arts Commission, the Library Board, and the Parks and Recreation Commission. The Committee investigated a variety of options for designing the proposed art garden including options that would involve a partnership with the Siena Hotel and options that did not involve the hotel. The Committee voted unanimously (6-0) to recommend that the Town partner with the Siena Hotel in a manner that would allow a seamless transition between the designs of the two properties, provide funding for the Town’s park and art project, and allow the Siena Hotel to address its parking needs.
On March 22, 2004, the manager of the Siena Hotel petitioned the Council requesting further discussions concerning a proposed public-private partnership for development of Pritchard Park and the Siena Hotel. On April 14, 2004, the Council responded by authorizing the Town Manager to enter into further discussions with the management of the Siena Hotel and formed a new Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee consisting of two members each of the Public Arts Commission, the Library Board, and the Parks and Recreation Commission.
On November 22, 2004, the Council adopted the Report of the Second Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee and authorized the Town Manager to take a number of actions to begin implementation of the plan including investigation of the process that would be required to allow the Town to sell land to the Siena Hotel with conditions. The Council also directed the Town Manager to include an item in the Town’s capital improvements program budget for FY 2005-06, that if enacted, would earmark parking lot lease funds on Pritchard Park to the Pritchard Park project.
On February 14, 2005, the Council designated approximately 1.2 acres of the Town’s Pritchard Park property as an economic development area to allow the Council to negotiate a land sale directly with the Siena Hotel under the provisions of North Carolina General Statute 158-7.1. On March 7, the Council agreed to sell the property with a number of stipulations.
On March 7, 2005 the Council agreed to begin work on a Special Use Permit modification for Pritchard Park that, if enacted, would enable construction of an art garden in the area behind the Siena Hotel. In addition, the Council agreed to sell approximately 1.1 acres of property to the Siena Hotel in order to allow expansion of the hotel, construction of a parking deck, and creation of a formal garden. The Council set a number of conditions that would have to be met prior to any sale of land to the Siena Hotel including a requirement that the Siena Hotel execute an agreement with the Town that includes the terms of the sale.
In late 2004, we reconvened the Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee in response to the new information and the need to revise earlier recommendations. On January 9, 2006, the Council referred the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee’s recommendations to the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission, Library Board, Library Building Committee, Parks and Recreation Commission, and Town Manager for review and comment.
Issues Related to the Proposed Sale of Land to the Siena Hotel: We have determined that it is not possible for the Siena Hotel to expand in the location previously approved by the Council due to the expansion of the Resource Conservation District when the Land Use Management Ordinance was adopted.
In late 2005, the Siena Hotel submitted a proposal to the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee to shift its facilities away from the Resource Conservation District to an area originally reserved for the Pritchard Park Art Garden.
In the past three months, we have not received any communication from the Siena Hotel indicating a willingness to move forward with their proposed expansion at this time. However, we believe that if the Council approves the recommendations of the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee a potential Siena Hotel expansion could be accommodated in the future. We believe that any shift in location of the proposed land sale would require a new review and approval by the Council. We are ready to proceed in the event that the Siena Hotel notifies us that it desires to proceed with a possible expansion.
The Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee made the following recommendation related to a change in location of the proposed sale of land to the Siena Hotel:
1. The Committee recommended that the Council support the Siena Hotel’s proposed new location out of the Resource Conservation District. The Committee recommended that the Council continue to support the concept of selling about one acre of land to the Siena Hotel in order to allow the hotel to expand.
Board and Commission Comments: All boards and commissions supported the Committee’s recommendation.
Staff Comment: We believe that the Council could sell the land to the Siena Hotel without damaging the Council’s ability to build Pritchard Park and the art garden if the Council agrees to a change in location for the art garden.
Issues Related to the Development of Pritchard Park and the Art Garden: The Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee noted that the proposal to shift the location of the proposed land sale presented an opportunity to revisit the entire approach to the issue of designing and developing Pritchard Park. The Committee noted that if this shift were to occur, the art garden would have to move to narrow fringe areas around the hotel, into the Resource Conservation District, be located in another area of the park, or some combination of these options.
The Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee recommended that the following changes be made to the current strategy for developing Pritchard Park:
1. The current plan calls for development of the library, art garden, and Pritchard Park as three distinct projects. The Committee recommends that the design of the entire park program, including the art garden project, should be incorporated into the design process for the library expansion. The Special Use Permit for the library expansion should include the park elements, including the art garden.
Board and Commission Comments: All boards and commissions supported the Committee’s recommendation. The Library Board noted that its support of the idea was contingent upon the condition that library funds would not be used to pay for park design.
Staff Comment: We believe that this idea has the potential to make the library expansion and the park more integrated. One design team could work on the challenges of the park and the building at the same time. In addition, the combined project would require only one Special Use Permit modification application.
Adequate funds for the park design exist in a separate park capital account. We do not believe that Library Bond funds would be needed for the park component of the project.
2. The design team for the library expansion should include a strong landscape architectural and art component.
Board and Commission Comments: All boards and commissions supported the Committee’s recommendation.
Staff Comment: The Library Building Committee has just started its work on the selection of a design team for the library. We have asked that each design team include a strong landscape architectural in the event that the Council decides to take this approach.
Under this proposal the artist selected for the library Percent for Art project would also assist in the design of the park.
3. The art garden itself should be located in a place that would provide better accessibility from the library.
Board and Commission Comments: All boards and commissions supported the Committee’s recommendation.
Staff Comment: This proposed change would allow the Council to revisit the location of the art garden. We agree with the Committee that the Art Garden might work better if it were located closer to the library and library parking.
4. The Town property that would remain if the one acre is sold to the Siena Hotel could also be used as an extension of the art garden in a number of ways including possible art nodes or an art trail.
Board and Commission Comments: All boards and commissions supported the Committee’s recommendation.
Staff Comment: The Pritchard Park Conceptual Plan envisions art throughout the park, including along the trails. There is currently a one mile long loop trail that circles the park. Art could be added all along this trail, including the area near the Siena Hotel.
Design Team Issues: If the Council adopts the recommendations of the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee it would be important to hire a design team that is capable of designing both the library expansion and the park as one coordinated package. We have distributed an addendum to the Request for Qualifications for the Library expansion project that informs prospective design teams that the project may also include the design of Prichard Park. The addendum noted that a strong landscape architectural component of the design team would be needed if the Council decides to design the park and library as a single project.
Art Component Issues: We believe that the art component could be best handled through the Percent for Art selection process initiated by the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission. Funds for the artist could be paid from both the 1 percent reserved for art from the library capital budget and from the park design budget. We believe that if a single artist is used for both projects that it would be important that the Parks and Recreation Commission have the same amount of representation on the artist selection committee as the Library Board and the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission. Both of those boards currently have two members while the Parks and Recreation Commission has only one. The attached resolution would direct the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission to provide two spaces for the Parks and Recreation Commission on the Artist Selection Committee.
Budget: There is currently $127,000 in the Pritchard Park capital account. These funds could be used for design services, pay for a portion of the fees for an artist, and/or construct some element of the park. No other funds have been identified for this project.
Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee Recommendations: The Committee voted (5-0) to recommend that the Council continue to support the concept of selling about one acre of land to the Siena Hotel in the Siena Hotel’s proposed new location out of the Resource Conservation District, incorporate the entire Pritchard Park program, including the art garden project, into the design process for the library expansion, submit a single Special Use Permit for the library expansion and the park elements, including the art garden, locate the art garden in a place that would provide better accessibility from the library, and use the Town land adjacent to the Siena Hotel as an extension of the art garden. Please see the attached memorandum.
Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission Recommendations: On February 8, 2006, the Commission voted unanimously to approve the recommendations of the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee. Please see the attached memorandum.
Library Board of Trustees Recommendations: The Board voted unanimously (8-0) to recommend that the Council adopt the recommendation of the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee with the understanding that any additional costs related to the approach would not come from the Library expansion fund. Please see the attached memorandum.
Library Building Committee Recommendations: The Committee voted unanimously (14-0) to recommend that the Council adopt the recommendations of the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee. Please see the attached memorandum.
Parks and Recreation Commission Recommendations: The Commission voted (10-0) to support the recommendations of the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee. Please see the attached memorandum.
Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council adopt the attached resolution, which would direct the: