AGENDA #14
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Council Members Kevin Foy and Bill Strom
SUBJECT: Resolution on Potential Uses of the Greene Tract
DATE: November 26, 2001
The attached resolution would affirm three public purposes of open space, affordable housing, and recreation as the basic uses for the 109 acres of the Greene Tract that remain in joint ownership.
On August 27, 2001, the Town Council adopted a resolution affirming a process for deciding how to manage disposition of the remaining 109 acres of the Greene tract (please see attachment 1). We represent the Council on an interjurisdictional working group that is developing recommendations for the ultimate uses and disposition of the property. On September 10, 2001, the Council gave specific direction for the Council’s representatives (please see attachment 2).
Since that time, the Greene Tract Work Group has met twice to discuss potential uses and the process for decision. On November 15, 2001, the Work Group held a public meeting to hear public comment on use of the Greene Tract for three potential uses: open space, affordable housing, and recreation.
On November 19, 2001, the Greene Tract Work Group met to review public comments at the meeting of November 15 and a draft resolution. The resolution approved by the Greene Tract Work Group recommends that the governing boards of Orange County, Carrboro, and Chapel Hill adopt a resolution affirming the three public purposes of open space, affordable housing, and recreation as the basic uses for the 109 acres of the Greene Tract that remain in public ownership (please see attachment 3). The resolution also recommends that the governing boards charge the Work Group to develop a more detailed written and graphic concept plan for use of the 109 acres by March, 2002.
The Work Group also requested that each governing board list separately any comments or issues related to the resolution for future consideration.
Based on the resolution of the Greene Tract Work Group, we recommend the Council adopt the attached resolution which would:
· affirm the three public purposes of open space, affordable housing, and recreation as the basic uses to be programmed for the 109 acres of the Greene Tract that remain in joint ownership; and
· charge the Work Group with developing a more detailed written and graphic concept plan for the use of the 109 acres for presentation to each board by March, 2002.
A RESOLUTION REGARDING USES OF THE 109 ACRES OF THE GREENE TRACT THAT REMAIN IN JOINT OWNERSHIP (2001-11-26/R-21)
WHEREAS, Orange County and the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill acquired the 169 acre property known as the Greene Tract in 1984 as an asset of the joint solid waste management system; and
WHEREAS, title to 60 acres of this property was deeded exclusively to Orange County in 2000 under provisions of the 1999 interlocal “Agreement for Solid Waste Management”; and
WHEREAS, under the same interlocal agreement the County and Towns agreed to bargain in good faith during the two year period following the effective date of the agreement to determine the ultimate use or disposition of the remaining 109 acres of the Greene Tract; and
WHEREAS, the end date of the “bargaining period” as defined in the agreement is April 17, 2002, the second anniversary of the date upon which the County assumed overall responsibility for solid waste management in Orange County; and
WHEREAS, the governing boards of all three jurisdictions adopted similar resolutions during spring and summer 2001 indicating their willingness to consider open space, affordable housing, school sites, and other non-solid waste public purposes, as possible general uses of the Greene Tract; and
WHEREAS, the Greene Tract Work Group, comprised of two elected representatives of each governing board met twice in October 2001 and conducted a facilitated public forum on November 15, 2001 to hear a dialogue among interested citizens regarding proposed basic uses of the Greene Tract; and
WHEREAS, most people who spoke at the public forum indicated a preference that the Greene Tract be used solely for the public purposes of open space, affordable housing, and/or recreation in some combination of uses; and
WHEREAS, the Greene Tract Work Group met on November 19, 2001, considered the public forum comments, and developed its recommendation to the three governing boards;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Town Council affirms solely the three public purposes of open space, affordable housing (as defined in the 2001 Orange County Affordable Housing Task Force Report), and recreation as the basic uses to be programmed for the 109 acres of the Greene Tract that remain in joint ownership; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council in affirming these basic uses, charges the Work Group with developing a more detailed written and graphic concept plan for the use of the 109 acres for presentation to Orange County, Carrboro, and Chapel Hill governing boards by March, 2002.
This the 26th day of November, 2001.
ATTACHMENT 1
A RESOLUTION AFFIRMING A PROCESS FOR RESOLVING THE DISPOSITION OF THE REMAINING 109 ACRES OF THE GREENE TRACT (2001-08-27/R-14)
WHEREAS, Orange County and the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill acquired the 169 acre property known as the Greene Tract in 1984 as an asset of the joint solid waste management system; and
WHEREAS, title to 60 acres of this property was deeded exclusively to Orange County in 2000 under provisions of the 1999 interlocal “Agreement for Solid Waste Management”; and
WHEREAS, under the same interlocal agreement the County and Towns agreed to bargain in good faith during the two year period following the effective date of the agreement to determine the ultimate use or disposition of the remaining 109 acres of the Greene Tract; and
WHEREAS, the end date of the “bargaining period” as defined in the agreement is April 17, 2002, the second anniversary of the date upon which the County assumed overall responsibility for solid waste management in Orange County;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby affirms that it will consider the following general uses of the Greene Tract: open space, affordable housing, school sites, and other non-solid waste public purposes.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council does hereby affirm the following points as the process to be pursued jointly with Orange County and the Town of Carrboro to resolve the disposition of the remaining 109 acres of the Greene Tract:
· All three governing boards adopt a formal resolution affirming the general proposed uses of the property they would be willing to consider.
· Consideration of uses should be based on the cultural and biological resources assessment reports that were produced regarding this property.
· Jointly appoint a working group comprised of two elected officials from each of the three entities.
· Each Manager assigns specific staff to support the work group in planning different options, consistent with the general direction from the three governing boards.
· Hold a public forum on the general uses affirmed by the three governing boards during the early part of the process.
· Consider the use of consultants to assist in developing a realistic site analysis and preliminary land use plan.
· Refer the options developed to each of the three jurisdictions’ Planning Boards for comment.
· Try to develop options that provide as much specificity as possible (e.g. roadbeds, utility lines, drainage, building footprints, buffers, etc.).
· Target completion of the work group recommendations during September-October 2001.
· Target reaching agreement among all three governing boards on the disposition of the remaining 109 acres between October-December 2001.
This the 27th day of August, 2001.
A RESOLUTION REGARDING DISPOSITION OF THE GREENE TRACT (2001-09-10/R-9)
WHEREAS, the Council on August 27, 2001, adopted a resolution affirming a process for resolving the disposition of the remaining 109 acres of the Greene Tract, including the establishment of an interjurisdictional working group; and
WHEREAS, the Council desires to give specific direction for the Council’s representatives to bring to the working group discussions;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill:
· Agree that the Greene Tract be kept as publicly owned land. (Include the Neville Tract with this, as well as the 60+ acres of the Greene Tract deeded to the County).
· Agree that the Greene Tract (including the 60+ acres deeded to the County) be kept largely in a natural state with selected areas used for a mixture of low and moderate income housing for single citizens and families.
· Agree that the Neville Tract should be used as a park with both passive and active recreation facilties when its use as a landfill cover is complete. Since most of the Neville Tract will have been cleared of vegetation and bulldozed flat, it will be a natural choice for recreational activities. This should include very large buffers for neighbors and with lighting for any playing fields that are build to be sensitive to both wildlife and neighbors.
· Agree that the Greene Tract (including the 60+ acres and the Neville Tract) to be placed under and appropriate conservation easement, or will be put in a community land trust or trusts developed exclusively for these tracts. The nature of the land trust(s) could be developed later, with the possibility of one land trust for both the preserved area and the housing or two land trusts, one administering the preserved land and another land trust administering the housing.
This the 10th day of September, 2001.
ATTACHMENT 3
GREENE TRACT WORK GROUP
A RESOLUTION REGARDING RECOMMENDED USES OF THE 109 ACRES OF THE GREENE TRACT THAT REMAIN IN JOINT OWNERSHIP
WHEREAS, Orange County and the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill acquired the 169 acre property known as the Greene Tract in 1984 as an asset of the joint solid waste management system; and
WHEREAS, title to 60 acres of this property was deeded exclusively to Orange County in 2000 under provisions of the 1999 interlocal “Agreement for Solid Waste Management”; and
WHEREAS, under the same interlocal agreement the County and Towns agreed to bargain in good faith during the two year period following the effective date of the agreement to determine the ultimate use or disposition of the remaining 109 acres of the Greene Tract; and
WHEREAS, the end date of the “bargaining period” as defined in the agreement is April 17, 2002, the second anniversary of the date upon which the County assumed overall responsibility for solid waste management in Orange County; and
WHEREAS, the governing boards of all three jurisdictions adopted similar resolutions during spring and summer 2001 indicating their willingness to consider open space, affordable housing, school sites, and other non-solid waste public purposes, as possible general uses of the Greene Tract; and
WHEREAS, the Greene Tract Work Group, comprised of two elected representatives of each governing board met twice in October 2001 and conducted a facilitated public forum on November 15, 2001 to hear a dialogue among interested citizens regarding proposed basic uses of the Greene Tract; and
WHEREAS, most people who spoke at the public forum indicated a preference that the Greene Tract be used solely for the public purposes of open space, affordable housing, and/or recreation in some combination of uses; and
WHEREAS, the Greene Tract Work Group has considered those comments from interested parties as well as other suggested uses of the property as summarized in the attached comments recorded by the facilitators, work group members, and staff;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Greene Tract Work Group does hereby recommend to the governing boards of Orange County and the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill that each board adopt a resolution affirming solely the three public purposes of open space, affordable housing (as defined in the Affordable Housing Task Force report), and recreation as the three basic uses to be programmed for the 109 acres of the Greene Tract that remain in joint ownership; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Greene Tract Work Group does hereby recommend to the governing boards of Orange County and the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill that in affirming those basic uses, each board charge the Work Group to develop a more detailed written and graphic concept plan for the use of the 109 acres for presentation to each board by March 2002.
This the 19th day of November, 2001.
______________________________
Moses Carey, Jr.
Chair