AGEMDA #4j
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Recommendations of the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee
DATE: January 9, 2006
This memorandum presents the recommendations of the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee for proposed changes to the current plan for development of Pritchard Park and sale of land to the Siena Hotel.
The attached resolution would accept the report and refer the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee’s recommendations to the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission, Library Board, Library Building Committee, Parks & Recreation Commission, and Manager for review and comment.
The Town Manager recommends adoption of the resolution.
In 1996, the Town began the planning process to develop the Pritchard Park program. 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 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 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.
We believe that the Council may wish to have the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee’s recommendations considered by boards, commissions and committees working on the Pritchard Park and Chapel Hill Public Library projects and the staff, prior to any sale of land to the Siena Hotel or commitment of Town resources for the design of Pritchard Park and the Pritchard Park Art Garden.
Recommendations of the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee: 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.
Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council adopt the attached resolution which would accept the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee’s report and refer its recommendations to the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission, Library Board, Library Building Committee, Parks & Recreation Commission, and Manager for review and comment.
1. Recommendations of the Third Pritchard Park Art Garden Committee (p. 5).