AGENDA #6b
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Proposal to Revise the Phasing Plan for the Southern Community Park
DATE: April 24, 2006
The purpose of this report is to propose a new program for the Southern Community Park based on a revised budget and updated cost estimates. The recommended phasing plan would also address concerns raised by residents of the Dogwood Acres neighborhood. The Town Manager recommends adoption of the resolution.
BACKGROUND
On April 11, 2005, the Council approved a phasing plan for the Southern Community Park and authorized the Town Manager to amend the park’s Special Use Permit application to expand the southern parking lot along Dogwood Acres Drive by 60 spaces to allow up to a total of 125 spaces.
On May 9, 2005, the Council approved the Special Use Permit application for the Southern Community Park, which included the expanded parking lot and traffic calming on Dogwood Acres Drive. The Council also stipulated that the traffic calming plan for Dogwood Acres Drive be approved by the Council.
On June 27, 2005, the Council accepted a $500,000 Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant and revised the park program.
In July of 2005, the Town assumed control from the State of a section of Dogwood Acres Drive within the park boundaries. Subsequently, at its September 12, 2005 meeting, the Council lowered the speed limit along that section of road to 25 miles per hour.
On January 9, 2006, the Council considered a traffic calming plan for the Town-maintained section of Dogwood Acres Drive at the proposed Southern Community Park. The Council received a petition asking that a number of issues related to parking and safety on Dogwood Acres Drive be considered. The Council postponed action and asked advisory boards to consider the traffic calming plan.
In April 2006, the Town received revised cost estimates for the park that indicated a rise in prices by about 30 percent since the previous cost estimate was completed in December 2004.
On April 13, 2006 the Project Planning Committee discussed the concerns of residents and the revised cost estimates. The Committee agreed to recommend revised parking and phasing plans as reported in the preceding agenda item.
DISCUSSION
Revised Cost Estimates: Our independent cost estimator has updated the cost estimates that he completed in December 2004. Overall projected costs for the entire Special Use Permit program have increased by around 30 percent in the past 15 months. Based on these revised numbers we now believe that it is not possible to build the first phase program that the Council identified in June 2005 with the existing budget.
Budget: The present budget for this project is $3,398,000. Cost and encumbrances to date total $368,000. A total of $3,030,000 is available for construction including a contingency reserve of $364,000.
In view of cost increases and the need for this park, we recommend additional funding of $481,000 in the FY 2006-07 budget. Of this amount $81,000 would come from payment in lieu of recreation area funds; the remaining $400,000 would be debt financed in the Capital Improvements Program. The additional funding would allow a construction budget of $3,511,000, including a contingency reserve of $421,000.
Current Phasing Plan: The Special Use Permit application for the park allows the construction of 277 parking spaces throughout the park, including up to 125 spaces at Dogwood Acres Drive. The Council’s approved first phase of construction includes 122 spaces on the south side of Dogwood Acres Drive. No other parking spaces would be built in the first phase.
In addition to the parking lot on Dogwood Acres Drive, the Council’s approved phasing plan includes the following:
Proposed Changes to the Phasing Plan Based on a Construction Budget of $3,511,000: If the Council authorizes the proposed budget, we believe the following options would likely be possible:
OPTIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTHERN
COMMUNITY PARK WITH A BUDGET OF $3,090,000
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POTENTIAL PROGRAM ELEMENTS |
OPTION 1 |
OPTION 2 |
OPTION 3 |
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122 parking spaces on Dogwood Acres Dr. |
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40 parking spaces on Dogwood Acres Dr. |
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110 parking spaces in Northeast portion of Park (no connection to 15-501) |
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110 parking spaces in Northeast portion of Park (full driveway connection to 15-501) |
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Traffic light at Dogwood Acres Drive |
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Art |
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Restroom |
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3 athletic fields w irrigation and fence |
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Trails incl greenway to Dogwood Acres Dr. |
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1 large picnic shelter |
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1 small picnic shelter |
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Meadow Play Area |
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Dog Park |
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Basketball Court (1) |
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Basketball Court (second court) |
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Play Area and equipment |
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Disk Golf Course |
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PROGRAM ELEMENTS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY IDENTIFIED OPTIONS |
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Maintenance Building |
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Lights for Athletic Fields |
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In-Line Hockey Court |
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1 The Town would pay $35,000 of the estimated cost of the traffic light.
2 The dog park would be reduced from 2.5 acres to about 1.5 acres.
Option 1 –Parking Lots in the Northeast Portion of the Park and Dogwood Acres Drive (without traffic light)
This option is recommended by the Project Planning Committee and would not provide any funding for the proposed traffic light at Dogwood Acres Drive. Instead the funds would be used to build the full dog park as currently planned. This option would provide 110 parking spaces in the north end of the park. All access to that parking lot would be from the southern park and ride lot. No direct access would be provided to Highway 15-501 in the first phase. In addition, 40 parking spaces would be provided along Dogwood Acres Drive to serve the dog park and trails. Other amenities included in this option are:art, restrooms, three athletic fields, trails, a large picnic shelter, dog park, basketball court, play area, and disk golf course.
Potential Benefits of Option 1
Potential Issues with Option 1
Option 2 –Parking Lots in the Northeast Portion of the Park and Dogwood Acres Drive (with traffic light)
This is the Manager’s recommended option. This option includes $35,000 for the shared cost of the proposed traffic light at Dogwood Acres Drive in an effort to increase the likelihood of an early installation of the needed signal.
Potential Benefits of Option 2
Potential Issues with Option 2
Option 3 – Parking Lot at Dogwood Acres Drive
This is the option previously authorized by the Council. This option would provide 122 parking spaces along Dogwood Acres Drive. No other parking would be provided. This option would provide funds to pay for a portion of the traffic signal at Dogwood Acres Drive, if the light is warranted by NCDOT. Other amenities that would be included in this option are: art, restrooms, three athletic fields, trails, two picnic shelters, meadow play area, dog park, basketball court, play area, and disk golf course.
Potential Benefits of Option 3
Potential Issues with Option 3
Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant:We believe that the requirements of the $500,000 Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) grant should be considered during the decision-making process. The Trust Fund grant was awarded in large part because the Town’s application for funding included a significant number of recreation amenities. The PARTF staff has informed us that the PARTF Board realizes that construction costs have increased substantially. However, we believe that if we divert too much money from recreation amenities to infrastructure that we could potentially lose the grant. We have been told that the PARTF Board would have to review the situation after bids are received and that there is no way to determine in advance what the minimum requirements would be.
The recommended additional funding of $481,000 would allow construction of a substantial number of recreation elements, consistent with grant conditions. We believe that it would not be possible to add the northern parking lot and keep a substantial set of recreation elements without the addition of funding. Therefore, we have not recommended an option based on the previously established lower level of funding. We believe that fitting the project to the previously establish level of funding would require the elimination of all recreation elements except for the three athletic fields.
NEXT STEPS
If the Council agrees to revise the park program based on the Manager’s budget recommendation we believe that the following schedule is possible:
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Council review of traffic calming plan |
May 2006 |
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Revise drawings and Zoning Compliance Permit |
May 2006 |
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Bid project |
May 2006 |
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Council approval of bids |
June 2006 |
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Start construction |
August 2006 |
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Open majority of park |
January 2008 |
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Open athletic fields |
September 2008 |
RECOMMENDATION
Parks and Recreation Commission’s Recommendation: The Commission is expected to address the issue at its April 19, 2006 meeting. The Commission’s recommendations will be distributed to the Council on April 20.
Manager’s Recommendation: The Manager recommends that the Council adopt the attached resolution that would indicate the Council’s intent to allocate an additional $481,000 to the Southern Community Park project and that the Council select a construction phasing option.
