AGENDA #11b(2)
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Petition: Request for Expedited Processing for the Homestead Aquatics Center
DATE: February 23, 2004
This memorandum is a petition from the Manager requesting expedited processing for the Homestead Park Aquatics Center project.
In 1996, Town voters approved a $5,000,000 bond referendum which, among other things, was to fund an aquatics center at Homestead Park. Approximately $1,167,000 remains from that bond authorization.
In November 1997, Orange County voters authorized General Obligation bonds for Parks. The Board of Orange County Commissioners pledged $1,000,000 from the Parks bond for Homestead Park. Of that amount, $855,000 remains that could be used for the aquatics facility. The remaining $145,000 was used for development of Homestead Park.
The Council established a Homestead Park Aquatic/Community Center Conceptual Plan Committee. The Council considered the Committee’s report and held a public forum on January 29, 2001.
On March 5, 2001, the Council adopted a conceptual plan for the facility. On September 2, 2003, the Board of Orange County Commissioners approved the concept plan. Please see the attached concept plan.
In November 2001, Orange County voters authorized General Obligation bonds for Parks. The Board of Orange County Commissioners pledged $3,500,000 from the Parks bond for the Aquatic facility.
In 2003, the Council and the Board of Orange County Commissioners agreed to a process for developing projects using Orange County bond funds. The process includes use of a Project Planning Committee comprised of two members each of the Council and of the Board of County Commissioners to address both the Southern Community Park and the Homestead Park projects. The Project Planning Committee has been meeting since March 2003.
Project Description: The Concept Plan approved by the Council contains a competitive pool 25 yards by 25 meters with a depth ranging from 4.5 to 6 feet, and a family/warm water pool 25 yards by 10 yards with zero depth entry ranging to four feet in depth. The larger pool could accommodate competitions and team practice, lap swimming, adult lessons and general swim. The smaller pool could accommodate three lap lanes, a teaching area suitable for children and individuals with disabilities, and general swim activities for those wanting or needing a higher temperature than would be available in the larger pool.
The program also includes enough deck area to accommodate bleachers; separate locker rooms for men, women, families and disabled swimmers with attendants; reception, office and classroom space; and public toilets.
An important feature of this program and conceptual design is that expansion is possible to provide programming space for other parks and recreation activities.
Costs and Benefits of Expedited Processing: We believe that the primary benefit derived from expedited processing would be time savings. We predict a project timeline of approximately 2 ½ years from the date the Special Use Permit application is submitted to opening. Any number of factors could delay the project further. It would not be unusual for this process to take 3 ½ years or longer to complete. If the Council does not grant expedited processing we would expect the process to take at least 4 months longer to complete.
The primary cost related to granting expedited processing for this project would be to potentially delay other projects that have not been granted expedited processing.
If the Council accepts and refers this petition to the staff we will prepare a report and a recommendation for a future Council meeting.
Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council accept and refer this petition to the staff for analysis.
ATTACHMENTS
List of Projects Granted Expedited Processing
February 9, 2004
After receiving staff recommendations based on these criteria, since 1993 the Council has approved expedited processing for:
Ø Intimate Bookshop,
Ø Erwin Village Subdivision,
Ø Ruth Faison Shaw Museum,
Ø Chapel Hill Public Library,
Ø Chapel Hill Public Housing,
Ø Culbreth Park Subdivision,
Ø East Chapel Hill High School,
Ø Orange County Southern Human Services Center,
Ø Hargraves Gymnasium addition,
Ø Transitional Housing on Clark Road,
Ø Chapel Hill Day Care at Southern Village,
Ø Bolin Creek Greenway Phase II,
Ø Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Transportation Center,
Ø WUNC Tower request,
Ø Paul J. Rizzo Conference Center,
Ø Pavilion,
Ø Southern Village Elementary School,
Ø Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity,
Ø Neville Tract,
Ø McDade House relocation,
Ø Freedom House,
Ø Orange Community Housing Corporation Scarlette Housing,
Ø Kenan Stadium Expansion,
Ø UNC Co-generation Facility Boiler Replacement,
Ø Chapel Hill Internal Medicine,
Ø Midway Business Center,
Ø Carol Woods Retirement Community (for Village Charter School use),
Ø University Mall Redevelopment,
Ø Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity House,
Ø Greene Tract rezoning,
Ø Manley Estates Housing,
Ø University Fraternity and Sorority applications (sprinkler projects),
Ø Carol Woods Retirement Center (for day care addition, dining hall expansion and new units),
Ø Church of the Holy Family Expansion,
Ø Eastwood Lake Project,
Ø Chapel Hill Pediatrics,
Ø UNC Airport Drive Office Building,
Ø Rams Plaza Renovations,
Ø Meadowmont School/Park,
Ø Meadowmont Wachovia Bank,
Ø Orange County Landfill,
Ø Rosemary Street Mixed Use Development,
Ø Paul J. Rizzo Conference Center,
Ø Rusch Road Habitat for Humanity Subdivision,
Ø Village Plaza Shopping Center,
Ø Meadowmont Hilltop and Greenway Condominium,
Ø Empowerment, 229 North Graham Street,
Ø Red, Hot and Blue Restaurant at Village Plaza,
Ø UNC Print Services,
Ø Town of Chapel Hill Operation Center,
Ø Eastgate Shopping Center gas station conversion, and
Ø Village Plaza Theater Modification.
Requests for this special application processing by East Franklin Car Care, Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority, an application for parking and refuse facilities at 317 W. Rosemary Street, The Franklin Hotel, Eastowne 501 Office Building, and Avalon Park Subdivision were not approved by the Town Council.