MEMORANDUM

AGENDA #4k

MEMORANDUM

TO: Mayor and Town Council

FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT: Proposal to Initiate a Conceptual Plan Process for Southern Community Park

DATE: July 5, 2000

The attached Resolution would authorize the Manager to begin the conceptual plan and citizen involvement process for the Southern Community Park. Funding for the conceptual plan process would come from 1997 Orange County park bonds Allocated by the Board of County Commissioners.

BACKGROUND

In 1990, the Council adopted a conceptual plan for the proposed Southern Community Park. The plan included a mix of active and passive recreation opportunities, with athletic playing fields, a community center, walking trails, a pond, and a park and ride lot. The plan also included a realignment of Dogwood Acres Drive, which divides the property. In May 1990, the Council also authorized the continuation of the design and permitting process for the Southern Community Park.

On March 25, 1991, the Chapel Hill Town Council reviewed the Special Use Permit application for the project. 1991 was the beginning of a recession. At that time, staff estimated the project cost, excluding the park and ride lot, to be $5,275,000, more than what was then available from the 1989 bond issue. After discussion, the Council adopted a resolution directing the Manager to bring back to the Council an appropriate special use permit for the park and ride lot portion of the design and to restructure the remainder of the site’s plan to expedite siting of athletic fields. The Council minutes note that implicit in the resolution is that funds would not be expended for Dogwood Acres Drive realignment.

The initial source of funding for the project was the 1989 Town park bond funds. Of the $5 million approved by voters in 1989, approximately half was spent to acquire land, including Merritt Pasture, what is now Homestead Park, and several greenway tracts. The remainder was appropriated for construction of improved recreation areas and Americans With Disabilities Act compliance renovations at a variety of sites, including the Northside Gymnasium, Homestead Park, North Forest Hills Park, Umstead Park, Gomains Park, Cedar Falls Park, the Lincoln Arts Building, Hargraves Park, and the Bolin Creek Phase II Greenway.

In 1996 Town of Chapel Hill voters approved another $5 million in park bonds. The majority of these bonds have been expended on Homestead Park. Of the $5 million, $3,259,000 has been spent on the park’s infrastructure and existing amenities, including 2 softball/baseball fields, 2 rectangular athletic fields, a skateboard park, a batting cage facility, playground, picnic shelter, and walking trails. We estimate $1,316,000 of the 1996 bond funds will be available for whatever aquatic/community center is eventually built at Homestead Park. The Northside Gymnasium facility located at the Hargraves Center was completed with the $425,000 remaining from the 1996 bond proceeds.

In 1997, voters approved a $3 million Orange County parks bond. Of that amount, $1 million each has been designated for Homestead Park and the Southern Community Park, respectively. In 1998, the Board of County Commissioners approved a Town request to allocate $105,000 of the park bond funds intended for the Southern Community Park for irrigation and lighting of the Scroggs Elementary School soccer field at Southern Village. The field is now complete and has been used extensively this spring. Of the $1 million designated for the Southern Community Park, $895,000 remains for design and development of the Southern Community Park.

DISCUSSION

Since the park’s original plan was developed there have been several changes that affect the site:

· The park and ride lot, which was originally programmed for the park site, was built on Southern Village property.

· The Scroggs Elementary School was built. As a part of that project, the Town traded about 6 acres of developable land to the school system in exchange for 6 acres of land within the Resource Conservation District. In addition to the land trade, the Town has also agreed to donate about 6 acres of the park site for the school’s playing field in exchange for part-time use of the field. The Town agreed to fund the cost of lighting and irrigating the school’s athletic field.

· NCDOT’s imminent widening of US 15-501 eliminates the need to realign Dogwood Acres Drive, because the intersection of the two roadways will be redesigned. The 15-501 widening project is scheduled to begin late this fall. A considerable amount of land has been transferred, with Council approval, to the NCDOT for road right of way improvements.

These changes have so significantly affected the site that we believe that a new planning process is needed.

Conceptual Plan

We believe that, if the Council decides to go forward with planning for a new park, the first step should be development of a conceptual plan. A conceptual plan creates an opportunity for elected officials to review and approve an overall plan for development in their role as owners. Such a plan would include:

· An opportunity for citizens and advisory board members to evaluate community needs, study different types of facilities and amenities, and review a site analysis

· Options to be evaluated on the basis of operational costs, potential revenues, and effect on programs.

· Cost estimates for various options.

· A concept plan, sometimes consider a master plan, provides the framework for incremental implementation, as funds permit.

The Board of Orange County Commissioners has requested that it be allowed an opportunity to participate in planning for any project, which would use County Board funds. The conceptual planning process could provide such an opportunity.

Proposed Conceptual Plan Committee: In the past, the Town Council has established conceptual planning committees for capital projects similar to the Southern Community Park. The committees have helped prepare conceptual plans that were eventually adopted by the Council.

We anticipate that the Southern Community Park Conceptual Plan Committee would meet six to ten times to discuss a site analysis, options for facilities and amenities, landscaping, entranceway concerns, signage, and other issues. The committee would then work with the staff and consultant to prepare a recommended conceptual plan report. We recommend that the committee be retired once the Council has adopted a conceptual plan.

The Parks and Recreation Commission recommends that the proposed Southern Community Park committee consist of the following persons:

· Two members of the Parks and Recreation Commission

· One member of the Greenways Commission

· One designee of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board

· One designee of the County Board of Commissioners

· One designee of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen

· Three representatives of neighboring residential communities

· Four citizens at-large

Budget

On June 6, 2000, the Board of County Commissioners approved up to $50,000 for the conceptual plan process for Southern Community Park. (Please see the attached letter from Moses Carey to Mayor Waldorf.) It is our understanding that the Board of County Commissioners will soon consider a request to approve additional funding for the design drawings and working drawing for the first phase ofconstruction.

Schedule

If the Council establishes the committee, we propose the following preliminary schedule for development of a conceptual plan:

Selection of a design consultant by the Manager (with

input from Parks & Recreation Commission and staff) October 2000

Citizen committee formed October 2000

Committee meets/public forums November 2000 – April 2001

Interim Report March 2001

Council review May 2001

County Commission Review June 2001

Council Action June 2001

CONCLUSION

The Council has determined that development of Southern Community Park is an important recreation need of the community. We believe that the conceptual plan process, with substantial citizen input, is the initial step necessary to develop the Southern Community Park.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Parks and Recreation Commission Recommendation: That the Council authorize the Manager to create a Southern Community Park Conceptual Plan Committee. See attached recommendation from the Parks & Recreation Commission.

Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council adopt the attached resolution which would authorize the Manager to begin the conceptual plan and citizen involvement process for the Southern Community Park.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Letter from Orange County Commissioners approving the appropriation of up to $50,000 from the 1997 County Park Facilities bond for development of a new concept plan for the Southern Community Park (p. 6)

2. Parks and Recreation Commission recommendation (p. 7)

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MANAGER TO BEGIN THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN PROCESS FOR THE SOUTHERN COMMUNITY PARK (2000-07-05/R-8)

WHEREAS, a conceptual plan process will allow the community and the Council to fully explore potential programs for a park in southern Chapel Hill; and

WHEREAS, the County Board of Commissioners has allocated up to $50,000 for a conceptual plan study for the proposed Southern Community Park;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council establishes the Southern Community Park Conceptual Plan Committee with the following charge:

· Sponsor public forums to solicit community input and identify recreational needs.

· Establish “green” goals for the park.

· Investigate community elements needed, including various athletic playing fields, a dog park, a disc golf course, a community center, walking trails, and other potential facilities and amenities.

· Develop planning level cost estimates for the various options to help in setting priorities and developing financing plans.

· Evaluate each option on the basis of capital and operational costs, potential impacts on the natural environment, potential revenues, recreational needs and effect on programs.

· Meet with the Town Council for Council review and comment before making final recommendations.

· Make recommendations for the consideration of the Town Council.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Advisory Committee will consist of: