AGENDA #5b

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Response to Request regarding Springcrest Property

 

DATE:             March 26, 2001

 

 

This memorandum is written in response to a petition presented by two residents of Springcrest subdivision at the Town Council’s regular meeting of February 26.  A copy of the petition is attached.

 

BACKGROUND

 

On December 11, 2000, the Town Council approved the acquisition of a 34-acre parcel bounded by I-40, Erwin Road and Springcrest subdivision. The land was acquired with the proceeds of the 1996 Open Space Bonds for use as open space.  However, it was explicitly stated that, should it be desirable to use a part of this property for another public use, the Open Space bond funds would need to be reimbursed.

 

The written petition made several requests of the Town of Chapel Hill and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education concerning the trash found in the woods, the possibility of toxic waste being on the site and the potential of the land as an elementary school site.

 

We discuss below the response from the perspective of the Town.  We understand that the petitioners planned to present their petition directly to the School Board and expect that that the School Board will provide additional information to the petitioners.

 

DISCUSSION

 

Petition:

 

  1. Perform in-depth environmental testing adequate to exclude the presence of toxic waste.

 

Response:

 

As part of the study of the parcel before acquisition, we had the three large trash piles on the site evaluated.  The consulting environmental firm noted miscellaneous household items, a dilapidated auto, 5-gallon plastic and metal containers and a heavily rusted 55-gallon drum.  The consultant also stated that no underground or aboveground storage tanks had been observed.  The owner then had the majority of the trash removed.  On December 19, Engineering Consulting Services, Ltd. removed soil samples from under the sites of the original piles.  The Manager of the Environmental Group reported that the soil that was removed with a hand auger showed no signs of concentrations of petroleum, hydrocarbons, paints or solvents.  Copies of the November 30 and December 19 letters from Engineering Consulting Services are attached.

 

Petition:

 

  1. Clean up the remaining waste on the tract.

 

Response:

 

While the owner’s contractor had removed a majority of the debris, certainly enough for the consultants to test the underlying soil, the contractor had left a considerable amount of debris scattered in the woods.  We believe that that debris is what the two Springcrest residents observed early this year.  We have since contracted to have this remaining debris removed. 

 

Petition:

 

  1. Assuming no toxic waste contamination of the soil or water is identified, offer the portion of the tract to the Chapel-Hill Carrboro Board of Education for the potential elementary school site and keep the remainder of the site as open space.

 

Response:

 

Town staff spoke with Board of Education staff before pursuing the acquisition of this site by the Town.  The Schools staff said at that time that they were not interested in acquiring the site.  We believe that, if the Board of Education decides the site might be suitable for a school site, that the Board would contact the Town Council about the possibility of the Board acquiring it from the Town.

 

Petition:

 

  1. If toxic waste contamination is identified, take appropriate actions to free the site of all pollution.

 

Response:

 

Please see response to #1 above.

 

Petition:

 

  1. Once the site is free of contamination, reconsider potential use of a portion of the tract as an elementary school.  If the Board of Education does not want to construct a school at this time, maintain the property as green space so future consideration of a school on the site may be possible.

 

Response:

 

We believe that if the Board of Education requests the Town to maintain the parcel as green space while waiting for the Board of Education to develop it as a school site, the Council should at that time consider this use against other potential uses and make its decision.

 

CONCLUSION

 

We anticipate no action unless and until the Board of Education follows up on this issue with the Town.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

  1. Petition for Potential school site on Erwin Road (p. 4).
  2. December 19, 2000 letter from Engineering Consulting Services, Ltd. (p. 5).
  3. November 30, 2000 letter from Engineering Consulting Services, Ltd. (p. 6).