AGENDA #4i
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Parks and Recreation Commission Recommendations Regarding the Potential Amenities at the Chapel Hill Township Park and Education Campus
DATE: January 27, 2003
The attached resolution would forward the recommendations made by the Parks and Recreation Commission to the Chapel Hill Township Park and Education Campus (CHATPEC) Work Group.
BACKGROUND
The Orange County Board of Commissioners at its May 14, 2002 Board meeting adopted a Master Plan Process to begin planning for the new park and educational campus on the County’s 193-acre site east of Old 86 and south of Eubanks Road. This process includes the creation of a Master Plan Work Group to develop a master plan for the park and educational campus. Please see the attached memorandum from the Board of Commissioners, which describes the Schedule of Activities and the charge, timetable of work, and membership of the Master Plan Work Group.
The Master Plan Work Group membership as adopted by the Board of Commissioners provides for one member from the Town Council, one member from the Town’s Parks and Recreation Commission, and one member from the Town’s Greenways Commission.
At its June 26, 2002 meeting, the Parks and Recreation Commission appointed Terri Tyson to serve as its representative on the CHATPEC Work Group. Council Member Bill Strom is representing the Council on the Work Group.
At its November 20, 2002 meeting, Ms. Tyson reported that Patrick Sullivan, Chair of the Orange County Parks and Recreation Commission, had asked that the Town Parks and Recreation Commission provide recommendations on potential program elements that should be included in the CHATPEC development.
DISCUSSION
At its November 20 meeting, the Commission discussed potential parks and recreation elements for the Chapel Hill Township Park and Education Campus (CHATPEC). This was in response to a request for Town input from the Chair of the County Parks and Recreation Commission. The Commission voted unanimously (8-0) to forward the following to the Council:
The Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission strongly supports the development of the Chapel Hill Township Park and Education Campus site to serve the county’s growing leisure needs. We recommend that several active/improved facilities be included at the park including:
· Large, multipurpose athletic fields available for public use
· Winterized restrooms
· Picnic shelters
· A large playground structure
· Loop trails Activities targeted for seniors
· While the Commission believes that school/park joint use of facilities is workable at the elementary school level, we believe it is extremely difficult to effectively share facilities at the middle and high school levels due much increased demand by school programs
RECOMMENDATION
That the Council adopt the following resolution that would forward the recommendations of the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission to the Chapel Hill Township Park and Education Campus Work Group.
Attachments
1. Parks and Recreation Commission Recommendation (4).
2. Letter from Orange County to Mayor Foy, dated June 4, 2002 (p 5).
A RESOLUTION FORWARDING THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION TO THE CHAPEL HILL TOWNSHIP PARK AND EDUCATION CAMPUS WORK GROUP (2003-01-27/R-9)
WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners on May 14, 2002, adopted a Master Plan Process to begin planning for the new park and educational campus on the County’s 193-acre site near Old 86 and Eubanks Road; and
WHEREAS, the Master Plan Work Group membership as adopted by the Board of Commissioners provides for one member from the Town Council, one member from the Town’s Parks and Recreation Commission, and one member from the Town’s Greenways Commission;
WHEREAS, the Chair of the County Parks and Recreation Commission asked for recommendations on potential program elements from the Town’s Parks and Recreation Commission;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council forwards the following recommendations from the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission to the Chapel Hill Township Park and Education Campus Work Group:
· Large, multipurpose athletic fields available for public use
· Winterized restrooms
· Picnic shelters
· A large playground structure
· Loop trails
· Activities targeted for seniors
· While the Commission believes that school/park joint use of facilities is workable at the elementary school level, we believe it is extremely difficult to effectively share facilities at the middle and high school levels due much increased demand by school programs
This the 27th day of January, 2003.
Barry Jacobs, Chair
Stephen H. Halkiotis, Vice Chair
Margaret W. Brown
Moses Carey, Jr.
Alice M. Gordon
Orange County Board of Commissioners
Post Office Box 8181
200 South Cameron Street
Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278
June 4, 2002
Mr. Kevin Foy, Mayor
Chapel Hill Town Council
306 N. Columbia Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Dear Mayor Foy:
The Orange County Board of Commissioners is recruiting for volunteers for the CHAPEL HILL TOWNSHIP PARK AND EDUCATIONAL CAMPUS MASTER PLAN WORK GROUP (CHTPEC MPWG or PCMP WG). The purpose of the Work Group is to develop a Master Plan for the Park and Campus which will be located near the intersection of Eubanks Road and Old N.C. 86. The Master Plan will address co-location of the educational campus and park, and serve to provide for a “seamless transition” between school facilities and park functions wherever possible. The product of the PCMP Work Group will be a Master Plan report and map by March 1, 2003.
All members of the PCMP are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. There will be representation on this Work Group by the Chapel Hill Town Council (one member); the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission (one member); and the Chapel Hill Greenways Commission (one member). We are asking that you, identify members of the Chapel Hill Town Council and the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation and the Chapel Hill Greenways Commissions to serve on the PCMP and forward those members’ name to me by June 14, 2002.
Other groups represented on the PCMP Work Group will be Orange County Commission for the Environment, Orange County Recreation and Parks Advisory Council, Intergovernmental Parks (IP) Work Group, Duke Forest, Carrboro Northern Transition Area Committee, Orange County Planning Board, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Orange County Schools, Carrboro Board of Aldermen, and the Orange County Board of Commissioners.
Please call or email me if you have any questions. My direct dial number is 919-245-2125. My email address is [email protected].
Sincerely,
Nancy Paciga
Assistant to the Clerk, Orange County Board of Commissioners
cc Craig Benedict, Orange County Planning Director
Bob Jones, Director, Orange County Recreation and Parks Department
Dave Stancil, Director, ERCD