NS Purchasing- Fred M Kirby to purchase Property for Northeast Orange Park

Browse Search

ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS • ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: December 11, 2007 Action Agenda Item No. ~ - c • SUBJECT: Resolution Authorizing Contract to Purchase Real Property from Fred M. Kirby DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No Conservation ATTACHMENT 1) Resolution INFORMATION CONTACT: 2) Vicinity Map David Stancil, 245-2590 3) Site Map Rich Shaw, 245-2590 4) Offer to Purchase and Contract PURPOSE: To approve a resolution authorizing Orange County's purchase of approximately 145 acres of land from Fred M. Kirby for a future Northeast Orange district park site subject to a conservation easement on the property granted to Triangle Land Conservancy or granted to another qualified conservation organization. BACKGROUND: Mr. Fred Kirby owns two adjacent parcels of land (145 acres total) located south of Schley Road in Little River Township. The County intends to acquire this land for a future district park for northern Orange County, likely featuring a combination of active and low-impact recreational uses. The property is located about five miles northeast of Hillsborough and 1/2 mile east of NC 57. The site is bounded to the north by Schley Road, to the east by a 30-acre farm property, to the south by Mincey Road and to the west by large-lot agricultural/residential properties. A vicinity map is provided as Attachment 1. The property is comprised of roughly one-half open agricultural fields and one-half forestland. The farmland portion is in three sections - a large pasture (40 acres) that fronts Schley Road, and two smaller sections (10 acres and 8 acres) used for hay production in the western and southern parts of the property, adjacent to Mincey Road. All open fields are on fairly level to gently rolling terrain. The woodlands are mixed-aged pine and hardwoods, which were selectively timbered in 1992. There are no structures on the property. There is a pond in the northeast corner fed by one of two streams that flows through the property and eventually to the South Fork Little River located to the north. The intended use of the property is a future Orange County district park, which would likely include a combination of active and low-impact recreation, including playing fields on the • open sections of the site. Much of the southern half of the property is forested and may be conducive to nature trails and picnic areas. A site map of the property is attached.