Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 16, 2009 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. L~ -'~ <br />SUBJECT: Lease Arrangements for 6823 Millhouse Road -~~ <br />DEPARTMENTS: ERCD, Purchasing PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1) Draft Rental Contract Dave Stancil 245-2590 <br />2) curtilage Map Pam Jones 245-2652 <br />3) Photos of House and Outbuildings <br />PURPOSE: To authorize staff to solicit proposals for lease of the house at 6823 Millhouse Road <br />(part of the future Millhouse Road Park) for interim residential purposes. <br />BACKGROUND: In late 2004 Orange County, through the Lands Legacy Program, purchased <br />69 acres from Mrs. Julia Blackwood for use as the future Millhouse Road Park. At that time the <br />site was envisioned as a combination active and low-impact park facility with the potential for <br />multiple soccer fields or a soccer complex in the former farm fields and trails in the wooded <br />western portion of the site that adjoins Duke Forest. The former Blackwood farm property <br />retains a 1940's brick house, athree-bay concrete block garage/workshop and a number of <br />smaller frame outbuildings. The property is currently land-banked for a future park site. County <br />staff manages the area around the building complex (also known as the "curtilage") -raking, <br />mowing grass and tending to the substantial grape arbor -and monitors the open farmland and <br />wooded portions of the property. A master plan for the park has not been undertaken to date <br />but would be pursued in upcoming years with actual park development programmed to occur <br />between 2014-2016 in the CIP (pending future funding availability). <br />ERCD staff has been working with the County Attorney and the Purchasing Director to prepare <br />an agreement to allow the County to lease the property for residential use. This would provide a <br />regular on-site presence and generate revenue from this habitable dwelling. The Inspections <br />Division has inspected the property to identify any code issues associated with renting the <br />house. Funds are identified in the FY 2009-2010 Capital Investment Budget to address repair <br />needs to the house and outbuildings. <br />While ERCD staff will continue to manage the grounds (and curtilage, subject to the lease), and <br />Parks and Recreation staff will continue to mow the curtilage area, renting the house would <br />allow the County to gain some income from the property while helping to deter trespassers and <br />potential vandals. <br />Staff is currently researching comparable properties to determine an appropriate lease price for <br />the house and property. The property will be advertised through public media and candidates <br />