Minutes - 10-30-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 The sources of funding for park projects include Capital Investment Plan (CIP), bonds, installment financing, grants, school/park reserve fund, land development/payments-in-lieu, and impact fees. The 1999 report suggested the County's new Lands Legacy program as a vehicle for collaboration on parkland acquisitions. Three potential actions are suggested: 1) a memorandum of agreement on capital funding for parks; 2) an agreement on a conceptual future parks map; and 3) a bond to develop plans for parks and open space. The Inter-Governmental Parks Work Group begins meeting next month to explore collaborative opportunities. If a bond referendum is pursued, parks and recreation should be included in the planning. Finally, the staffs could begin preliminary work on a draft Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to address joint parks capital funding and development. Flicka Bateman asked for an explanation of how the County would take the lead and coordinate the necessary activities. David Stancil said that, as land becomes scarce in the city limits, properties outside of the city limits would be considered. This lead role could be spelled out in the MOA. Mayor Johnson said that he feels that it is appropriate for the County to take the lead. He said that the growth patterns indicate that the growth will continue to the north. He also feels that the County would be the appropriate agency to facilitate the plan to fund the parks and to acquire properties. Diana McDuffee said that she feels that the County would be the appropriate entity to take the lead. She said that during the last year there was a concentrated study done on soccer facilities and that the Board of County Commissioners would be discussing this report on Wednesday evening, November 1St Jackie Gist said that she has been impressed over the last five years with the intergovernmental cooperation in developing the three reports on parks and recreation. She feels that this is a model of cooperation for other things. She is concerned about the pool issue where the estimated cost has escalated. She would like to see an intergovernmental group formed including the towns, the County, the school systems and the YMCA to discuss the pool issue. Kevin Foy agrees with Jackie Gist and said that when the Town Council found out the cost for a pool for Chapel Hill, they found out that a lot of the demand for the pool was driven by the schools and they were trying to balance that with the SportsPlex. He said that the Town Council have asked that the Intergovernmental Parks Work Group address the pool issue in November at their first meeting. It was suggested that the YMCA should be asked to join the Intergovernmental Parks Work Group. Bill Strom said that he feels that part of the reason that the 1997 bond issue was so successful was that it had money for land banking and facility development. He feels it is important to land bank and have money earmarked for facility development. Pat Evans feels that the difficult issue will be equity because everyone pays Orange County taxes. The issue will be how money is raised and dispersed. Chair Carey said that the equity issue was something that could be addressed in the memorandum of agreement. John Link said that this could be addressed the next time the committee meets. Bob Morgan said that he does not feel that the jurisdictions will ever work out the equity issue but he feels they can focus on solutions.