Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 2, 2010 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~ - h <br />SUBJECT: Eurosport Soccer Center Master Plan Revision and Additional Parking <br />DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1. Approved Master Plan Lori Taft, 245-2660 <br />2. Proposed Revised Plan <br />3. School and Center Combined Site Plan <br />PURPOSE: To consider a potential revision to the approved Master Plan for the Eurosport <br />Soccer Center. <br />BACKGROUND: The soccer center was planned in conjunction with the development of <br />Gravelly Hill Middle School. Several elements of the two projects were planned together with <br />opportunities for partnerships maximized to take advantage of any potential economies of scale. <br />Utility easements, the driveway, and grading and parking were among the issues discussed. <br />Both the school and the soccer center have activities that run into the evening hours as well as <br />during the weekends, which attract many participants and spectators. The current capacity of <br />the school parking lots is 50-70 cars, and the soccer center can accommodate 48. <br />Currently, both the school and the soccer center are short on parking spaces even when <br />activities do not overlap. At times when activities overlap, there may be parking deficits of 200 <br />spaces or more. The proposed revision would expand the size of the future parking lot planned <br />for Phase 2 from approximately 27 spaces to approximately 50. Staff proposes to contract for <br />the construction this lot this spring using existing capital funds. <br />A biological assessment follow-up was conducted in 2008 to consider the potential impact of the <br />future Phase 2. Results indicated that the areas that should be protected are north of the <br />limitations of Phase 2. Some unusual species of trees and herbaceous plants were found that <br />provide value to the idea of future nature trail and boardwalk development and study. The report <br />recommends that Orange County continue to preserve this area as a buffer and as an <br />opportunity for environmental education. <br />