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provisions of the Orange County Subdivision Regulations. On June 26, 1995 the Board of Commissioners directed staff to study the dedication/payment-in-lieu provision of the Subdivision Regulations and prepare amendments, if needed, for public hearing. This report identifies the statutory basis for enacting such provisions, the origins of the current standards, concerns about the application of the standards, and changes through which to address those concerns. The specific proposal is to amend Section IV-B-7-b, Recreation Sites, of the Subdivision Regulations to substitute a payment-in-lieu based on the cost of land and facilities associated with implementing a system of community and district parks. Currently, the payment-in-lieu includes only the value of land, and is based on the assessed value listed in the Orange County Tax Office. The average payment-in-lieu per household is presently $76.00. Under the proposed system, the payment-in-lieu would not exceed $455 per household. In addition to the proposed payment -in-lieu, a change in the amount of land which must be dedicated for recreation sites is also proposed. Currently, 1 /35th of an acre (1,244 sq. Ft.) must be dedicated for each lot in a new subdivision unless the Board of Commissioners approves a payment in lieu. This standard is equivalent to 10.50 acres of land per 1,000 population. Under the proposed change, 1/57th of an acre (764 sq. Ft) must be provided for each lot. The new standard is equivalent to 7.5 acres per 1,000 population and is based on the amount of land needed to provide a system of community and district parks in the county. QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Commissioner Gordon asked if this proposal would allow a developer to dedicate 1/57 of an acre per lot in a 100 unit development for a park in that development. Marvin Collins indicated that would not be the recommendation of the Planning Department staff. He indicated that there is a higher standard in the Zoning Ordinance which results in the developer dedicating the land for the public park or making a payment-in-lieu. There is also a higher standard in order to require the creation of a park or recreation area to serve the residents of the community. This only applies to the high density developments. Geoff Gledhill stated that the County has accepted small tracts of land in recreation dedication in the Joint Planning Area where the Recreation/Open Space Plan approved a linear park system. The linear park system makes it practical to allow dedications of small parcels of land in the Joint Planning Area. Commissioner Crowther requested that the Parks and Recreation Plan be updated and included in the adoption process for the Board of Commissioners Goals and Objectives. He asked why the Recreation and Parks boundaries did not follow township lines. Marvin Collins indicated that community parks have a specific radius which allows an arc to be drawn around the nucleus. A District Park is larger and is identified by driving time. To define the boundaries of a district park service area involves drawing a much larger arc and identifying where that arc crosses the arc of another district park. QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PLANNING BOARD None. 6