Orange County NC Website
A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner McKee <br /> to close the public hearing. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Hemminger <br /> to approve the Ordinance amendment as recommended by the Planning Board detailed within <br /> Attachment 5, with the change in wording as suggested by the County Attorney and shown <br /> above. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 8. Reaular Aqenda <br /> a. Propertv Divestiture: 112 and 118 N. Churton Street . Hillsborouah <br /> The Board considered divestiture options regarding two surplus properties owned by <br /> Orange County at 112 N. Churton Street (Clerk of Court Annex) and 118 N. Churton Street <br /> (Graham Building) in Hillsborough. <br /> Asset Management Director Pam Jones said that the purpose of this item is to look at <br /> divestiture of two properties. She said that in April 2009 the Board of County Commissioners <br /> voted to make these surplus properties. In November 2009 the County accepted bids for these <br /> properties and brought them forward. The bids were rejected. There have been multiple <br /> attempts to resell the properties and there were no viable offers. There are three options for <br /> consideration of divestiture of the properties: <br /> Option 1: Terms of bid would include a requirement for the buyer to enter into an <br /> agreement with NC Preservation Foundation. Terms of the NC Preservation Foundation <br /> agreement would require approval of the Foundation for any exterior changes to the building, <br /> but would essentially cause the buildings to remain as they stand. Changes to interior portions <br /> of the building would be as mutually agreed befinreen the NC Preservation Foundation and the <br /> new owner. This would allow greater flexibility of interior modifications, which was previously <br /> voiced as a primary concern from potential buyers. The cost of administration of this <br /> agreement by the NC Preservation Foundation would remain $7,000 for 112 N. Churton and <br /> $3,000 for 118 N. Churton. <br /> Option 2: NC Preservation Foundation would purchase the facilities at a negotiated <br /> price and would resell the facilities. <br /> Option 3: By approval of the attached Resolution, the County would request that the <br /> Town of Hillsborough accept a preservation easement that would give the authority to delay <br /> demolition indefinitely for the facilities. It is expected the Town would grant authority for the <br /> enforcement of the easement to the Hillsborough Historic District Commission. This would <br /> effectively fill a gap in the existing regulations by which a property owner could potentially <br /> remove the buildings. <br /> Option 3 is included in the Manager's Recommendation and there is a resolution <br /> supporting this. <br /> Commissioner McKee asked how Option 3 relates to the conditions that were in affect <br /> when this property was first sold. <br /> Pam Jones said that when the bids were submitted originally, the contract was through <br /> NC Preservation Foundation, which was going to charge a fee to administer that contract. Also, <br /> this went to the interior and the exterior of the building. The outcome is that the foundation <br /> would not allow the building to be taken down because the contract would govern that whoever <br />