Agenda - 02-23-2012 - Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

by the Hillsborough Youth Athletic Association (HYAA) baseball /softball programs. Several attempts at grant funding for a station with associated access and utility costs have been unsuccessful. The North Carolina Department of Transportation ( NCDOT) has stated that Hillsborough and Lexington are the state's top two priorities for new rail stations. The Town intends to include $30,000 in the upcoming FY13 Budget to provide a 20% match to partner with NCDOT to conduct the environmental assessment that will be required if federal funding is used to support the station. Cost estimates range from $2.0 to $6.0 million for a station. Just the cost of the platform (approximately 400 feet) and locating a small 500 square foot modular building on site are approximately $1.0 million. This does not include the cost of road access and various utilities. To help fund the costs associated with a station and minimize impact of the operating budget, the Town is considering putting out a Request for Proposal (RFP) to developers to consider offers to purchase and develop a portion of the property. If this strategy is implemented, it would be done at an appropriate time in the future. Ideally, this would help pay for any expenses the Town might incur in bringing a train station to Hillsborough and Orange County, allow for a more coordinated effort in developing a transit - oriented development, and possibly assist in funding a relocation of the HYAA ball fields, if necessary. Craig Newton, a Facilities Engineer with NCDOT, will be present at the meeting to share additional information and respond to any questions. Staff will provide any other information at the meeting, and the Boards can discuss issues related to this item as necessary. Attachment 4 -d — Hillsborough Train Station Sketch Site Plan e) Possible Marketing Opportunities for Waterstone and Surrounding Economic Development District (EDD) Properties Orange County Economic Development staff has had several meetings with Waterstone's Texas -based developer and North Carolina representative in Raleigh, Jim Ciao of Stratford Land, to include a recent meeting on February 11, 2012. Staff maintains contact with the development group to assess the owner's current strategy to market Waterstone's currently available site inventory. Separately, staff has also met with various other developers and realtors who have previously expressed interest in adjacent land tracts, such as along Interstate 40 and Old NC 86, that offer business recruitment potential. The Economic Development office has also prepared targeted marketing brochures for Waterstone and the other developable properties in the Hillsborough Economic Development District, and has been showing those sites to visiting business prospects (1), site section consultants (2), and NC Department of Commerce state economic developers (5). The new economic development website, www.GrowinOrangeNC.com, also links to Waterstone and Hillsborough Economic Development District site maps. Staff also proposes meeting more regularly with Hillsborough's Planning staff, Chamber, and other Hillsborough leadership, as has already been occurring, in order to build additional collaboration opportunities.