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A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve the site design, authorizing staff to submit the site plan for approval and begin the process of soliciting bids for construction with a goal of beginning field construction in January and opening the field in late-fall 2003. VOTE: UNANIMOUS b. Southern Park— Conceptual Plan and Proposed Process The Board reviewed and considered the "Report of the Southern Park Conceptual Plan Committee", and discussed a staff-generated draft response to the Town of Chapel Hill regarding a process for approval and construction of the park. David Stancil said that there are two pieces of this. One is the review of the concept plan and the circulation plan (pedestrian, traffic). The second piece deals with the process for approval of construction and financial issues. He made reference to page four, which is a letter from Mayor Foy that attempts to address several of the issues that have been raised at previous meetings. Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to the map and asked why the soccer field behind Scroggs says Orange County Schools and not Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. It was answered that this was a mistake. Chair Jacobs said that in the most recent discussion at the Assembly of Governments, the notion was to move the footprint for the third soccer field near the picnic tables that are currently shown. Bill Webster, from the Town of Chapel Hill, said that there has been discussion about locating a third soccer field along 15-501. In order to do that, they would have to make some modifications to the children's play area and they will also lose some of the buffer along Dogwood Acres Drive. Commissioner Brown said that her concern is that this field be done away with or something because this area needs to be maintained as a natural buffer area. If the field is going to be moved back as Mayor Foy suggested, then she does not have a problem with it. She also said that she would rather have a multi-purpose field and not just a soccer field because there is no flexibility. Chair Jacobs said that the footprint could be modified to include a multi-purpose field. Commissioner Carey said that he remembers the Chapel Hill representatives saying that they would agree to constructing the two full sized soccer fields along the 15-501 corridor and reserving the footprint but not constructing the third full sized soccer field based on whether other soccer fields would be provided in the area. Commissioner Brown said that it was important that the $2.75 million is only going for the first phase and is County money. The total estimate is $3.75 million. Chair Jacobs asked where the town envisioned the additional $1 million coming from. Discussion ensued about postponing the construction of the third soccer field. Commissioner Halkiotis said that, based on a report in a local newspaper today about a possible school site in close proximity to this suggested opportunity, having the viability of a soccer field would be helpful for Southern Park because the proposed school site is very limited in providing soccer fields. Chair Jacobs asked about the bio-retention ponds and if they are going to be built or if they were already there. Bill Webster said that they would be built and the thought behind them is to control storm water and to provide educational opportunities for the nearby elementary school. Commissioner Brown asked how the Board officially endorses what it wants for this park. David Stancil said that when action is taken, the conceptual plan could be approved with conditions.