Orange County NC Website
piece for southern Orange, coming out of the CHTPAC property, and connecting the New Hape <br />Corridor with the Eno River Corridor. The Board has never adapted this into the plan officially. <br />Environment and Resource Conservation Director Dave Stancil gave some history about <br />this plan. <br />Commissioner Brawn said that the IP work group is the only intergovernmental group for <br />parks. The purpose was to pull the towns and the County together to have along-range outlook <br />on parks planning countywide. The group was to maintain the connection with the staff. She <br />said that the one downside was that there was no way of sharing all of this information with <br />other elected officials ar the community at-large. She would like to continue this, but it would <br />need to be modified in the number of meetings and the communication issue. <br />Dave Stancil said that the three-year trial run ended in June 2003. It has been limited to <br />three meetings a year, which has posed a problem sometimes. There is strong interest in <br />continuing it. <br />Commissioner Brown said that the group is in the middle of one of its charges, which is to <br />create a countywide park map. The draft is in the retreat notebook. Healthy Carolinians had <br />the same charge, so they have worked closely together. They would like to reprint the map and <br />then put it on the County's website. <br />Chair Jacobs asked if Commissioner Brown and Dave Stancil were going to came back <br />with a new charge and Commissioner Brown said yes. <br />Dave Stancil said that they took notes and they might have the ability to have staff take <br />minutes in the future. <br />Geriel Thornburg-May asked about a timeframe and Commissioner Brown said that there <br />could be an agenda item in the spring -around April. <br />Commissioner Brawn said that she would share the map with them and funding could <br />come from the Board of County Commissioners' account. <br />Chair Jacobs made reference to the timeframe for facility development and said that the <br />Board asked far this to keep up to speed an what is going on with facilities. He said that, <br />historically speaking, the County is at least halfway between bond referendums. He said that <br />this would give the Board an idea on haw the County is doing on some of the projects where it <br />was promised that the bond money was going to go for certain functions. He pointed out that <br />Southern Park and Homestead Park Aquatic Center have a proposed 2006 opening date. He <br />suggested putting this date on the update. He suggested putting an asterisk by Seven Mile <br />Creek Preserve far Lands Legacy. There should be some way to indicate that there is room for <br />growth. <br />Dave Stancil said that by the end of the year they should be opening Little River Park, <br />constructing at Efland-Cheeks Phase II, and possibly beginning a construction phase at <br />Northern Human Services Center. <br />ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT -STRATEGIC PLAN, SELF-FINANCING BONDS, LOAN <br />POOL <br />Economic Development Director Dianne Reid made reference to the self-financing bonds. <br />She said that 48 other states have this capacity. The issue, which will be on the ballot on <br />November, would amend the State Constitution to enable local governments to use this tool. It <br />is structured similar to the water and sewer extension fund, in that the money is recaptured <br />through additional taxes. <br />Commissioner Brown said that she does not understand this. Dianne Reid said that you <br />issue bands based on projected increase in tax base. The bonds are repaid as the tax base <br />comes in over time. It is frequently used in downtown development. <br />Commissioner Brown said that she just heard a developer claim that the County was going <br />to put in the water and sewer far the EDD south of Hillsborough. She asked if this band was <br />