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8 <br /> NOVEMBER 4, 1996 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING <br /> The Board of Commissioners considered the Preliminary Plan on November 4, 1996. <br /> Additional information on the following issues was requested. Responses are <br /> summarized below. <br /> 1. Appropriateness of proposed park site for a County recreational facility and <br /> Plans of the Recreation and Parks Department for the possible use of the site. <br /> The Recreation and Parks Advisory County (RPAC)recommends acceptance of <br /> the offer to dedicate 12 acres of the proposed park site with Phase II, anticipating <br /> that the remainder of the 30-acre site will be dedicated with Phases III and IV. <br /> (See attached memorandum from Bob Jones, Recreation and Parks Director.) <br /> 2. Alternative areas which could be dedicated as a park site. <br /> No alternative areas which could be dedicated by the applicant have been <br /> identified within the boundaries of University Manor. The proposed park offers <br /> the following advantages: <br /> • The railroad,NC 10, and floodplain area of Stoney Creek will all function as a <br /> buffer between the park and the area to be developed for residential use(with <br /> exception of one lot located adjacent to northeast boundary of the park). <br /> This location will minimize potential neighborhood impacts from the park, <br /> including noise and lights. Such impacts could be further mitigated through <br /> reforestation of a portion of the site to provide passive recreation areas. The <br /> Master Recreation and Parks Plan calls for about one half of community park <br /> sites to provide for passive recreation such as hiking and picnicking. <br /> • The site is located in the area designated for the University Station <br /> Community Park in the Master Recreation and Parks Plan. The attached map <br /> of the area included in the Stoney Creek Basin Area Plan indicates parcels <br /> containing a minimum of 25 acres. Most of those parcels are located adjacent <br /> to residential areas which could be impacted by lights and noise. In other <br /> areas,particularly north of the railroad, access is limited, and would have to <br /> be provided through exisitng residential neighborhoods. <br /> • The service area to which recreation payments-in-lieu for the University <br /> Station Community Park site is applied is based on a 2-mile radius from the <br /> intersection of New Hope Church Road and NC 10. If the park site is shifted <br /> to a different area, fees which have been collected to date would have to be <br /> redistributed based on the new location of the park. <br /> • The area to the east and south of the park is within the floodplain and wetland <br /> areas associated with Stoney Creek. The Concept Plan calls for this area to be <br /> preserved. The applicant has indicated a willingness to offer the land for <br /> dedication to Orange County, or to grant conservation easements to Orange <br />