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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: September 6, 2016 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-b <br /> SUBJECT: County Landholdings Without Public Access <br /> DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks <br /> and Recreation (DEAPR), Solid <br /> Waste <br /> ATTACHMENTS INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1. Table - County Landholdings Without David Stancil, 245-2510 <br /> Public Access Rich Shaw, 245-2514 <br /> 2. Map of County Landholdings Without Gayle Wilson, 968-2788 <br /> Public Access <br /> PURPOSE: To review a list of County landholdings that are not currently open for public use <br /> and enjoyment, and actions that would be required before allowing pubic access. <br /> BACKGROUND: This spring a Board petition requested information about the status of <br /> County-owned properties that are not open for public access. The petition asked staff to <br /> review the status of these properties, determine opportunities and/or obstacles for public <br /> access and whether there is adequate and appropriate signage for public access. <br /> Over the summer DEAPR and Solid Waste Management staff reviewed a list of County- <br /> owned lands to identify those of sufficient size and potential interest by members of public to <br /> enter for such things as walking, hiking, nature study, etc. In addition to the properties land- <br /> banked for future parks and preserves through the Lands Legacy program, staff included the <br /> Greene Tract (104 acres; owned jointly with Carrboro, Chapel Hill), the adjacent Neville Tract <br /> (15 acres; associated with the former County landfill), and the County's 60-acre portion of the <br /> former Greene Tract (with a proposed new name of "Headwaters Tract" to distinguish it from <br /> its former designation). <br /> DEAPR met with the County Attorney and Risk Manager to discuss the potential <br /> opportunities and obstacles (including legal and risk issues) for public access to these <br /> properties. For each site, staff outlined the status of the property and listed the changes that <br /> would be needed to either a) make the property available for use by the general public (which <br /> may require both staff and financial resources), or b) allow access (without invitation) with <br /> signs posted warning of the site conditions and that persons "enter at your own risk," or c) <br /> identify the property as closed to the public with adequate signage indicating the reason for it <br /> being closed. <br /> Most sites will require additional posting of property boundaries and the design and <br /> installation of carefully-worded signage at likely entry points to warn people of what to expect <br />