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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 13, 2007 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~_ <br />SUBJECT: Little River Park Bike Trail Agreement Renewal <br />DEPARTMENT: Recreation and Parks PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Draft Contract Lori Taft, 245-2660 <br />Park Map Geoff Gledhill, 732-2196 <br />PURPOSE: To consider renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Orange <br />and Durham counties and a Mountain Bike Organization for the purpose of continuing the <br />establishment and maintenance of mountain bike trails at Little River Regional Park. <br />BACKGROUND: In August of 2002, Orange and Durham counties entered into an agreement <br />with an entity called Durham Orange Mountain Bike Organization (DOMBO). From that time <br />through opening of the park in 2004 and until recently, the MOU has been upheld and the <br />relationship between partners. has been mutually beneficial. The park has benefited from many <br />hours of volunteer labor in the establishment and maintenance of seven miles of mountain bike <br />trails. <br />Some time ago, DOMBO merged into a larger, regional group called the Southern Off-Road <br />Bicycle Association (SORBA), and the former DOMBO became the Triangle Off Road Cyclists <br />(TORC) - a chapter of SORBA. The DOMBO group is effectively no longer a viable <br />organization, so it has become necessary to rewrite the MOU reflecting this new organization. <br />Once the new MOU is executed, SORBA/TORC's liability coverage will become effective at Little <br />River Park. This will allow continued stewardship and maintenance of the trails. <br />In addition to the seven miles of bike trails managed by TORC, the park has seven miles of <br />hiking trails and plans approximately 3.5 miles of Equestrian Trails. Staff and Recreation & <br />Parks Advisory Council (RPAC) are currently working with an adjacent landowner to develop a <br />Memorandum of Understanding for~consideration by the BOCC which would allow the <br />development of these trails on park and private lands. An update on this potential public/private <br />partnership is planned for the fall of 2007. The park continues to attract many visitors with an <br />average annual visitor count of over 30,000. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this action. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board authorize the Manager <br />to sign the newly drafted agreement on behalf of the County. <br />