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20 <br /> • Conservation Easements—Restructure Budgeting <br /> The CIP recommends continuing funding for conservation easements as part of the Lands Legacy <br /> program. However, due to the timing and funding requirements of easement acquisitions, the <br /> $500,000 in annual funding has been consolidated to occur every other year in $1 million <br /> increments. This appropriation is intended to provide matching funds for State and Federal <br /> grants to acquire conservation easements to protect prime or threatened farmland, sensitive <br /> natural areas and wildlife habitat, or water quality buffer lands in water supply watersheds. <br /> • Detention Facility-$622,114 <br /> Planning work for a new Detention facility is recommended to continue in FY2017-18 with <br /> construction funds budgeted to occur over two years, FY2018-19 and FY2019-20. This <br /> represents a one year delay in the construction schedule based on continuing negotiations with <br /> the State of North Carolina on an acceptable ground lease for the facility. If those negotiations <br /> are unsuccessful, the professional services funds would be used to evaluate alternatives such as <br /> building a new facility on the existing site. The total amount of funding recommended for this <br /> project is consistent with prior years. <br /> • Environment and Agriculture Center-$3.38 million <br /> On March 21, 2017, the Board reviewed options for renovating or replacing the Environment <br /> and Agricultural Center. The Board directed staff to proceed with renovating the facility on the <br /> Revere Road site as the preferred option recognizing the need to add approximately $235,000 <br /> to the project costs. Concurrently, the Board asked staff to investigate potential alternative <br /> sites along the Cornelius Street corridor in Hillsborough. Staff will report on those alternatives <br /> prior to executing a construction contract for facility renovation. The amount of funding <br /> recommended in the FY2017-18 CIP is consistent with the updated renovation costs. If an <br /> alternative site is chosen, the funding amount will need to be amended. <br /> • Southern Branch Library—New Schedule <br /> In 2016, the Board authorized the County Manager to initiate discussions with the Town of <br /> Carrboro Manager to create a development agreement for joint use of a facility at 203 South <br /> Greensboro Street. The facility would include space for the County's Southern Branch Library as <br /> well as Town offices and potentially other tenants. Based on the Town's schedule for <br /> determining its space requirements and the integration of those requirements into facility <br /> planning, funding for the construction phase of this project is recommended in FY2018-19. <br /> Along with the recommended capital commitment for design and construction costs, the CIP <br /> continues to recognize the additional operating expenses that will be required to operate this <br /> branch, currently estimated at approximately$1.3 million annually. <br /> Policy Priorities <br /> The Board of County Commissioners adopted a variety of policy priorities in 2016 consistent with <br /> existing Board goals. The CIP recommends funding associated with many of those priorities as well as <br /> funding for projects that have been introduced and approved conceptually as part of the Board's regular <br /> legislative process. <br /> Page 12 <br />