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<br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: January 23, 2018 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 6-b <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Potential Acquisition and Development of a Multi-Purpose County Campus <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT: County Manager’s Office; Asset <br />Management Services (“AMS”) <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />1 – Hwy 70 Site Assembly <br />2 – Letter from Hillsborough Dated <br />November 29, 2017 <br />3 – Purchase & Sale Agreements <br />4 – December 12, 2017 Presentation <br /> <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Bonnie Hammersley, 919-245-2306 <br />Jeff Thompson, 919-245-2658 <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To: <br /> <br />1) Ratify the Manager’s recommendation to pursue the acquisition of approximately 21 <br />acres located with the Hillsborough Highway 70/Cornelius Street corridor known as the <br />“Hwy 70 Site Assembly” for the development of a County Campus site that addresses <br />multiple County Capital Investment Plan initiatives; and <br />2) Authorize the Manager to continue the site due diligence and examination process to <br />include pursuing necessary future land use and zoning amendments with the Town of <br />Hillsborough. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: In the spring of 2017, the County began to investigate alternative locations for <br />the new Detention Center after ground lease negotiations with the State failed to produce <br />acceptable lease terms on the Orange Correctional site. During the same spring time period, <br />the Board asked staff to investigate potential sites along the Highway 70/Cornelius Corridor (the <br />area around Highway 70 between West Hill Avenue and Saint Mary’s Road) for the Environment <br />and Agricultural Center as an alternative to remodeling the current facility. <br /> <br />The Detention Center site assessment initially included two sites in downtown Hillsborough, the <br />existing jail location and the parking lot adjacent to the Courthouse. However, preliminary <br />findings revealed several significant challenges related to those sites, so the assessment area <br />was expanded to include sites outside of the downtown area. <br /> <br />Highlights of this assessment are as follows: <br /> <br />1. Existing detention site (north of Margaret Lane). The existing site poses <br />significant development issues and was not recommended: <br /> <br />a. Costs associated with deconstruction and temporary off-site housing of detainees <br />(off-site housing is estimated to cost $5.48 million during the construction <br />timeframe); <br />1