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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 15, 2005 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 5-M <br />SUBJECT: Homestead Community Center Wastewater System Repair <br />DEPARTMENT: Manager/Engineer/Health PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />4/12/04 Environmental Health Staff Memo <br />Proposed Homestead Center Sewer <br />Connection Capital Project Ordinance <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Rod Visser or Paul Thames, 245-2300 <br />Ron Holdway, 245-2371 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider approving a capital project ordinance that will appropriate funds for <br />remediating the failing septic system at Homestead Community Center by means of a sewer <br />extension from the Community Center to the Orange Water and Sewer Authority's sanitary <br />sewer system; and that will provide funding for this connection. <br />BACKGROUND: The Homestead Community Center is a County-owned facility that is <br />managed by the Recreation and Parks Department, and is located at the intersection of <br />Homestead Road and Lake Hogan Farms Road just north of the Carrboro municipal limits. The <br />septic system at this facility failed in 2004. During recent months, the building has been able to <br />remain open and in service because the County has arranged for the septic tank to be pumped <br />out and the waste hauled away several times a week. This approach is viable in the short term, <br />but is not an appropriate long-term solution. <br />Environmental Health staff identified several options that could remediate the situation, as <br />described in the attached memo. Either of the two less expensive options will place operational <br />constraints on the number of people that can use the building weekly, and raise substantial <br />concerns that some of the large old trees at the Community Center could be damaged or <br />destroyed while trying to make system repairs. <br />About 65 percent of the building's 3200 square feet is comprised of the one large meeting <br />roam. Assuming that the Homestead Center will continue to be used extensively for many <br />years to come, staff believe that it makes sense to invest a larger sum of money (estimated at <br />between $60,000 - $90,000) to achieve the permanent solution of connecting to the OWASA <br />system, which would permit unrestricted (with regard to wastewater capacity) use of the facility. <br />The nearest possible connection point from the Homestead Center to the OWASA system <br />appears to be about 600 -700 feet, with a total project cost estimated by OWASA staff for <br />