Agenda - 05-03-2005-7b - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Northern (HSC) Park Challenges and Opportunities 20 I. Background Orange County owns 60 acres in Cedar Grove Township containing the county's Northern Human Services Center (NHSC) and a ballfield and playground, Acquisition of additional land in 1999 and 2004 was made in preparation for the construction of a park, as identified in the Parlcs Element of the Comprehensive Plan. This park, Northern (Human Services Center) Parlc, would serve as a community park for northwestern Orange County, The property is located on a ridgetop on two sides of NC Highway 86, approximately 7 miles north of Hillsborough (Figure 1). The property consists of three tracts: A) the County's Northern Human Services Center (NHSC), located in the former Cedar Grove School, on 9,28 acres; B) an adjacent undeveloped 39-acre parcel (the "Kennedy Tract") which is located west of the NHSC and includes a portion of a large pond known as Compton's Pond; and C) a 12,22-acre parcel located on the east side of NC 86 and directly across from the NHSC. The eastern tract, which the County acquired in 2004, is known as the "Vincent property" and will be primarily used for the planned upgrade to the NHSC wastewater system, II. Zoning The property is zoned Agriculturo.l Residential, which is intended for agricultural uses and other compatible uses that help to preserve "rural character.." This district allows parks and government facilities. A "Resource Protection Area" is identified for alow- lying area along the far western boundary next to Compton Pond-a large sediment retention pond located on the East Fork of the Eno River, upstream of Lake Orange,. This property is also within the Upper Eno Protected Watershed overlay district, which has a 12% impervious surface limitation, a minimum 150-foot stream buffer width for new structures, and a minimum 100-foot distance requirement for septic systems from perennial or intermittent streams. Situated within the Neuse River Basin, the State's Neuse Buffer Rules also apply, and require that vegetated buffers be maintained adjacent to streams and other water bodies, including ponds. III. Surrounding Land Uses The site is generally surrounded by largely undeveloped property to the north and west, and by smaller lots with single-family residences to the south and east. An aerial view of the property is provided as Figure 2. The portion of the property located west of NC 86 is bounded to the west by Compton Pond-a 25-acre pond impoundment on the East Forlc of the Eno River, Along the southern boundary there are seven single-family residential lots, and to the east is NC 86. The northern property boundary abuts a large tract currently in agricultural use.. An adjacent property on the northeast corner has several old vehicles and debris piled up along a chain link boundary fence. Trash piles encroach on the County property. Across NC 86, the Vincent Tract portion of the property is bounded to the west by NC 86, to the north by 3 small residential lots along NC 86 and an 11-acre agricultural property, to the east by 5 small residential lots in the Green Pines subdivision, and to the south by 2 two-acre lots, only one of which is developed with a home site.