Orange County NC Website
1s <br /> In . addition to the Memoranda , there are other policies and frameworks of note : <br /> 1 . In adopting the JMRP report recommendations ( revised ) in May of this year, <br /> the County .Commissioners noted that the appropriate focus for joint parks <br /> collaboration is on larger-scale parks that can meet multiple needs and serve <br /> multiple jurisdictions . While recognizing the important role of " neighborhood " <br /> parks and smaller mini - parks, the Commissioners indicated interest in <br /> focusing joint efforts on community, district and regional parks <br /> ( generally, parks of 25 acres or more that offer a wide variety of activities, <br /> including both active and low- impact recreation ) . <br /> 2 . The County and both School Systems have agreed to a Capital Funding Policy <br /> that addresses coordination in selecting and acquiring new school sites . The <br /> potential for co - location of schools and parks has been widely- recognized as a <br /> goal worth pursuing . Consistency between the School Capital Funding Policy <br /> and a joint parks capital funding agreement would be very important . <br /> A. Observations <br /> Three reports have been produced in the past four years on coordinating parks <br /> and recreation in the County and Towns . In reviewing these reports , and the <br /> current status of parks and recreation funding , the following observations are <br /> offered on directions in which we could collectively move in future years . <br /> Through these reports and the joint work of the schools and local governments, <br /> many positive actions have occurred , a few of which are : <br /> 1 . The sharing of information on parks projects ( current and future) that has <br /> occurred through the 1999 JMRP report, and will occur in the future with the <br /> new Inter-Governmental Parks Work Group , <br /> 2 . Orange County's Lands Legacy program , which offers opportunities to use <br /> this shared information to jointly identify and plan for future parks . that serve <br /> both Town and County populations . <br /> 3 . Substantial progress in the co - location of schools and parks in the future <br /> Regarding the relationship between . the local governments on parks planning and <br /> development, as well as the current and future roles of the Towns and the <br /> County, we offer the following thoughts : <br /> 1 . The Towns, with many competing resource needs , are challenged to find <br /> funding to operate and maintain their parks . As a result, the Towns have <br /> limited opportunities to provide capital funding for new parks that may serve <br /> Town residents - and residents beyond the Town boundaries . <br />