Orange County NC Website
1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: June 2, 2020 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-d <br /> SUBJECT: Extension of Little River Regional Park Interlocal Agreement <br /> DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks <br /> and Recreation (DEAPR) <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Proposed Extension David Stancil, 919-245-2510 <br /> Current Interlocal Agreement <br /> PURPOSE: To adopt and authorize the Manager to sign a one-year extension of the current <br /> interlocal agreement between Orange County and Durham County for the operation of Little <br /> River Regional Park and Natural Area. The current agreement term expires on June 30, 2020. <br /> BACKGROUND: In 2000, Orange County and Durham County jointly purchased 391 acres <br /> straddling the Orange/Durham county line east of Guess Road for the purpose of a joint regional <br /> park and natural area. The two counties were named Local Government Conservationists of the <br /> Year by the Conservation Trust for NC for this effort. Orange County owns 136 acres on its side <br /> of the county line, and Durham County owns 255 acres on its side. <br /> In 2004, the two counties opened Little River Regional Park and Natural Area, under an <br /> interlocal agreement that addressed master planning, a management plan and operating <br /> guidelines for the park, as well as budget and operating provisions. Orange County operates the <br /> park on behalf of both counties (Durham County did not have a parks system), and the two <br /> counties each fund 50% of the cost of the park's capital, personnel and operating needs. <br /> The interlocal agreement for the park was last adopted in the spring of 2014. Some of the plans <br /> and internal working documents for the park were not developed in the park's early years, and <br /> then other pressing matters kept those components from creation and adoption. <br /> For the last 18 months, staff from the two counties have been working to complete the master <br /> plan (only a site plan for the developed area of the park was created and adopted at the time of <br /> park opening), management plan and operating guidelines, as well as operating principles to <br /> clarify means of communication and decision-making. While much progress has been made on <br /> these items (a draft master plan is completed and the management plan and guidelines are in <br /> initial draft form), the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic this spring has delayed completion of <br /> these documents and the needed changes to the interlocal agreement, such that the June 30, <br /> 2020 deadline cannot be met. <br />