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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: June 15, 2021 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-n <br /> SUBJECT: USDA Lease of a Portion of the Orange County Bonnie B. Davis Environmental <br /> and Agricultural Center <br /> DEPARTMENT: Asset Management Services <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1.) Floor Plan of EAC Steve Arndt, 919-245-2658 <br /> 2.) Lease and Exhibits Alan Dorman, 919-245-2627 <br /> 3.) Resolution <br /> PURPOSE: To: <br /> 1) review the lease for a portion of the Orange County Bonnie B. Davis Environmental <br /> and Agricultural Center to the United States Department of Agriculture; <br /> 2) adopt a resolution approving the lease; and <br /> 3) authorize the Manager to sign the lease upon final review by the County Attorney. <br /> BACKGROUND: The United States Department of Agriculture ("USDA") has been in partnership <br /> with the County since the establishment of the first Agriculture Agent in the 1930s. The USDA has <br /> occupied offices in the original Environmental and Agricultural Center since the County acquired <br /> the building in 1987. <br /> In the process of designing and building the new Orange County Bonnie B. Davis Environmental <br /> and Agricultural Center ("EAC") at 1270 US Hwy 70 in Hillsborough, the architecture firm selected <br /> by the County to design the EAC, HH Architecture, worked closely with the USDA staff to design <br /> offices that would meet their needs. Design elements include a separate suite for the UDSA and <br /> a separate information technologies (IT) closet to house federal IT services. <br /> The USDA Farm Service Agency will occupy a large suite within the EAC, comprised of 2,356 <br /> square feet. (See the attached floor plan.) The lease will also include two offices and shared <br /> common space within the suite to be occupied by the Department of Environment, Agriculture, <br /> Parks and Recreation ("DEAPR") for use by USDA's National Resources Conservation Services. <br /> Additionally, the lease includes shared access to the large multi-purpose rooms. The total rentable <br /> office space included in the lease is 3,502 square feet. The proposed lease term is for 10 years <br /> at an annual rate of $70,040. There is no automatic renewal of the lease. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: The annual revenue of $70,400 was included in the Manager's <br /> Recommended budget. The lease requires the County to provide maintenance, utilities, and <br /> custodial services, which were already incorporated into the FY 2021-22 Manager's <br /> Recommended Budget. <br />