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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: November 16, 2021 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-c <br /> SUBJECT: Approval of Interlocal Agreement Renewal and Master Plan - Little River <br /> Regional Park and Natural Area <br /> DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks <br /> and Recreation (DEAPR) <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Interlocal Agreement Renewal David Stancil, 919-245-2510 <br /> Master Plan & Management Plan <br /> Vicinity Map <br /> PURPOSE: To approve the renewal of the interlocal agreement for Little River Regional Park <br /> and Natural Area between Orange and Durham counties, for the jointly-owned park and natural <br /> area, and to approve the Park Master Plan (which includes the Management Plan). <br /> BACKGROUND: Little River Regional Park and Natural Area is a 391-acre park and preserve <br /> situated on the Orange/Durham County line off Guess Road. The two counties acquired the land <br /> jointly in 2001 with the assistance of state/federal grants and non-profit land trust partners — for <br /> which both counties were named Local Government Conservationists of the Year in 2000. <br /> Durham County owns 255 acres of the site, and Orange County is the owner of 136 acres, <br /> including the park entrance and built facilities. As part of an interlocal agreement originally <br /> executed in 2004 and renewed four times since, Orange County operates the park on behalf of <br /> the two counties, with both counties contributing approximately 50% of the cost of the park costs. <br /> The park opened in December 2004. <br /> While the park has been open and operating since 2004, a full and complete master plan for the <br /> park was not created. A plan for the developed areas of the park, created in part with a committee <br /> of area residents, was completed and approved in 2001, but it was not a full master plan. The <br /> interlocal agreement also calls for a management plan for the park to be completed and approved. <br /> With the approach for the need to renew the interlocal agreement in 2019, staffs from both <br /> jurisdictions identified the need to complete these unfinished tasks in time for the next renewal of <br /> the interlocal agreement. With the onset of Covid, and other projects and initiatives, the <br /> completion of these three documents required an extension of time for the interlocal agreement <br /> which was adopted in 2020 and 2021. <br />