PRC Agenda 10022024 - Laserfiche WebLink

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survey from 2014 revealed a desire by the community for a pool, but the question was rather vague in what it revealed. Questions and clarification on the nature of what was meant by this (a pool, indoor or outdoor, etc.) need to be posed. Since the survey was conducted, SplashPads have rapidly grown in popularity. If the County were to construct a water feature of some type, several other issues would need to be addressed. Some of the County-run parks do have access to municipal water, however, in other regions lack access to water could inhibit construction without drilling of a well. Other questions have arisen, and Stancil informed that staff has considered sending out a new survey to gather more nuanced information regarding the desire from the community. However, funding is limited, and any survey might have to engage new, affordable tactics for dissemination. Stancil opened the floor up for discussion. Reyman discussed the potential of constructing a SplashPad at Fairview. The park is set to undergo a second phase of construction, and the master plan for the future section has not been finalized. She also addressed the fact that it is known that the community desires a water feature, and a SplashPad could be a cheaper and more immediate addition. Louise Flinn agreed and brought up how budget constraints could prevent large projects, such as a pool, from being adopted for quite some time. A pool would be a multi-million investment. The Council posed the question if conducting a survey would be worth the time and financial commitment. Robinson considered the current waitlists for private pools, and that there are individuals in the community willing to pay for pool access. He also asked if partnering with Hillsborough would be an option to develop it. Allen Parker inquired about funding partners in relation to climate resiliency goals. Managing heat stress in the community is an aspect of climate resiliency and constructing a pool could be framed within this narrative. He echoed Robinson's point on private pools, and asked if there was potential to form private-public partnerships in future development plans. Robinson agreed that a SplashPad should be prioritized, with leaving the door open to future plans for pool construction. Parker pointed to the natural water features that Orange County has, and the potential for expanding access to those. Ziemba asked about the survey, and how formally does it need to be distributed. Zimmerman asked how the original survey was conducted and how much these surveys cost. Stancil informed that there was a scientific random sample survey conducted by UNC Greensboro where over 4000 written paper surveys were mailed to households in Orange County, as well as an online version. The two surveys were kept separate, but both were considered in the original 2030 Plan. In 2012, the survey cost $18,000 to administer and analyze. Parker inquired about other agencies that might have data in regard to this pursuit, including, the economic development department, Visitor's Bureau, and even local realtors, and the potential to look into Google search data. Ziemba summarized the conversation, that data gathering of some kind is of interest, but the need to identify what that would look like could be discussed further. e. Request from Advisory Board on Aging: Stancil presented a letter that the Council received from the Advisory Board on Aging, requesting that the board implement a policy dedicating a spot to an older adult, aged 55+. To include this in the official code of ordinances, this would need to formally be sent through the Board of County Commissioners. Robinson asked if there was ever a time where the Council was lacking