Minutes 11-11-2025-Work Session Meeting

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28 a sale of the property or a portion thereof to a non-profit that would carry out a public purpose. He said the county has owned the property for 20 years. Chair Bedford asked about the rules regarding bond funds that were used to buy the land. David Stancil said those bonds have been paid off and there are no restrictions for asset sale proceeds. He said voters approved the bond with the intention of purchasing parks and open space land. He said it is not required to be put back into a specific fund. He said if it could be argued that it's met its purpose, particularly if it is used for some similar purpose. Commissioner Carter asked if the property could be used for something else besides an athletic field. David Stancil said yes. Commissioner Carter asked if trails could be placed in the dark green shaded areas on the map. David Stancil said it could. He said it could be a 10-foot natural surface path near the rail line on the eastern side that would not be intrusive. He said one challenge with going further west is that the Blackwood section closest to Duke Forest does not have connectivity to a trail network. Commissioner Carter said that the property is in the rural buffer and shares a boundary with OWASA. David Stancil noted the boundary on the map. Commissioner Carter asked if they should discuss a different use for the property, possible for housing. Chair Bedford said that there was a discussion in 2018 on the property and its suitability for manufactured homes. She recalled that there weren't that many homes that could be sited, and the idea was abandoned. She said that at the same time, discussions of affordable housing on the Greene Tract opened. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how much of the land is buildable. David Stancil said you could probably use the western portions for housing. He said in 2005 it was optioned by a local developer, but the soil on the property was not suitable to produce a return on investment. He said that was one of the reasons the county was able to purchase it in 2005. He said the best soils are around the old farm house and the old agricultural fields. He said the western part has steep slopes. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how many homes are permitted per acre in the rural buffer. David Stancil said one residence per two acres. Vice-Chair Hamilton said housing is important, but having open space and recreation for the people who live here is also important. She said because there is limited land for recreation, it is important to consider that in the broader sense of other places where the county can put housing. Commissioner Portie-Ascott said it seemed that the number one issue on the strategic plan was housing and she wanted to discuss how they would balance that. Vice-Chair Hamilton said she agreed, but this is one parcel. She said they need affordable housing as well and funding that is another discussion. She said it's complicated. Commissioner Portie-Ascott said that the survey requested housing for people making $40,000-$50,000 a year. She wanted to discuss how the county will balance those things. Commissioner Fowler asked if the interested parties want the whole piece or the part that can only have soccer fields. David Stancil said he couldn't speak to that. He said it would be hard to build soccer fields on the western portion. Commissioner Fowler asked if the flat part of the property is more valuable than the other. She said this feels like a win-win. She said it was purchased with the intent to build soccer fields for the county to fund and manage. She said that if someone wants to purchase it and bring that to reality without the county paying for it, it is a win. She said this site is close to Chapel Hill and