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M <br />COUNTY OF ORANGE <br />ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT <br />MEMORANDUM <br />To: Board of Commissioners <br />John Link, County Manager <br />From: David Stancil, Environment and Resource Conservation Director <br />Rich Shaw, Land Conservation Manager <br />Date: October 13, 2005 <br />Re: Proposed Power Line Easement for the OCS Middle School #3 and <br />West Ten Soccer Center <br />The Environment and Resource Conservation Department (ERCD) was asked to evaluate the <br />proposed alignment of a 30- foot -wide easement for the installation and maintenance of <br />overhead power lines to service the new OCS Middle School and West Ten Soccer Center, <br />The general alignment of the easement, as we understand it, would run from the I -85/40 <br />right -of -way located north of the school /park complex, then south along the property <br />boundary that separates the Middle School and the Soccer Park, and across West Ten Road <br />to an existing power line. <br />The following is a preliminary evaluation of the proposed easement alignment based on <br />information from ERCD's comprehensive resource database, a biological inventory of the <br />Middle School site by Solidago Associates (March 2004), information from the Planning and <br />Inspections Department, and an October 12 site visit by ERCD staff. <br />Summary of Findings <br />1) The West Ten Soccer Center tract was clear -cut of all trees in 2002. A small area of <br />hardwood trees (oaks and hickory) remains in the far northwest corner, adjacent to <br />the Middle School tract and I- 85/40. The southern two- thirds of the property has <br />been cleared and graded for construction of future soccer park facilities. The <br />northern third of the property ("future park expansion" on site plan) is in the early <br />stages of forest regeneration with young sweet gum and red maple trees growing <br />throughout. <br />We would recommend that the proposed easement be routed around the <br />forested area located in the far northwest corner of the Soccer Center <br />property rather than cutting the easement through the forest and along <br />the property boundary. There are mature oaks and hickories in this area <br />that retain conservation value [See #1 on attached map.] <br />Environment and Resource Conservation <br />PO Box 8181 / 306 -A Revere Road <br />Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />(919) 245 -2590 <br />