Agenda - 09-02-2008 - 6b - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 2, 2008 SUBJECT: Fairview Park, Phase 1 -Status and DEPARTMENT: County Manager, ERCD, Parks and Recreation ATTACHMENT(S): 1) Fairview Park Master Plan (Amended to Show Proposed Phase 1 and Lot Reconfiguration) 2) County and Town Letters Regarding Project/Sidewalks 3) Fairview Park Development Timeline 4) Fairview Park Base Bid and Alternate Facilities Action Agenda Item No. 6',~j -ptions PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Blackmon, County Manager, 245-2300 David Stancil, E&RC Director, 245-2590 Lori Taft, P&R Director, 245-2660 PURPOSE: To receive a status report on the Fairview Park Phase 1 project, consider whether to re-apply for a PARTF grant, and provide direction on a potential condition of approval from the Town of Hillsborough Board of Adjustment. BACKGROUND: On November 5, 2007, the Board approved a contract for Phase 1 of Fairview Park., including permit approvals, site plans, engineering and construction drawings, and construction bid documents. Since that time, the contracted firm (Corley, Redfoot and Zack) has worked with County staff to prepare necessary documents and plans for approval and ultimate construction of the park. Knowing that construction costs have nearly doubled since the 2001 County Parks and Open Space Bond was approved (which included $850,000 for Fairview Park), a funding shortfall was projected. To help address this, a grant application was made to the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) in January 2008 for $500,000 to augment the existing funds for the park. As an interim measure, one project component, a new playground, was bid and constructed at the park in the spring of 2007. In the last few months, staff learned that the PARTF. grant was not awarded. PARTF staff has encouraged the County to reapply in 2009. While there are some apparent inconsistencies in the review of the application, the PARTF Board was faced with a total of $28 million in applications and $15 million in available funds, and had just awarded $1.5 million in grants to park projects in Orange County (including the County's Northern Park, and parks in Hillsborough and Chapel Hill) in the last two years After subtracting funds for the engineering and construction documents, the new playground, and previous surveys, there is $715,000 remaining for Fairview Park Phase 1. The estimated cost of Phase 1 of the park is $1.05 - $1.25 million (in 2008 dollars).