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Parks and Recreation Council

Orange County · Parks & Recreation Council
Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Other Parks and recreationPublic facilitiesAppointments and personnelArts and public artComprehensive planEnvironment and sustainabilityIntergovernmental agreementsRoads and transportation

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 1.bCouncil Vacancies Update Both recommendations approved unanimously
  2. Approved 3.a2024 Annual Report / 2025 Work Plan Approved unanimously
  3. Approved 3.bNature of Orange Photography Contest Approved unanimously

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

Orange County's Parks and Recreation Council learned on December 4, 2024 that it will steer the county trails plan, its main work for 2025. The council also recommended appointments to three of its own seats and heard the transportation director open a year-long bicycle and pedestrian plan.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

Gensler has been selected to write the county trails plan, and this council will serve as its steering committee. Staff described the point of the exercise: several trails plans and reports already exist, and this is the county's effort to link the existing networks and plan future connections between them. Members approved their 2024 annual report and 2025 work plan around that project, after discussing the recreation center in the capital investment plan and capacity problems with soccer fields.

The transportation director presented a coming bicycle and pedestrian plan covering unincorporated Orange County, written alongside the towns so the countywide picture holds together. It is in a listening phase now, with two rounds of public engagement over about a year.

On appointments, commissioners had filled two seats; the council recommended two youth delegates from three applicants and one Hillsborough town limits member from a single applicant, both unanimously. It also agreed to co-sponsor the 2025 Nature of Orange photography contest, themed 'My Place in Nature.' Staff reported dual tennis and pickleball courts coming at Fairview Park, Perry Hills mini park finishing in early 2025, and the mountain bike skills course at Little River Regional Park nearly done. Five of nine members attended.

How the votes went

Five unanimous votes: two sets of appointment recommendations, the November meeting summary, the 2024 annual report and 2025 work plan, and co-sponsorship of the photo contest.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Orange County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (8)

Staff or committee report · 3Appointment · 1Presentation · 1Minutes approval · 1Discussion item · 1Procedural · 1
  1. 1.b Council Vacancies Update
    Appointment Appointments and personnelParks and recreation
    Commissioners filled two seats, and one new member attended with another whose term begins January 1. The council recommended two of three youth applicants for the two youth seats, and recommended Alissa Martucci for the Hillsborough town limits seat, the only applicant. Both votes were unanimous.
    Both recommendations approved unanimously
  2. 2.a Orange County Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan
    Presentation Comprehensive planParks and recreationRoads and transportation
    The county transportation director presented a coming bicycle and pedestrian plan for unincorporated Orange County, written with the towns so the countywide plan is coherent. The work runs about a year with two rounds of public engagement, and is now in a listening phase.
  3. 2.b Approval of November 6 Summary
    Minutes approval
    Approved unanimously.
  4. 3.a 2024 Annual Report / 2025 Work Plan
    Staff or committee report Parks and recreationPublic facilities
    The annual report and work plan every county advisory board files with commissioners. The main new project for 2025 is the county trails plan, with this council as its steering committee. Members discussed the new recreation center in the capital investment plan and soccer field capacity. Staff will circulate a final version by email.
    Approved unanimously
  5. 3.b Nature of Orange Photography Contest
    Discussion item Arts and public artEnvironment and sustainabilityParks and recreation
    The council agreed unanimously to co-sponsor the 2025 contest, themed 'My Place in Nature.'
    Approved unanimously
  6. 4.a Report of the Director - Project/Program Updates
    Staff or committee report Public facilities
    Gensler has been selected as consultant for the county trails plan, which will synchronize the existing trail networks and plan future connections. Dual tennis and pickleball courts are coming at Fairview Park, Perry Hills mini park finishes in early 2025, and the mountain bike skills course at Little River Regional Park is nearly complete.
  7. 5 Council and Committee Reports
    Staff or committee report Intergovernmental agreements
    The intergovernmental parks work group next meets April 9, 2025.
  8. 6 Adjournment
    Procedural
    Adjourned at 7:53 p.m. The council next meets February 5 in Hillsborough.

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