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Parks and Recreation Council

Orange County · Parks & Recreation Council
Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Other Parks and recreationAppointments and personnelArts and public artEnvironment and sustainabilityGrants and outside funding

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 3bApproval of October 2 Summary Approved unanimously
  2. Approved 4bGreat Trails State Coalition Grant Letter Approved

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

A splash pad or other water feature at an Orange County park was on the agenda for the county's Parks and Recreation Council, along with a letter backing a state trails grant and updates on the council's 2025 work plan. Members also reviewed construction progress at three parks and results from the county's yearly nature photography contest.

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

The council agreed to send the Board of County Commissioners a memo urging it to prioritize a splash pad, framing the request partly around climate change. It also voted to approve a letter supporting the Great Trails State Coalition grant application, which would fund trail work connecting to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

Staff updated members on construction at Perry Hills Mini Park, a tennis and pickleball court expansion at Fairview Park, and a disc golf course at Blackwood Farm Park, where nesting sites a birding group flagged may force closing a hole or two during nesting season. The council revised its 2025 work plan, adding new items to track park amenities and expand nature programs, and approved its October 2 summary without objection.

How the votes went

The council approved its October 2 meeting summary unanimously. It also voted to approve the trails grant support letter, though the minutes do not record the count.

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 (11)

Staff or committee report · 5Procedural · 2Minutes approval · 1Presentation · 1Discussion item · 1Resolution · 1
  1. 1 Call to Order
    Procedural
    Vice-Chair Andrea Zimmerman called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m.
  2. 2 Report of the Chair
    Staff or committee report Appointments and personnel
    Staff reported the council's recommendations for board vacancies had gone to the Board of County Commissioners, with no appointments made yet. No changes were made to the agenda.
  3. 3a Park Construction and Design Update
    Staff or committee report
    The department's landscape architect reported on the Farm to Table event for fourth graders, construction at Perry Hills Mini Park, a tennis and pickleball expansion at Fairview Park, and a disc golf course at Blackwood Farm Park that was redesigned around stream buffers and bird nesting sites.
  4. 3b Approval of October 2 Summary
    Minutes approval
    The council approved the draft summary of its October 2 meeting.
    Approved unanimously
  5. 3c Nature of Orange Photography Contest
    Presentation Arts and public artParks and recreation
    Staff presented the winning entries from the 2024 contest, themed on county flora and pollinators, and asked members for next year's theme.
  6. 3d 2024 Annual Report and 2025 Work Plan
    Staff or committee report
    The director reviewed progress on the 2024 work plan and proposed updates for 2025, including a new item to track park amenities and moving the County Trails Plan into the plan's main section.
  7. 4a Water Feature and Public Pool Discussion
    Discussion item Environment and sustainabilityParks and recreation
    Members continued discussing a county-owned pool or water feature and agreed to send commissioners a memo urging a splash pad, citing climate change mitigation.
  8. 4b Great Trails State Coalition Grant Letter
    Resolution Grants and outside fundingParks and recreation
    The council voted to approve a letter supporting the county's Great Trails State Coalition grant application for trail work connecting to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
    Approved
  9. 5 Report of the Director
    Staff or committee report
    The director had no project or program updates.
  10. 6 Council and Committee Reports
    Staff or committee report
    The Intergovernmental Parks Work Group's next meeting was set for April 9, 2025. A member reported on the Eno New Hope Corridor Advisory Committee, including a new botanist cataloging the meadow at Hollow Rock Nature Park.
  11. 7 Adjournment
    Procedural
    Zimmerman adjourned the meeting at 7:53 p.m.

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