BC 2009 10 05 Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

October 5, 2009 (Work Session) Page 1642 Mr. Downs stated in regards to the old fairgrounds site, the County is in the process of demolishing old buildings, leveling the site, and installing a temporary storm detention pond so the site will be ready for sale or future use. He stressed the only other potential use for the property is locating and building a communications tower in the area. Commissioner Carruth suggested an attractive brick building be constructed on the property to house the communications tower. In response to a question from Chairman White on the possible height of the tower, Mr. Downs was unable to confirm with certainty, but assumed it could be as high as 300 feet. Vice Chairman Mynatt inquired whether placing a tower on the old fairgrounds property would make it less likely to sell. Mr. Downs stated the County will be approaching the Board in the next month or so with proposals to replace the County's existing radio system that is reaching its life's capacity with a new digital system. He explained switching from an analog system to a digital system will require an additional tower. He further explained there is a tower at the fire station but it is full to capacity and cannot accommodate additional equipment. Mr. Downs stipulated the old fairgrounds is an ideal location for the tower since the property is county- owned and is the tallest site in the area. Also, he stated, there is a possibility that the tower at the fire station may be eliminated provided there is a consensus between Concord, Kannapolis and the County. Mr. Downs noted all three jurisdictions are presently meeting in that regard. Vice Chairman Mynatt expressed curiosity why the architect was not aware of the need for a different design prior to producing the current design. She purported the situation is dubious in that there is no way to compare per building cost and inquired what specifically is requested of the Board. In response, Mr. Downs made an appeal for the Board to select a site so land costs could be negotiated, then definitive cost information could be provided to the Board. He mentioned the architects could then proceed with collecting figures on the two different building styles as well. Mr. Day advised if the Board desired to place this item on the agenda, then the County should be prepared to have serious negotiations with the property owners in order to have information to report; otherwise, the County should not go through the process until a real interest is determined. Vice Chairman Mynatt inquired whether the placement of two buildings on the old fairgrounds property would cost $850,000.00 - $875,000.00. Mr. Downs responded in the affirmative provided the County did not pursue the third site. Vice Chairman Mynatt asserted it is unlikely the purchase of property plus associated site costs would be less than the value of the old fairgrounds property. Mr. Day stated the County cannot say with certainty that there will be a need for another building; it will depend upon growth and County services. He pointed out that one building alone would cost over $860,000.00, and if a second building is never built, funds will still be tied up in the site. Chairman White stated the Board needs to be informed where the County is in the process so the Board can determine what is needed going forward into next year. He stated the Board's thoughts were that the building would be completed by August of 2010 so that the Board of Elections and other agencies could be relocated to the new building by the fall of 2010. He reiterated the importance for the Board to be updated on the County's position on this issue so it may be discussed at the October regular meeting. Chairman White agreed that a table of costs is needed to compare the properties brought to the Board for review. He noted the Afton Ridge property is attractive because of the four-lane highway on Kannapolis Parkway which would provide ease of traffic especially for the Board of Elections and Veterans Administration departments. In regards to the International Business Park site, Chairman White expressed concern regarding the brick versus masonry restrictions and the cost factor involved in developing the property. He noted the Northlite site is unfavorable because of the adjacent two-lane road; although the road is not heavily traveled, there would not be ease of traffic for ingressing and egressing veterans and voting citizens. Also, there is the cost factor of removing the dirt. He stated, in his opinion, the properties should be ranked as follows: 1) Afton Ridge; 2) International Business Park; and 3) Old Fairgrounds. He further noted if the Afton Ridge property is selected, his preference would be to have two buildings on the site so that in the future if the price of the building increases, the other land can be used more efficiently. He purported, in his opinion, Afton Ridge and International Business Park properties would be good selling sites. He petitioned the Board to look at the sites to ascertain the true costs so a financial decision can be made.