Item:
Title
Approval of Capital Project Amendment No.26CPA017 and Budget Ordinance Amendment No.26BCC051 Reducing the Open Space & Farmland Preservation Capital Project (4730DC083) by $510K and Transferring the Funding to the General Fund to Support Triangle Land Conservancy’s Purchase and Protection of 77 Acres and Conveyance of 15 Acres to Durham County
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: February 9, 2026
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to approve Capital Project Amendment No.26CPA017 and Budget Ordinance Amendment No.26BCC051 Reducing the Open Space & Farmland Preservation Capital Project (4730DC083) by $510,000 and transferring to the funding to the General Fund to support Triangle Land Conservancy’s (TLC’s) purchase and protection of 77 acres. TLC will convey 15 acres located at 391 and 409 Southview Road (portions of REIDs 231184 and 194090) to Durham County to expand the County’s existing Southview Preserve. The County’s $510,000 contribution represents 16% of the total $3.1 million cost of the 77 acres and allows TLC to leverage multiple funding partners and landowner donations needed to make the purchase.
|
Project Name and Number |
Current Budget |
Increase / Decrease |
Updated Budget |
|
Open Space & Farmland Preservation (4730DC083) |
$12,575,369.70 |
($510,000.00) |
$12,065,369.70 |
|
TOTAL |
$12,575,369.70 |
($510,000.00) |
$12,065,369.70 |
This project expands TLC’s and Durham County’s protected lands in east Durham along Southview Road to 263 acres, improving water quality in Falls Lake and Lick Creek by reducing nutrient pollution. It safeguards habitat, supports biodiversity in a rapidly developing area, and positions the site for potential future public access, including hiking trails that could connect to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: The acquisition and protection of land for permanent open space aligns with Strategic Plan Goal 4: Environment - Protect natural resources and support and promote community and economic viability, through the Natural Resource Stewardship and Protection Objective to protect and steward natural resources.
Resource Persons: Celeste Burns, Open Space and Real Estate Manager, Peri Manns, Deputy Director of Engineering and Environmental Services; Margaret Sands, Associate Director of Land Protection West, Triangle Land Conservancy
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board approve Capital Project Amendment No.26CPA017 and Budget Ordinance Amendment No.26BCC051 Reducing the Open Space & Farmland Preservation Capital Project (4730DC083) by $510,000 and transferring to the funding to the General Fund to support Triangle Land Conservancy’s (TLC’s) purchase and protection of 77 acres. TLC will convey 15 acres located at 391 and 409 Southview Road (portions of REIDs 231184 and 194090) to Durham County to expand the County’s existing Southview Preserve. The County’s $510,000 contribution represents 16% of the total $3.1 million cost of the 77 acres and allows TLC to leverage multiple funding partners and landowner donations needed to make the purchase.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________