Loading...
2021-08-19 Agenda Review NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35 AGENDA REVIEW MEETING, AUGUST 19, 2021 PAGE 181 ASSEMBLY The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met for Agenda Review on Thursday, August 19, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. in the Harrell Conference Room at the New Hanover County Government Center, 230 Government Center Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina. Members present: Chair Julia Olson-Boseman; Vice-Chair Deb Hays; Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr.; Commissioner Bill Rivenbark; and Commissioner Rob Zapple. Staff present: County Manager Chris Coudriet; County Attorney Wanda M. Copley; and Clerk to the Board Kymberleigh G. Crowell. Chair Olson-Boseman called the Agenda Review meeting to order and announced that the purpose of the meeting is to review and discuss the agenda items for the August 23, 2021 Regular Meeting with discussions as noted: Consent Item 5. Approval of Changes to Museum’s Collections Policy. In response to Board questions, Kate Baillon, Manager of Collections and Exhibits stated that the new Collections Policy will take effect once the Board approves the new policy. The policy change brings it in line with like policies at other museums. Consent Item 7. Approval of Two Items for Deaccession from the Museum’s Permanent Collection. In response to Board questions, Ms. Baillon stated that the two items should have deaccessioned a long time ago. They have been out in the park and the change will bring the items back in line with the Museum’s policy. th Regular Item 8. 50 Anniversary Plaque Presentation. County Manager Coudriet stated that Tim Holloman, Executive Director for the Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority will present the plaque to the Board. Regular Item 11. Presentation on River Road Speed Limit. In response to Board questions, Planning and Land Use Director Rebekah Roth explained that the presentation is to inform the Board of the change and give the opportunity for questions. Chair Olson-Boseman stated that she was against the speed limit reduction as it will slow traffic down going to and from Carolina Beach. STAFF UPDATE Project Grace Discovery Phase Update. County Manager Coudriet introduced Chris Boney with LS3P to present the update on the Project Grace Discovery Phase. Mr. Boney provided the update as follows:  Summary of Meetings: In response to Board questions, Chief Strategy Officer Jennifer Rigby explained that the library core team is Paige Owens, Jimi Rider, Yvette Mays, and Susan DeMarco. Mr. Boney continued the update with the visioning for the project:  “This project will be successful if it…”:  Is welcoming, engaging, and meaningful  Is community centered and visitor oriented  Is diverse and relevant (museum exhibits, library collection)  Is adaptable and flexible  Is unique yet unified  Has moments of discovery  Is easy to maintain  Is forward thinking yet contextual  Is sustainable in design and experience  Has convenient and safe access from parking (car and bus) In review of the precedent imagery information, Mr. Boney explained that the core groups looked at many images of other facilities for things they liked, which included some designs from the architectural team. The groups resonated with designs that are modern in form that include a lot of glass for the natural lighting and a lot of open space for ease of movement. The group discussed the lobby space, having some grand civic space when the public NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35 AGENDA REVIEW MEETING, AUGUST 19, 2021 PAGE 182 enters the building that would be inspirational that leads them both to the museum and the library. Discussion was also held about stairs and ways of transitioning the grade because there is some grade on the site, but also the various floors are going to introduce opportunities for spaces that are accessed by stairs. In review of the program summaries and site analysis, Mr. Boney noted that the museum is 38,500 square feet on three levels with the library being very close to the same. The shared space is roughly 8,000 square feet, for approximate total of 86,000 square feet of gross floor space. The planetarium is included in the square footage of the museum and is about 1,000 (net) square feet with a seating capacity of about 55 people.  Program Summaries:  Library:  Museum:  Shared:  Overall:  Project site analysis:  South Side Opportunities:  Civic and arts corridor/connection to Thalian Hall  Loading could be accommodated withing the parking deck  Relatively consistent grade along Chestnut Street  South Side Constraints:  Temporary Location for Library – disruption of service and availability of suitable space downtown  South light is more difficult to control  School bus stacking/staging extends onto Third Street  North Side Opportunities:  North light is more consistent throughout the day and less harsh (easier to control and lower solar heat gain)  School bus stacking/staging to Second and Grace Streets  Grade change from Third Street to Second Street could provide opportunity for increase floor- to-floor height or partial level accessible from Second Street  High visibility to visitors entering from I-40  North Side Constraints:  Loading cannot be accommodated within the parking deck – needs to be incorporated into new building footprint  Access from parking deck to new building is more indirect  Borst Building – work around or demolish it NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35 AGENDA REVIEW MEETING, AUGUST 19, 2021 PAGE 183 Mr. Boney also provided an overview of the adjacency diagrams and explained how the different component pieces fit into the project noting the following:  The southern side of the parking deck has been reserved for private development.  The areas in blue are the museum components.  The areas in pink are the library components.  The areas in yellow are the shared spaces in between.  Level One: Mr. Boney explained that the museum team determined it would prefer a front door along Third Street for visitor visibility purposes with the entrance from the north coming off the parkway and from I-40 where visitors come into downtown. The museum is dependent on visitor revenue, which makes the Third Street placement ideal. On the first level, the urban plaza would open into the large public lobby space that would serve both the museum and the library in one shared area and opens directly up to an auditorium. The lobby will lead into the library with the children and teen areas are on the ground floor. Trucks would enter on the Second Street side of the block, adjacent to the parking deck with back in house service quarters to serve the entire facility via the loading docks. Efforts are being made to not mix uses and the residential component will be entirely on the south side.  Level Two: The second floor is primarily library space that includes the North Carolina rooms which includes space opening to the first floor, adult stacks, and a reading terrace on the corner. The reading terrace with the upper level being for adults and the lower level being for children, became an important point of the design. The view down Grace Street occupies prominent space on a corner, but also provides the library the desired access to outdoor areas and will serve a great purpose for it. The library team felt Story Park has not been able to serve patrons well due to location and exposure. The reading terraces will be protected, with access through the library and controlled by staff. Where the elevator and stairs are located, it is being proposed that it be moved over to where the yellow circulation piece area is to accomplish several things that will make it easier to access for service.  Level Three: NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35 AGENDA REVIEW MEETING, AUGUST 19, 2021 PAGE 184 Level three is all museum space with outdoor galleries and outdoor programming being a big part of the museum. It will also be the primary changing gallery and house some of the offices. There is an outdoor rooftop terrace that will be along Third Street, which may potentially wrap around the building down along Second Street. The dashed area is all potential rooftop, a portion of which will be used for mechanical spaces. It can be utilized as a very nice multipurpose space for museum events and programming. It will be controlled by the museum staff. Mr. Boney concluded the update by providing an overview project schedule as follows: In response to Board questions, Mr. Boney stated the team is exploring the transition from the parking deck into the building. Currently, patrons would walk outside of the parking deck to access the library and/or museum. The urban plaza would be covered and has been envisioned as taking on many uses. There is a roof that would go over the whole thing which is a major design element. It is going to be where schoolchildren assemble before entering the museum and the plaza has a range of potential uses such as a gathering place or functioning as an outdoor classroom. There are also some great opportunities for museum exhibits and library signage in the space. In response to Board questions, County Manager Coudriet explained that with this model the County does retain ownership of the north side. The business model for development team on the private sector side does not assume or contemplate being a project manager. That was able to be worked out with the Government Center, but this is all predicated on and spelled out in the memorandum of agreement (MOA) that the development team would issue the debt, build the building, and the County would lease it. However, the Local Government Commission (LGC) has final say on that and that is clearly why there is an exit for the Board if the LGC says no to the model. If the County does not proceed with the lease to own model, it would have no certainty or control of development on the south side and therefore, no certainty or predictability of the incoming revenue. The County cannot put limitations on the deed transfer of property to determine what can and cannot happen. As contemplated, the lease to own model is the better route if the County believes that there should be predictable development on the south side and revenue incoming with it. In response to further Board questions, County Manager Coudriet explained that the Government Center MOA specifies and gives the County the opportunity to weigh in on what happens on the existing site. The difference with that agreement is that the developer was willing for the County to be the holder of the debt, so they changed the MOA and the business model. As it pertains to this matter, Zimmer Development’s position is that it wants to be the holder of the debt, so it is controlled through the MOA. The direction had been to look at private investment. A private-public partnership where the County controls the development on the parcel with it and can also more or less condition and predict how much tax revenue will come in to apply towards either the lease or the debt, is the best model. That is because the Board chose a partner that wanted to hold a lease versus doing a development or construction/project management fee. He further explained that in the case of the Government Center project, the development team originally proposed a similar arrangement. However, they were willing to renegotiate with the County and change the process and become a fee developer and then have control of where the existing Government Center sits. The bid process for Project Grace is still many months down the road. The LGC has been very clear that it wants to see a design that can be bid and what the project cost in order to consider whether it would approve the lease agreement. That is why it was written into the MOA that if the LGC says no, the County walks away with no exposure and then can reexamine what it wants to do, if anything, on that block. Mr. Boney confirmed it would be March or April of 2022 before information on project cost estimates would be known. Chair Olson-Boseman thanked Mr. Boney for the presentation. ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS OF BUSINESS Request of Planning and Land Use Staff Vice-Chair Hays asked that Planning and Land Use staff investigate optional pathways to address cell towers, including design specs for both commercial and residential districts. Staff was also asked to ensure that cell tower applicants who are proposing structures in residential districts have proven the inability to locate in non-residential districts. In response to Board questions, Ms. Roth explained that the County cannot necessarily request things not allowed by state law. After the recent special use permit public hearing, discussions were held with Deputy County Attorney Sharon Huffman about what options are potentially available. There is information that is currently not being asked for in the applications such as some requirements regarding co-location, if there are opportunities available, with the onus being on the applicant to provide that is not possible as part of their application. There may also be some design standards that the Board, if it so desires, can put into place in certain districts to address adjacent residential neighborhood concerns about aesthetics and the preference for towers to locate in non- residential areas when possible. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35 AGENDA REVIEW MEETING, AUGUST 19, 2021 PAGE 185 Mask Mandate Discussion A brief discussion was held regarding the mask mandate in New Hanover County. County Manager Coudriet explained that when the Board made the decision about two and half years ago to consolidate Health and DSS, there were options on how to consolidate. The Board at the time very clearly stated that it wanted to have a Health and Human Services Board (HHSB) that was independent so that it could exercise these kinds of authorities without it being the five county commissioners weighing in. It could have chosen to sit as the Health and Human Services Board but chose not to. It was a conscious choice to appoint an independent body that does, by legislative direction, have very discreet rulemaking authority for things that relate to health. When a board implements those rules, they are affective by jurisdiction or across a community, irrespective of jurisdictional boundary because they are health issues as opposed to legislative issues. The HHSB is well within its authority to do what it is doing and is a vote that would be independent of the county commission. As to the vaping decision that came before the Commissioners, County Manager Coudriet explained that matter had to come before the Commissioners due to the regulation of tobacco in this state. It is the only matter where an elected body weighs in on a matter of health policy or rule. The HHSB is largely made up of professionals in health and human services who have concluded that based on the data in this community, this is the right thing to do. HHSB members are appointed by the County Commissioners because of their professional experiences and the ones who are making a decision as authorized by state statute. Commissioner Barfield stated that the decision to have this form of HHSB was a very deliberative decision. He provided a brief overview of when the Commissioners deliberated on accepting money for IUDs on behalf of the Health Department noting that it was a very political conversation and based on a national conversation on a woman’s right to choose. When the Board chose to have a separate HHSB, its formation was to take the politics out so that regardless of political party, a decision will not be swayed by the national agenda. There is a pharmacist, a physician, a dentist, etc. that is versed in health consequences. He believes that the Board of Commissioners has appointed competent people that understand the fullness this matter. The vote by the HHSB was a unanimous vote. Chair Olson-Boseman stated that those appointed to the HHSB do not care about politics. She added that people cannot rely on politicians to make healthcare decisions when they are not healthcare providers. In response to Board questions, Health Director David Howard stated that the masks that everyone is wearing are not as effective as the N95, which is what a nurse would wear in a healthcare setting, but it helps. A cloth mask gives somewhere around 30% protection versus 80% to 90% of the N95 and it is not reasonable to expect everyone to be able to obtain an N95 mask. It is accurate that while masks are effective to a degree, but they are not as good as a respirator or an N95. They are most effective when everyone wears one indoors in areas of high transmission. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Chair Olson-Boseman adjourned the meeting at 4:49 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kymberleigh G. Crowell Clerk to the Board Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners meeting.