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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff_Analysis_Document_TPL_Story_Mill_Park TOP Program Staff Report Trust for Public Land (TPL) Application for Story Mill Park Project 2/7/14 _______________________________________________ ______________________________________ 1. Project Applicants The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is the sole applicant. The application includes two distinct phases: Phase I-sale of lands currently owned by TPL to the City and Phase II -design and Construction of park land after the property is sold to the city. Upon conveyance of the property to the city, TPL would partner with the city to assist in both the park master planning process (park design) and to raise matching funds necessary to implement the design (construction). Matching funds for the park design and construction will be provided by TPL in the form of cash (obtained via fund raising) and in kind contributions from other partnering organizations. While TPL is the sole applicant, other partners would become involved in phase II of the project. 2. Application Materials Submitted by TPL 1) Application dated Jan. 6, 2014 includes proposed budget for land acquisition and park plan design and construction costs. 2) Warranty Deed for 62 acres parcel currently owned by TPL – TPL proposes selling +/-54 acres to the city 3) Map depicting location of current utilities (gas and electric, sewer, wetlands and watercourses). 4) Current Parcel ownership map 5) Due Diligence Cover – Lists due diligence documents for related to property sale 6) L Street Phase II Environmental Site Assessment 7) L Street Structure Report – Buildings structural report for old farmstead complex and rendering facilities 8) Property Planning Parcel Map – lists all tax parcels, parcel acres, tract names and COS #s 9) Map –Story Mill Existing Conditions – Conceptual rendering of current conditions of property 10) Story Mill Ecological Restoration Selected Alternative Conceptual Design Report – Nov. 2013 (Respec) 11) Owners (TPL) Policy of Title Insurance 12) Wetland Delineation Report – July 2012 (River Design Group) 13) Map – Story Mill Existing Conditions with Structures – Conceptual Rendering 14) Story Mill Water Rights Memo – Jan. 23, 2014 DMS Natural Resources, LLC. * All materials are currently located as electronic documents on the City’s website 3. Location/Ownership The proposed project would include the following parcels identified on the “Property Planning Parcel Map”: Bridger View Mobile Home Court No. 2 – 9.928 acres Tract 2B 10.295 acres *Wakeup Property – 3.94 acres Tract 17 Northeast  Annexation 16.522 Tract A Robert A. Turner 5.177 acres Tract 1 5.682 acres Tract A 1.71 acres Tract C1-A 1.114 acres Total Acres = 54.368 acres *TPL currently does not own the 3.94 acre Wakeup Property parcel along the East Gallatin, but has an Exchange Agreement with Wakeup that would give Wakeup Tract 23A (2.267 acres) and Tract K (.736 acres) and cash, in exchange for the 3.94 acre parcel. This is a confidential agreement that currently cannot be shared and expires in Sept. 2014. TPL currently owns 62 acres as depicted on the “Property Planning Parcel Map” including the Bridger View Mobile Home Court Parcel (8.025 Acres), Tract 23A and Tract K. TPL intends to convey +/- 54 acres to the City. The 8.025 acre Bridger View Mobile Home Court Parcel  will be excluded from the proposed conveyance to the City of Bozeman, while Tracks 23A and Track K will be exchanged for the 3.94 acre Wakeup Property Tract . TPL purchased the 62 acre property from American Bank in December 2012 for an undisclosed amount. TPL has a confidentiality agreement with American Bank and cannot provide the City with the appraisal used in the purchase of the 62 acre property. TPL recently ordered an appraisal for the +/- 54 acres it intends to convey to the City and expects the appraisal to be completed in 2-3 months. As indicated in their application (p.2), TPL is offering the property for sale to the City at a fair market value price not to exceed our $2,650,000 purchase price, to be substantiated by an independent appraisal.”  If the City were to purchase the property for $2,650,000, the per acre price would be $48,741,907. An orphan parcel on the north side of East Griffin Drive (small triangular parcel between East Gallatin Creek and East Griffin Drive) may be merged into tract 2B prior to conveyance to the city pending outcome of quit claim. The Boundary Line Adjustment (BLA) for the +/- 4 acre parcel (Wake Up Property) will involve a BLA of a small triangular parcel along the Story Mill Spur prior to conveyance to the TPL from Wake Up Properties Inc. A Right of Way (RoW) is proposed to cross the 8 acre parcel to be retained by TPL that will provide public access along Bridger Drive. 4. Application Development TPL provided a complete application and supporting materials to the City. Prior to submitting their application, TPL conducted a public survey in January 2013 that included 690 respondents and held a half day workshop in February 2013 in which 150 residents attended and provided feedback. Public feedback and survey data was utilized in the development of a conceptual park plan that was completed in August 2013 and submitted as part of TPL’s application. 5. Summary of Proposed project: Phases, Scope of Work A. Phases, Scope of Work: The proposed project consists of two phases: Phase I – sale of land to the City; phase II- design and construction of parkland B. General Site selection: No other site locations were provided by TPL; TPL purchased the property in 2012 because it “extraordinary potential (Application p.2)” to create the largest city owned park that also encompassed all of the criteria identified in the Trails Open Space and Parks Bond Resolution. C. Existing and new Infrastructure requirements: The removal of existing infrastructure, including the site of the former trailer park, the farm complex and the rendering facility would have to be addressed in the buy/ sell agreement between the city and TPL. D. Suitability of site for proposed project: The site has extensive wetlands and riparian habitat and is centrally located to provide further connectivity to existing city trails. The property has extensive frontage along Bridger Drive and has frontage along the Story Mill Spur. E. Who will manage/construct the project on the approved site? The city would be responsible for managing construction of improvements after it purchases the land. The park development would go through the Park Master Planning Process; a memorandum of agreement should be drafted prior to Commission review detailing Scope of Work, timetable, roles and responsibilities between the City and all partners and cost sharing for Phase II. 6. Review by Municipal Departments Preliminary review by departments and city staff has been conducted. (* formal review still needed from DPW and Legal of Environmental Site Assessment Phase I and II for, Structure Reports, Water Resources Report, Due Diligence including title and appraisal , Wetlands Restoration Report ) . Public Works - There are no additional municipal infrastructure improvements or costs required for the development of the project as presented. Details of proposed RoW along Bridger Drive (combined use trail) through 8 acre parcel retained by TPL will have to be worked out. Community Development and Planning Review – Any BLA for this project would occur prior to conveyance of the city. No annexation is required. The area is zoned primarily as R-4 and does include some R-2 along Bridger Drive. A water resources report and wetlands restoration report has been provided by the applicant. Information is still needed about the history of the Trailer Park sewer/water infrastructure. Legal Review – Applicant has ordered an appraisal for the property and expects to have it completed by the beginning of March. The applicant has provided a Commitment to Title Insurance and both a Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment. There is no survey for the property; however, most of the parcels in the property have Certificates of Survey. The Applicant submitted a Water Resources report and a Structural Report for the rendering facility buildings east of the Story Mill Spur and in the farm complex buildings west of Story Mill Spur. Finance – TOPs funds cannot be held in an endowment (proposed $200,000 endowment, p. 21 Application). The cost of Wetlands restoration identified at approx. $500,000 was not included in the proposed total budget. Proposed fire pit and orchard on conceptual rendering would have to be reviewed against current municipal code to determine risk and assess liability. 7. Proposed Improvements to Site/Property After selling the property to the City, TPL would partner with the City to engage in the Park Master Planning Process as well as the construction and implementation of the park. The conceptual rendering of the proposed Park include improvements that are not included in the proposed budget. TPL has indicated that they would like to begin Phase II prior to conveying to the City (the completion of Phase I). 8. Other Committees Review A. The application has not been reviewed by any other committee. 9. Overall budget development The application budget includes the following proposed costs: Land Acquisition: $2.65 million (paid for by TOPs funds) Park Design and Construction $5.5 million ($1.85 Million TOPs funds; $3.7 million TPL) Total Project Cost: $8.2 million ($4.5 million TOPs funds; $3.7 million TPL) TPL will provide an appraisal for the property which will provide a value for the property. TPL is offering the property to the City at a not to exceed value of $2.65 million. The proposed budget for Park Design and Construction (p.7 Application; Total $5.5. million) includes $583,000 for preparation of site and demolition of buildings and improvements. While listed as a Phase II budget item, the costs for site preparation and demolition would likely have to be identified in a buy sell agreement and be part of the Phase I budget (land acquisition). The cost of wetlands restoration ($500,000) is not included in the Park Design and Construction Agreement. Cost sharing details for the Park Design and Construction budget should be codified in a Memorandum of Agreement that provides a cost break down of the City’s S1.85 million contribution vs. contributions to be shared by various partners in both cash and in-kind contributions. Summary Staff recommends the following documents be developed or obtained prior to advancing any application approved by the TOPs committee to City Commission: 1) Appraisal of 54 acres proposed for sale to the City 2) Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between TPL and the City outlining in greater detail, proposed budget, cost sharing and timetable for Design and Construction ( phase II) of proposed project. TPL has indicated that they would like to proceed with some of the activities identified in Phase II (Design and Construction) prior to conveyance to the City. This would need to be agreed upon in a MoA. 3) Buy/Sell agreement that details requirements/costs for removal / demolition of existing structures on the property, any environmental remediation required on the property. Cost of removal of structures is currently listed as a Phase II budget item (Site Preparation and Demolition $583,000) in the $5.5 Million Conceptual Design and Construction Budget. This cost and cost sharing should be included in the Phase I budget.