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Work Session

Orange County · Board of County Commissioners
Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Work session Land conversion and large developmentComprehensive planEnvironment and sustainabilityHousing and affordabilityParks and recreationSubdivision and site plans

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

Orange County commissioners consider options for selling all or part of 79.05 acres at 6823 Millhouse Road. The county bought the land in 2004 and 2007 for a soccer complex that was never built. A March 2025 appraisal puts the property at $1,976,000, about $24,997 an acre. State law bars conditions on a sale to the public. Restricting the land to active recreation means selling to a nonprofit or another government instead.

The board also gets a third briefing on the Land Use Plan 2050's rural activity nodes. It also discusses whether to continue, change or end the Strategic Communications Work Group.

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 Millhouse Road park has been in county capital plans since the 2000s. Preliminary design for a six-field complex was done around 2008 and deferred after the 2009 recession; a partnership with Chapel Hill was discussed from 2015 and a third party from 2022, and the project was pushed beyond the ten-year capital plan in June 2025. Private parties approached the county about buying the land in 2024.

Commissioners were not of one mind on how much to sell. One wanted only half; the chair said the limit should be what active recreation feasibly needs and what the natural heritage areas require, not a fraction. Commissioner McKee said he thought the appraisal price was too low. Members asked for an updated appraisal reflecting a subdivision, and were told an easement itself affects the value. The manager said the likely route is a request for proposals setting out the parameters, and the attorney saw no benefit in hiring a commercial realtor for a restricted pool of buyers.

The board also agreed by consensus to sunset the strategic communications work group as currently structured. One member noted that about seven people attended the public input sessions and questioned whether that was worth staff time. Members discussed replacing it with an advisory board of community leaders who could carry information back to their own communities.

The land use plan presentation, the third in a series, covered the county's rural activity nodes: why there are two, what uses each allows and at what population, what is in them now, whether to combine them, and what commercial and residential uses would be permitted. Staff continue coordinating with the Home Builders Association for developer input, and the third community engagement window unveiling a draft plan was anticipated for spring.

How the votes went

Appointments were made by consensus, as was the decision to sunset the strategic communications work group. One motion, moved by Commissioner McKee and seconded by Commissioner Fowler, passed unanimously. All seven commissioners were present.

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 (3)

Discussion item · 2Presentation · 1
  1. 1 Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 — Board Request for Additional Information
    Presentation Comprehensive planHousing and affordabilityLand conversion and large development
    The third in a series of background presentations, covering rural activity nodes: why there are two, which uses each allows and at what population size, what is currently in them, whether to combine them, and what specific commercial and additional residential uses would be permitted. Staff continue coordinating with the Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange and Chatham for developer input, and the third community engagement window unveiling a draft plan was expected in spring.
  2. 2 Options for Sale of Property at 6823 Millhouse Road
    Discussion item Environment and sustainabilityLand conversion and large developmentParks and recreationSubdivision and site plans
    Options for selling all or part of 79.05 acres the county assembled in 2004 and 2007 for a soccer complex that was never built, appraised in March 2025 at $1,976,000. The county attorney advised that a public sale cannot carry use restrictions, and that restricting use means selling to a nonprofit or another government. Members favored selling the eastern portion for active recreation and retaining about 30 acres on the west, which contains a state-listed Natural Heritage site adjoining Duke Forest, by subdivision or easement. They asked for an updated appraisal reflecting a subdivision. Staff will prepare a solicitation package.
    • 6823 Millhouse Rd · no matching parcel on file
  3. 3 Discussion Regarding the Work of the Strategic Communications Work Group
    Discussion item
    The board agreed by consensus to sunset the strategic communications work group as currently structured. A member noted about seven people attended the public input sessions and questioned whether the effort justified the staff time. Members discussed replacing it with an advisory board of community leaders who could build trust and carry information back to their communities.
    Work group sunset by consensus

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