Wendell to buy 32.246 acres adjoining Wendell Park from Wake County for future athletic fields and recreation center

The Wendell Board of Commissioners authorized the town manager to sign a disposition contract with Wake County to acquire approximately 32.246 acres adjoining Wendell Park for parks and recreation use.

Town staff said Wake County purchased about 121 acres using open-space bond funds; the town intends to buy roughly 32.246 acres of that parcel for active recreation and a future athletic-field complex and recreation center. Because active recreation is not an allowable use under the county’s open-space bond, the town will reimburse the county for the portion of the purchase price attributable to the nonqualified acres. Staff provided an estimated total cost of $448,430.61 for the 32.246-acre portion, with the final figure to be adjusted by final acreage determination.

Why it matters: The acquisition clears a path for future athletic fields, a recreation center and the planned Buffalo Creek Greenway connection. Staff noted the remaining roughly 88.875 acres of the county parcel will remain in the Wake County open-space program. The disposition agreement requires annexation of the whole parcel into Wendell and includes a first right of refusal for the county if the town later seeks to use the property for something other than public recreation.

The board voted to authorize the town manager to sign the agreement and to use the reserve fund identified previously to cover the purchase. Staff said the conveyance will include due-diligence and closing steps typical for property acquisitions and that the town will cover conveyance expenses.

Staff and commissioners described the site as appropriate for recreation development because much of the usable acreage sits outside frequent floodplain areas; flood-prone land farther from the old farm site will remain in open space. The board carried the motion after brief discussion.