Orange County committee green-lights SEQRA review and $5M construction appropriation for Arboretum event center

The Orange County Legislature's Fiscal Services Committee voted Dec. 16 to assume lead agency status under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and to fund the construction phase of the Arboretum Event Center at Thomas Bull Memorial Park in Hamptonburg.

Commissioners presented the plan for an approximately 8,000-square-foot event center with restrooms, a kitchen, storage and a green room. The county sought a $5,000,000 supplemental appropriation to establish the construction portion of a project architects estimate will total about $6,100,000, or roughly $730 per square foot.

Why it matters: committee members raised questions about site constraints that drive cost, chiefly the absence of municipal water. Commissioner (presenter) said that requirement forces an on-site fire suppression approach, explaining, "In the utility room, there's a 15,000 gallon tank" intended to supply the sprinkler system and to provide a future hookup to the adjacent Ottaway building.

Legislators pressed on occupancy and code thresholds that determine whether sprinklers are required. Members noted codes discussed a 99-person or 199-person trigger; one legislator said keeping occupancy under the cap could avoid the sprinkler requirement. The presenter said the design team initially planned a space sized to accommodate larger events and that retrofitting Ottaway will allow increased occupancy in both buildings once sprinkler piping is connected.

Several legislators voiced concern about the county's entering the event-hosting market when private businesses offer similar services and questioned whether design changes or a state variance could reduce the cost of installing on-site tanks. The presenter said architects would be asked about alternate materials and variance possibilities and that piping for the Ottaway connection is included in that project.

What happened next: the committee held a roll-call vote and approved the SEQRA resolution and appropriation motion. The presenter agreed to report back with any updates on variance or material options at a future meeting.

Actions and provenance: legislative request number 269 (SEQRA resolution and supplemental appropriation) was considered and approved by the committee. Topic in transcript first appears at SEG 036 and discussion on the appropriation concludes by SEG 453.

Next steps: staff said they will continue discussing variance options with architects and will provide updates as more information becomes available.