In a 3-to-0 vote, the Garner Town Council has agreed to purchase three tracts of land totaling about 72.5 acres at 607, 619 and 0 East Garner Road for use as a future park. The Town will pay approximately $2.4 million for the properties and related fees and closing costs.
The Town intends to finance the purchase with a combination of fund balance and parks and recreation in-lieu fees from developers. The percentage drawn from each of those sources will be determined at a later time.
The Town has no definite plans on how the newly acquired land, and the structures on the site, will be developed as a park. Currently, the Town of Garner is in the middle of updating its Parks and Recreation Master Plan and will consider how best to utilize the property as part of that plan. The Town hopes to complete the plan by the end of 2019.
“We’ve just started looking at what facilities and amenities we need in our park system over the next 10 to 12 years, so this land acquisition comes at a good time for us,” said Assistant Town Manager for Operations Matt Roylance, whose duties include oversight of Garner’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department.
