Northern County Campus

Orange County is developing approximately 21 acres located within the Hillsborough Highway 70/Cornelius Street corridor for a Norrhern County Campus. The campus will include a new Detention Center to replace the existing facility in downtown Hillsborough and a new Environment and Agricultural Center and a Parks Operations base.

Considered Sites

The site was one of four sites under consideration for the new Detention Center by the Board of County Commissioners. Staff had examined rebuilding on the existing site or locating the site adjacent to the courthouse, but neither were deemed feasible. Another site on Highway 86 North near Coleman Loop Road was considered, but the cost to extend sewer infrastructure to the site would add an estimated $700,000 to $800,000 to the cost.

County Campus Map

Designations

The parcels are within the Town of Hillsborough Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) and are governed by the Hillsborough Unified Development Ordinance. The lots are currently zoned residential. The county has applied for a "Suburban Office" Future Land-Use Amendment and an Economic Development District Zoning Amendment.

These designations will allow all of the contemplated uses within this government services campus to include an Orange County Detention Center, the Environment and Agriculture Center, potential recreation areas, a potential park and ride facility, and multi-use facilities and infrastructure (meeting facilities, parking, utilities, storage).

  1. Why does Orange County need a new detention center?
  2. If the county acquires the properties for the Northern Campus uses, would the properties be annexed into Hillsborough?
  3. What progress has been made regarding the Northern Campus since the County acquired the properties in April, 2018?
  4. Aren’t there other sites you could use?
  5. Why is the Highway 70 site the best location?
  6. Why does Orange County need a new Environment and Agricultural center?
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