Action
Notice of Intent (NOI) to transfer Federally assisted facility.
Summary
Section 5334(h) of the Federal Transit Laws, as codified, 49 U.S.C. 5301, et. seq., permits the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to authorize a recipient of FTA funds to transfer land or a facility to a public body for any public purpose with no further obligation to the Federal Government if, among other things, no Federal agency is interested in acquiring the asset for Federal use. Accordingly, FTA is issuing this Notice to advise Federal agencies that the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) intends to transfer the facility located at 274 Winkler's Creek Road, Boone, NC 28607, on behalf of a subrecipient, AppalCART, to Watauga County, NC. AppalCART, the transportation authority serving all of Watauga County, used the location as an administrative and maintenance facility from 1981-2013 (32 yrs). AppalCART can no longer use the property because construction on a new administrative and maintenance facility was completed in August 2013. Watauga County will be utilizing the property as a County maintenance department. Watauga County is charged with maintaining all county vehicles and facilities, including snow removal. This transfer would provide a number of benefits to the county and its residents. The site is more centrally located than the current location of the County maintenance department; the new location would allow quicker and more efficient dispatch of maintenance crews for snow removal and other services to County facilities. The interior space at this property will allow maintenance equipment and vehicles to be sheltered and maintained indoors, saving them from the wear currently experienced due to the harsh climate of the area. Also, the site and facilities have adequate space for other county usage, such as storage for other departments and a possible impound lot for the Sheriff's Office. The transfer will allow the property to be put to good use. The County has agreed to ensure that this use will be maintained for no less than five (5) years.