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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-30-2007-bMM99 CAREK.M CHAIR ORANGE Cot*nY BOARD VJWC7VW Pogr OFMCE B• . April 12, 2007 Sevin C. Foy, Mayor Town of Chapel Hill 405 Martin Lvxher Sing Jr. Blvd Chapel Hill, NC. 27514 hLmk Chilton, Mayor Town of Carrbom 301 West Attain. Street Cauboro, N.C. 27510 Tom. Stevens, Mayor Town Of Fillsboraugh PO Box 429 Hillsborough. NC 27278 Glendel Stephenson, Mayor 106 East Washington Street P.O. Box 527 Mebane, N.C. 27302 Re.- School Site IdentMen0on Dear Mayors Foy, Chilton, Stevens and Stephenson: /q0VkVk,&;i- S The Chairs and Vice- Chairs of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, the Orange County Board. of Education and the Chapel Hill- Carrboro Board. of Education have collaborated over the last few years to address a variety of common interests. Our work group's most recent discussions have centered on the Cowmty's School Construction Standards. The Standards provide benchmarks for various school construction foots components. Examples of components outlined in the Standards include square ge, school site acreage, and student capacity at each school level, elementary, middle and high. warw.eooeaer��rvcus . paorsc E • ORAND CO SO R NAU YOPOf/ Op LIFE (9f9) 4-1--a rao a PAX (9 f9) 644-0246 r' Second page School Site Identification We recognize the fact that it is important to look beyond "traditional schools" — large schools that require 25 tD 50 acres of land — to more non traditional school sites that would offer flexnbility and accommodate various local conditions including the availability, or lack i' wmt of land. One of our next tasks is to collaborate with our municipal partners and identify potential future school sites that fit the parameters outlined in the standards. The ultimate goal of this process would be the county, which is statutorily responsible for funding school construction, might possibly consider opportunities to "land banle'properties that' would be suitable for future school sites. Future school sites in the county are becoming more limited as growth and development c;ontumes. Therefore, we must be smarter and more proactive in. ,cooperating to identify and preserve suitable school sites for in advance of our needs• Land bnnMn will allow the County to find sites that exhibit as many smart growth attributes as possible consistent with. our Standards. Such smart growth.attn'butes, although not adopted at this point, can include a variety of ingests from public transportation and wallcability to green building designed schools and the community communication aspects therein. Our collective past work with regard to the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) has helped us project future school capital needs for a ton -year period. There is a significant amount of lead-time needed before future school doors open. Site search and acquisition, f moving, regulatory approvals, and building and iufrasfructure construction can be time -con aspects. Local governments know their jurisdictions best, from land use regulations and processes to the infrastructure necessary to serve the area in a timely manner. Schools, municipalities and county government have worked together in the past and used their local knowledge geographical nlfiamation systems (GIS) to help find prime-school sites. Our most recent collaboration successes were the siting of Carrboro High School and Gravelly Middle School. To that end, our work group would Me to see this identification, Process formalized. Based on most recent student membership projections, the Chapel Hill. Cmboro School system will need additional elementary and middle school space in thenextthree- to-six years. Therefore, it seems reasonable to ask our staffs to initiate a pilot school siting process for these facilities in the near future. Although the pilot program will primarily involve sites within the Chapel Hill Carrbwo School District, we envision subsequent formalizing the process within the Orange County Schools District. Third Page School Site Identification By virtue of this letter, the members of the.Schools Collaboration Work Group ask that you convey this proposal to your staff and ask thein to participate in this process. Key contact staff for our individual entities includes Chug Benedie4 Orange County; Steve Scroggs and Bill Mullen, Chapel Hill Schools; and George McFarley, Orange County Schools. Please forward the names of your entity's representatives too the Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners, Donna. Baker, by May 1, 2007. Ms. Baker's email address is oran . nG.'us. Thank you in advance for your participation in this undertaking. If you have any questions, please contact us. Sincerely, Moses Carey, Jr., Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners• For Dennis Whitling, Chair, Orange County Board of Education Jamezetta Bedford, Chair, Chapel Hill- Carrbom Board of Education Cc: Laura, Blackmon, Orange County Manager Eric Peterson, IIillsborough Town manager Roger Stancil, Chapel Hill Town manager Steve Stewart, Caaboro Town Manager Robert Wilson, Mebane Town Manager.' Dr. Shirley Caraway, Orange County Schools Superintendent Dr. Neil Pedersen, Chapel Hill- Caaboro Schools Superintendent Orange County Board of Commissioners