Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-02-2004-5fORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 2, 2004 Action Agenda Item No. r~ -' SUBJECT: Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) -Approval of Annual Certifications DEPARTMENT: Manager/Budget/Planning/ PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Attorney ATTACHMENT(S): Revised Draft SAPFOTAC Annual Report Revisions Made to SAPFOTAC Report (both sent under separate cover) Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 INFORMATION CONTACT: Rod Visser, ext 2300 Donna Dean, ext 2151 Craig Benedict, ext 2592 Geof Gledhill, 732-2196 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 PURPOSE: To approve various certifications related to student membership and capacity of the Orange County Schools (OCS) and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHGGS) as of November 15, 2003, as outlined in the revised draft Annual Report of the SAPFO Technical Advisory Committee (SAPFOTAC) and the incorporated forms. BACKGROUND: As discussed in a report on this topic at the May 4 and May 18, 2004 BOCG meetings, the County and its SAPFO partners are required annually to review and certify the actual number of students attending school in both school systems each November 15. There is also a requirement to certify the building capacity available in each system at the elementary, middle and high school levels. The SAPFO Technical Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives of bath school systems and the Planning Directors of the County and Towns, also is tasked to produce an annual report for the governing boards of each SAPFO partner outlining changes in membership (an increase from the previous year of 313 students in CHCCS and 143 students in OCS), capacity, student projections, and their collective impacts on the future issuance of Certificates of Adequate Public Schools (CAPS) to requesting developers. As noted by the Board at the May 4 meeting, there is agreement among the SAPFO partners about mast of the figures subject to annual certification. As requested by the Board, staff have brought this topic back to this meeting so the Board can approve the SAPFO-related certifications. 2 The exact pages of the 2004 SAPFOTAC report that the BOCC will be acknowledging and certifying are listed below. The context (i.e.: definitions and standards) of the various SAPFO elements precede the data to be certified and is within the full report. Element Page in Certification to be made by BOCC SAPFOTAC Re ort Building capacity 6 through 11 Orange County Elementary, Middle, with CIP changes and High Schools (p, 6, 7, 8) • Chapel Hill/Carrboro Elementary, (Change) Middle, and Hi h Schools . 9, 10, 11 Student membership 16 Certification that the average of 5 models projection methodology will be used, as noted in #3 on page 16 No Chan e Student membership 32 and 33 . Orange County Elementary, Middle, projections and High Scheels Student Projections (row that notes average only) (p. 32) • Chapel Hill/Carrboro Elementary, Middle, and High Schools Student Projections (row that notes average (Change) onl . 33 Student Growth Rate 36 Orange County Elementary, Middle, and High Schools • Chapel Hill/Carrboro Elementary, (Change) Middle, and Hi h Schools Student/housing generation 38 . Orange County Elementary, Middle, rate and High Schools • Chapel Hill/Carrboro Elementary, Middle, and High Schools No Chan e (Change) denotes a change from last year. As noted at the earlier meeting, there will still need to be resolution regarding determinations by the State of North Carolina that class size in grades kindergarten through 2 (K-2) must be reduced from a ratio of 23 students to 1 teacher to 21 to 1, Commissioners have noted that a unilateral reduction in class size by the State has the effect of creating an unfunded mandate for county governments, Reduced class sizes in elementary schools create the need for more classroom space, which county governments must pay for. Further impacts to class size and possible additional classroom space needs could be experienced given the Governor's recent budget proposal to reduce class size in Grade 3 in North Carolina, County staff propose that the BOCC certify individual school building capacities as of November 15, 2003 at the same levels as they were as of November 15, 2002, with two exceptions -the addition of 619 elementary seats in the Chapel Hill~•Carrboro system resulting from the August 2003 opening of Rashkis Elementary; and the addition of 100 more seats in 2003 at the renovated Hillsborough Elementary in the Orange County Schools system, Both school systems wculd be asked to make the same certifications as the BOCC, with the understanding that the BOCC will engage school board representatives in discussions during the coming months that would lead to a consensual approach to the next annual certifications for school building capacities, effective November 15, 2004. A forum for these discussions can be the periodic meetings of the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the three governing boards that were suggested and endorsed during the April 26, 2004 joint work session of the BOCC and the two school boards. Revisions made to the 2004 SAPFOTAC report are attached. The revisions were made in response to Commissioner Cordon's comments at the May 18, 2004 BOCC meeting regarding capacity discrepancies and her subsequent comments which were faxed to the Planning Department on Ma,y 25, 2004. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Precise financial impacts cannot be determined, but passible changes in projected building capacity and projected growth in student membership for the next ten years will have impacts on future operating and capital budgets measured in the tens of millions of dollars. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the SAPFO related certifications of student membership and capacity as specified in the report certification summary table herein.