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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-19-2002-7aORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 19, 2002 Action Agenda Item No. ~- a SUBJECT: Public Hearing for Durham Technical Community College Satellite Campus Site DEPARTMENT: Purchasing and Central Services ATTACHMENT(S): PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) Yes INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam Jones, (919) 245-2652 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: The Board will receive public input on specific sites that may be available for sale in Central Orange County for consideration by the County Commissioners and representatives of the Durham Tech Board of Trustees as a Durham Tech satellite campus. BACKGROUND: The Orange County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) has previously approved a resolution of intent to site a satellite campus of the Durham Technical Community College (DTCC) in Orange County. The site selection process is at the discretion of and under the direction of the County Commissioners. The site selection process as adopted by the BOCC on June 27, 2002 includes an opportunity for the public to identify specific sites that may be available for sale and that may be appropriate for this purpose. Criteria The following criteria have been previously suggested for selection of the site. The site selection committee may choose to weight the individual criterion, however, for the purposes of the abstract are listed in no priority order. • Approximately 20-acres to accommodate on-site parking and future expansion (as requested by Durham Tech) • Centrally located within the County • Close to public transportation and/or major roadways • Cost of land to the County • Site development costs o Does the site present development challenges that would drive up construction costs? • Environmentally acceptable site Compatible with surrounding uses of land Potential for adaptive reuse of the property Site Selection Process Following the public hearing, the BOCC, in collaboration with the Orange County representatives of the DTCC Board of Trustees, hereinafter referenced as the "site selection committee", will carry out the site selection process, which includes the following steps: a) Using the criteria cited in this document, County and DTCC staff would provide evaluation data specific to each site identified to the site selection committee. b) The site selection committee will review the findings and narrow the sites to one or two priority sites. BOCC may choose to negotiate an option to purchase for one or more sites to establish agreeable terms of purchase at this point. c) The site selection committee may then choose to do one or both of the following: i) Present evaluation results on the preferred sites to a focus group, who would provide comments specific to the one or two sites selected; and/or ii) Hold a public hearing/public meeting for the general public to comment on the preferred site(s), prior to making the final decision on the recommended site. Timeline Sites identified during the public hearing will be evaluated by County and DTCC staff and preliminary analysis provided to the site selection committee in preparation for a meeting in early-January 2003. Completion of the site selection process is contemplated for late-spring, 2003. NOTE: Members of the public who may wish to review a variety of historical information relevant to this matter may do so by visiting the "Meeting Agenda" section of the County's website at co.orange.nc.us for the following meeting dates: June 27, 2002 (item 9b -site selection process) April 16. 2002 (item 7a -Public Hearing on locating a satellite campus in Orange County) November 21, 2000 (item 6a -original task force report) FINANCIAL IMPACT: Statewide bonds for higher education as approved by the voters in 2000 included $4 million that has been earmarked for a satellite campus of Durham Technical Community College in Orange County. The State funds must be matched dollar for dollar by local funds through either outright monetary contribution or in-kind contribution for project components such as land. The 2002-2012 Capital Investment Plan includes a total of $4 million, funded over two years to meet any cash match requirements associated with the satellite campus development. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: • Receive public input regarding specific sites that may be appropriate for the satellite campus of DTCC; and • Provide comments as the Board may deem appropriate such that County and DTCC staff may begin preliminary evaluation of the sites based on the stated criteria and consistent with the site selection process.