ORD-2004-010 - PD-1-03 State Employees Credit Union Addition Rezoning & Class A Special Use Permit

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A motion was made by Chair Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Carey to accept version 1 with the following changes: On item #2, (as revised by the County Attorney above); to make the change on #8 to specify deconstruction; and to substitute the new #12 accepting that #1 of the two qualifications will be eliminated. VOTE: UNANIMOUS b. Decisions Reaardina Oranae County Middle School #3 Site and Adjacent Properties The Board considered various decisions regarding the proposed Orange County Schools Middle School #3 site and adjacent properties; approving the amount to be paid for the school site at $775,000; adopting the OCS Middle School #3 capital project ordinance; directing staff to work with OCS to schedule discussions about the ultimate disposition of the approximately 26 acres of the Allison and Daniel properties not needed for middle school #3; receiving the presentation from County staff on its analysis of the Euliss property; directing the Manager, Attorney and staff to carry out the administrative steps (including preparation and signing of relevant documents) necessary to purchase the Euliss property prior to the March 15 option expiration; and adopting the accompanying Soccer Superfund capital project ordinance. John Link said that in November 2001 the voters approved bonds for a new middle school in Orange County. The process for siting new schools has been in place and Commissioner Carey has been the representative with the Orange County school system as it has pursued looking at the appropriate site for this middle school. He commended the Orange County school board for working with the County so welt. He also thanked the County staff. Step one is approving the site for the middle school. The second part is to address the acquisition of the parcel of land ~for~soccer fields that is adjacent to the school site. Rod Visser said that the properties that would comprise the Orange County school site make up about 67 acres that"are owned by the Allison and Daniel families. The school board has decided to site the school here, but has noted that they do not need the entire 67 acres to accommodate the school footprint and the athletic field associated with it. The one statutory requirement that County Commissioners have in regard to siting new schools is to approve the amount to be paid for the site. They are asking the Board to appropriate $775,000 for the 67 acres. There are several options for purchasing the land, which are outlined in the abstract. Rod Visser said that Keith Cook, Chair of the school board and Orange County Schools Superintendent Dr. Shirley Carraway were in attendance, as well as the architect. Ken Redfoot, representative of the architect company, made a presentation. The school is a prototype design from Smith Middle School. The school has 120,000 square feet and is a one-story fully day-lit facility. There are 24 academic classrooms; three self-contained classrooms; a full media center with a capacity of 15,000 volumes; foreign language classrooms; workforce development classrooms; a 300-seat auditorium with a stage and theatrical fighting; visual arts, vocal, instrumental, theatre arts classrooms, an 8,500-square foot gymnasium with 600 bleacher seats; and a 3,200-square foot cafeteria that accommodates the students in a number of lunch periods. He then showed the site plan of the 67-acre site and the footprint of the building. Commissioner Gordon asked if the school board only wants the 41 acres and they do not want the part toward West Ten Road or the part toward the interstate. Ken Redfoot said yes. He said that there is an existing building on the site that could be used as an outside lab area. Commissioner Gordon asked why they were using 41 acres because most middle schools do not take up that much space. The middle school standards call for 22 acres. Ken Redfoot said that the 41 acres have a large 100-foot buffer along West Ten Road, which is a requirement of the zoning, and a 50-foot buffer along the bus access route. They decided to put this buffer in because they wanted to be a good neighbor and put in enough distance. There is also some buffering along the back of the fields. Commissioner Gordon asked if there was any thought about how an elementary school could be sited here. Ken Redfoot said that this has not been studied.