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Commissioner Carey stated that if the developer expected connectivity, that was one thing. If <br />they expect the County to make any concessions on possible future developments, that is a very different <br />situation. He is not promoting connectivity. However, if the County or the School System is going to own the <br />land, then we should be working with the School System to make sure that the ballfields are developed at the <br />time that the bulldozers are already on the site. If it is possible to develop the ball fields at a lower cost he <br />wanted to make sure that we caused that to happen now. <br />Commissioner Brown asked staff to explore the possibility of purchasing the land separate from <br />any connection to the developers. <br />School Board Chair Delores Simpson stated that the Orange County Board of Education is very <br />concerned about this situation and they are requesting that the Board of Commissioners give it every <br />possible consideration. <br />Commissioner Jacobs stated that another part of the problem that staff needs to resolve is how to <br />approach this type of planning without having the Board of County Commissioners, in anyway, either <br />advocate for, or comment about, the development. <br />Chair Gordon mentioned that the Schools and Land Use Councils would be coming forward with a <br />Memorandum of Understanding about the collocation of facilities. That will help in determining where things <br />should be collocated but it does not speak to the financial part of it. She requested that staff begin to work on <br />guidelines or a process or implementation program, with regard to how schools and parks should be <br />collocated. Also, the Schools and Land Use Councils could be working on other guidelines on how this <br />would go forward. She stated that instructions need to be given to staff with regard to an implementing <br />program that would define how the program would be financed, what kind of parcels would be purchased and <br />developed, etc. These issues should be a part of the charge. Also, as a formal process, anything that <br />allocates formal money would need to be part of the C.I.P. budget. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that there are other services and functions that need to be <br />collocated, such as senior centers, library services, Sheriff Department functions, health services, etc. There <br />needs to be a standing group within the Manager's Office reviewing these types of issues on an ongoing <br />basis. <br />Chair Gordon suggested that this needs to be on the next Schools and Land Use Councils' <br />agenda. Specifically the issue Commissioner Carey presented needs to be addressed. Also, follow-up in <br />general about school and park collocation and other kinds of collocations as well needs to be done. <br />John Link stated that the School Board and Superintendent face a stringent deadline in terms of <br />beginning the elementary school project. The Board of County Commissioners will discuss the C.I.P again <br />next week. He proposed that for the short-term that he and Superintendent Bridges meet within the next few <br />days and develop, as a first step, the amount of funds that the School Board would like the Board of <br />Commissioners to consider approving which would allow all the grading to be completed at one time. He <br />could present those findings at the next County Commissioners meeting <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that a similar situation exists with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School <br />Systems Smith Middle School and Carrboro's request to collocate a park. He feels that the Board of <br />Commissioners need to look at what should be done with the $2.3 million dollars that has been set aside for <br />just these purposes. The County Commissioners need to determine if they are ready to release funds for <br />recreational purposes. If funds are going to be appropriated, it would need to be done during this budget <br />cycle. Commissioner Jacobs offered to work on this project to bring a proposal to the Board for discussion. <br />This would be based on standards already identified for school sites with the added element of how to deal <br />with recreational opportunities or other opportunities, such as senior centers. <br />Q \19990504A.a