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3 <br />the residents in the southwest quadrant of Orange County-the town of Carrboro, Bingham <br />and Cheeks Townships <br />SITE SELECTION CRITERIA: The Manager has directed staff to provide a set of library site <br />selection criteria and procedures for County Commissioner review, comment and eventual <br />adoption. <br />The following suggested criteria were assembled using nationally established guidelines and <br />include a set of guiding principles as well as an objective screening process. It is <br />contempla#ed staff would utilize this comprehensive information to evaluate sites proffered by <br />the Commissioners or other designated site selection body. <br />a. Guiding Principles <br />When selecting a site for a new or expanded library, the Library system takes into account <br />three fundamental factors: <br />• The Library System recognizes that as a regional service provider, the location of <br />libraries must provide for optimal service to the- most number of residents within the <br />entire System service area. This takes precedence over political boundaries or <br />undeveloped neighborhoods. <br />• The Board is committed to providing an equitable level of service throughout the entire <br />County. <br />• The placement of a library in a manner that maximizes its use will be more valuable <br />over the long term than the original investment made in land or building. Typically, the <br />original cost of a new building is exceeded in just three years by its cumulative <br />operating costs. <br />b. Screening Process <br />The following screening process is a prioritized hierarchy of specific factors that should be <br />weighed to determine "the best" or "most suitable" site for a library. The three tiers of <br />screening criteria form a naturally weighted system that can guide the selection of a library <br />site. A suggested site can be evaluated by staff in a range of 20 to 30 days at no cost outside <br />of invested Orange County staff time. <br />Low Med Hi h Phase G <br />1 2 3 Visibility <br /> • Visible from the street <br /> • Traffic count that meets or exceed the average traffic <br /> counts of a major thoroughfare in a community <br /> • Visual a eal <br />1 2 3 Site Capacity <br /> • Meets minimum acreage (urban services vs. rural <br /> services) <br /> • Space for building and on-site parking <br /> • Adequate utilities <br /> • S ace for future expansion <br />