Orange County NC Website
Orange County Space Needs Update <br />November 9, 2006 <br />Updated Executive Summary <br />November 2006: This document provides updated information to the 2005 <br />County Space Needs Report, as presented to the Board of County <br />Commissioners in March 2005. The updates will appear in dark blue (or in the <br />case of black and white copies in bold italics). <br />Purpose <br />The purpose of this report is: <br />1. To identify departmental changes that may. impact the recommendations or <br />implementation of the 2000 , Space Needs Task Force Report; and <br />2. To -modify Study recommendations to reflect changing conditions and Board <br />direction received since the original report; and <br />3. To create a fundable roadmap for developing adequate space to meet the <br />operational needs of county departments through 2020; and <br />4. To identify facility needs which require additional study and/or may fall outside of <br />the study period. <br />Assumptions and Principles <br />Overarching principles used to formulate study recommendations include: <br />1. Co-location. Co-locating departments that serve the same customer base with <br />similar services promotes greater efficiency and creates a more desirable level of <br />customer service. <br />2. Consolidation. The findings in this report will support the consolidation of County <br />operations to as few sites as may be practicable. <br />The recommendations contained in this study do not support the expansion of <br />existing facilities for the most part, but rather advocate for the development of an <br />alternative county campus to be sited ' in central Orange County in or around the <br />Hillsborough area. The property on Homestead Road in Chapel Hill serves as <br />the County's main service delivery location for the southern part of the county <br />and has proven to be a wise investment. As the Hillsborough area continues to <br />develop, it seems prudent to replicate that effort and establish a new campus <br />While the availability of land is still somewhat reasonable. <br />3. Ownership. The findings contained in the report continue to support owned <br />space vs. leased space to house permanent County offices. In 2000 the County <br />paid $349,000 per year for nine leases as opposed to 2004, which carries lease <br />costs of approximately $349,000 for five leases. The bulk of the lease costs <br />reside with the Senior Centers. Within two years, both Centers should be <br />operational, thereby eliminating the need for leased space. The County's annual <br />commitment for leased space at that point will be approximately $200,000. <br />