Agenda - 12-12-2006-9e - Laserfiche WebLink

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Orange County L.i6rary Long-Range Facility Planning Facilit~Size In determining the proposed size of the facility, its proposed functions were talten into account as well as the design population, The consultant used two methods to determine the size: a formula-based worksheet designed by Anders Dahlgren, recognized library building consultant, and a more detailed worksheet, prepared by the consultant, which allocates space to library functions and areas. In each case, a basic set of requirements was used that was determined by considering the design population and North Carolina standards, including needs and desires identified in planning sessions, addressing needs of Durham Technical Community College students, looking at statistics for other libraries in the state, and reviewing the building program for the Chapel Hill Public Library.. See Appendix A., Standard guidelines for space allocation were applied to these requirements. Appendix $ summarizes space requirements using Dahlgren's worksheet. The spreadsheet in Appendix C breaks down the space by function and provides a tool for applying alternative space and service scenarios.. Both calculation methods used indicate that a building of approximately 65,000 square feet would be required to serve through the year 2025. The consultant also calculated the required size for the alternative design population of 65,000, mentioned on page 12, Using this scenario, a facility of at least 48,000 square feet would be required. Location in the Waterstone Development The County Commissioners requested that tl~e Taslc Force investigate the possibility of co- locating apublic library on land being purchased for the Orange County Center of~Durham Technical Community College. The location in Waterstone Development offers a number of advantages. The location is less than thuree miles from the present central library facility. It is in an area targeted for development by the Orange County Plaruiir-g Department and will be accessible using public transportation. The development plan includes single family and multi-family 1lousing, offices, a day care center, a continuing care retirement center, retail establishments, restaurants, and a hotel.. Users could walls and bicycle to the library from the homes and businesses in the development, The area already is a destination point far Orange County residents due to nearby retail establislunents. The Waterstone development will bolster that identity. A library in such a location has the potential for heavy use, The presence of DTCC's Orange County Center would contribute an additional built-in user population of community college faculty and students. Also planned is a "middle college," with a student population of 100-150 high school students, another built-in user population.. A very vocal concern expressed during planning sessions about the Waterstone site, is that it would remove the library, a significant public amenity, from its downtown Hillsborough location contributing to Hillsborough's becoming "a dougluaut community;" i.e. empty in the center with all attractions on the perimeter. This concern is addressed with the recommendation to co-locate a neighborhood branch library with the proposed Orange County Heritage Center if the central library is constructed in Waterstone, a~ 14