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Orange County Space Needs Report ~ 2005 Update <br /> Page 4 of 69 <br /> Health Department : Environmental Health ( residents of the Planning and Ag Building ) <br /> remain the departments with the greatest workspace deficit . <br /> Functional Groupings <br /> By positioning departments within functional groupings , evaluation of individual <br /> departmental needs can be assessed , along with the synergies that may be created <br /> through the sharing of common facility elements , such as information technology ( IT) <br /> centers , equipment rooms , conference rooms , etc . Considering space by function <br /> allows a more global perspective to be achieved and presumably will define a more <br /> efficient use of the available .space . <br /> The functional groupings , based on related service functions or like client base , <br /> remained fairly consistent with the 2000 report with three exceptions as follows : <br /> Parks and Open Space <br /> The needs of the Parks and Recreation Department are significantly different than those <br /> cited in the 2000 Study . A new category that has been titled " Parks/Open Space" was <br /> created to more accurately capture the department ' s evolutionary role . Parks is coupled <br /> with the Environment Resource Conservation Department ( ERCD ) as one with whom <br /> adjacency would be most beneficial . Although ERCD works closely with both the <br /> Planning Department and the Agriculture Services Departments , their most frequent <br /> collaboration occurs with the parks function according to the Department' s Director . <br /> Agriculture Services <br /> The Agriculture Services function has also been added to more accurately reflect the <br /> focus of departments who would remain at the current Planning and Agriculture <br /> Building . As listed below , the Agriculture Services . departments would include <br /> Cooperative Extension and Soil and Water , as well as USDA Rural Development and <br /> the Farm Service Agency , two non - County programs currently at the Planning and Ag <br /> Building . <br /> Animal Services <br /> The Animal Services functional grouping was created to reflect the County ' s assumption <br /> of the operation of the Animal Shelter as a County department in 2004 . While the <br /> building has always been owned by the County , the operations were carried out by the <br /> Animal Protection Society of Orange County . The 2000 study recommended co - <br /> location of the Animal Control offices with the Animal Shelter. That recommendation <br /> remains consistent in this report as well . <br /> 4 <br />