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Orange County Space Needs Study <br />Preliminary Report <br />March 29, 2001 <br />Executive Summary <br />A. Purpose <br />The purpose of this study was to produce a multi - faceted space needs analysis that is intended, <br />at a minimum, to meet the following goals: <br />1. To inventory existing space used by County Departments, <br />2. To document projected space requirements through 2010 for use in planning future <br />County Capital Investment Plans with respect to the development of new facilities, <br />expanded facilities and /or renovated facilities. <br />3. To identify issues that affect the quality of how the existing facilities are used and, when <br />appropriate, to offer recommendations as to how facilities might be upgraded to provide <br />a higher level of service, <br />4. To identify special departmental needs that might impact the ultimate development of a <br />facility. <br />5. To review departmental data and to explore specific areas that have impacted growth in <br />a department, therefore impacting facility expansion needs. This is an effort to identify <br />growth trends and be able to better predict future space requirements. <br />6. To take into consideration the place technology in County government and the space <br />needs that result. <br />7. To present recommended options for addressing County space needs. <br />B. Principles <br />The principles observed in the preparation <br />development of County facilities included: <br />of options and recommendations for future <br />1. Co- location. Co- locating departments with similar functions and /or those that serve the <br />same customer base. <br />2. Consolidation. Consolidating County operations to as few sites as may be practicable in <br />an attempt to gain operational efficiency and enhance the ease with which citizens may <br />access County services. While consolidation opportunities may be more limited in the <br />Hillsborough area where the County has several facilities scattered throughout the <br />community, the Southern Human Services Center site on Homestead Road offers <br />extraordinary opportunities to create a campus for County services offered in southern <br />Orange County. The County should preserve this location for public use. <br />3. Ownership. Owning facilities in which county operations are located, as opposed to <br />leasing, except where there exists a compelling business reason to do so. <br />C. The Questionnaire <br />The information that forms the basis of the study was derived from a questionnaire completed <br />by all County Departments. The 83 questions are intended to provide a complete picture of <br />County space needs in the following areas: <br />1. Identification of current space <br />2. Assessment of current space deficiencies or inadequacies <br />