Orange County NC Website
Although the three jurisdictions use different formulae to define their recreation and park <br /> requirements within their Land Use Ordinances , the philosophy and intent of all are the same . <br /> It is recommended that the three Planning Departments consider developing a most preferred <br /> set of recreation requirements that could be included in all three jurisdictions ' Land Use <br /> Ordinances , <br /> III . School/Government Coordination <br /> Introduction <br /> Combining new schools with new parks benefits the entire community . The school/park <br /> concept is a cost- effective approach to providing _public facilities for Orange County . A. <br /> school campus typically defines and serves as the focal point for neighborhood use of its <br /> indoor and outdoor facilities . The school/park concept can enable capital and operational <br /> cost savings while . providing the # optimum facilities for both school and after- school use . <br /> Because school campuses generally have facilities in place that are needed for public <br /> parks (i . e . , open play fields , parking , lots , water and sewer connections ; electricity, and <br /> road systems to campuses ) the school/park concept is a cost effective approach to <br /> providing public recreational facilities to all residents and saves the tax payers many <br /> thousands of dollars because the purchase of additional park land is not required . <br /> Opportunities exist for joint management, locating, and operation of school/park <br /> facilities . <br /> • Joint Management - The Recreation and Park work Group reviewed the facility use <br /> agreements of the Orange County School System and the Chapel Hill/Cartboro City <br /> School System. . Both systems are similar in their agreements with the Recreation and <br /> Parks Departments and provide facility use for little or no fee charged . There are nine <br /> school sites` " available in the County School System and twelve in the Chapel <br /> Hill/Carrboro School System - that are existing .or under construction . All three <br /> Recreation and Parks Departments rely greatly on the use of school facilities . <br /> Although the outdoor athletic facilities are widely used ; auditoriums , arts and music <br /> rooms , media centers , and gymnasiums are under great demand as well . The number <br /> of school sites that are presently being used or have been used in the past include all <br /> ten completed school sites in the Chapel Hi1UCarrboro School System and eight of the <br /> nine school sites in the County School . System . <br /> • Joint Site Location - Many of the existing school sites throughout Orange County <br /> were not - developed for community use . Outdoor recreation . areas were not <br /> considered at the time of construction . Surplus land exists at some of the school <br /> campuses around the county . <br /> Page 9 <br />