Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
14 <br /> <br />Commissioner Dorosin said the presence of DT is vital to the County’s educational <br />system, and the Board should think holistically about education, and embrace this opportunity. <br />Chair Rich asked if there have ever been any architectural plans for the new facility. <br />Travis Myren said there are conceptual plans, but planning and architectural monies <br />would be needed to move into the next phase. <br />Commissioner Price said concept plans were presented to the Orange County Board of <br />Commissioners in the past. She said parking needs are a large question. <br />Commissioner Price said education helps level the playing field for many people, and <br />DT is one of the best community colleges in the nation. She said the on-going demand for <br />community colleges will likely increase, especially given the current crisis. <br />Bonnie Hammersley said the Orange County Board of Commissioners can submit <br />amendments to the CIP now and to the operating budget after May 5th. <br />Bonnie Hammersley said this year it will be a shell game with the amendments. <br />Commissioner Dorosin asked if the BOCC wanted to move up DT, would it be moved up <br />in its entirety or in pieces, e.g. $3 million this year, and a different amount next year. <br />Bonnie Hammersley said staff will check on that. <br />Commissioner Bedford said she had previously asked about reducing the costs of the <br />new morgue, which may free up some funding for the DT project. <br /> <br />3. Next Steps on the Inclusion of Pre-K Students in School Capacity Calculations <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To discuss the treatment of Pre-K students in light of the existing Schools <br />Adequate Public Facilities Memorandum of Understanding and Ordinance. Options for next <br />steps may include: <br />1. Directing staff to prepare a formal amendment to the Schools Adequate Public <br /> Facilities Memorandum of Understanding including direction on whether to proceed <br />with capacity determinations (Certification of Adequate Public Facilities or <br /> CAPS) related to residential development; <br />2. Directing staff to create an informal capacity tracking tool unrelated to the Schools <br /> Adequate Public Facilities MOU and Ordinance; <br />3. Deferring action on this item to a later date. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />During the February 25 joint meeting between the Board of Orange County Commissioners and <br />the Boards of Education from Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools, <br />the group discussed amending the Memorandum of Understanding between the County and <br />the School Districts to explicitly include Pre-K students in school capacity calculations under the <br />Schools Adequate Public Facilities (SAPFO) Memorandum of Understanding. Because the Pre- <br />K students are not counted in the current formula, that classroom space is counted as available <br />capacity for other students and does not represent the total number of students using school <br />space. An example of the proposed amendment is provided as Attachment C. <br /> <br />Including Pre-K students in the school capacity calculation would impact two parts of the <br />SAPFO MOU (Attachment D). First, the SAPFO MOU requires each district to review proposed <br />residential developments and determine if sufficient school capacity exists to accommodate the <br />students generated by that development. If sufficient capacity does not exist, the Board of <br />Education informs the planning jurisdiction in which the development is proposed. In turn, that <br />planning jurisdiction must provide a development proposal that fits within existing school <br />capacity or deny the development. Including Pre-K students in the SAPFO capacity calculation <br />would hasten determinations of insufficient school capacity.