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16 <br /> 1 complete.This policy prevented sewer moratoriums experienced by other communities. He said the 400- <br /> 2 unit number came from a Stantec study of their 10-year capital improvement program, determining the <br /> 3 number needed to help pay debt through system development fees from new development rather than <br /> 4 burdening current customers. He noted that plant upgrades would have been required regardless of <br /> 5 expansion due to Jordan Lake rules, so current customers would have seen rate increases anyway. <br /> 6 Preston Mitchell explained that 400 was manageable and helped with debt service, though the number <br /> 7 might increase to 450 due to inflation. Many developers approached them about sites outside their <br /> 8 comfortable service area, and they typically provided timeframes for developers to return, with <br /> 9 developers usually returning early. <br /> 10 Chair Hamilton asked whether the 400 number might increase substantially after consultant <br /> 11 discussions. <br /> 12 Preston Mitchell said he didn't anticipate substantial increases beyond inflation adjustments, <br /> 13 though other necessary projects could affect the number. <br /> 14 Chair Hamilton asked about "general services". <br /> 15 Preston Mitchell explained that this included garbage collection, police services, and fire <br /> 16 services. He noted that infrastructure discussions occurred daily or every other day in Mebane, with GIS <br /> 17 analysis determining optimal locations for parks and fire stations, though implementation required <br /> 18 willing sellers at reasonable prices. <br /> 19 <br /> 20 3. Proposed New Schools in Mebane-Orange <br /> 21 <br /> 22 a) Proposed School Site(s) <br /> 23 <br /> 24 As part of the 2024 Bond Projects, Orange County Schools is planning to build a new Elementary <br /> 25 School facility on County owned property next to the existing Soccer.Com Center. The school <br /> 26 district is still in the process of site testing and initial planning for the new elementary school. If <br /> 27 there is sufficient space, the school district plans to place the facility on the 37.79-acre parcel to <br /> 28 the east of the existing Soccer.com facility. In the development process, the county and the <br /> 29 school district will move to have the three continuous parcels of Gravelly Hills Middle School, <br /> 30 Soccer.com Center and the expected Elementary School all annexed by the Town of Mebane. <br /> 31 The site plan for the Elementary School may also recommend making changes to the existing <br /> 32 roads that serve the middle school and the soccer facility to allow for better vehicle stacking <br /> 33 during drop off and pick up, improving traffic flow on West Ten Road. <br /> 34 <br /> 35 Kirk Vaughn, Budget Director, reviewed information on the bond, and Orange County Schools' <br /> 36 (OCS) plan to open a new elementary school near Mebane. Through the bond passed by Orange County <br /> 37 residents, both school districts had submitted bond plans, with Orange County Schools' first priority <br /> 38 being a new elementary school facility in the county's western end. The school district selected a <br /> 39 location next to Graveley Hill Middle School and the Orange County soccer.com facility on West Ten <br /> 40 Road. Monthly meetings between school staff, Mebane town staff, and county staff are spent <br /> 41 coordinating design components for the new elementary school. <br /> 42 Kirk Vaughn showed initial concept design maps for the elementary school next to the <br /> 43 soccer.com facility, including suggestions for carpool and bus lanes for both the elementary school and <br /> 44 the existing middle school. He noted they were not far along in the design process, and that this image <br /> 45 represented initial concepts. <br /> 46 <br />