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<br />DRAFT <br />Revised <br />4/20/00 <br />3. Building Design. Standards <br />As a school system selects a particular facility design,. it is important that the most cost-effective <br />design alternative be pursued. Historically in Orange County, new school buildings have been <br />designed uniquely for each particular project. The Board of Commissioners encourages systems <br />to pursue non-traditional; or prototype, designs that can be replicated for use on more than one <br />project. Should a system choose a unique design, it is to provide a detailed cost comparison <br />analysis and justification in writing of why that particular approach was chosen over a prototype <br />design. <br />4. Construction Standards <br />Over the past few years, the County has given special attention to defining construction <br />standards for each school level -elementary, middle and high schools. The standards provide a <br />minimum and maximum square footage and student capacity for each level. As a system <br />undertakes construction of a new facility, it is critical that the system adheres to the most recent <br />school construction standards, with the estimated cost including a reasonable allowance for <br />inflation. <br />The Commissioners agree to provide funding for new school facilities that are designed within . <br />the adopted standards. They do not agree to fund projects that go beyond the adopted standards <br />unless there is sufficient justification provided in writing by the Board of Education. One <br />justification for going beyond the standards centers on community use of the new facility. For <br />example,. a system may design a facility with a "larger than standards gymnasium" that allows <br />for eitizen/communityusc. In this case,. the system must provide detailed explanations outlining <br />the benefits to be offered to the community and citizens, in the context of the intergovernmental <br />"Memorandum of Agreement for Providing Coordinated Site and Facility Planning". <br />S. Project Approval <br />A project's inclusion in the ten-year plan does not give the Schools or the County legal authority <br />to expend funds. The legal authority to expend funds lies in County Commissioner approved <br />capital project ordinances. Therefore, the schools should not incur any expenses for any capital <br />project until the Board of County Commissioners approves the capital project ordinance. <br />In order to provide timely flow of the approval process and ensure that all elements are <br />addressed, staff recommends the following: <br />~ Detail included in each system's ten-year Capital Investment Plans regarding the scope and <br />timing of various phases of individual capital projects is limited. To that end; as individual <br />Boards of Education begin discussions related to new capital projects (construction, site <br />acquisitions, major renovations, etc), they will be expected, in writing, to notify the Board of <br />Page 3 of 5 <br />Clarification nfPnlicv nn Planning and Funding Schnnl Capital Prniectc <br />