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5 <br />DRAFT <br />Revised following 8/17/pp task force meeting and includes Superintendents' comments <br />Revised <br />9/07/00 <br />talks and negotiations related to the potential site. <br />W,~-Ws ~ ~ <br />~,~' Environmental Factors -- A school system is to pay particular attention to the physical <br />environment surrounding the site and new facility. <br />Jn order to avoid future flood hazazds, a facility should not be located in close <br />proximity to wetlands, stream buffers, or in a flood plain. Facility siting should <br />also avoid other physical factors that create either additional construction or <br />longer-term maintenance problems, or other unfavorable environmental impacts. <br />Once a system acquires a site and before grading begins, each school system <br />receives State approval of its erosion control plan and additional County review to <br />ensure that unnecessary cutting of trees or clearing of land does not occur. <br />Adequate natural buffers are to be left intact with existing trees, or replanted if the <br />areas are disturbed during construction. Special attention should be paid to <br />"specimen" trees as outlined in the County land development code. <br />Road and Utility Requirements -Major elements For a system to consider in siting a <br />new facility relate to infrastructure requirements by a Town or other public utility. In <br />some recent instances, the systems have been required to provide costly infrastructure <br />such as sidewalks and road improvements. These elements greatly inflate <br />construction costs of new facilities. As a system begins initial planning, there should <br />be a joint meeting between elected Town, County and Education offtcials to ~~ ~~ <br />particulaz requirements that all parties expect of other project partners. <br />3. Building Design Standards <br />As a school system selects a particulaz facility design, it is important <br />that the most cost-effective design alternative be pursued. Historically <br />in Orange County, new school buildings have been designed uniquely. <br />for each particular project. The Board of Commissioners encourages <br />systems to pursue non-traditional, or prototype, designs that can be <br />replicated for use on more than one nroiect. ~ ' <br />4. Construction Standards ~ ~~ °;uia: <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 />Page 3 of 7 <br />Policy on Planning and Funding School Capital Praiects <br />