TITLE: Title
Review and Acceptance of the 2022 Annual Report on the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) from the Technical Advisory Committee
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is to request that the Town Council review and accept the 2022 Annual Report on the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO). The Orange County Board of County Commissioners has referred the 2022 draft report for review. A resolution that accepts the report has been attached.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT INFORMATION: Patricia McGuire, Planning Director - 919-918-7327; pmcguire@carrboronc.gov <mailto:pmcguire@carrboronc.gov>
INFORMATION: The Orange County Board of County Commissioners has referred the 2022 Draft Annual Technical Advisory Report on the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) for review and has requested comments from partner local governments this month. A letter from Commission Chair Renee Price with an executive summary is attached (Attachment B).
The SAPFO applies to both the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School system and the Orange County School system.
The full report is attached (Attachment C) and may also be found on Orange County’s Planning Department website at the following link: https://www.orangecountync.gov/1722/Current-INterest-Projects. Annual reporting requirements of the SAPFO are spelled out in Section 1D of the Memorandum of Understanding, included with the applicable Land Use Ordinance provisions as Attachment D.
The SAPFOTAC annual report addresses five areas for each of the two school systems, Level of Service, Building Capacity and Membership, Membership Date, Capital Improvement Planning, Student Membership Projection methodology, and Student Membership Projections.
Of note in this year’s report are the following. First, school capacity and membership projections are not showing a need for new capacity over the next 10 years. Declines in student membership during COVID have extended building capacity needs far beyond the 10-year horizon. These changes are expected to be temporary. Because projections are based on current conditions and with the possibility that student membership could quickly increase under post-COVID conditions, Orange County staff also prepared student membership projections under several scenarios based on previous growth rates. These projections did not identify a need for new capacity in the 10-year period.
Second, descriptions of the inter-relationship of Pre-K and Charter student populations, neither of which are specified in the SAPFO, are noted, including the process for ongoing monitoring for impacts on school capacity. Third, proposed growth is not included in the SAPFO projections until students enroll in the school systems. The CAPS component, described further below, occurs during the approval process of new development. Demand and growth of residential development is monitored and evaluated on an ongoing basis. Finally, due to the high costs of new construction, both school systems seek opportunities to increase capacity through renovation and expansion, wherever possible. Staff has noted that additional capacity will be added to the projections as funding for renovation/expansion, rather than at project completion as is done for larger capital projects.
The SAPFO includes a provision that requires each school system to issue certificates of adequate public schools (CAPS) in order for permits approving residential developments of more than five units to be effective. Permits associated with development in the W-R, WM-3, and B-3 zones are also not subject to the provision. A memo providing the status of CAPS for approved residential developments is also included as Attachment E. As may be noted, the majority of the developments are fully constructed and homes have certificates of occupancy. Any children entering the school system associated with occupancy of the homes are captured as part of the annual student membership counts.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: There are none noted with the review and acceptance of this report.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends that the Carrboro Town Council adopt the attached resolution (Attachment A) that accepts the report. The Council may choose to attach comments if desired.