Title
Review and Acceptance of the 2023 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 2023 Annual Report on the SAPFO. The Orange County Board of Commissioners has referred the 2023 draft report for review. A resolution for the Council’s use has been prepared.
Department
DEPARTMENT: Planning
.end
.Contact
CONTACT INFORMATION: Trish McGuire, Planning Director, pmcguire@carrboronc.gov <mailto:pmcguire@carrboronc.gov>, 919-918-7327
.end
Council Direction
COUNCIL DIRECTION:
___ Race/Equity ____ Climate ____ Comprehensive Plan __X__Other
Council Direction Statement
The Town of Carrboro entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Town of Chapel Hill, and Orange County in July 2003. The MOU participants committed to developing a capital improvement plan for the construction of schools so that overall school membership did not exceed specified levels of building capacity. The Towns also established requirements for certificates of adequate schools as part of residential developments that required special use permits. Racial equity pocket questions are included as Attachment E.
.Information:
The Orange County Board of County Commissioners has referred the 2023 Draft Annual Technical Advisory Report on the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) for review. A letter from Commission Chair Jamezetta Bedford 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/3031/Long-Range-Comprehensive-Planning. 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.
The SAPFO includes a provision that requires each school system to issue certificates of adequate public schools (CAPS) 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.
During the review of the 2022 annual report, Town Council’s resolution included the following comments:
1) The need for reserving elementary school site at the Greene Tract because projected demand for facilities is longer than 10 years out.
2) School system awareness of the Town of Carrboro's Climate Action Plans, how they relate to transportation choices, and which might encourage redistricting so families could be within school walk zones; and
3) The PreK program and whether students should be included in the SAPFO membership and what discussions have occurred in the past.
Climate Action staff communicate with partner local governments on Town interests. The Technical Advisory Committee and additional staff from the parties to the MOU have been meeting to discuss modifications to the Schools Adequate Facilities program. More details will be shared as they are available.
.Fiscal and Staff Impact
FISCAL IMPACT:.
There are none noted with the review and acceptance of this report.
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION: The Town Manager recommends that the Carrboro Town Council adopt the attached resolution (Attachment A).