Governments to Continue Discussing Schools, Development

Representatives from Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, the Orange County Board of Commissioners and the two area school districts have been invited to attend the 7:30 p.m. meeting at the Southern Human Services Center.

SAPFO would tie in the construction of housing developments with available spots in area schools. Developers would have to submit projected numbers of children in new neighborhoods to whichever school district the development falls into. If sufficient space is unavailable, construction will not be permitted to begin until additional school facilities can be built.

The Assembly of Governments is typically held twice a year, in April and October.

"We're going into an Assembly of Governments where I think there's an understanding among all governments," said Steve Scroggs, assistant superintendent for support services for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.

Officials said they want to see the ordinance, which focuses on the overcrowding of Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools and the planning of new facilities to accommodate growth, passed in time to be implemented before the next school year begins.

SAPFO must be approved by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education to be implemented.

"I hope that we're able to make progress in getting that accomplished," said Chapel Hill Town Council member Jim Ward.

"We have to work with other governments on these issues," said Carrboro Alderman Jacquelyn Gist.

Officials also see the Assembly of Governments as a good way to bring all of the localities into the discussion.

"Getting everyone to the table will be a good thing," Scroggs said.

Wednesday's agenda also includes issues like collaborative park planning and regional transportation.

Bill Stockard, assistant to the Chapel Hill town manager, said that although the Chapel Hill development ordinance is not on the agenda, the issue might arise.

Ward said: "It's really only something the town of Chapel Hill is directly involved in. But again, it has impact on other jurisdictions."

Hillsborough Mayor Joe Phelps said that Town Board members will attend the meeting but that the town did not have anything to put on the agenda. "I'm not really sure how much we will be involved in the discussion," he said.

But officials agree working together with other governments is important.

"It's not easy, but it's imperative that we get used to working together," Ward said.

The impacts of certain issues, such as the land-use management ordinance, go beyond individual constituencies, he said.

Gist said governmental coordination is essential to progress in the county. "We've gotten good at working with each other."

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