City high school No. 3 delayed, lacking permit

Construction of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ high school No. 3 has been postponed again because of a delay in the approval of a permit allowing it to move on to construction.

The approval of the conditional use permit for the project — with Thursday as the original deadline — has been delayed until February at the earliest, when it will go before the Carrboro Board of Aldermen.

The high school will be located on Rock Haven Road off Smith Level Road.

Plans for the new high school started in 2001, but because of parking and cost issues, construction has been delayed several times.

“This is not a major delay,” said Steve Scroggs, assistant superintendent for support services. “It’s all part of the approval process.”

Scroggs said that the delay came from a combination of things and that Carrboro is not to blame.

“Everyone gets nervous at the end, and we are at the end,” he said.

He said he believes that if the permit can be filed by February, builders can start digging in the spring.

“If the delay goes past February, we’re in trouble,” he said.

Marty Roupe, Carrboro’s development review administrator, is more apprehensive about the direction of the plans.

He said the permit is needed because it allows the town to ensure that it complies with land-use ordinances.

One of the biggest issues with the site is how parking would affect storm water run-off.

Roupe said he had concerns about receiving the plans by February.

“It being late January, we have steps we have to take,” Roupe said. “We’re already beyond deadline to make it in February.”

But Scroggs said he thinks that if all goes smoothly, the school will still open in fall 2007.

Carrboro’s request that school officials reduce the number of parking spaces at the school has been one cause for delay.

The original proposal allocated 428 total parking spaces. That number now has been reduced to 328. The aldermen asked for a reduction in the number of parking spaces to encourage walking and public transit.

Mayor Pro Tem Diana McDuffee said she thinks that 328 is a good number of spaces.

Another problem has been the cost of construction.

The Orange County Board of Commissioners said in September that it did not have money in its budget to cover the overrun costs of the school’s budget.

“I think there are two concerns,” said Lisa Stuckey, board chairwoman for city schools. “One, that we would not be able to open the school as planned, and two, it’s costing more to make up any time lost.”

Scroggs said the estimated cost for the project is now at $34 million.

But Stuckey said that overall, she is confident about the plans. The school board asked that she contact McDuffee and Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson regarding the delays.

She said she is still waiting to hear back. “This is not a point of conflict — it is an opportunity to have a good working relationship.”

 

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.