AGENDA DATE: 12/18/2017
TITLE:
Title
Government Operations/Courts Relocation Opportunities Analysis - Consultant recommendation Public Hearing
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Public Hearing for the Board to receive public comment and feedback on the Development Services Advisor report from Stantec Consulting. The report was presented to the BOS on December 13, 2017 and covers the feasibility, cost, benefits, partnership opportunities and other impacts to relocate Courts and/or County Administrative functions to a County location.
ITEM TYPE: Regular Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Letteri, Henry
PRESENTER (S): Trevor Henry
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: Albemarle County has been engaged for some time in a thorough analysis and assessment of the County’s future court needs and the best way to meet those needs. The Board of Supervisors discussed five potential options last October 24, 2016 and took public comment. The court expansion project reflects a major investment of County funds and is the most expensive project in the County’s current Capital Improvement Program plan; therefore, the Board is particularly interested in ensuring all options have been properly vetted and giving County taxpayers an opportunity to review the identified options and provide comment.
There are two Courts options primarily remaining in consideration.
• Option 1: Renovation of the existing downtown courts complex for the Circuit Court and expansion of the General District Court on the Levy Opera House parcel, which is co-owned by the County and City of Charlottesville.
• Option 5: Build a new General District Court, Circuit Court and associated functions on a parcel in Albemarle County’s designated development area, presumptive location identified as the Rio Road/Route 29 area.
The Board established in its November 2, 2016 resolution that the Courts project, in any scenario, must ensure the fair and equitable administration of justice. The Board also directed staff to investigate the potential to which this project could promote its highest strategic priorities of urban development, redevelopment and revitalization. The Board additionally directed staff to further analyze the extent to which Option 5 would be sufficient to encourage a developer to enter a public/private partnership (P3) integrating the Courthouse and/or County Office Building as part of or adjacent to a larger mixed-use development.
At the December 14, 2016 Board meeting, staff presented a proposed process for moving forward with the exploration of a P3 to relocate the courts and/or County administration to a site in Albemarle County. At the conclusion of the presentation, the Board directed staff to proceed as proposed. Staff then developed a Request for Proposal (RFP) and proceeded with the solicitation process to contract with a Development Services Advisor during the spring; an RFP review committee selected and contracted with Stantec Consulting Services in June 2017. The consulting team has worked with the Board to develop decision-making criteria, presented Program Analysis information on the County Office Building and Courts options that will feed into the Fiscal Impact Model and the National Center of State Courts consultant reviewed the findings of the Adjacency Impact study of impacts associated with potentially separating County Courts from City Courts at the downtown location. At the Board Dec 13th work session, Stantec consultants presented an initial report on the costs, fiscal impacts, cost benefit analysis and any updates to the previously submitted Program Analysis Documents and Adjacency Study report along with overall recommendations and next steps proposal.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Infrastructure Investment: Prioritize, plan, and invest in critical infrastructure that responds to past and future changes and improves the capacity to serve community needs. Thriving Development Areas: Attract quality employment, commercial, and high density residential uses into development areas by providing services and infrastructure that encourage redevelopment and private investment while protecting the quality of neighborhoods. This work directly supports two strategic plan initiatives: Redevelop Rio/Route 29 Intersection Area; and By June 2019, establish direction, complete design, and be under construction for the project to expand the General District Court.
DISCUSSION:
The deliverables of the Developer Advisory work are:
1) Review data related to Option 1 with a specific focus on understanding the adjacencies of the County Courts to the City Courts and impacts of separating.
2) Analyze the feasibility, cost, benefits and other impacts of Option 5, with the following sub-options:
• Court House Complex Only
• County Office Administrative Building Only
• Combined facility
The purpose of today’s work session is to provide the public an opportunity for comment and feedback on the Consultant report presented to the Board on Dec 13th (see attached).
BUDGET IMPACT: There are no budget impacts at this time.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Receive the public comment and feedback prior to the Board Action item meeting scheduled for Dec 20th; also provide input to staff on any questions and/or any additional information requested for the action item meeting.
ATTACHMENTS:
1: Stantec Cost Benefit Analysis (presented 12/13/2017)