AGENDA DATE: 3/7/2018
TITLE:
Title
BF Yancey Use Framework
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Endorse the use framework for the BF Yancey school to guide the planning process for management of the facility and future use recommendations from the BF Yancey Transition Advisory Committee.
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kilroy, Freitas, A. Smith, MacCall
PRESENTER (S): Doug Walker
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: In May 2017, the Albemarle County School Board voted to close BF Yancey Elementary School and on September 25, 2017, the building transferred to the Board of Supervisors. For the remainder of FY 18, the School Division will continue to maintain and operate the building and grounds at a reduced operating mode that would support limited community use during this transition period, including elections, Open Gym, and a food pantry. In addition, the playground and external grounds continue to be available for open community use. At the December 6 Board meeting, additional near-term uses recommended by the BF Yancey Transition Advisory Committee were approved, including quarterly community meetings, twice weekly exercise class, girl scout meetings, and a monthly fellowship program with the Esmont and Scottsville Community Centers, through JABA. Following this, the BF Yancey Transition Advisory Committee and staff have shifted focus to the long-term uses and management of the facility.
The BF Yancey School is located in Esmont, a historic community in rural Southern Albemarle that functionally serves as a crossroads community. The Comprehensive Plan identifies that for the Rural Area, crossroads communities “provide basic support services and centers of community life”. The Comprehensive Plan also identifies that community facilities “help protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the community, as well as to enhance the quality of life for residents”. Managing the BF Yancey School as a community facility will allow the building to continue its legacy as a center of community life and provide enhanced access to programs and services for all of Southern Albemarle, an area of the County that is geographically isolated from many public services.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Quality Government Operations: Ensure County government’s capacity to provide high quality service that achieves community priorities.
DISCUSSION: As the BF Yancey Transition Advisory Committee and staff have shifted to study for long-term use and management of BF Yancey school, the need for direction from the Board on a use framework became evident so as to be able to set expectations for organizations interested in potential future use.
Staff have evaluated the range of use management models currently deployed throughout the community for County-owned properties. Two departments manage facilities, Parks & Recreation and Facilities & Environmental Services. Parks & Recreation facility fees are minimal in recognition that these programs provide community benefits that may otherwise need to be provided by Parks & Recreation directly. Facilities & Environmental Services facility fees are set for cost recovery of operations, focusing on facilitating access to excess County capacity. More detailed information about operating costs, revenues, and programs are provided in Attachment A (Parks & Recreation) and Attachment B (Facilities & Environmental Services).
Proposed Use Framework
In evaluating the physical space of BF Yancey, the proposals from interested users, and the desires from the community, staff believes three user groups have emerged, as well as three space types.
User groups could be established as follows:
- Public (eg., County departments and School Division and Parks & Recreation-run programs)
- Community Agency Partners (eg., JABA, PVCC)
- Private (eg., member organizations, business-use, private event (birthday party, wedding))
Space types could be established as follows:
- Shared recreation/education spaces (eg., cafeteria, media center, gym, front classrooms), managed through Parks & Recreation utilizing part-time, seasonal staff
- Dedicated spaces (eg., administrative office, rear classrooms), managed through FES-PWD
- Available but undetermined at this time (rear-most classrooms)
A graphic depicting these space and a proposed fee matrix in available in Attachment C.
BUDGET IMPACT: Budget impacts would accompany the long-term use recommendations later this spring. The recommended FY19 recommended budget includes $133,169 in the FES budget for building maintenance and utilities (40 hours per week) and $10,569 for part-time wages to support the opening/closing of the building.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Board of Supervisors endorse the use framework including the differentiation of user group types, space types and the associated fee structure as proposed.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attach A: Financial Information for a Selection of Parks & Recreation Facilities
Attach B: Financial Information for a Selection of Public Works Division Facilities
Attach C: Proposed Use Framework