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February 6, 2012 (Work Session) <br />Page 964 <br />parks remain open on the Friday after Thanksgiving Day. She further advised <br />the additional staffing cost, estimated to be $438.00, would be absorbed into <br />the current budget. <br />Planning and Development - Cabarrus County School Site Guidelines <br />As part of the Harrisburg Area Land Use Plan update, a separate study <br />was conducted regarding practices used in planning and selecting school <br />sites. Input was gathered from the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners, <br />the Cabarrus County Board of Education, other elected and appointed boards, <br />and staff. The end result of that input process is a document called The <br />Cabarrus County School Site Guidelines. The document includes site selection <br />guidelines, site development guidelines and addresses sustainable school <br />design practices. This document will be used by the Cabarrus County Board of <br />Commissioners and the Cabarrus County Board of Education when considering new <br />school sites and school site design. These guidelines were adopted by the <br />Cabarrus County Board of Education on January 23, 2012. <br />Susie Morris, Planning and Zoning Manager, advised that the Guidelines <br />are based on and consistent with two (2) documents the schools use: the <br />North Carolina Public Schools Facilities Guidelines and the School Site Land <br />for Learning. <br />The Cabarrus County School Site Guidelines addresses the following <br />topics: <br />Site Selection Guidelines <br />• Available Land <br />• Co- Location and Shared Facilities <br />• School Sites and Relationships to surroundings <br />• Natural Features <br />• Adopted Plans and Regulations <br />• Transportation <br />• Utilities <br />• Public Safety <br />Site Design Guidelines <br />c Green Building Practices and Sustainability <br />Access <br />Siting of Buildings and Parking Areas <br />Recreation and Athletic Fields <br />Natural Features and Landscaping <br />Mike Downs, County Manager, advised the guidelines are specific to <br />Cabarrus County Schools and when approved, staff will begin developing <br />guidelines for Kannapolis City Schools. <br />Punning (Soil and Water Conservation) - Farm and Ranch Lands Protection <br />Program Application <br />Dennis Testerman, Senior Resource Conservation Specialist, presented <br />information related to the submission of an application to the Farm and Ranch <br />Lands Protection Program, a federal program that is administered through the <br />USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Cabarrus Soil and Water <br />Conservation District plans to apply for a $350,000.00 grant in order to <br />purchase development rights and establish a conservation easement on a <br />portion of Thomas Porter's farm. Mr. Porter will also provide matching funds <br />of $175,000.00 for the application. Cabarrus Soil and Water Conservation <br />District has already received a $175,000.00 grant from North Carolina <br />Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund that will be <br />applied to this project as well. Mr. Testerman also reviewed a PowerPoint <br />presentation that included maps and photos of the events at the Porter Farm. <br />Ned Hudson, Secretary /Treasurer, Soil and Water Conservation District Board, <br />and Tommy Porter, Soil and Water Conservation District Associate Member, were <br />also in attendance. <br />Commissioner White praised the project and expressed appreciation for <br />the visionary effort. <br />BOC - Legislative Goals <br />Mike Downs, County Manager, stated the Board of Commissioners typically <br />adopts goals recommended by the North Carolina Association of County <br />