REPORT ON COMMUNITY FACILITY EVALUATION STUDY

PRESENTED BY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMITTEE,

September 30, 2004

 

PURPOSE 

To present to the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors the Comprehensive Plan Committee’s recommendations to proceed with a specific plan to meet the Ocean Pines community requirements for meeting and activity room space requirements considering the options contained in the analysis of the Community Facilities Evaluation Study performed by Design Atlantic Ltd. (DAL).

 

BACKGROUND

 

In January 2003, the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors (OPABD) assigned the Comprehensive Plan Committee (CPC) the task to undertake a comprehensive study of space needs for community and administrative activities.  The CPC gathered data on facilities usage from all recognized resident based organizations in Ocean Pines with a 100% response.  Data was also obtained from the Recreation and Parks Department, the Ocean Pines General Manager, the Police and the Public Works Departments, and the Clubs Manager.

 

The committee examined all existing Ocean Pines facilities as to usage and adequacy, reviewed previous evaluations (ETC, dated June 20, 2002, and Todd and Associates, Inc. Architects, October 3, 2002), reviewed potential facilities available outside Ocean Pines, and submitted its findings to the OPA Board Directors in the “Space Requirements Study” on June 3, 2003.  The findings of that study are still considered to be valid, as growth in the community and participation in organizations has generally continued to grow, and the available facilities have not changed. These findings provide the basis for the CPC’s recommendation to the OPABD. 

 

On November 5, 2003, the OPABD directed the CPC “to generate a specific plan that begins with definition of the space or spaces required to meet the needs identified and ends with the completion of any construction required.”  (See  Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee Task Assignment, November 5, 2003).

 

On January 20, 2004, the CPC presented to the OPABD a “Facilities Process Assignment Report.”  This report described the task, what the CPC had accomplished to that point,  what it could and would do if requested by  the OPABD, and described functions that   the Committee believed required contracted professionals in order to implement the process.

 

The Work Plan attached to the Facilities Process Assignment Report indicates the work to be carried out by professionals with regard to space as currently provided by the Community Hall and compares costs and other considerations between:

“(A)  Rehabilitation , remodeling and expansion of the existing Community Hall, including possible expansion into the present fire station and providing a new fire station, use of the Country Club and a winterized Beach Club building, and if necessary an annex or addition to the present Community Hall; and (B) Construction, over time and in affordable segments of a new meeting and activity facility, either beginning with demolition of the existing facility and new construction starting with the footprint or on another site; maintaining the current facility for interim use and possible later application to meet space needs of other community functions.”

 

On August 1, 2004, the Community Facility Evaluation was delivered to the OPA Manager by DAL.  An overview of that report was presented to the CPC on August 23, 2004.  The DAL study examined all existing OPA facilities as well as options to construct new spaces to meet the identified space needs  The DAL report converted the hourly and population usage data expressed in the Space Requirements Study into square footage and facility type requirements to meet the needs of Ocean Pines residents and administration. It also provided estimated costs of construction and pros and cons for each of the identified options, including a gymnasium and an indoor swim center. The CPC was tasked by Mr. Dan Stachursky, President, OPABD to study the Community Facility Evaluation and recommend to the Board which of these options the Board should select  to meet the community’s current and foreseeable future space requirements.

 

RECOMMENDED COURSE OF ACTION

 

BUILD A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER LOCATED AT THE TOWN CENTER

 

1. Rationale for a new Community Center

 

A new Community Center is the only option that would provide all the space and space configurations necessary to meet the current and “build out” needs of the Ocean Pines community.  In addition:

• It will have the lowest initial cost for the required amount of space of the options considered.
• It will have the lowest operating cost of the options considered.
• It will be more efficient to manage than multiple buildings.
• It will be the least labor and time intensive to plan and construct, therefore, will have the lowest overhead to implement
• A single facility avoids the duplication and inefficiencies inherent in several smaller buildings
• It will enable fire and rescue services to continue to be provided to the north end of Ocean Pines from the North Side Fire Substation.

 

Most importantly, it is the only solution that meets all the needs of the community in the long term most cost effective manner.  The ability to zone off the meeting spaces can reduce operating costs by eliminating the need to condition an entire building to accommodate a small group.  Maintenance costs will be lower for a single well-constructed facility than for a number of disparate, reconditioned older facilities.

The proposed spaces will meet the meeting and assembly needs of large and small organizations; several recreational facilities needs, to include youth programs; and by virtue of the ability to divide areas via movable partitions can simultaneously accommodate multiple uses.

 

 

2. Rationale for building on the Sports Core site

 

Some years ago the Board of Directors purchased property between MD 589 and Ocean Parkway through which Cathell Road was later constructed. It was expected this property would be used for future community facilities as well as for sale of some parcels to raise capital. Various conceptual plans and studies done in the past, although not adopted, indicate the options that were considered. These fell into two categories. Portions of the property were proposed for commercial use. Consistent with that intent, the county library and U.S. Postal Service facilities were constructed on some of the parcels proposed for commercial use. Other portions were proposed for a variety of recreational facilities including sports complex, pool/recreation complex, sports fields/open play courts, indoor pool, wellness center, paddle boats, amphitheatre-stage facilities, lakefront promenade, nature interpretive center, enhanced pedestrian link, wetland/forest protection, sports fields, and tennis courts.

 

This is the site the CPC recommends for construction of the Community Center.

Construction of a new Community Center on this site would enable the existing Community Hall to be used to support existing programs, staff and organizations’ needs for meeting spaces during the construction of the new Community Center.

It is the only option that allows all current activities to continue uninterrupted during the construction of the new Community Center

 

The selection of the Sport Core site also provides the opportunity for co-location of other similar facilities at this site in the future, such as those identified on prior plans for the site.  This would also contribute to the concept of a Town Center which has been advocated by prior planning documents for this location.  Being an open, vacant parcel, this site will have lower site preparation costs because there are no trees to clear, no building demolition is required, and restoration of adjacent improvements would be minimal if needed at all.  Located at this highly visible site, the Community Center would become a focal point for the various recreational features that could be constructed there in the future. Constructing the Community Center at this site would result in no impact on adjoining homeowners as would be the case with White Horse Park.  In addition, the facility at this site would be readily identifiable to the public, required utilities are available along MD Route 589, and this site is the most centrally located site available within Ocean Pines

 

3. Other Benefits

 

Construction of the Community Center on the Sports Core site would result in several benefits relative to the White Horse Park location:

• It would preserve the desirable stand of mature trees that exists at White Horse Park.
• It avoids construction traffic from passing through Ocean Pines to White Horse Park during construction.
• It avoids adding traffic from the Community Center to an already busy location on a daily basis.

 

After the new facility is put into use, the existing Community Hall can be utilized for other unmet space needs identified in the Space Requirements Study (for example, administrative office space, Public Works, a teen activities center, youth day camp programs and other uses  which the Recreation and Parks Department has proposed).

 

D.  CONS

Contracting for a single new facility requires the largest upfront obligation of funds.

 

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND NOT SELECTED

 

A.  COMMUNITY CENTER FACELIFT AND ADDED FACILITIES ELSEWHERE.

This option was rejected because:

 

(1)  It does not fully respond to the needs identified in the Space Requirements Study and critical additional space would still be needed;

 

(2) It could require the curtailment of community activities and events     

during construction;

 

(3)  It would result in higher construction costs;

 

(4)  The costs of additional facilities built elsewhere later would escalate over time;

 

(5)  It would result in higher operating costs;

 

(6)  It would require the longest time to meet the space requirements and would therefore perpetuate the condition of unmet space needs until other facilities were approved and built at a later date;

 

(7)  It requires resolution of the issue of removal or elimination of the Northside Fire Station.

 

 

B. COMPLETELY RENOVATE EXISTING COMMUNITY CENTER AND EXPAND FACILITIES.

           

This option was rejected because:

 

(1)  It does not sufficiently respond to the needs identified in the Space    

      Requirements Study;

 

(2) It could require the curtailment of community activities and events     

during construction;

 

            (3) It would result in higher construction costs;

 

(4)  It would require a longer time to meet the space requirements and would therefore perpetuate the condition of unmet space needs until other facilities were approved and built at a later date;

 

 (5)  It could necessitate relocation of the Northside Fire Station which again raises the question of relocation or elimination.

 

C.  CAMPUS STYLE COMMUNITY CENTER PLANNED TO MATCH FUNDS AVAILABILITY.

           

This option was rejected because:

 

            (1)  It would involve higher overall construction costs;

 

(2) The costs of additional facilities built in later phases would escalate over time;

 

            (3) It would result in higher operating costs;

 

            (3)  It would result in a greater need for management;

 

            (4)  It would take a longer time to meet the space needs identified in the Space 

Requirements Study; therefore perpetuating some of the unmet space needs for an indefinite time;

 

(5)  It would be subject to the whims and vagaries of future Boards and Comprehensive Planning Committees.

 

DISCUSSION

 

    The residents of Ocean Pines have benefited from the foresight of the original developer who provided a wide complement of amenities. However, the community has grown substantially in more than three decades since then to the point of outgrowing the capacity of some of these facilities. The Community Hall is the most significant of these. One study after another has documented the need for more space, the deteriorated condition and the inadequacy of the existing facilities.  The Space Requirements Study concluded the need for indoor space in Ocean Pines is several magnitudes beyond the space available at the existing Community Hall. An engineer‘s study of the condition of this building indicated it contains numerous building, life safety, health and ADA code violations and is approaching the end of its useful life. 

 

More than 80 groups need space to meet in Ocean Pines. The existence of these organizations adds significantly to the essence of the community we call Ocean Pines. The need for a new Community Center is both compelling and urgent. It is essential to the continuation of the organizations that help define the character of our social and leisure activities. This facility by virtue of its magnitude and resource impact is pivotal to planning for other ancillary facilities in the community.

 

Recommendations for other facilities and space needs

 

Indoor Pool 

The survey conducted in 1998 indicated this facility was desired by the highest number of people who responded to the survey. The ”Ocean Pines, A Compilation of the Comprehensive Plan-1998, Supplemental Report-2000, and Update-2002” indicated the level of need was 23% of the available capacity an indoor pool would provide. (Using facility capacities and participation rates in Table 6-7, page 91, this table projected indoor swimming pool demand to be 84,121 occasions per year; which Table 6-9, page 94, indicates is a utilization rate of -.23 of the annual capacity of one pool).  The OPABD also indicated the indoor pool should be self supporting. Therefore the CPC concluded the level of need to support an indoor pool will not exist until some time in the future. The need for an indoor pool in Ocean Pines should be reassessed in the future in the context of population growth in the Pines and the indoor pool the YMCA plans to build off Gum Point Road in the near future. This should be identified on a master plan for the Town Center.

 

Gymnasium 

The space requirements study indicated the Recreation and Parks Department’s current need for gymnasium space of 337 hours per year was being met by renting space at several elementary schools. They also indicated their use would increase to 997 hours per year if a gym were available in Ocean Pines.(pg. 6, Space Requirements Study) This should be identified on a master plan for the Town Center.

 

Auditorium 

Various organizations expressed the need for auditorium space for a total of 1483 hours per year. This need should be revisited in the context of population growth in Ocean Pines and the Performing Arts Center proposed by the County.

 

Administration

The modest additional space needed by the General Manager’s staff should be met by an expansion of the Administration Building.

 

Police

The modest additional space identified by the Police Department should be accommodated by an expansion of their headquarters.

 

Public Works

The needs for expansion of Public Works space should be planned at their existing site with additional requirements being met at the Community Hall after completion of the new Community Center.           

           

 

 

 

Recommendations to proceed

 

The Comprehensive Planning Committee recommends proceeding with the construction of a new Community Center at the site referred to as the Sports Core as soon as possible to meet the significant unmet need for meeting and activity spaces in Ocean Pines.

The committee also recommends this site be renamed the Town Center.

 

After the Board approves one of the building options, major tasks that need to be accomplished to proceed with design include the following:

 

1.   Have a reputable design firm prepare a master plan for the site showing how the proposed center is to be located and where other ancillary facilities proposed for future construction could be located on the site;

2.   Proceed with resolution of funding issues;

3.   Provide a program of requirements defining the functions and sizes of the spaces, special features and equipment, types and qualities of the finishes, etc for the design team;

4.   Provide a budget for the project;

5.   Have a reputable design firm prepare construction documents for the project;

6.   Bid and award the construction contract;

7        Oversee construction of the building.

 

DOCUMENTS INCLUDED BY REFERENCE

 

1.  Community Facility Evaluation Study, prepared by Design Atlantic Ltd., 01/08/04.                           

2.  Report of Replacement Reserve Study, ETC, 06/20/02.

3. New Community Center and Survey of Existing Community Center  Building, Todd and Associates Inc., Architects, 10/03/00.
4. Space Requirements Study, Comprehensive Plan Committee, 06/03/03.
5. Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee Task Assignment, Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors, 11/05/03.
6. Facilities Process Assignment Report, Comprehensive Plan Committee, with attached Work Plan, 01/20/04.

Uploaded: 10/8/2004