Delta School Grade Reconfiguration
Funding Strategy & Implementation
Location: Delta, B.C.
Client: Delta School District
Scope: 11 sites (preliminary assessment)
7 sites (detailed site planning and financial analysis)
2 sites (detailed site planning, land use approvals, subdivision, and marketing)
Objective: T o establish and implement a strategy and implementation “business plan” that will determine the optimal approach to utilize surplus land assets to fully fund capital improvements necessary to complete the grade reconfiguration program to accommodate grades 8 through 12 in all secondary schools .
Role: As a senior land development consultant with Moodie Consultants Ltd., and then under Zuliani & Company Consultants Ltd., Steve Zuliani serves as lead consultant and project manager of 5 specialty consultant firms during the work program.
Responsibilities include day to day activities and advice, managing and coordinating project team to plan and complete:
- Preliminary Business Plan - estimate extent of surplus land / evaluate potential value, requirements and risks for each site / preliminary financial cost-funding analysis / recommendations and next steps
- Final Business Plan – site development planning for selected sites / land development costs and values / school expansion funding requirements / detailed financial analysis / alternatives analysis / implementation recommendations / obtain approval of authorities
- Phase 1 Implementation – detailed site development planning / public consultation / land use and subdivision approvals / negotiate with Municipal and other authorities
- Budget management and reporting
Result: Both the Preliminary and Final Business Plans concluded that surplus land could be effectively applied to fully fund the planned required capital improvements to the existing secondary school to accommodate grades 8 through 12. The Business Plan was well received by both the Board of Trustees and the Ministry of Education as a creative and positive strategy to achieve the stated goals.
Rather than selling land as-is, proactive management of the surplus land assets can generate significantly more revenue. This is possible by the School District first enhancing the value of its properties through site development planning and securing land use approvals to permit single family housing. Additional value should be achievable if the School District continues with site development work, then selling ready-to-build single family lots.
The success of the strategy extends well beyond the financial outcome - it must be undertaken in a manner which is sensitive to political and community issues and must reflect well on elected officials and School District staff responsible for the project.
Phase 1 of the implementation involves two surplus sites in South Delta with forecasted net revenue to cover the cost to expand the South Delta Secondary School . One site was sold to another school organization and following Municipal Council’s unanimous approval the second site was sold to a residential developer. On January 5, 2004 all students attended the expanded school.
