BUSINESS SECTION Regulation:

4.30

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING AND FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT -

PROPERTY ACQUISITION PRIORITIES

Property Acquisition Priorities

Many factors contribute to the need for property acquisition, including the continued growth
of student population and facility needs; the fact that fewer than one-quarter of Falls Church
students are educated within the City limits; that the George Mason High School and Mary
Ellen Henderson Middle School site has reached its FAR (Floor Area Ratio) maximum; that
the current Thomas Jefferson site cannot sustain additional building and appropriate outdoor
spaces; that the Mt. Daniel site has proven difficult to expand.

The School Board’s long term goal is to position itself to be able to purchase properties
either adjacent to or in close proximity to current school sites as those sites become
available. Properties which would have priority for acquisition would:

• Improve flexibility in use of current school sites by adding driveways, entries, bus
loops, parking lots, playing fields;
• Improve accessibility of the current sites by adding second (additional?) access
points, improved accessibility at different grades for persons with disabilities;
• Increase the FAR or potential footprint of a current school site, or allow the
development of plans that increase capacity/space without increasing the footprint of
the facility (i.e., increased efficiency of land use).

The School Board will also closely monitor the status of any large sites either within the
City or less than a mile outside the City limits at any point. Sites outside the City should be
at least 10 acres in order to allow a significant school building project. Sites within the City
could be as small as 3 acres, which could support a primary school.

The Board will consider the shared purchase of properties that involve potential school and
community related uses including affordable housing for teachers, open space, recreational
facilities, etc.

The Board will include allocation of annual funding in its approved CIP document.
Analysis of the usefulness of adjacent properties will be included in architectural studies of
current buildings. The Board will authorize contact with owners of potential larger tracts
and properties adjacent to current sites, to indicate the Board’s interest in being apprised of

Adopted: 2/27/07
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Falls Church City Public Schools
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BUSINESS SECTION Regulation:
4.30

property availability.

Adopted: 2/27/07
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Falls Church City Public Schools
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