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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: January 22, 2009 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. I C) -h <br /> SUBJECT: Hillsborough Area Rail Station Task Force Appointment <br /> DEPARTMENT: Planning PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br /> Clerk to the Board <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> OCTSB Applicant Name, Phone Number <br /> Craig Benedict 245-2592 <br /> Donna Baker 245-2130 <br /> Karen Lincoln 245-2594 <br /> PURPOSE: To make an appointment to the Rail Station Task Force. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> Some appointments were made by the Board of County Commissioners on October 28, 2008. <br /> Volunteer applications are on record now. One position from Orange County remains: Orange <br /> County Transportation Service Board (OCTSB). <br /> The first meeting was November 14 at 10:00 a.m. at the Town of Hillsborough Town Barn. <br /> HISTORY: <br /> A group of Hillsborough and Orange County citizens have met regularly to discuss the potential <br /> for passenger train service in Hillsborough. The meetings grew out of a citizen-sponsored <br /> petition begun during the town's review of the Boone/Collins project and demonstrated <br /> significant local support for returning rail service to Hillsborough. Recently, Amtrak and NCDOT <br /> have indicated passenger train service is financially feasible in the Hillsborough area. This <br /> group of citizens is now asking the elected boards of both Hillsborough and Orange County to <br /> establish a joint Rail Station Task Force to move the planning process forward. <br /> The train stop is of county if not regional value and is noted within our Long Range <br /> Transportation Plan goals. <br /> The citizen group suggests the Task Force be charged to undertake the following work: <br /> • Define best practice criteria for recommending the selection of a location for a train <br /> station <br /> • Apply these criteria to selected parcels in Hillsborough area to recommend to both <br /> government Boards the best location for a Hillsborough station <br /> • Prepare a report; investigate the established funding criteria and procedural steps to <br /> proceed with station development and collect/report those items already prepared or <br /> readily available for submittal to funders. These include but not limited to: connectivity to <br />