Agenda - 02-03-2009 - 6b - Laserfiche WebLink

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A ffoch (nen+ 3133 ORANGE COUNTY HILLSBOROUGH NORTH CAROLINA ranayer's Olke Orla67 ed/7J2 MEMORANDUM TO: Ray DuBose,UNC Energy Services COPIES: Gwen Harvey,Assistant County Manager Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Director Brian Ferrell,Attorney for Orange County Pam Jones,Purchasing Director David Stancil,ERCD Director John Masson,UNC Facilities Planning ,/ ( - FROM: R.Kevin Lindley,PE,Engineering Specialist I .0 / I. i • DATE: 12/31/08 SUBJECT: Easements for UNC's proposed Landfill Gas Pipeline Project This memo contains my understanding of the various outstanding issues regarding the granting of easements across Orange County(the"County")owned property for the proposed Landfill Gas(LFG) project. In general,there are two areas that will be addressed. First,there are issues that UNC will resolve with entities other than the County regarding the routing of the LFG pipeline and/or ductbank. Second, a discussion'of how the granting mg of the easements will be handled by-tle County. It is my understanding from the conversations with John Masson and the various engineers working on this project for UNC that there are some unresolved issues concerning the routing of the proposed easements. To begin with,the proposed easement would cross an area designated by the Town of Chapel Hill as a"Resource Conservation District"(RCD) `At last check,there was a question as to whether crossing the RCD-would be allowed,due to the disturbance that would be caused in the area. The second issue involves a condition of the Special Use Permit(SUP)that the County was required to obtain for the Southern Human Services Center and the Seymour Center. The SUP requires a vegetative buffer of a specified width and type between Homestead Road and the rest of the County's property. Currently,there is enough room to satisfy these buffer requirements and locate the easement on County property. However,the Department of Transportation(DOT)has indicated their desire to widen Homestead Road in the future. The widened road would not allow enough space between the proposed LFG easement and Homestead Rd.to maintain the required buffer width. Thus,the County would be in violation of their SUP with the Town of Chapel Hill. Both of these are issues that UNC needs to resolve with the Town of Chapel Hill(with input from DOT)prior to formally requesting easements from the . Board of County Commissioners(BOCC). Unless these two issues with the Town can be resolved,the currently proposed routing of an easement across County property on Homestead Road will be problematic. AREA CODE (919) 245-2300 • 688-7331 • FAX (919) 644-3004 Ext. 2300