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

Browse Search

It group that would have a charge and a stable representation that could look at the issues and develop a plan that could then be brought back to this group. Ms. Blackmon stated the proposal was for three task forces, and a membership for those task forces had also been proposed. She said the first task force handled joint planning issues,the second dealt with transportation issues, and the third dealt with water supply and watershed protection issues. Ms. Blackmon stated there had been two recommendations made by staff when the Orange County Commissioners held their discussion: to take the third task force on water supply and watershed protection issues and move the watershed issues into the planning issues; and,the idea that regionally they should move forward with looking at such things as water supply, allocation from Jordan Lake, a new intake facility, conservation issues, or, basically a strategic planning approach to make sure that not only was the water supply there and available but that they had a determined approach to conservation in the way the area was developing and the one million plus people expected in the Triangle region. Ms. Blackmon stated the County Commissioners had thought that perhaps the Joint Planning Task Force in conjunction with the watershed and transportation issues might be better approached through a Work Group. She said part of the charge of the Work Group would be to discuss and strategize on possible opportunities and structure for participating jurisdictions to jointly develop and pursue regional initiatives. Ms. Blackmon said there was some discussion on how large the Work Group should be, and the proposed representation was listed on the attachment. d) Discussion 8:37:43 PM Commissioner Jacobs stated the Durham-Chapel Hill-Orange Work Group met quarterly, and they had discussed whether meeting that seldom would be an effective way to ramp up land use planning and transportation planning. So, he said, there had been some discussion about having two elected officials from each jurisdiction on the Group, then have the Group break into two groups to allow the work to move at a faster pace than the group that just met quarterly. Commissioner Jacobs said spreading out the work load would make it more likely that they would accomplish their goals. Commissioner Gordon stated she was supportive of the work group approach, adding she also supported having two elected officials from each jurisdiction on that work group. She stated meetings could take place more frequently, and suggeted that they have targeted priorities and that the focus be broadened somewhat outside of Orange and Chatham Counties. She also suggested that the Triangle Transit Authority be included in the membership. Alderman Coleman asked had there been less salient issues already identified for each of those nine areas. Ms. Blackmon said no, that the discussions were broad based. Alderman Coleman asked had there been discussion of a work plan, and what issues that would contain. Ms. Blackmon stated the plan was to prioritize them, noting they could not move forward until that was done. Alderman Coleman said his concern was that this Committee was trying to do too much, and the result of that would be that the Committee's membership would not be effective. He stated it would be unlikely that the Committee would make progress on more than a few of 6