Agenda - 04-29-2008 Meeting Cancelled

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John Link said that at the last Board of County Commissioners! meeting, the Board discussed the interlocal agreement as it relates to the Greene Tract and the rezoning of the Greene Tract The Board instructed the staff to continue with the analysis of the Greene Tract and, since that time, David Stencil and the Environment and Resource Conservation Department have conducted the assessment and will present the acreage on the entire tract that is best suited for parks, etc. He said that the Board also asked that the change in language of the interlocal agreement reflect that the request for rezoning of the Greene Tract was being withdrawn. Geoff Gledhill is going to speak to this. Environment and Resource CiDriservation Director David Stancil said that the final report on the biological survey was received. He said that there are not many things worthy to note in terms of changes from the interim report. He showed some maps that indicated the two historic sites and the primary habitat areas that are in the northern and southeastern regions of the tract He said that there are a number of areas that would be suitable for parks, active and low-impact recreation. As noted in the report, some of the more developable areas, the less ecologically sensitive areas, are in the west central portion of the tract He noted two areas that would be suitable for development He said that the group took an additional step to look at ways the entire tract could be used. He said that there are some ways to configure this tract to accommodate all uses. Commissioner Brown asked about the location of water and sewer and County Engineer Paul Thames said that there is no sewer available in close proximity to the site at this time. The gravity sewer lines would be laid in the drainage areas that run to the northwest and southwest. However, there is no place for the lines to go in either direction. To receive sewer from the site, the sewer would have to be extended cross-country, or pump stations would have to be built. He said that the water would come along Puref6y Road. Commissioner Jacobs asked about the doffed lines on the map and David Stancil said that these are potential roads for access to the property. He asked if David Stancil took into account the type of grading that would be required for roads and power lines. David Stancil said that the findings were conceptual based on the typography, the lay of the land, the points of access, and the less ecologically sensitive areas. Commissioner Brown asked if there were larger maps to show this property in relation to the adjacent property that is contiguous to this 169 acres called the Greene Tract. She also asked about the greenways that were proposed by Chapel Hill. She noted that in talking with Mayor Waldorf, Chapel Hill would like to make the two developments form a significant greenway from the Greene Tract over to Homestead Park. Commissioner Brown asked to see the area in a larger context Chair Carey said that he hopes that the Board can identify the most preferable 60 acres that could be transferred to the County. He would like to go ahead and identify the 60 acres as soon as possible rather than segmenting the transfer and the identification of the 60 acres. CITIZEN COMMENTS Mr. R. D. Smith said that the County Commissioners are in the same situation the County was in thirty years ago — no land for a landfill. Two weeks ago he was -in Princeville- and there was a swarm of about 2,000 blackbirds on the ground and in the trees. He wonders what the County Commissioners would *do if they were faced with that many birds at one time. He wonders what other sites are under consideration for a long-term basis rather than on a short4erm basis. He said that the Commissioners should be thinking long term instead of short term. He asked what would be the entrances and exits on whatever sites are chosen. Chair Carey clarified that the 60 acres that Mr. Smith is referring to as part of the Greene Tract that would eventually be transferred to the County would not be used for burial of any waste materials. Mr. Robert Campbell said that he sees the same thing happening now that happened in the early 70's when the landowners in the landfill area were promised that the land would eventually be turned into recreation or used for affordable housing. He feels that someone needs to make a commitment to the people in the landfill area about the safety of the water and asked when the residents would receive water. He said that his understanding was that the landfill was never tested for MTBE. He said that the wells were tested for MTBE and the newspapers received the results before the residents received the results. He spoke about the number of trucks that come down Rogers Road to the landfill. He talked about the small from the landfill and how it gets into their homes. He suggested that the County Commissioners find another place to put the solid waste recovery facility. He said that at one time asphalt was used as a covering for the landfill. He thinks that the MTBE in the well water may have come from the asphalt that was once. used. Chair Carey clarified that the Towns and the County have already agreed that a public water system is going to be extended out to the Rogers Road community. He said that the County is going to