Orange County NC Website
take over the responsibility for making sure the lines are extended. There is an 18 -month timeline for this <br />water line extension. <br />John Link said that from the date of the transfer of solid waste management to the County, the <br />next day OWASA could be authorized to submit request for proposals to run the major water lines to this <br />area From that date, OWASA expects that those major water lines would be in the ground between 12 <br />and 18 months. He said that the only thing outstanding was an agreement between the County and the <br />other jurisdictions on how to fund the lateral lines. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that the Board has been very clear in saying that they understand <br />what the residents of the Rogers Road neighborhood are saying. He said that the process is taking <br />longer than the Commissioners originally thought He clarified that a proposed agreement from OWASA <br />would be forthcoming within a month. <br />Health Director Rosemary Summers said that the wells in the Rogers Road neighborhood have <br />been tested twice for volatile organic chemicals, including the MTBEs. The wells will be tested quarterly. <br />The wells at the landfill have not been tested for MTBEs, but it is in discussion at this time. <br />Commissioner Halkictis said that he feels it is important to get a report back indicating that it is <br />possible that there are MTBEs coming from the landfill. the possible availability of that for the <br />. Commissioner Brown asked about CDBG grant money and <br />Rogers Road neighborhood. <br />John Link said that the staff would explore that possibility again, but as the County <br />Commissioners recall, Orange County does not rate very high in terms of eligibility for septic or sewer <br />systems. The chances of Orange County receiving federal funding for this are slim because of the needs <br />of the flood victims "in the eastern part of the state. <br />Rosemary Summers said that in reference to the reports of the well testing, there was no <br />intentional delay. This was only a miscommunication. <br />Mr. Gary Carver made reference to the public hearing with Chapel Hill about the rezoning of the <br />Greene Tract. He said that the meeting was very interesting and informative. The information was not <br />new information, but was the same information that the citizens have been saying for years. He does not <br />know how the County Commissioners felt about that meeting because there was not a vote. He said that <br />the presentation tonight centered mostly on identifying which 60 acres of the Greene Tract are of interest <br />to the County. He said that the amendment to the interlocal agreement accomplishes the same thing as <br />rezoning the Greene Tract for a materials handling facility and he feels that this is not right He said that <br />one of the major complaints at the public hearing was that it was a foregone conclusion. He understands <br />that there is no burial intended on the Greene Tract but the other facilities that are proposed in that area <br />are just as bad. He feels that the extension of the water lines to Rogers Road should not be tied to the <br />effective date of the intedocal agreement because it is a continual delay. He stressed the importance of <br />finding the source of the MTBEs in the wells. <br />Chair Carey said*that.the responsibility of constructing the water lines is bed to the effective date <br />of the transfer of responsibility because prior to that time no one knew who was responsible. Once the <br />responsibility of solid waste management is transferred to the County, -the County will take over that <br />function. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that she has a proposal for the 60 acres. She referred to the map in <br />the packet. The 60 acres would be at the northern and northeastelm part of the Greene Tract She <br />would hope that the 60 acres could stay undisturbed. She would also hope that the other 109 acres could <br />be left as open sp6ce with some affordable housing. She proposed that the Board ask the staff to figure <br />out the appropriate 60 acres. <br />Discussion ensued about the possible configurations of the 60 acres. <br />Commissioner Jacobs clarified that the 60 acres would be an asset of the solid waste operabon. <br />Chair Carey said that it would be a solid waste asset and anything done with that property would <br />compensate the solid waste fund. <br />Geoffrey Gledhill said that if nothing was done with the 60 acres, it would remain an asset of the <br />landfill. Commissioner Jacobs said that if Chapel Hill and Carrboro used the 109 acres as a park, he <br />thinks that it is important for the Board to decide the portion of the 60 acres where other functions could <br />be provided in the future (i.e., affordable housing; school site, County facilities, a MRF). He would rather <br />protect the most sensitive 60 acres. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked Commissioner Gordon that in using part of section two (from the <br />map), since it has limited access by road, if she perceived that as a place for other functions. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that it is contiguous, but first of all, this sixty acres would remain <br />undisturbed. However, as an asset of the system, if someone in the future wanted to use it for something <br />