Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Commissioner Brown clarified that the County did not give the developer a burn permit. <br />Geoffrey Gledhill said that there were two legal remedies -one is to adopt the Solid Waste <br />Ordinance, which will be in affect in the unincorporated portion of Orange County, and the second <br />is that the other governmental entities will be encouraged to adopt the ordinance. Also, the <br />County was given permission from the General Assembly to make the prohibition of burning in <br />connection with developments a condition of development permits. Amendments to the County's <br />development ordinance will be presented to the County Commissioners for approval as soon as <br />possible. These amendments will apply to the area of Orange County that is planned by Orange <br />County, which does not include the towns or the area of Lake Hogan Farm. Carrboro, through <br />the Joint Planning Agreement with Orange County, would have to amend its development <br />ordinance in order for the burning to stop at the Lake Hogan Farm burning problem. <br />Sara Bruce spoke on behalf of the Orange/Chatham Sierra Club. She took some <br />photographs of the Lake Hogan Farm site and distributed these. She supports what Geoffrey <br />Gledhill has suggested. She asked that the County also look at loopholes in other regulations on <br />water quality and air quality. She mentioned that it was the North Carolina Department of <br />Forestry who issues the burn permits. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked Ms. Bruce to help the County to identify weaknesses in <br />the County's water quality protection standards. <br />Frances Seawell, a Lake Hogan Farm resident, encouraged the County <br />Commissioners to pass the ordinance prohibiting open burning. <br />Commissioner Jacobs made one change to the policy on Open Burning by <br />Governmental Entities and Non-Profits Receiving County Funds. In the fourth bullet, the second <br />sentence, "If burning is still pursued, the organization will notify in advance and in writing..." <br />This information will be sent to the Board of Health for their attention. Chair Carey <br />would like to get additional information on burning of poison ivy, etc. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to <br />approve and authorize the Chair to sign a resolution that would implement a policy, as revised, <br />governing open burning by governmental and non-profit entities receiving Orange County funds <br />as stated below: <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />A RESOLUTION ENACTING A POLICY GOVERNING THE USE OF OPEN BURNING BY <br />GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-PROFIT ENTITIES RECEIVING ORANGE COUNTY FUNDING <br />WHEREAS, land development and associated site clearing activities are increasing, and will <br />continue to increase; and <br />WHEREAS, it is common practice for many developers to deal with eliminating vegetative and <br />wood waste associated with land clearing activities through controlled, open burning of these <br />materials; and <br />WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners has serious concerns about the harmful <br />environmental, public health, and safety effects these activities can engender for Orange County <br />citizens; and, <br />WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners wishes to encourage the use of <br />environmentally friendly, health sensitive alternatives to managing waste related to land <br />development activities; and <br />WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners believes public and non-profit entities <br />can and should exercise leadership by example in carrying out their development related activities <br />in ways that protect the environment and public health and safety; <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />hereby enacts the attached policy "Open Burning by Governmental Entities and Non-Profits <br />Receiving County Funds". <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />