Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Commissioner Gordon gave a report on the activities of the Transportation Advisory Committee for <br />the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO. They continue to work on the 2025 Transportation Plan. They <br />have received a draft of the Regional Priority List for the fiscal year 2004-2010 TIP. This draft has been <br />released for public comment. A public hearing has been set for February 13th at 7:00 p.m. in the Durham <br />City Hall building. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that the Triangle J Council of Governments Smart Growth Committee <br />held a meeting today and there was a yearly review. The research group reported that apartment <br />vacancy is up, office vacancies are up, industrial vacancies are up, and retail vacancies are up. These <br />results are not surprising in a market like this. <br />Chair Jacobs thanked Beverly A. Blythe, Evelyn Cecil, and Nancy Paciga for putting together the <br />reception tonight for the former County Commissioners. He also thanked Reverend Maria Palmer for <br />helping to instigate the trip today to Greensboro. She is a member of the state Board of Education and <br />was very enthusiastic about having the school systems work on the Middle College program. <br />Chair Jacobs said that the Central Orange Senior Center is going to have its open house and grand <br />opening on January 29th at 10:30 a.m. <br />Chair Jacobs said that he, the Vice-Chair, and John Link had a meeting yesterday with State <br />Representative Nelson Cole who will represent some of the northern areas of Orange County. They <br />talked about some of the issues of interest in the County (farming, schools, taxes, transportation, etc). <br />This was a very productive meeting. <br />Chair Jacobs said that, in reading the newspaper, he noticed that some Orange County residents <br />were at the hearing held in Graham about the medical waste incinerator, which is allegedly violating air <br />quality standards. He asked that staff get some of the information as to what is at issue and some <br />direction if we want to talk to some of the Alamance County Commissioners about this issue. <br />4. COUNTY MANAGER'S REPORT <br />County Manager John Link said that the staff has continued communication with Mr. John Robinson <br />of Mebane. The staff told him that we would publicly tonight recommit ourselves to work with DOT and <br />help his neighbors and him to resolve this issue. <br />5. RESOLUTIONS/PROCLAMATIONS <br />a. Resolution Accepting Conservation Easement Donation -Carl and Eve Shy <br />The Board considered a resolution approving a conservation easement donation agreement <br />with Carl and Eve Shy for land in Bingham Township. <br />Environment and Resource Conservation Director David Stancil made a PowerPoint <br />presentation with some photographs of the property. The property is 45 acres and is within the Cane <br />Creek Watershed Critical Area. The property is very remarkable including woodlands, wildlife habitat, <br />prime farmland, rural character, and open space. There is an artist studio on the property. There are <br />agricultural fields, which are about 35-40% of the property. It is leased to a local farmer that produces hay <br />and corn. Over 50% of the property is woodlands (mature mixed hardwoods and pines). There are also <br />some nature trails and two streams on the property. <br />Mrs. Eve Shy said that they have been residents of Orange County since 1968 and purchased <br />their property in Bingham Township in 1979 and 1980. They were planning on building their retirement <br />home in the future, but their weekend explorations of their land made them aware of its heartbeat; its <br />abundant variety of trees, plants, and animals; and the beauty of its seasons. They found it more and <br />more difficult to go back to their house in town, so in 1982 they moved into the new home overlooking the <br />pond. They pledged to one another to be good stewards of the land, and they believe they have been. <br />They received numerous phone calls from logging companies for their timber and letters from developers <br />wanting their property. Both Carl and Eve decided they would like to keep their property as a natural <br />green space for future generations to see what Bingham Township looked like back then. The <br />conservation easement program serves their goal and they are pleased to give the easement to Orange <br />County. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Gordon to approve <br />and authorize the Chair to sign the resolution as stated below: <br />