Orange County NC Website
of life for many families. He implored the Board to factor in these comments as decisions are <br /> made and reject the Paydarfar site and construct Blackwood Park. <br /> Kathleen Schenley read a prepared statement: <br /> From: Kathleen Schenley, 6714 Millhouse Road <br /> To: The Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> Re: Waste Transfer Station Site <br /> I am deeply disappointed in the actions of this body and highly discouraged about the <br /> future of government in this county. My neighbors and I have watched due process be torn to <br /> shreds in the last few months. This body has ignored their own site selection criteria, tossed <br /> aside hundreds of thousands of dollars spent evaluating sites selected by that criteria, and <br /> climbed merrily onto the bandwagon of an expedient solution. <br /> Will you really look at what you are proposing? You want to site a waste transfer <br /> station in the supposedly protected rural buffer, on a narrow winding road used by school <br /> buses and school children. You want to place it next to a future park. And to do that, you will <br /> coerce the Parks Department to sell you a piece of property bought with tax dollars, intended <br /> for inclusion in the Blackwood Park, and sold to the Parks Department in good faith that the <br /> land would be rejoined with the original parcel to expand the park. You told the residents of <br /> Rogers Road that you would not site the transfer station on Eubanks Road. Do you think <br /> you're fooling anyone by coming in the back door via Millhouse Road? I could go on and on. <br /> I know you're tired of this. We're all tired of this. But you won't have to live next door to <br /> your decision. We will. I beg you to take this opportunity to do the right thing. If you're going <br /> to throw out the previous criteria, so be it. But at least take a vote and make it official. Open <br /> the search to all available ten-acre tracts in the county. This county made a hasty decision 37 <br /> years ago. Don't repeat that mistake. Yes, it will take more time, but it's the right thing to do." <br /> Kevin Brice was with Triangle Land Conservancy. He spoke about the Irvin Farm <br /> Preserve, which is a partnership project that TLC has embarked on with experienced and <br /> talented educators. He distributed a handout. This will be an educational area. <br /> Livy Ludington also spoke about the Irvin Farm Preserve, and she is part of the staff for <br /> this. She said that they worked briefly with the County Planning Department for a pilot project <br /> this summer. The pilot project was successful and they want to expand this program. The <br /> Irvin Farm Preserve would like the Board's support as it works with the Planning Department. <br /> The vision is for a green camp that will teach children about the outdoors. <br /> Neil Masson spoke about concerns with the current burning ordinance in Orange <br /> County. The current ordinance states that yard waste can be burned between 8:00 a.m. and <br /> 6:00 p.m. as long as it is not a nuisance. He said that there are pockets within the County that <br /> are outside city limits, but border neighborhoods within the city. Because of this, there are <br /> some health concerns that he is experiencing. The first is air quality and the second is <br /> potential danger of fire spreading. There is a house about 70 yards behind him that burns <br /> often, and there is a neighbor that he shares a fence line with that can burn because he is <br /> outside the city limits. He said that he is no longer able to open his windows in his home <br /> because of the smoke. He said that there is no help from the fire department or police <br /> because their hands are tied due to this ordinance. He asked for some revisions to the <br /> ordinance. He would love to see the ordinance eliminated or some set limitations on the <br /> ordinance, such as setting mileage and acreage minimums to those residing outside city limits. <br /> Bonnie Hauser spoke on behalf of Orange County Voice. She said that Orange County <br /> Voice would like to know the impact to shift from a revenue-producing landfill to a waste <br />