Orange County NC Website
4 <br />A. SOLDI lives adjacent to the proposed University Station development. <br />He expressed a concern for the natural habitat and the streams. He realizes <br />there is a conflict between growth and sound development while still <br />preserving as much farmland as possible. He urged the Board of County <br />Commissioners to give preference to development that trades open space and <br />even better natural habitats for higher density developments. By increasing <br />densities in some places, it relieves the pressure for using more and more <br />land as well. If the Board of County Commissioners approve this project he <br />asked that more evidence be presented to assure affordable housing and that <br />the construction schedule be carried out so that there is little disruption <br />to animals and vegetation. <br />JOE HAREN, Chairman of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, <br />stated that his board requests that the Board of County Commissioners <br />consider any plan which has diversity of housing included in it. He feels <br />that it is important to provide an opportunity for people who work in Orange <br />County to live in Orange County. The Chamber assumes that the developers <br />will take care of the environment, traffic and other issues which have been <br />brought forth by the citizens. <br />JANE MASRE distributed a newspaper article entitled "Study links <br />leukemia, chemical contact". She stated that she feels the information given <br />at the last meeting by Mr. Cogswell, the developer, about the safety of <br />toxins on golf courses was erroneous and that low levels of toxins are <br />dangerous. She spoke to the issue of risk indicating that there are other <br />than financial risks at stake, like health and well being. She is opposed <br />to the proposed University Station high density village. She feels that this <br />village can destroy the rural character of this area, destroy the wildlife <br />and create an unbelievable traffic situation and dilute the quality education <br />by overcrowding the schools. <br />JENNIFER MILLER read a statement which has been made a part of the record <br />of this meeting by reference. ,She presented information on the detrimental <br />effect that the proposed University Station development would have on Orange <br />County schools. In her statement she list sixteen errors in the new school <br />impact study presented by Planning Director Marvin Collins. She feels that <br />the strain of a new town on the schools, combined with strains on public <br />safety, roads and water quality, constitute a cumulative and predictable <br />impact, sufficient to cause the Board of County Commissioners to deny the <br />petition that is before them to amend the Land Use Plan. The impact on New <br />Hope Elementary will be the equivalent of one new classroom each year. <br />GREGG FRAHELY spoke against the proposed University Station development. <br />This area has a great potential for development within the next forty or <br />fifty years. He feels there is a loophole in the proposed rural village <br />concept. That loophole allows developers to call golf courses open space. <br />He would like to see true open space -- true rural character written into the <br />code and not .allow wetlands or golf courses to be included in that category. <br />This would allow the growth to be managed and not turned into a golf course <br />community. <br />BILL STROM presented two maps which showed the proposed open space area <br />and water and sewer lines. He read a statement which has been made a part <br />of the record of this meeting by reference. He feels that questions about <br />providing water and sewer to this proposed development have not been <br />adequately addressed. The proposed University Station plan does not meet any <br />of the four stated objectives of the Rural Character Study. He feels it is <br />