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<br />twenty ten acre developments. He would not reserve approval of the big <br />developments for the Board. He feels the policies and ordinances in place <br />address the total development regardless of its size. In fact, he feels that <br />businesses may go the minor economic development route to avoid bringing it <br />before the Board which would have the opposite affect of what they want to <br />achieve. He feels the Board needs to be involved with the policy issue and <br />then let the staff apply it as stipulated. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that the ordinance is structured so that <br />a major subdivision is defined to prevent putting together a lot of minor <br />subdivisions. She feels that if something has a large affect, the Board <br />should have a chance to review it. With regard to the policy questions, <br />everything about the EDDs is in the Design Manual. She is not proposing that <br />the County Commissioners worry about the small details. She is concerned <br />about the traffic patterns, water and sewer service - major things that would <br />impact the County -- not minor details. They would be working at a policy <br />level. <br />Chair Carey does not want to get involved with policy decisions <br />that have been given to the staff to implement. The staff has more time to <br />apply the policy decisions than the Board. He is not convinced that the Board <br />needs to be involved once they have decided a policy issue. He suggested <br />referring these two recommendations to the Planning Board for their review. <br />Commissioner Insko asked if Commissioner Cordon's concern is that <br />the Design Manual is not specific enough or that the staff will not interpret <br />the Design Manual the way the Board wants it to be interrupted. Commissioner <br />Gordon noted that the manual is not straight forward. If the Board is <br />interested in pursuing these two policy questions, a detailed analysis needs <br />to be done by the staff. If the Design Manual was very specific, the staff <br />could do it. She feels that there will be unanticipated issues that the Board <br />cannot perceive where there will be a lot of judgment involved and that the <br />Board should take responsibility for large projects with the main focus of <br />approving them in a timely manner. <br />Commissioner Insko agreed that when there is a new concept put into <br />place, it is hard to think through all the outcomes. Commissioner Gordon <br />clarified that the Board would only be looking at large developments and <br />addressing major policy questions like traffic flow and water and sewer. <br />Commissioner Willhoit said that in order for the Board to turn down <br />a project because of an unanticipated impact or outcome, the Board would need <br />to be very specific. <br />PIIBLIC COMMENTS <br />Ann Joyner said she served on the original target committee to <br />decide what kinds of industry was wanted. She feels that the concerns about <br />traffic patterns and water and sewer are taken care of in the selection of the <br />EDDs themselves. There have been many studies about water and sewer in these <br />particular areas as well as traffic patterns and these concerns have been <br />addressed. She asked why she, as an employer, would come to Orange County and <br />wait 3-6 months when she can go to Durham, Person, Chatham, Caswell or <br />Alamance County and know today whether she can move in tomorrow. Employers <br />will not come to this County because they don't know what they can or cannot <br />do. In answer to a question from Commissioner Insko, Ann Joyner noted that <br />there have been studies which show that alternative systems can be even better <br />than public sewer. Wells are also sufficient as long as the groundwater is <br />