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7 the farmers provide more to the community than just food or production. His greatest wish is that any ill feelings caused by this controversy gives way to a greater understanding that people may need people in ways they have never considered before. He asked that the Board help him and others who want to farm rather than develop their land. BEN LLOYD, dairy farmer in Efland, stated he has no problem with providing adequate land on which to build a house. He checked with other counties and found that Durham County has a minimum lot size of 30,000 sq.ft., Wake County has 20,000 or 30,000, Alamance County has 30,000 sq.ft., Guilford County, 30,000 or 40,000 sq.ft., Person County has a minimum lot size of one acre, Chatham County has 40,000 sq.ft. and Forsyth County has 20,000. He made reference to a meeting he recently attended on Vision 2000. Bob Rubin presented a new type of sewage disposal called the drip system which is a sand filtering type system. He feels that people can safely live on one acre of land and there is no environmental reason to go with anything beyond one acre of land. A two acre minimum will drive the nails into the coffin of affordable housing. With regards to clustering, he feels that most people do not want to live in a condo type housing atmosphere. He has no problem with 50% open space as long as the County owns the land. He feels that 50% open space devalues his land. He suggested that city folks, nature lovers and anyone else who wants to preserve open space, buy it. JOHN HANSEN, a citizen and a developer in Orange County, said that he goes to the farmers and buys their land and builds houses. He is doing a cluster development at the present time. It is a misconception that the developer will save money by putting in the infrastructure. If there are small lots, this may be true but with larger lots, this is not true unless there is sewer and water at the site. He asked that the Board consider all the approaches to give the developer some flexibility on doing a cluster development. He feels there are other ways to preserve open space. COLEEN CARLUCCI, business owner in Chapel Hill and a real estate broker, said that marketing cluster housing does not work. People prefer to have more land around them than clustering provides. This type of mandate of cluster housing drives the price of land up. She does not believe that sprawl will happen in Orange County because of the soil conditions and the rural character. MARTY MANDELL stated that right now tonight she supports the 37% going to two acre minimum lot size. She also supports the open space concept of at least 50% of the buildable land and she supports clustering. Clustering is not a new idea. Communities over the United States have been built using the cluster and open space concept. She does not support an increase in density. These steps are a very good beginning, but that is all. She feels that the regional approach that the elected officials are embarking upon is going to be the solution to this. She feels that people are beginning to rethink the preciousness of the land and respect for it. Tobacco is being dropped but the growth of organic farmer is increasing. She feels that everyone's needs must be met. She looks forward to hearing about how to preserve wildlife, how to have wildlife corridors, how to preserve natural resources and also how all the citizens can share in the success of this county. JOHN HARTWELL stated he was a longtime advocate for Transfer of Development Rights and putting in the mechanisms to make clustering possible. He is representing the Habitat Board and expressing their feelings He made reference to the gentlemen in Mebane who offered to build a house in Mebane. They located some property and closed on that piece of property which will not be affected by these proposed amendments. His goal is to see affordable housing for people all over Orange County. He does not see the quality of life threatened by providing affordable housing on smaller lots than two acres. He made reference to the $750 impact fee and said that this fee was not scaled so that a house worth one million would pay any more than a house worth $60,000. He feels that the little