Orange County NC Website
~~ <br />the land use plan developed jointly by orange County and Chapel Hill. <br />Marvin Collins indicated that Chapel Hill is working on a land <br />use plan and have expanded it to include the Joint Planning Area. Tn <br />that plan they have proposed limiting the area north and east of I-40 to ~. <br />rural residential. That plan will be presented next at a public hearing. <br />Chair Willhoit assured Mr. Bernard that additional public , <br />hearings would be held. <br />Brad Walters, resident of Sedgefield, expressed concern for the <br />lack of water resources and wastewater treatment facilities. Light <br />industry would tax those resources and treatment facilities. Traffic is <br />another issue which has been delegated to the state. However, since. <br />traffic is already a problem on Whitfield Road, major changes will. need <br />to be made. <br />Barry Jacobs, Chair of the Planning Board, indicated that the <br />Planning Board and/or the Planning Staff would be willing to meet with <br />the group to discuss this activity node. <br />Chair Willhoit pointed out that considerable support by <br />developers for extending the needed facilities had been received and <br />would be considered as part of the approval process for the project. <br />Commissioner Marshall indicated that the Planning staff has <br />held meetings with citizens and was given a positive response when she <br />questioned ,if such a meeting is desired by this group. <br />Chair Willhoit thanked the group for their comments and <br />indicated that the position of the Board is not to move forward on the <br />Land Use Plan until the public has had every opportunity to review and to <br />respond. <br />F. ITEMS FOR DECISION <br />8. DISCLOSURE OF PROPERTY INTERESTS AND ASSETS BY COUNTY OFFICIALS <br />Chair Willhoit summarized the request by the orange County <br />Democratic Party pertaining to ethical standards as applied to elected <br />and appointed officials. <br />Ken Gray, citizen of Orange County, spoke in support of full <br />disclosure standards noting that full disclosure will protect the public <br />interest no matter what the nature of the development may be and benefit <br />both the elected officials and the citizens of Orange County. For the <br />citizens, full disclosure is a reassurance that the public interest has a <br />precedence over private gain profit under all circumstances where it is <br />applicable. For elected officials full disclosure is a deterrent to <br />those actions that place personal interest on the same level as the <br />public interest. <br />Clint Burklin, Stonycreek Neighborhood Association, spoke in <br />support of full disclosure. With the rapid growth and the increased <br />business in the County, it will be more difficult to be aware of the <br />conflict of interest. He suggested that (1) a definition be included <br />for ethics code, (2) a procedure for enforcement be outlined and (3) a <br />penalty be included for. violations. <br />Lois Herring, resident of the Damascus Community, spoke in <br />support of an ethics code for the Orange County Board of Commissioners. <br />Having a conflict of interest policy makes it clear to citizens than an <br />elected official does not .just choose to disqualify himself but is <br />required to disqualify himself from voting on a matter where there is a <br />conflict of interest. She suggested the ethics code follow that of <br />Guilford County because it provides for penalties and removal from office <br />if conflict of interest is proved. <br />Carmen Prioli., Stonycreek Neighborhood Association, spoke in <br />support of full disclosure and reiterated Mr. Burklin's remarks. <br />NO OTHER COMMENTS WERE MADE <br />