Orange County NC Website
- ,.» <br />Councilman David Godschalk indicated he would like to make just `'a`-" <br />brief statement in support of these matters on behalf of the Chapel Hill <br />Town Council. "The Chapel Hill Town Council strongly supports watershed <br />protection and joint planning which are the two main reasons for this <br />....hearing. Orange County, Carrboro and Chapel Hill now have the opportunity <br />:o: (1) Cooperate to protect our watersheds and thereby the communities <br />irinking water and public health and; (2) cooperate in the planning and <br />'.nanaging future growth and thereby the quality of life and public welfare. <br />The representatives of the county and towns put before us share a need -for <br />watershed protection. Stewardship of University Lake and Cane Creek <br />watersheds is a matter which transends jurisdictional lines. These <br />representatives have da.scussed possible solutions in pursuit of good <br />stewardship principles. We will best protect the water supplies if we <br />minimize the amount of asphalt roads, the potential for erosion and <br />sedimentation, and the amount of impervious surfaces such as buildings and <br />pavement. It is very important to control carefully the location and site <br />des~.gn of land .disturbing activity. Retaining areas with natural <br />vegetation and ground covers provide for naturally clean stormwater before <br />it reaches streams feeding the reservoir. <br />Two key aspects of the thirteen point statement of principles are <br />before us for hearing. One is change of Carrboro's extraterritorial <br />jurisdiction; and two is the extension of Carrboro's transition area <br />further north into the Bolin Creek drainage basin. We believe that the <br />exchange of extraterritorial. jurisdiction and the extension of the <br />transition area are in the best interest of the whole community, since they <br />provide sufficient solutions for future utility service, an environmentally <br />sound area for future growth, and they take development pressure off the <br />University Lake watershed. Together with the study of the carrying <br />capacity of the watersheds and the identification of appropriate land use <br />controls and standards, these approaches can maximize watershed protection <br />ind wise growth as we plan together. To summarize, we believe this plan to <br />~e in the entire community's interest, although the geographic area of <br />``extraterritorial jurisdiction and transition area is a small portion of <br />southern Orange County. Many people who now and in the future use our <br />public water system will benefit from this comprehensive watershed <br />protection strategy." <br />Commissioner John Hartwell indicated that he thought a clear <br />difference between extraterritorial jurisdiction and the transition area <br />under joint planning was that in the extraterritorial jurisdiction it would <br />be possible for the municipality to decide to change the land use plan and <br />make high density residential or commercial in the future if they saw fit. <br />The whole purpose of joint planning, as he understood it, was that the <br />municipalities would be charged with the administration of specific <br />permits, but they would not be allowed to change the land use plan without <br />a joint approval process such as was being conducted at this moment and <br />indeed the final adoption of zoning would be by Caunty ordinance. He asked <br />if he were correct in that distinction. Collins responded yes. <br />Hartwell continued, inquiring about the cross hatched area on the map <br />in the agenda packet. <br />Collins responded that the cross hatched area is the amount of land <br />that would be subtracted out of the northernmost extension to account for <br />land owned by the University of North Carolina. <br />Chair Marshall placed into the record a letter from Sally Nussbaum who <br />couldn't attend the meeting. A copy of the letter is included in the <br />permanent agenda in the Clerk's Office. <br />PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS <br />