Orange County NC Website
_M.r. David Lanese stated he is a Calvander resident and opposes the <br />land swap. He noted that everyone who spoke has been in favor of <br />protection of the watershed. He indicated also that he could understand <br />that Carrboro has a legitimate interest in expanding. He expressed the <br />feeling that there is a lack of a principal argument in favor of the swap <br />itself. He noted that the linkage between these two propositions does not <br />depend on any principled argument advanced thus far by anyone. He noted <br />that the linkage seemed to be grounded in political expediency, and he <br />submitted that this is insufficient to justify the swap which is proposed. <br />He asked for a reasonable affirmative base for the swap rather than <br />palitical expediency. <br />Ms. Helene Ivey encouraged watershed protection and suggested a <br />County-wide bond issue to buy land necessary for watershed protection. <br />Mr. Larry „Reid expressed concern with the location of this public <br />hearing in view of the fact that the majority of the citizens affected <br />would be nearer Chapel Hill High School as a meeting place. He spoke in <br />favor of joint planning but strongly opposed the proposed land swap. He <br />inquired why the County could not maintain extraterritorial jurisdiction <br />over the area and give Carrboro the right of courtesy review. He noted <br />that the swap would create "taxation without representation". He indicated <br />he felt the swap goes against the Joint Planning Agreement. <br />Mr. Skip Mendler stated that the watershed needed to preserved at <br />all costs. •He expressed the concern that Carrboro has no direction in <br />which to grow. He felt that Calvander, Carrboro. and all the surrounding <br />areas have interdependent relationships. that must be preserved. Future <br />focus-the need to plan far ahead-is a fact. Perhaps it is not true that <br />Large urban development will continue to occur. He encouraged communi <br />ration and cooperation far joint planning affects everyone, not just <br />.~alvander and Carrboro. <br />Ma or James Porto of Carrboro reminded those present that Carrboro <br />residents are citizens of Orange County and that between Carrboro and <br />Chapel Hill, they make up two-thirds of the citizens of Orange County which <br />is near 45,000 people. This fact needs to be remembered when one speaks of <br />representation. He stated that his Soard endorses the 13 point plan. <br />Mayor Porto continued, stating that Carrboro's growth strategy over <br />the years has not been one of unbridled growth. He noted that Carrboro <br />recognizes they cannot develop very intensely, in the watershed, but they <br />can develop there at a price. He noted that Carrboro was the first <br />jurisdiction in the State to have a watershed ordinance of such magnitude. <br />He noted that Carrboro had downzoned the watershed area to about what the <br />County is trying to achieve for the rural buffer area. He indicated <br />Carrboro's watershed ordinance is a model ordinance for many other <br />jurisdictions. He stated that if Carrboro is to remain a viable community <br />in the future (40 to 50 years from now) it must have a direction in which <br />it can grow .logically, orderly and not rapidly or rampantly; the only <br />available area is to the north. He indicated that the only way to assure <br />that one's land is not sold or developed in later years by decendants is <br />public dedication. He felt this is a fact. <br />In referring to the land swap and statements from the public <br />regarding annexation, Mayor Porto stated that Carrboro could not annex for <br />six years unless it is a voluntary annexation. He noted also that there <br />are certain density requirements which must be met for annexation that <br />cannot be met by Calvander. Thus, it does not mean annexation will take <br />