Orange County NC Website
~~ <br />Vic Knight expressed concern that only the greenways had been <br />addressed and he desired to see and hear discussions <br />regarding proposed community parks and district parks. He <br />indicated the need to have those items discussed separately. <br />He asked that the Board listen closely to the public comments <br />particularly since those speaking from the rural area of the <br />County seemed to be totally opposed to the proposed <br />greenways. Mr. Knight continued expressing concern for the <br />safety of those using the greenways as well as those with <br />property adjoining the greenways. He noted that a large <br />creek borders his property and an adjoining large farm and <br />that on several occasions he had been forced to call the <br />Sheriff's Department to have people removed from those areas <br />late at night. He continued that safety will always be a <br />concern regarding the greenways as well as the potential for <br />liability on the part of the property owners. <br />Ann Joyner, resident of Cedar Grove Township, expressed <br />concern with the consistent use of the phrase that the <br />"greenways will be built and will be used for a certain <br />purpose and asked for assurance from the Soard that those <br />speaking will be heard. Ghair Marshall responded that the <br />use of the word will was simply used to indicate how the <br />Plan, if adopted, would be implemented. Ms. Joyner continued <br />asking if the entire Board was willing to be openminded and <br />listen to the citizens' concerns and not with the <br />determination that the greenways will be built. The response <br />was yes and Commissioner Hartwell commented that he had come <br />to the meeting suspicious of greenways and was still <br />suspicious of greenways. Ms. Joyner continued that she is a <br />developer and does intend to subdivide the land available to <br />her and expressed the concern that those property owners who <br />would purchase the lots for homes which she would subdivide <br />would have the same concerns for greenways across their lots <br />that are being expressed by the present property owners. She <br />continued that she felt the concerns would remain the same <br />regardless who the property owners are or the amount of <br />property that is owned. <br />Hervy McIver, resident of Hillsborough Township, indicated <br />that he was in favor of the Master Recreation and Parks Plan, <br />but also expressed doubts and suspicions with certain aspects <br />of the Plan. He indicated that he felt the Plan addressed a <br />long-range and farsighted vision of what Orange County will <br />become under the increasing pressure of growth. He continued <br />that the County had experienced a tremendous amount of growth <br />in the period from 1968 to 1988 and he expected that growth <br />to accelerate during the next twenty years. He continued <br />that he felt the best stewards of the land were private <br />landowners but that development pressures would demand that <br />