Orange County NC Website
_, .~ <br />line and one million far water. The town could get a grant or a low interest low to <br />finance the balance or join with Orange Alamance and the users would pay for the °~'~~~ <br />reservoir. The earliest time the bonds would come due would be three or four years and at , <br />that point of time the two systems may have 800 or 1000 new customers. If the County puts <br />one million into the reservoir and it must be repaid, it doesn't help the Town. There is <br />no doubt that the Town of Hillsborough can finance this reservoir much easier without the <br />County participation than if the County participates. The county has such a financial <br />position that grant money and low interest loans would not be available to it. <br />Hillsborough, being a small community with limited resources, has afar greater chance of <br />securing grants and loans. It was decided that the managers would meet and discuss the <br />financing of the reservoir. <br />Mayor Cates listed several options to the reservoir. They include the building of <br />ponds on Seven Mile Creek which could be used as sedimentation or emergency ponds, using <br />the rock quarry, Lake Michael, water agreement with Durham, OWASA and Orange Alamance and <br />the Seven Mile Creek Reservoir. He emphasized that the Town needs a decision on the Seven <br />Mile Creek reservoir so they can proceed with the building of that reservoir. He assured <br />the Board that the Town could pay for the reservoir. <br />Chairman Carey reiterated that the County has a broader definition of participation <br />and cooperation between .the Town and Orange County in the reservoir project. A mechanism <br />needs to be put in place with a time frame for developing a process for working together <br />on the reservoir decisions. Progress needs to be shown by both the County and the' Town on <br />entering into a written agreement on mutual respect for each land use plan and cooperation <br />for approval of development inside Hillsborough's ultimate utility service area but <br />outside its current jurisdiction. Chairman Carey emphasized that the Orange County <br />Planning Board needs to be given some policy guidelines before they meet with °'^'; <br />Hillsborough's Planning Board. <br />Horace Johnson pointed out that if development had been controlled around Lake Orange <br />then the Iake possibly could have been raised to meet the water demands of the people of <br />Hillsborough. The capacity of the wastewater treatment plant will need to be discussed. <br />There is the capacity to treat approximately one and a half million gallons a day <br />additional than what is presently being treated. Discussion ensued on the capacity of the <br />wastewater treatment plant and whether or not expansion would be viable at its present <br />location. <br />It was decided that the Planning Boards will meet and discuss land use issues. The <br />managers will meet to discuss financing for the reservoir. Mayor Cates disagreed with <br />planning for land use issues stating that the lack of water is the issue. He asked that <br />the County keep the Town informed on issues of mutual interest and respond to the requests <br />made by the Town (Resolution of last April). <br />Chair Carey emphasized that there are some issues related to development of the new <br />water source for Hillsborough that affect people. outside of Hillsborough and intertwine <br />with some of the land use policies that are in place. Carey noted it is not a reasonable <br />assumption that you can proceed with the building of the reservoir without considering the <br />use of the land around the reservoir. Horace Johnson agreed that there needs to be a land <br />use plan in place so that what happened at Lake Orange will not happen again. The <br />watershed must be protected. <br />Gommissioner Halkiotis stressed that the Gounty and the Town will have to work to <br />build a relationship that will allow them to work together with give and take. <br />