Minutes - 19890525 - Laserfiche WebLink

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_.._, __ -~ land available to industry by providing the necessary utilities. Finally, she suggested that job training is needed in Orange County. MR. JOHN HUNTER, an Orange County resident, stated that he was disappointed that the Commissioners voted against Site 11 on Monday evening before the scheduled Public Hearings. He suggested that the Commissioners have given the appearance of short-circuiting the democratic process under the pressure of a loud special interest group. He told the Commissioners that he and other citizens had been waiting to express their feelings publicly only to have the forum made meaningless in terms of airport pros and cons. He stated that he was unaware of any statistics which suggested that it is unsafe to live near an airport; that small, general aviation airports are good neighbors to have; they yield no significant pollution; this type of airport is rural in character; many communities see general aviation airports as assets to the community; finally, he stated that he was saddened and angered that the opposition has been one of emotional incitement based on inaccurate and misleading statements. MR. DAVID NAQUIN spoke in opposition to Orange County having a regional airport. He stated that he believes the Commissioners were ill-served by the Consultants who provided the airport study. He mentioned that the Consultants took wind and weather data from 1948-1964 and based the Orange County airport report on that data. He noted that those years were peculiar times in national weather patterns. It was exceptionally good, stable weather. That all deteriorated after the mid-60's. The data that comes out of that study is not appropriate for today. Also, he stated that there is an "ice line" which comes across from the southwest point of the County at Dodson's Grossroad and then across '86 toward Hillsborough. There was no reference in the study to this type of micro-climate data which would have an impact on the usability of an airport during the winter. He suggested the Commissioners pay closer attention to who is chosen as a consultant and the type of reports they return. He would like to contribute'to the process through participation on the Economic Development Commission. He stated that Orange County is competing with Wake, Durham, and Alamance for clean industry and will. need to develop the benefits of doing business with Orange County and sell those to the appropriate industries. MR. CARL WALTERS, a member of the Rural Character Study Gommittee, stated that the Committee is nowhere near having a policy for each ..community in Orange County. Many citizens are distrustful of the entire process. He stated that his personal concern is that the rural citizens are not being convinced that their wishes will be given top priority in developing a plan for how they want their area of the County to look. He suggested the Commissioners make their personal commitment to the plan known to the citizens. He stated that ha had a plan with him that had been adopted by a committee that worked through the Institute of Government, Research Triangle Institute, Triangle J Council of Governments, different attorneys, and many others. This plan would have created legal districts. He stated that if this plan had been adopted by the county it would have offered to the rural people a legal document to protect them,. and avoid this current sense of distrust. This plan would have assured the residents that a Public Hearing, for the people who would be effected, would be held before any action had been taken. MR. PATRICK DAVIS, a member of the Economic Development Commission, stated that the Economic Development Strategic Plan was recently adopted by the County Commissioners. That plan includes many strategies to address the economic development needs of all geographic areas of the County. Support of a general aviation airport is one of the strategies related to the provision of infra-structure within the County.