Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Steve Yuhasz is a land surveyor and attorney in Hillsborough. He asked about the overall <br />density of development in the undeveloped parts of Hillsborough that will populate this area. He <br />verified that the plan would be to use water from existing reservoirs. He asked if there would be <br />any plan to develop additional water supply reservoirs. Craig Benedict said that this plan would <br />support Hillsborough's interest to stay within its reservoir ideas. Part of the area is serviced by <br />Orange - Alamance Water System and he does not know what their plans are. <br />Margaret Hauth said that the density will be different in different areas. This will be <br />decided in the second phase. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that if there is consideration given to going beyond the 4.5 <br />million gallons per day, then this would be putting pressure on the rural buffer. <br />John Macaulay lives on Queen St. in Hillsborough. He is thrilled with the cooperative <br />planning between Hillsborough and Orange County. He is concerned about what appears to be a <br />disconnect between the statement of common goals. He has seen very little information about <br />goals one and two. The first goal is to preserve and enhance the core area of Hillsborough. He <br />said that one of the primary detriments to the quality of life in Hillsborough is the high volume of <br />traffic on Churton Street. He found it interesting that one of the logical reasons for emphasizing <br />residential growth to the south was the fact that this problem is not going to get solved. He said <br />that the Town of Hillsborough and the County have the power to solve this problem and it is a <br />shame that the strategic plan is being run on the inability to solve the problem. He is also <br />concerned about residential development to the north because 1 -85 and 1 -40 are south of <br />Hillsborough. If there is no residential in the north, industrial development will move up there and <br />the traffic from there will have to drive through Hillsborough to get to the interstate. He said that <br />this is a great deficiency in the plan. The second goal is to preserve significant cultural and <br />natural resources. He said that he not seen a clear statement in the plan of a commitment to <br />preservation of natural resources. He would like to see this plan aggressively set out natural <br />resource areas. He said that this plan will sell Hillsborough out to suburbia and it will turn into <br />Chapel Hill. <br />Chair Jacobs said that part of the derivation of the interest in working together was halfway <br />to preserve and the confusion that arose over where and how Hillsborough could serve the 50- <br />year circle that surrounds it. He said that this is a good attempt to try and bring some order and <br />predictability to the way in which Hillsborough will grow. Some of this, because it is in <br />Hillsborough's jurisdictions, is not within the County's purview to discuss as part of the public <br />hearing. He said that some of the items on the maps, such as the Durham Urban Growth Area, <br />have been on the maps for 20 years, and some things are new, such as Carolina North. He said <br />that he thinks that the plan is highly successful in preserving cultural and natural areas in ways <br />that have not been done before. He said that this does mean that there are going to be no more <br />water supply reservoirs built in Orange County. He said that this has been generally assumed <br />without being explicitly stated. He said that he cannot see, as long as he is on the Board, that <br />there will be any more water supply reservoirs. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Foushee, seconded by Commissioner Carey that <br />the proposed Phase One (as defined above) recommendations be referred to the Planning Board <br />for a recommendation to be returned to the County Board of Commissioners no sooner than <br />December 12, 2006. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />