Minutes 03-24-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Frank Clifton said that the County has always had EDDs and the County is having discussions with the City of Durham to extend water and sewer into Orange County along US 70 and I-85 from the east. The County Commissioners have also authorized the preliminary analysis and engineering of water and sewer lines on Buckhorn Road toward Mebane. The County will be spending probably $10,000,000 over the next 3-5 years in water and sewer to make those economic development districts viable. Chair Pelissier said that the County is also considering putting the '/4-cent sales tax back on a referendum and one of the reasons is for an investment in economic development. Commissioner Gordon said that the Manager talked about each community having its individual economic development strategy. She said Chapel Hill has shown its work plan and Orange County has shown its plan, but she wants to know the vision for collaboration and how each entity can reinforce each others' economic development work plan and how everyone can move forward. Matt Czajkowski asked if Orange County would need to allow Durham to extend their city limits into Orange County in order to get water. Ed Harrison said that Durham has a long standing policy about this. Frank Clifton said that the discussions Orange County and Durham County are having now are that there would be a system where the County would front money to extend sewer where it was needed and then be reimbursed either through a fee structure, or the City could annex. Durham agreed that annexation would not be required to get water and sewer. Matt Czajkowski said that this is a vital question that warrants additional clarity before they commit to something that results in further annexation by Durham County into Orange County. He asked if the County always started with the premise that there is no other source of water except getting it from Durham County. Chair Pelissier said that the infrastructure the County is talking about now is not in the Eno EDD but in the Buckhorn EDD with Alamance County. She agreed about having clarity with these issues, but the County is not there yet. This is all very preliminary with Durham. Commissioner Jacobs said that since 1981 when the County adopted a Land Use Plan, which shows Durham being in that area and annexing that area, it has been accepted ever since. He does not see any reason to change it and there has been an amicable relationship. Matt Czajkowski said that he thinks the focus of economic development has made the issue of allocation of revenues relevant. Jim Ward said that the Town is getting a primer on some of these issues and that is why these meetings are helpful. He asked why the County would want to speed up the development in an area that will wind up in the City of Durham. Frank Clifton said that this is not a large area of the County and it would probably never have any houses. It could be a potential boost in the tax base with no real investment other than water and sewer. Chair Pelissier made reference to Commissioner Gordon's question about the overall vision. She said that each Town and the County all have different roles in economic development, and if everyone looks at the big picture and recognizes what each entity's role is, that is collaboration. Mayor Kleinschmidt said that Gary Shope's document was a product of both the County and the Town and this was a collaborative plan. He said that there has been collaboration with elected officials and staff to accomplish this for their community. b) Joint Collaborations and Marketing Efforts (Recognize Recent Efforts) Chair Pelissier said that neither the towns nor the County have a formalized incentive policy.