Minutes - 19990908 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Margaret Hauth said that Craig Benedict has suggested that the developer hire an outside consultant to certify their plans and provide them to the County staff. The developer is willing to proceed with this suggestion. This would take a lot of the burden off the County Planning Department. Chair Gordon said that since all the elected officials have asked their questions, there was time for more questions. Evelyn Lloyd said that what bothers her is having as many people to the south of the railroad tracks as there are to the north. She said this detracts from Hillsborough. Susan Dovenbarger made reference to a new middle school and the standards for building new middle schools. She asked John Link if the cost was estimated at 18 million dollars. She asked him to speak about what opportunities there might be right now to fund a new middle school, since this is the next thing on the horizon for the school system. John Link clarified that the cost for a new middle school is 18 million dollars. He said that there are no CIP funds for a new middle school. This much money would require going back to the voters for a school bond. Both school systems need to be included. This would need to be brought forward soon for planning purposes, as early as next week. Regarding the school site, he thinks it is a very nice gesture from the developer to convey a school site to the school system. It is important that the site be in the right place and the right acreage. Commissioner Jacobs asked if an analysis like the one Eric Peterson did for the Town could be done regarding the impact on County services. The fiscal impact on Orange County needs to be determined. He made reference to open space and feels that this may not suit the needs of the people that will live in this village. He asked the developer to consider building up instead of out and providing additional open space. This project is scary, and he feels a decision should not be rushed. As elected officials, he thinks they should have their own timetable. He feels that the traffic will have a tremendous impact on all of the people who live and work here. There will be one solid block of traffic from Highway 70 all the way to 1-40. He thinks there is an opportunity to make this something that will have high standards. Mayor Horace Johnson made reference to page 2-7, second paragraph, which reads, "There is unquestionably risk involved in trying to predict the cost of proposed annexation. There is unquestionably risk involved in trying to predict the cost of servicing a large development that may or may not be built according to schedule, depending on the economy and many other factors." He said in the worst case scenario, if the Town annexes this area, there may be a deficit of up to a half million dollars. This means that the people who live in Hillsborough would face a higher tax rate. He thinks this would make Hillsborough an elitist town, where only those that could afford to pay the taxes could stay here. This has already happened in Chapel Hill. He said it would be better for the development to take place first, so there would be one year's worth of tax revenues to start with. He hopes that the Hillsborough Town Board would give this some serious thought, and see if the Town can sustain in the worst case scenario. Chair Gordon said, on behalf of the Commissioners, she really appreciates Hillsborough, the Board of Education, the Planning Board, the Staff, and the developer for coming tonight. This is a project of regional significance. This kind of communication and cooperation is so important, and she is delighted to see that this could be done. Mayor Horace Johnson commended the Hillsborough Planning Board and the Planning Directors for their dedication on this project. 6. ADJOURNMENT Chair Gordon adjourned the meeting at 9:30 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for September 14, 1999 at 7:30 p.m. in the meeting room of the Government Services Center in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Alice M. Gordon, Chair Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk