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OWASA and Hillsborough and that the notice include appropriate language to try to allow alternatives to be discussed. VOTE: UNANIMOUS e. Advertisement for joint Planning Public Hearing - UCtOber 73, iy!jy The Board was to consider the legal notice for items to be presented at the Joint Planning Area Public Hearing that is scheduled for October 13t". Since there are no items to be heard on October 13, the County Commissioners decided to use the October 13th meeting for a BOCC work session. 10. REPORTS a. Triangle Land Conservancy Report - `°A Landscape with Wildlife, Part 2 Livy Ludington summarized the report. She made reference to some maps. She said they could not stand behind these maps because they do not have all of the information. She said they have subtracted the building permits that have been issued. She emphasized that this is a work in progress and they would like to update the maps annually or more often if possible. She pointed out that all the work that has been done by Dr. Haven Wiley has been done for free. Dr. Haven Wiley said that in this second phase they tried to take all of the forested areas of Orange County that were previously mapped and rank them for their value for wildlife. In the value of a forest for wildlife, they included its intrinsic characteristics. He reemphasized that this is a work in progress. He said the ratings are tentative. The updating of the maps of the forests is an ongoing process. All of the GIS procedures that are used to produce these maps and the ratings are all available in the Environmental Resources and Conservation Department. He summarized the recommendations saying that this report would allow the County and other agencies to identify areas that might become the focus for acquisition or other opportunities for protecting the forests that are most important for wildlife habitat. These maps could be useful in evaluating proposals for development tracts. Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the mitigation for major losses of forests for wildlife. He asked if there was anywhere in North Carolina that could require mitigation for a huge development that came in and took out a lot of forestland. Geoff Gledhill said he did not know of any requirements. He said there are no requirements as a result of the conclusions reached in an environmental assessment. Dr. Wiley said that mitigation might be something that is formally required but it does not need to be. Commissioner Jacobs made reference to Corbin Downs, a proposed development on South Churton Street, and said that this area is all forested and the developer has made no attempt in preserving open space other than to add a ball field. He said he hopes the County can educate elected officials and the development community as to how to objectively differentiate between areas. He said Orange County is the only county in the state that has an environmental impact assessment. He would like to see the County keep pushing this assessment and try to protect the most important land. Commissioner Brown commended Dr. Wiley on the report. She said that it is easy to read and she is trying to figure out how to use the report. She would like to understand how these areas are involved with the County's planning at this time. She would like to know what the County is doing now to preserve any of this, and what is the County's zoning doing to protect it. She would like to have the Planning staff look at this. She agrees with Commissioner Jacobs and Commissioner Halkiotis in having the environmental impact assessment incorporated into the County's zoning rules. Craig Benedict said that they plan to have a work session on October 12th concerning the comprehensive plan and some of the basic elements of planning. Some of the