Orange County NC Website
impact fees and water revenues. Concerning the amount of retail and office space, in <br />the County there is now two million square feet of office space. This project is proposing <br />1.2 million square feet of retail and office space. This would be a 58% increase over <br />what is in the County at this time. In Hillsborough, there is about 350,000 square feet of <br />office and retail space. This project would be a 340% increase over what is in <br />Hillsborough now. He went over the 15% increase in retail space. He said that there <br />are many transportation issues. NCDOT supported the comments of the Town of <br />Hillsborough and the Orange County staff about doing additional analysis on the <br />intersection of 1-40 and Old 86 and 1-85 and Old 86. NCDOT plans to study the widening <br />of Old 86. If Old 86 is widened, a median is very important for controlled access. It <br />allows for more movement on the highway. There are different right-of-way <br />requirements for a four-lane divided highway than for five lanes. The developer does <br />own property on both sides of the road. Craig Benedict said that the purpose of this <br />meeting is to come up with some recommendations to forward to Hillsborough in writing. <br />Chair Gordon said that the Board could ask questions or make comments for <br />potential things on the list that they might propose to recommend. This will come back <br />to the meeting on October Stn as an agenda item. She said that at tonight's meeting, <br />they could get a list and then formalize it on October 5tn <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that the biggest expense is not recorded. He <br />referred to the planning done for University Station. This project will require a new <br />middle school. At least 18 million dollars will be required to build a new middle school. <br />The land that is being considered is not in the town yet, however, Hillsborough is talking <br />about annexation. If Hillsborough could tax for schools he thinks they would not be <br />interested in building out this development. The County is asking the people of Chapel <br />Hill and Carrboro, who pay over 66% of the taxes in this county, to support building a <br />middle school in central Orange County because of an action on the part of another <br />Board. He appeals to the folks in Hillsborough to do the right thing. He mentioned the <br />services that are being given to Hillsborough and said that some of the services would <br />have to be stopped. He does not want this to happen, but it seems inevitable since the <br />County will be responsible for an 18 million-dollar middle school. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis mentioned that the developer was going to increase the <br />school board's own required impact fee. He said the developer should be asked to pay <br />for the impact fee and the school. He sees this as a bunch of Florida money trying to <br />take advantage of a good situation where they can make some good percentage gains <br />on their money at the expense of Orange County and the Town of Hillsborough. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said the way he reads the fiscal analysis and the <br />conclusion that this project would be revenue-neutral for the County is based on three <br />questionable assumptions: 1) the developer's figures are reasonable, 2) if the non- <br />residential uses are not all built out, and 3) assuming that there is no accounting for <br />capital costs for schools or solid waste. He does not see this project as value neutral. <br />He also felt that the residents of Hillsborough pay County taxes and it is an impact for <br />them as well. <br />Chair Gordon went over the points of interest. 1) this is not revenue neutral; 2) it <br />should be proposed to the developer that they donate land, build a school, etc.; 3) if the <br />non-residential development is not built, it would be a real problem for the Town. <br />Chair Gordon asked if the Board wanted the staff to write down what is said and <br />pull it together as best they can, or tell them exactly how to proceed on each item. <br />Craig Benedict said that he could go through the report and make notes from <br />what he hears tonight. He made reference to page 2 of the handout. This page <br />addresses the various areas that are impacted in the County. The primary impact area <br />is traffic at Old 86. On attachment #1, page 5, there is a complete analysis of