Minutes - 03-14-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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take aver the responsibility for making sure the lines are extended. There is an 18-month timeline for this water line extension. John Link said that from the date of the transfer of solid waste management to the County, the next day OWASA could be authorized to submit request for proposals to run the major water lines to this area. From that date, OWASA expects that those major water lines would be in the ground between 12 and 18 months. He said that the only thing outstanding was an agreement between the County and the other jurisdictions on how to fund the lateral lines. Commissioner Jacobs said that the Board has been very clear in saying that they understand what the residents of the Rogers Road neighborhood are saying. He said that the process is taking longer than the Commissioners originally thought. He clarified that a proposed agreement from OWASA would be forthcoming within a month. Health Director Rosemary Summers said that the wells in the Rogers Road neighborhood have been tested twice for volatile organic chemicals, including the MTBEs. The wells will be tested quarterly. The wells at the landfill have not been tested for MTBEs, but it is in discussion at this time. Commissioner Halkiotis said that he feels it is important to get a report back indicating that it is passible that there are MTBEs coming from the landfill. Commissioner Brown asked about CDBG grant money and the possible availability of that for the Rogers Road neighborhood. Jahn Link said that the staff would explore that possibility again, but as the County Commissioners recall, Orange County does not rate very high in terms of eligibility for septic or sewer systems. The chances of Orange County receiving federal funding for this are slim because of the needs of the flood victims in the eastern part of the state. Rosemary Summers said that in reference to the reports of the well testing, there was no intentional delay. This was only a miscommunication. Mr. Gary Carver made reference to the public hearing with Chapel Hill about the rezoning of the Greene Tract. He said that the meeting was very interesting and informative. The information was not new information, but was the same information that the citizens have been saying for years. He does not know how the County Commissioners felt about that meeting because there was not a vote. He said that the presentation tonight centered mostly on identifying which 60 acres of the Greene Tract are of interest to the County. He said that the amendment to the interlocal agreement accomplishes the same thing as rezoning the Greene Tract for a materials handling facility and he feels that this is not right. He said that one of the major complaints at the public hearing was that it was a foregone conclusion. He understands that there is no burial intended on the Greene Tract, but the other facilities that are proposed in that area are just as bad. He feels that the extension of the water lines to Rogers Road should not be tied to the effective date of the interlocal agreement because it is a continual delay. He stressed the importance of finding the source of the MTBEs in the wells. Chair Carey said that the responsibility of constructing the water lines is tied to the effective date of the transfer of responsibility because prior to that time no one knew who was responsible. Once the responsibility of solid waste management is transferred to the County, the County will take over that function. Commissioner Gordon said that she has a proposal for the 60 acres. She referred to the map in the packet. The 60 acres would be at the northern and northeastern part of the Greene Tract. She would hope that the 60 acres could stay undisturbed. She would also hope that the other 109 acres could be left as open space with some affordable housing. She proposed that the Board ask the staff to figure out the appropriate 60 acres. Discussion ensued about the passible configurations of the 60 acres. Commissioner Jacobs clarified that the 60 acres would be an asset of the solid waste operation. Chair Carey said that it would be a solid waste asset and anything done with that property would compensate the solid waste fund. Geoffrey Gledhill said that if nothing was done with the 60 acres, it would remain an asset of the landfill. Commissioner Jacobs said that if Chapel Hill and Carrboro used the 109 acres as a park, he thinks that it is important for the Board to decide the portion of the 60 acres where other functions could be provided in the future (i.e., affordable housing, school site, County facilities, a MRF). He would rather protect the most sensitive 60 acres. Commissioner Jacobs asked Commissioner Gordon that, in using part of section iwo (from the map), since it has limited access by road, if she perceived that as a place for other functions. Commissioner Gordon said that it is contiguous, but first of all, this sixty acres would remain undisturbed. However, as an asset of the system, if someone in the future wanted to use it for something