Orange County NC Website
f. Hillsborough Area Economic Development District Atlas Amendments <br />The Board considered zoning atlas amendments of properties in the proposed Hillsborough area <br />economic development district. Craig Benedict spoke about the process of planned development, which <br />is bringing forth a rezoning application and a special use permit together concurrently. The moratorium <br />for development was extended to April 18t" for areas A, 1, and 2. The moratorium will not be extended <br />again. <br />Craig Benedict reiterated that these amendments do not include area 3a. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to <br />approve zoning atlas amendments of properties in the proposed Hillsborough area economic <br />development district. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />~ OWASA and Orange County Jordan Lake Allocations <br />The Board considered the future allocation of raw water from Jordan Lake. <br />County Engineer Paul Thames presented information regarding the future allocation of raw <br />water from Jordan Lake. He said that the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission is <br />currently conducting a third round of allocation requests for raw water supplies from Jordan Lake. The <br />third round of the allocation process requires that all entities having an existing Level II allocation reapply <br />to preserve their allocations by April 30t". These applications must provide detailed projections as to <br />water demand and water supply capacity as justification for requested allocations. He said that the <br />actual value of the water allocation from Jordan Lake is between $30,000-40,000. The County is making <br />interest payments on this at about 6% as well as paying a management fee to the Division of Water <br />Resources and the Corps of Engineers. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked Paul Thames about his recommendation. Paul Thames said <br />that he recommends that the County not pursue the allocation of water from Jordan Lake because it <br />means that Orange County is going to become a water customer of some water provider outside the <br />basin (City of Durham, City of Burlington, OWASA, or Chatham County). He said that it would almost be <br />as easy to buy a million gallons of water without the allocation as it is to buy it with the allocation. <br />Commissioner Gordon thinks that it could be important in the long run to maintain the <br />allocation. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that he feels that if we kept our allocation that it may be possible <br />for it to be traded to Durham through a system that is already hooked up to Hillsborough in central <br />Orange County. Another advantage of having an allocation is that the County would still be a player in <br />the discussions about how the resource would be managed and protected, since one of the <br />Commissioners' responsibilities is to protect the watershed that feeds Jordan Lake. He feels we should <br />continue to be involved in the process and try to reserve an allocation. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that the County should support OWASA's request of five million <br />gallons per day. She would like to try to build a case for the need of one million gallons per day far <br />Orange County. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Gordan to support <br />OWASA's request of an allocation of five million gallons per day and that the staff come back at the April <br />25tH work session with a proposed application far continuing the one million gallon per day allocation <br />from Jordan Lake for Orange County. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />h. High Rock Farms Phase One Preliminary Plan <br />The Board considered a preliminary plan far High Rock Farms Phase One. Craig Benedict <br />presented this item. This property is located on the south side of High Rack Road in Cheeks Township <br />between Ira Road and Mill Creek Road. Phase one would include 17 residential lots proposed on a <br />36.07-acre tract. The total acreage is 55 acres with 34°10 open space proposed for the entire project. <br />This phase will contain 21 acres of the 55 acres, which represents 38°~ of the total project open space. <br />As future phases are proposed the open space component will decrease as a percentage. The current <br />zoning is Rural Residential (R1), which has a minimum lot size of 40,000 sq. ft. <br />