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Tany Whitaker spoke representing the applicant. He said that the Planning Board concerns <br />stemmed from a concern about the well that the applicant proposed to drill for Orange-Alamance Water <br />System, in exchange for the water service, pursuant to an agreement that the applicant had with Orange- <br />Alamance. The well was to be a deep community well. To his knowledge, the concerns about <br />groundwater level in the area had to da with that specific well, which is no longer proposed in this project. <br />Commissioner Jacobs made reference to the Planning Board minutes and quoted them as <br />follows: "He said that as a rule, it is better to have single point discharges from deep wells." Tony <br />Whitaker acknowledged that the quote was correct. <br />Tany Whitaker said that the concern at that paint was whether a single point well of this <br />nature impacts the groundwater level more than something more conventional such as individual wells. <br />He does not have a concern about groundwater levels in this area from only 17 lots. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked that the negative votes be identified. He also asked about <br />access to open space and a walking plan throughout the subdivision. Craig Benedict said that there <br />would be access to open space through the different areas in future phases. Regarding sidewalks, DOT <br />does not have any standards for sidewalks within their right-of-way because they will eventually maintain <br />the public right-af-way there. He said that sidewalks could be put in on private property if a homeowners <br />association were to take responsibility for it. There would have to be a perpetual plan for maintaining the <br />sidewalks. There will be a small pocket park in the subdivision. <br />Commissioner Jacobs pointed out that once this subdivision is developed, this area would be <br />a suburban area and not a rural area. He said that we continue to make it so that the only way that <br />people can go from place to place is by vehicle. <br />Tony Whitaker answered questions for Commissioner Carey about the location of the open <br />space, the park area, and the access to that area. <br />Tony Whitaker made reference to the sidewalks and said that this was mainly a residential <br />area and there was na access to suburbia. <br />Commissioner Gordon said she understood the concerns expressed by Commissioner <br />Jacobs, however, she does not know anything in the regulations that require anything more than what <br />has been granted by the applicant in terms of the pedestrian policy or the water. <br />Chair Halkiotis asked if we have required any subdivisions to have sidewalks. Craig Benedict <br />said that we have required sidewalks in some preliminary plans within the transition area where there are <br />smaller lots. <br />Chair Halkiotis asked the Planning Director to investigate the issue of sidewalks and bring <br />back some recommendations. <br />Environment and Resource Conservation Director David Stancil said that the USGS <br />groundwater resource investigation has been completed by the Water Resources Committee. He said <br />that the report would not give acase-by-case sense of the availability of groundwater, but will provide a <br />contour map. <br />Chair Halkiotis noted that the County has been unsuccessful for the past eight or nine months <br />in getting together with Orange-Alamance Water Systems to talk about the water issues in this area. <br />John Link recommended that this item be postponed to the second meeting in May and that <br />the groundwater report be presented the first meeting in May. Before that meeting, the USGS <br />groundwater report can be presented. He emphasized the point raised by the Planning Director in that <br />this report cannot specifically determine if a piece of property is sustainable far any number of wells. He <br />has doubts that the report will give any definitive information about this particular site. <br />Commissioner Gordon does not feel that the regulations would permit the County <br />Commissioners to deny this Preliminary Plan on the basis of water or sidewalks. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked the Manager to contact our Division Engineer of DOT to pursue <br />the issue of appropriate signage to protect children walking in the road. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to table this <br />issue until the second meeting in May. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />10. REPORTS (information Only. To be addressed at April 25 tNork Session) <br />a. Community College Task Force Report and Financial Information <br />