Minutes - 06-21-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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APPROVED 12/11/2001 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET WORK SESSION JUNE 21, 2001 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Budget Work Session on Thursday, June 21, 2001 at 6:00 p.m. in the Southern Human Services Center; Chapel Hill, North Carolina. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Stephen H. Halkiotis and Commissioners Margaret W. Brawn, Moses Carey, Jr., Alice M. Gordon, and Barry Jacobs COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Manager Rod Visser, Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe (all other staff members will be identified appropriately below) NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. 1. Chair Review of Schedule and Topics Chair Halkiotis reviewed the agenda. 2. Courtesy Review of Hampton Pointe Proposal Craig Benedict reviewed the Hampton Pointe Proposal. He said that this project is an approximate 500,000 square foot retail proposal with two primary buildings of approximately 200,000 square feet and five out parcels of approximately 20,000 square feet each on two acres. He said that the project is the same as presented in January except the developer moved the shops away from the railroad to the internal part of the project and added 3,000 square feet to the project. The project was originally proposed in early 2000, but was temporarily put on hold pending the findings of the joint EDD workgroup. The primary emphasis of the Board was to provide a mixed land use of office, residential, retail, and industrial. The Town of Hillsborough will be reviewing this on Monday night, June 25t" Because of the traffic impacts, the staff suggests only 200,000 square feet of retail and 200,000-300,000 square feet of office. This would also reduce the parking space area and provide more green space. He volunteered to speak at the public hearing in Hillsborough on Monday. Commissioner Brown asked if Hillsborough was going to vote on this on Monday and Craig Benedict said that it is very possible that this will be voted up ar down on Monday evening. He said that one of the sentiments is that this kind of development will hurt the development of the remainder of the EDD. This project, if it is 100% retail, will consume the retail development in the remainder of the EDD. Commissioner Brown asked if there is a projection of the sales tax and property tax revenue that will be derived from a development of this kind and Craig Benedict said that an economic analysis was done to show that information plus the water revenue from this development. The main concern is the impacts the project will have on the remainder of the area. There will be considerable tax benefits as a result of this project. Chair Halkiotis said that he and Commissioner Jacobs have been representing the County Commissioners this past year an the EDD work group. He is very disappointed with this proposal. He feels that the work that Craig Benedict has done on this has not been considered in this final plan. This is not what we had envisioned for the entranceway into Hillsborough. Craig Benedict has worked with Hillsborough and given them a lot of hours to be sure that this is something that would benefit the area. He would encourage the Town Board not to approve this plan. The developer has put the rail station in a place that is not feasible. Commissioner Jacobs feels that the developer has an impervious surface for a brain. No matter what we say, the developer comes back with the same plan. He said that it is very sad that Hillsborough