Orange County NC Website
Commissioner Halkiotis noted that he was one of the original signers on the Rural Buffer <br />agreement. He said that blood has been spilled over watershed protection. He feels there are natural <br />limits to growth and development the same as limits for our earth's resources like water. We are living in <br />dangerous times with people who feel we can cruise through the next 200 years without worrying about <br />anything. <br />Chair Jacobs said that he has been a caretaker at Moorefields Plantation for 24 years and as a <br />caretaker has tried to take care of the entire 84 acres. He was the only person who spoke in favor of <br />zoning Cheeks Township. He served on the Planning Board for six years and quit for a year and then <br />served on the OWASA board for 5 years and then ran for County Commissioner and has served for <br />nearly 4 years. He is pleased with what is happening in Orange County -from joint planning to <br />watershed protection, traffic impact analysis, environmental impact ordinance, water and sewer policy, <br />etc. and he hopes we can continue to fight for what we want in this community and do the best possible <br />jab to direct the growth coming our way so we can cherish the Orange County we have now. <br />Hunter Schofield from Cedar Grave Township said that he has a degree in Planning and served <br />four years on the Boone Town Council and feels fortunate to be part of the Orange County Planning <br />Board. He is proud of the Orange County Board of Commissioners who are interested in finding <br />solutions. He feels that although we want open space, people need to be assured of a house and a safe <br />place in which to live. <br />Commissioner Carey said that he has been on the Board of County Commissioners for 18 years <br />and has seen a lot of changes over those years. Orange County has been on the forefront of many <br />planning initiatives. People in Orange County care deeply about many things -one of which is haw land <br />is used and how land affects them and their lives. He is interested in planning because he is interested <br />in people and how planning affects them. He thinks that if we are not careful in doing our next <br />comprehensive plan that we are moving toward a County that none would want to live in. Regarding <br />sustainability, we need to include sustainability in everything that we do. We care about people but at <br />the same time we try to direct the growth to make it accommodating to the citizens. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that she lives in the Joint Planning Area south of Chapel Hill and <br />Carrboro in the Rural Buffer. One of the reasons she wanted to be a County Commissioner was land <br />use protection and environmental protection. She served on the Orange County Planning Board for six <br />years. One of the things she is interested in is long term comprehensive planning so that the <br />environment is protected including groundwater, land, air, etc. In the rural areas, the farmers are <br />important because they have been good stewards of the land. The Lands Legacy Program has <br />preserved over 800 acres in less than two years. The Planning Board helps to decide how the County <br />will look. She relies on them to sift through things for the County Commissioners. <br />Barry Katz said that he lives in the Rural Buffer north of Chapel Hill. He is interested in where the <br />County is going and is concerned how it is developed. He would like to participate in shaping the future <br />of Orange County. He feels that the Planning Board is limited because they do not get their material for <br />their meetings early enough. He feels they function more as an extension of the Planning Department <br />than individually as a Planning Board. <br />Rachel Preston is a landscape contractor. Over the years she has been struck by how many trees <br />we have lost in Orange County. She is worried about environmental issues. She feels we are heading <br />basically in the right direction. A lot of the landscape plans come in with the final plat. If they were <br />required earlier in the process, it would help her to be more effective in saving a few trees and planting a <br />few trees. <br />Maria Tadd said that she lives in Bingham Township and has a passion for the environment. She <br />gat involved because of a development called The Woodlands. One of her main concerns is protecting <br />