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2. Joint Planning Agreement Timeline Orange County Planning Director Craig Benedict said that this item came about because there were provisions in the overall joint planning agreement that was approved in 1987 that had some expiration dates. The expiration dates only had to do with the annexation provisions of the agreement. Based on the JPA meeting in the spring, it was decided to bring this item to this meeting. He introduced Chris Berndt of the Chapel Hill Planning Department, who has made some revisions to the annexation portion of the agreement. Chris Berndt said that this is a public hearing on a proposal to extend provisions in the joint planning agreement that relate to annexation. The current provision has an expiration date of 20 years. The annexation provisions expire in the year 2006. She said that the entire joint planning agreement is not up for reconsideration and remains in effect. There are two key provisions of the 20-year term. One is that the cities agree that there is no annexation into the rural buffer. The second provision is that the cities also agree that there is no annexation into each other's transition areas. The purpose of this item is to get public comment on the idea of extending the annexation provisions for 20 years. PUBLIC COMMENT Barry Katz, a resident of the rural buffer, a member of the Orange County Planning Board, a member of the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Committee, and a member of the executive committee of the democratic party, said that his views in no way represent the views of the party. He said that the people in the rural buffer support the extension of the anti-annexation provisions of the joint planning agreement. He presented a petition of rural buffer residents who support this extension. They have re- started the Alliance for the Rural Buffer and have extended it to many neighborhoods within the rural buffer, so that they can comment and inform the County regarding future buffer issues. He said that the rural buffer has retained its rural character. He said that if rezoning were considered in the rural buffer, then other areas would be put at risk because of poor drainage in the area. He said that he was surprised to hear at the recent Comprehensive Plan Land Use Committee that Orange County's Planning Director stated that the 35,000 acres of the rural buffer are on their way to becoming 17,500 two-acre home sites. Coincidentally, this is very close to the actual number of the total residences in all of Chapel Hill. He said that this is an exaggeration of the buffer sprawl and he is concerned about this. He is concerned about the term smart growth. He does not object to the principles, but he is concerned because unless you understand exactly what development tools are being proposed for a specific project, then it can leave you hesitant to appear as if you are an advocate for stupid or dumb growth when you question the value of pursuing those tools. He also worries about the acronym that the Planning Department has been using called the GOOD Plan. He said that this can quickly evolve into a doctrine where alternative approaches can be characterized as bad in the course of a meeting. He urged the elected officials to study this issue. A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Brown to refer this proposal to amend the Joint Planning Agreement to extend 20 years, with the annexation time limits specified therein to the Planning Board and return a recommendation back to the Board of County Commissioners no later than February 18, 2003. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Alex Zaffron, seconded by Joal Hall Broun to refer this proposal to amend the Joint Planning Agreement to extend 20 years, with the annexation time limits specified therein to the Carrboro Planning Board and the Planning Board will return a recommendation back to the Board of Aldermen no later than January 21, 2003. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Jim Ward, seconded by Bill Strom to confirm their commitment to the extension of the annexation components of the joint planning agreement and the staff recommendation for the Planning Board and Town Council decision for November 19, 2002 and December 9, 2002. VOTE: UNANIMOUS