Orange County NC Website
sewer service. Therefore, the only way to serve this part of the EDD is to work with Mebane. He said that <br />perhaps they could work mare with Orange Alamance in the future to serve more of this area. He said that <br />they were not snubbing Orange Alamance, but it is not a feasible proposal at this point. <br />Planning Director Craig Benedict said that the purpose of this item was to review and act on an <br />interlocal agreement between the City of Mebane and Orange County. The Utility Service Agreement would <br />be for the Buckhorn/1-85 Economic Development District. The purpose of this agreement is to service this <br />entire area with water and sewer service. The agreement defines the service area, who constructs the <br />facilities, ownership and maintenance of the facilities (responsibility of Mebane), and service standards. <br />The facilities will be built to the utility standards within Mebane. The planning standards for this area will <br />remain within the jurisdiction of Orange County. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked about where the People for Progress live. Craig Benedict said that <br />they live along Buckhorn Road, north and south of I-85/I-40. He pointed out these areas on a map. <br />Geof Gledhill made reference to a clarification of the agreement. He said that the agreement <br />covers the construction of the water main and sewer outfall lines and lift stations and does not include <br />construction of the rest of the system that might come with the development of the EDD. Presumably, this <br />would be done by the private developers who would come in. Applications would be made to the City of <br />Mebane for water and sewer service. There are two changes in the blue document pertaining to the Utility <br />Service Agreement with the City of Mebane. One of them relates to the financial issues. The County has <br />not yet received the grant funds and has not appropriated any money for the sewer system. The change <br />covers the fact so that there is no misunderstanding. The other change is a result of a telephone <br />conversation between him and Mebane's Town Manager. He indicated that Mebane would be agreeable to <br />allowing connections to the existing homes and churches in the Buckhorn Road area without charging the <br />homes with connection or impact fees. He said that the Mebane Town Council has approved this <br />agreement, and it was broad enough to allow for the Manager and the Attorney to work through the details. <br />Chair Jacobs said that he would like staff to work on how to apply standards for the Rogers <br />Road community to the People for Progress group so they can be clear with people about what their <br />responsibility will be and what would be provided othenrvise. He would like this to be brought back to the <br />Board before anything is conveyed to the citizens so that there is no confusion. <br />Commissioner Brown asked Geof Gledhill how this system operates in terms of expanding the <br />service area. Geof Gledhill pointed out where the agreement covers on a map. <br />Commissioner Brown asked about annexation ability of Mebane and Geof Gledhill said that there <br />is no practical limit on voluntary annexation. There is a limit to involuntary annexation, which Mebane says <br />that they do not do as well as satellite annexations. <br />Commissioner Brown asked how much of this system could be used for annexation or other <br />expansion of Mebane into Orange County. Geof Gledhill deferred to County Engineer Paul Thames. <br />Paul Thames said that right now Mebane's sewer capacity for this area is 225,000 gallons a day. <br />His expectation is that reasonable development of the EDD will consume the entire capacity. They can <br />upgrade their infrastructure and treatment plant to increase the capacity. <br />Commissioner Brown asked if it was possible to extend further south on Buckhorn Road. Paul <br />Thames said that, from a utility standpoint, anything is possible with enough money. Commissioner Brown <br />verified that any extension across the road would require a pump station. She is concerned that people on <br />the other side will wonder why they are not connected to the system. Paul Thames said that density was <br />more of a concern for sewer lines than for cablevision. A budget price for a gravity sewer line is $100 a <br />foot. It is very expensive to provide sewer for an area that is sparsely occupied. He said that it was unlikely <br />that there would be expansion in that direction. <br />Commissioner Brown asked Craig Benedict about the number of lots that will be allowed in this <br />residential area that could be used to expand it because this area has limited future residential land use. <br />Craig Benedict said that there is one primary existing residential area. There is a potential far these existing <br />25-30 homes to be connected to the system one day. <br />Commissioner Brown said that it is very important to make it clear why the line is not being extended <br />further because there will be calls as to why it is ending where it is. <br />Chair Jacobs said that they brought up these issues in the discussions with Mebane recently and <br />they thought that having some success together with Mebane will make it easier to work toward a more <br />formalized agreement about land use processes. <br />