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18 <br />18 <br />getting the concept plan the whole community supports is worth the extra time it would take <br />to develop a new plan. He said that plan #3 or some revised version can help on funding issues <br />by deferring the building of the connector road and possibly helping the water and sewer <br />installation costs. He asked the Board of County Commissioners to invite the Town of Carrboro <br />Aldermen, Carrboro Planning Board, Carrboro Transportation Advisory Board, CHCCS Board <br />and facilities staff, and the County Planning staff and participate in a discussion of revision of <br />concept plans. <br />Jay Bryan said that he asked the Clerk to mail to the County Commissioners some <br />proposed recommendations regarding the Twin Creeks plan. He asked that the Board refer this <br />master plan to the Orange County Planning Board for input. He said that there is a lot of history <br />to this site. He said that the Carrboro Northern Transition Area Facilities Plan that Orange <br />County, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro approved included a school site to be located west of the <br />intersection of the proposed Lake Hogan Farm Extension and Eubanks Road at the <br />approximate site of the Hunter property. The school site in the revised plan is where it is in <br />accordance with the plan approved in 1999. The primary amount of money was $2.7 million <br />from the 1997 parks band that went to buy the property. He continued with the history of this <br />piece of property. He said that this plan was considered thoroughly and there was plenty of <br />input. He said that the path on the revised plan was not a part of what the Planning Board <br />recommended. He does not see any reason for it. The way to get to the school on the site the <br />way it is now is through the connector road. The other aspect is to put the elementary school on <br />the part that is labeled educational facilities. He said that it could be redesigned but the <br />principle should not be gutted because the park is on the most beautiful part of this land. <br />Lisa Stuckey said that she was pleased to see the letter from Elizabeth Carter and Neil <br />Pedersen was in the packet. She said that she agrees that the citizen's plan warrants some <br />further study, and she would be glad to participate in that effort. She currently serves on the <br />Chapel Hill Active Living By Design Committee and on the Safe Routes to School subcommittee <br />of this group. She has learned that active living truly is by design and does not just happen. <br />She said that a long walk on a pathway like this would be a barrier that would inhibit pedestrian <br />access and walkability, especially for children. <br />Steve Scroggs said that, from the way they measure the safe distance, a mile and a half <br />can be relatively close. Some children are bussed that live really close to schools because they <br />would have to cross major roads. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the greatest distance at Scroggs Elementary in <br />Southern Village. It was answered that there was nothing over a mile. <br />Chair Carey said that the intent of this item is not to make any decision tonight but to <br />give the staff time to do further study and bring it back sometime in January with a more <br />thorough analysis. The process is that the Board would adopt the concept plan and then the <br />phasing plan before it is submitted to the Town of Carrboro. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that they need to do more than send the staff to get mare <br />information. She thinks the Board should articulate what information they need and whether the <br />staff should consider citizen's plan #3. She would like to see this back on December 14`". She <br />would like to see a set of decision points as to what the Board would like the staff to do over the <br />winter break. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he is interested in getting information on the <br />engineering piece. He does not think the information is needed by the 14`" <br />Commissioner Jacobs agreed with Commissioner Halkiotis and said that the staff could <br />come back in January. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that it is a good idea to listen to what people are saying, but <br />he also thinks that this process involved a lot of stakeholders and it was not just whipped <br />together. Also, he is fascinated at the notion of looking at this as an integrated site and he <br />