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D. Impact of Development in Chatham, Durham and Alamance Counties near Orange <br />County Line <br />Chair Carey said that mast of the concern is development around the Chatham County <br />line. He said that this first became high on the Board of County Commissioners' priority list <br />because of Southern Park and the proximity to Chatham County. <br />Comprehensive Planning Supervisor Tam Altieri said that they are working on growth <br />issues around the City of Mebane and Alamance County. They are trying to update a small <br />area plan for the EflandlMebane area and a task force has been put together to work with <br />Planning staff to study the growth in this area. <br />Regarding Durham County, upon completion of the County's land use element, the <br />Planning staff would like to develop an additional small area plan far the I-85/U5 70 Economic <br />Development District and the surrounding area to address this growth. <br />Regarding Chatham County, they do not have any immediate plans to study growth in <br />this area. However, the current land use element update addresses all of the County's planning <br />jurisdiction that lies outside of the joint planning area. The completion of this plan may provide a <br />segue, if there is joint interest in studying Chatham's growth, to look at the joint planning <br />agreement land use plan to study this issue. <br />Mayor Foy asked about the expected benefit of this kind of study of Chatham County. <br />Tom Altieri said that it was just a suggestion to study growth in this area in more detail as a <br />group. <br />Bill Strom said that Chapel Hill's 2000 Comprehensive Plan confirmed their commitment <br />to, and satisfaction with the joint planning agreement land use element. He would need more <br />data on this kind of study. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that they are looking at different mechanisms to do a better <br />job of preserving open space and the rural buffer. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked about the status of the proposal from Chatham County for <br />a stump grinding operation. Tom Altieri said that he is not familiar with the status. The Planning <br />Department has received calls from some Orange County residents that were concerned. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked that this information be shared with the other jurisdictions. <br />Commissioner Gordon made reference to the potential update to the joint planning <br />agreement land use plan and said that she was not aware of this update. The County <br />Commissioners have not discussed this proposed update. Tom Altieri said that this is correct <br />and this is a staff idea for one way to further examine the impacts of Chatham County's growth. <br />Bill Strom said that what Commissioner Jacobs characterized as minor changes could <br />risk the principle that has kept the rural buffer intact, which is the natural carrying capacity of the <br />land. He said that if you are going to cluster in the rural buffer, you are getting away from this <br />principle. <br />Joal Hall Broun said that they all know that the rural buffer is not going to change unless <br />new people are elected and there is a vast change in the population. She thinks that Chatham <br />County will continue to allow itself to build as much residential growth as possible until they <br />have no more water or no more money. The real question is how to dialogue with the <br />neighboring counties about what is going to happen. <br />Mayor Foy said that Chapel Hill met with Chatham County Commissioners about a year <br />ago and one thing that came out of it was a greater interest in working with Chapel Hill on <br />tapping into the public transit system. <br />Chair Carey said that the newer Chatham County Commissioners are showing up at <br />other meetings outside their county to draw on the understanding of impacts. He thinks there <br />should be dialogue with Chatham County. Mike Cross told him that Chatham County <br />Commissioners had approved 6,000 new units within the last few years. This is why they are <br />trying to get the land transfer tax passed. <br />