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VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />c. Resolution Providing Comments to the Transportation Advisory Committee of <br />the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization <br />Regarding the Regional Priority List for 2007-2013 Transportation <br />Improvement Program <br />The Board considered endorsing comments to the Transportation Advisory Committee <br />(TAC} of the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro (DCHC} Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO} <br />regarding the draft regional priority list for the 2QQ7-2Q13 Transportation Improvement Program <br />(TIP}. <br />Deferred <br />d. Resolution Modifying Initiation of the Restrictions of the County's Water <br />Conservation Ordinance <br />The Board considered a resolution that will: 1}temporarily modify how the County <br />implements the provisions of the County's water conservation ordinance calling for voluntary <br />and mandatory conservation of water by citizens in northern Orange County who use water <br />provided by the Orange-Alamance and Town of Hillsborough water systems; and 2) initiate a <br />process of discussion and negotiation with Orange-Alamance Water System and Town of <br />Hillsborough as to future operation of the northern Eno water supply with respect to withdrawals <br />and releases from Lake Orange and Hillsborough's West Fork Reservoir. <br />Chair Carey said that this grew out of two meetings that he and Commissioner Jacobs <br />had with the water service providers in central Orange County during the week after the agenda <br />was sent out. <br />County Engineer Paul Thames said that the water providers were asking that Orange <br />County modify the way it enforces its drought ordinance to be more in line with their own <br />ordinances and procedures and that reflect changing conditions in the water supply and <br />demand situation. The proclamation also attempts to address Orange County's longstanding <br />commitment to preserving and protecting the Eno River and Lake Orange Upper Eno <br />environment. The conditions that have changed since Orange County's initial ordinance and <br />the capacity use agreement were adopted are that the Town of Hillsborough now has its own <br />water supply and Orange-Alamance has reduced its water demand by removing the Town of <br />Swepsonville from its customer base and it has a permanent water purchase agreement from <br />the Town of Haw River, and that they now have four groundwater wells that can supply up to <br />3QQ,QQQ gallons a day. Hillsborough has also lost its largest water customer, Flynt Fabrics. <br />Paul Thames gave some statistics about water usage. The demand currently is about <br />3.2 million gallons a day, which compares with a demand of over 4.5 million gallons a day when <br />the agreements were adopted. The Tawn of Hillsborough has revised its ordinance to take into <br />account its lowered water use, availability of water from the reservoir, and its need to sell water. <br />Chair Carey said that there are still some differences of interpretation that must be <br />worked through and they wanted to recommend it to the Board as a good faith effort. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked when Lake Orange becomes technically dry and Paul <br />Thames said that they couldn't get the last 18°l0 out of the reservoir, so it has to go down about <br />14 feet from full. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he appreciates the efforts, but as he reads this letter <br />from the Mayor, and he read as follows: "I still firmly believe that the Town of Hillsborough <br />clearly has complete jurisdiction over its out of town customers and the County's water <br />restrictions an our customers are legally non-binding!" He is troubled by this statement. He <br />asked the County Attorney about this. <br />