Minutes - 20051213 - Laserfiche WebLink

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have the effect of reducing our taxable property in the county and adversely affect the revenue. Another bill is the solid waste franchise vested rights bill that was considered last year. He would like to keep an eye on these bills. Commissioner Carey asked the County Commissioners if it was the intent of the Board to continue the Board of County Commissioners' listening sessions in the coming year and Chair Jacobs suggested adding this discussion to the retreat agenda. Chair Jacobs asked Assistant to the County Manager Greg Wilder to update the Board on the earmark that Senator Dole has been working on. Greg Wilder said that the County has been pursuing a grant from Senator Dole's office for a commercial kitchen facility at the senior center. About two weeks ago, they learned of substantial hurdles and Orange County may not receive the grant. Funds were earmarked for this through the labor, health, and education bill. All of the earmarks were deleted from this bill and Senator Dole's office was looking at alternative funding. He said that he learned this morning that they have exhausted all avenues this year and they will put it in their funding cycle for next year. The three big things that wiped out the funding for this bill was Iraqi war spending, Hurricane Katrina funding, and the highway bill in Alaska. Commissioner Carey said that this is not the first year that there has been a complete sweep of the earmark money out of the budget. Chair Jacobs said that he and Commissioner Foushee attended a meeting on prison labor, which is now a discussion on social entrepreneurship. He will keep the Board up to date on this. Chair Jacobs said that he and Commissioner Halkiotis attended another meeting on Fairview Park and they generally agreed on a design. They have one more meeting and he said that they are not sure if they have had adequate representation from the Fairview community. He said that they would be putting in a solid waste convenience center temporarily on the County's property on the Public Works site. It is only temporary and they are already looking at other options. Chair Jacobs wished all a happy holiday season. 4. County Manager's Report John Link thanked Commissioner Halkiotis far his card and he joined everyone with extending best wishes to all. John Link recognized Economic Development Director Dianne Reid, who gave an update on the economic development activities in and around Orange County. Dianne Reid said that in Hillsborough, there have been two developments. The first is Ellswood with a proposal for 106 homes and 151,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and hotel. The Town Board, after deliberating, decided not to approve the rezoning and annexation requests for the developers of the project. Another proposal is for Ashton Hall and calls for 272 town homes and custom built homes and about 20,000 square feet of retail space. In Chapel Hill, the two major developments are the redevelopment of parking lot five and the Wallace Parking Deck and University Village, which is a proposed mixed-use project for the property that is now University Inn on Highway 54. It will include 189 residential units and 115,000 square feet of office and 64,000 square feet of retail. In Carrboro, there is a proposal for the redevelopment of the ArtsCenter property on Main Street. The initial plans call for about 400,000 square feet of residential and commercial space. There is also a proposal to redevelop property on Jones Ferry Road as a grocery store and retail area. There is also a lot of development right on Orange County's borders. In Chatham County, there is a proposal for commercial and residential development on 100 acres on 151501 that would include 350,000 square feet of retail and office space and about 40 town houses and patio homes.