Orange County NC Website
David Hunt swore in the group of people to speak that were to give testimony. <br />Planning Director Craig Benedict said this first item is a Class A Special Use Permit and <br />is held in aquasi-judicial manner that is consistent with providing evidence and findings of fact. <br />The process begins with an application, goes through staff review, and is submitted to the <br />Planning Board for review, and then this public hearing. The Planning Board has already given <br />a recommendation based on the evidence provided by the staff, the consultant, and other <br />sources. <br />The two other items are not quasi-judicial. <br />Planning Supervisor Robert Davis presented this item. He said that the joint property <br />owners have been notified by certified mail. There was also a sign posted on the property. This <br />is in accordance with the ordinance and State law. He made reference to the pink sheet, which <br />is a Finding of Na Significant Impact. Pages 7-23 of the packet are the findings of fact. He <br />listed the general conditions. He made reference to the second general condition, which is that <br />the use will maintain ar enhance the value of contiguous property, unless the use is a public <br />necessity, in which case, the use need not maintain or enhance the value of contiguous <br />property. He said that the Board would need to determine if this use is a public necessity. If it is <br />determined that this is not a public necessity, then the applicant will be required to put an <br />evidence indicating that the use maintains or enhances the value of the property. <br />This property is located just to the north of the existing Stanback Middle School. It is <br />located in Chapel Hill Township and is proposed to be constructed in two phases. The zoning is <br />rural residential and it is not in the watershed. The total tract acreage is 20.8 acres. There is a <br />single-family neighborhood to the east and to the north. The traffic impact for this particular use <br />will be fairly minimal because there will only be 19-20 students. They are planning for 50 <br />students. Water and sewer is existing in the area and the Town of Hillsborough provides the <br />service. The County will design, construct, and pay for connections. <br />He made reference to the Planning Board comments on page 4 of the lavender sheet. <br />The Planning Board has voted unanimously for the Board of County Commissioners to approve <br />this Class A Special Use Permit. There was an 11t" condition added, which is that afive-foot <br />sidewalk located three feet behind the curb and gutter on Storey Lane shall be constructed from <br />the easternmost entrance to the school out to NC 86. <br />Mike Hammersley from Corley, Redfaat, and Zack spoke about this project. He said that <br />this facility is very needed by the Orange County School system. This facility is provided in <br />leased trailers in downtown Hillsborough and this lease will be up very soon. The school <br />system wants to get the children into a permanent structure. The children are middle and high <br />school students that have special needs. The building would have two classrooms to <br />accommodate 50 students and four administrative staff offices. There would be 19 parking <br />spaces and a bus drop-off. He said that the overall site was evaluated by them. They did <br />further studies on the site of phase 1 -technical investigations, sail borings, and environmental <br />assessment. Phase 1 is the building and related parking and phase 2 is the tennis facilities and <br />ball field. In between the two phases is an existing community relations building that the school <br />system already operates. <br />The schedule far this work is that the building facility in phase 1 is needed for fall of <br />2006. The phase 2 portion is unknown -three to five years or as long as ten years. He said <br />that an the overall plan there is a natural buffer from NC 86 with an oak hickory forest. There is <br />also a big buffer along the back of the property. <br />Commissioner Gordan said that it was her recollection that this decision was far a future <br />meeting. She said that it has not been the Board's practice to decide things on the same night <br />as the public hearing. <br />Chair Jacobs said that he had the same question. <br />