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Craig Benedict said that the ordinance allows for the Board to make a decision on the <br />same night if it is so inclined, but it has not been the practice. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked if this was being driven by the lease of the modular units <br />and why it would have to be approved tonight. <br />Associate Superintendent for Support Services of Orange County George McFarley said <br />that the reason for getting the special use permit approved as soon as possible is impacted by <br />the facility that the school is currently occupying. The leases expire in June 2006. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that there has been na harm done by the facility in <br />Hillsborough as was feared when it was put there. He would hope that the Town of <br />Hillsborough would consider an extension of the lease for a couple of months since things are <br />moving along. <br />Chair Jacobs made reference to the process and the finding that there is a public <br />necessity that exempts the applicant from the evidentiary requirement. He said that this was <br />new to him. Geof Gledhill said that the ordinance has always been this way. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked why this has not come up before and it was answered that <br />it came up with OCS Middle School #3. <br />Commissioner Carey asked when the Board would have to make the finding of public <br />necessity. Geof Gledhill said that it is part of the deliberation process. He would recommend <br />that the special use permit be left open so that the applicant is not foreclosed from presenting <br />the evidence. <br />Public Comment <br />Sally Logan (the map says Sarah Logan, but her friends call her Sally} said that her <br />property is next to the proposed softball field. She said that before the football field at Stanback <br />was constructed, all of the trees were cut. The school board had promised that a buffer of trees <br />would be left between their houses and the field, but the loggers cut all of the trees. The <br />homeowners endured months of site preparation and dust and the noise of earthmoving <br />equipment. There were also erosion problems. She said that when she moved to Orange <br />County, she wanted to live in the woods. She loves her house and that there are so many trees <br />around. She said that it was almost an afterthought that "phase 2 will provide four tennis courts <br />and a softball field as shown on the overall site plan." She said that this softball field will be 200 <br />feet from her house and anyone standing in the outfield will be able to look in her windows. <br />When she bought her house she knew that she would hear students, but she never expected to <br />see them. <br />She said that she has many questions, and she listed them: <br />Do you intend to cut all of the trees along my property line? What will you do to ensure <br />that the loggers do not cut all of the trees on my line? What compensation will I receive if my <br />trees are cut? <br />Will the hill beside my house be leveled or flattened? How deep will the excavations go? <br />What assurance can be given that the consolidated rock will not be disturbed? <br />How will the large rocks in the hill be removed? By dynamite? Who will pay if the <br />windows in my house are broken? Who will pay if there is any damage to my house during <br />construction? <br />Will my well water be affected? (I have already been advised to take a baseline sample <br />of the water.} What will be done to prevent or correct any contamination to my well and who will <br />pay for it if there is? <br />What will be done to prevent erosion? Has anyone assessed the effects of a project of <br />this magnitude on the groundwater in the area? <br />As a taxpayer, haw much will the construction of the ball field cost? If you moved the <br />house near the proposed tennis courts and put the proposed ball field there, would it be more <br />