Orange County NC Website
conducted by Dr. Emil Malizia, who chairs the UNC Department of City & Regional Planning, determined <br /> that many of their community's budding start ups originate with the university. However, even if those <br /> entrepreneurs do find a convenient and affordable initial location here for their business, the great majority <br /> such as IT and software design startups eventually relocate outside of Orange County. They are drawn, <br /> for example, to Durham, and now Wake County and Raleigh have announced their new incubator facility. <br /> Mr. Brantley said they have surveyed potential office space that can potentially offer unique types <br /> of working environments generally desired by start-ups. This would also be the kind of space which offers <br /> an attractive lease rate that can be reasonably considered by a small firm on a budget with limited initial <br /> financial resources. The County has also explored partnering with various other supporting organizations <br /> as a means to either reduce their associated costs or which could add special expertise in the daily <br /> management of an incubator operation. <br /> In March of this year, an ideal property located at 321 West Rosemary Street was identified as a <br /> new candidate location. Its 4,000 square feet and urban location are ideal as well as the current upfit that <br /> is already designed for IT purposes. Orange County's opportunity to establish an innovation center at this <br /> location is strengthened by a proposed 50/50 partnership with the Town of Chapel Hill and direct <br /> consultant support to be given by the university. UNC already reports overwhelming interest and a waiting <br /> list by the university start ups eager to move in and get established. UNC will offer those entrepreneurial <br /> firms mentoring in the areas of financing, writing a business plan, and related counseling. The Town is <br /> also arranging for the day to day operation to be managed by the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership. <br /> Mr. Brantley said their summary of this potential incubator partnership was first introduced to the <br /> Board's attention in April 2012. On May 30th, the Chapel Hill Town Council voted unanimously to partner <br /> with Orange County. In July, the County Attorney's office prepared the draft interlocal agreement for this <br /> Board's review. The draft agreement outlines a co-chair with the Town of Chapel Hill and provides for <br /> lease payments at 321 West Rosemary Street over the next three and a half years. Over that 42 months, <br /> Orange County would provide $10,000 in quarterly payments or $140,000. The payment could be funded <br /> via the recently approved quarter cents sales tax referendum and sales tax proceeds. <br /> Chair Pelissier said she wanted it to be clear to the public that this would, not could, come from the <br /> quarter cents sale tax. Mr. Brantley agreed. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner Yuhasz, to approve <br /> an interlocal agreement to support the growth of Orange County's entrepreneurial development goals and <br /> also form an economic development tie with the Town of Chapel Hill regarding the creation of an <br /> innovation center located at 321 West Rosemary Street in Chapel Hill. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 8. Reports: NONE <br /> 9. County Manaqer's Report: There was no report by the County Manager. <br /> 10. County Attorney's Report <br /> John Roberts updated the Board on the status of the implementation agreement with Triangle <br /> Transit. He and Craig Benedict, and one of his staff inembers, have been meeting with members of TTA <br /> and MPO in an effort to work out differences. The biggest difference between the County Staff's position <br /> and TTA's position is whether the MPO needs to be involved as a party to the agreement and that is up to <br /> the Board. At the second meeting in September, Mr. Roberts said they're planning on presenting the <br /> Board with two documents, one of which will be their view of what the agreement should be, and one that <br /> may be a consensus between TTA, the MPO, and Orange County Staff of what the agreement should <br /> look like if the Board decides to include the MPO as a party to the agreement. <br /> Mr. Roberts said the codification status of the UDO is the Municode legal staff has completed their <br /> review of the document. They recommended a number of changes to the existing document to make it <br /> comply with North Carolina law. He is going to review those recommended changes with Michael Harvey <br /> and other attorneys in his office to see if they can agree on whether or not they agree with Municode's <br />