Orange County NC Website
Annette Dunlap said that if she has anything to say about it, there will be educational <br />training on marketing. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that one of the things that excite him is bringing same <br />of the immigrant communities into the mainstream of North Carolina agriculture. This is <br />another area where Orange County can take a leadership role in bringing people into <br />agriculture. <br />Noah Rannells said that there is a plan to take some Chinese and Hispanic <br />people on a Piedmont Farm tour in late April. <br />Chair Carey asked about the value-added processing center and that it would <br />require municipal water and sewer. He asked about the nature of such a facility that <br />would require this. Noah Rannells said that these processing centers can be more <br />flexible if they are on a municipal system versus a septic system. <br />Annette Dunlap said that she has been to two different facilities -one with septic <br />and one without -and more can be offered to the clientele if there is municipal water and <br />sewer. There is also a sanitation requirement for the equipment because of the shared <br />use. This will increase the demand for water and treatment systems. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that there are places in the County that have better <br />soils for septic than others. She said that it is not totally outside the realm of possibility <br />to find good soils. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked about the thought of children of farmers returning <br />to farming and if part of the point of this program is to bring the children back to farming <br />because it will be more viable. Noah Rannells said that there are significant <br />opportunities for children of long-time Orange County farmers as well as other young <br />people getting into farming. He said that they would be using the same strategy for all <br />people for the incubator program. <br />4. Concept Plan -Bolin Creek Greenway Phase III <br />Environment and Resource Conservation Director Dave Stancil introduced this <br />item. He said that in the 2001 County Parks and Open Space Bond approved by voters, <br />a number of projects were included, and one of those was $1.75 million for greenway <br />projects in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, particularly for projects that connect Town and <br />County open spaces. In June 2004, the Town and County agreed to put the Chapel Hill <br />funding towards the extension of the Bolin Creek Greenway. <br />Commissioner Foushee left at 9:13 p.m. <br />Interim Chapel Hill Recreation and Parks Director Bill Webster made a <br />PowerPoint presentation of maps and drawings. He said that a public hearing will be <br />scheduled sometime in March, preferably. This has been to the Carrboro Board of <br />Aldermen, various boards and commissions, and various Town advisory boards that <br />would have any say in this matter. There has been much interest in this project. There <br />are seven primary goals for the Bolin Creek Greenway: <br />1. Provide a public 10' wide multi-use greenway trail. <br />2. Avoid grade crossings where feasible. <br />3. Limit slopes to less than 5°~ where possible. <br />4. Use existing utility easements and Town-owned land as much <br />as possible. <br />5. Avoid disturbance to the Creek and its vegetation as much as <br />possible. <br />6. Minimize impact of trail on neighbors. <br />7. Make the trail cost-effective. <br />