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4 <br /> 1 Rachel Phelps Hawkins asked what obstacles the citizens/businesses are still finding so hard to <br /> 2 overcome when they go through the planning process. <br /> 3 <br /> 4 Chair Pelissier said one of the obstacles is that in the EDD districts there has been no water and <br /> 5 sewer infrastructure and that is what businesses need — infrastructure. <br /> 6 <br /> 7 Steve Brantley said the pieces are finally coming together with utilities and pre-zoning in some <br /> 8 of these EDD areas but when they are competing with other counties, these other counties <br /> 9 already have these in place, which leaves Orange County at a disadvantage. He said they are <br /> 10 surrounded by communities with a very competitive product but Orange County is moving <br /> 11 forward. <br /> 12 <br /> 13 Commissioner McKee said there has always been a perception that Orange County was not <br /> 14 friendly to economic development in the past 20 years. He said that with the AKG expansion <br /> 15 last year in Mebane, that this may have broken the ice on that perception. He said they need to <br /> 16 continue down that road so that Orange County's perception is now that Orange County is <br /> 17 "open for business". He does not envision our UDO cutting back to 77 pages from 700 pages <br /> 18 like Alamance's UDO is/has, but we are moving forward. <br /> 19 <br /> 20 Pete Hallenbeck said with the mention of utilities, water and sewer, that they also need data in <br /> 21 these EDD areas. <br /> 22 <br /> 23 Commissioner Jacobs said when the Planning Board meets with other county advisory boards <br /> 24 to also include reaching out to other planning boards in the county that has Orange County reps <br /> 25 on these boards and perhaps get some ideas that would be mutually beneficial. <br /> 26 He also said that they to encourage people on the planning board who want to follow their own <br /> 27 passions to work with staff closely on these assumptions. <br /> 28 <br /> 29 Commissioner Gordon said she appreciated what the Planning Board does since she used to <br /> 30 be on this board and she appreciated their informative minutes. Chair Pelissier agreed. <br /> 31 <br /> 32 5) BOCC Planninq Retreat 2013 <br /> 33 <br /> 34 Chair Pelissier said that the Commissioners' retreat is currently scheduled for February 1, <br /> 35 2013 and Board of County Commissioners' retreat representatives are Commissioner <br /> 36 Jacobs, Commissioner McKee and Commissioner-Elect Mark Dorosin, She asked <br /> 37 Commissioner McKee and Commissioner Jacobs to elaborate on what the retreat may <br /> 38 entail. Commissioner Jacobs said one some of the suggested topics include what comprises <br /> 39 economic development in Orange County; reviewing BOCC goals and objectives with new <br /> 40 board members; discussion on poverty in Orange County; and intergovernmental <br /> 41 relationships and how to do a better job in this area. <br /> 42 <br /> 43 The meeting adjourned at 6:26 PM. <br />