Orange County NC Website
Public Comment: <br /> Joe Griffin has lived in Eno Township all of his life. He is really concerned about the <br /> annexation into Durham. He said that it seems like this has been set up to be annexed in this <br /> process. He said that in the legislature this year, there is supposed to be a proposal to limit <br /> municipalities' ability to annex. He asked the County Commissioners to support this legislation. <br /> David Wolberg lives in Whispering Pines subdivision. He said that he appreciates the <br /> attention that has been given to Whispering Pines and preserving this as a residential <br /> neighborhood. He also appreciates that the land use plan keeps the commercial development <br /> north of US 70 and has mixed use south of US 70. He is concerned that, given that much of the <br /> land south of US 70 is already zoned commercial and is going to remain zoned commercial, and <br /> given that annexation by Durham is likely, he is not convinced that the land use plan has much <br /> in the way of teeth. Also, given what exists on Hillsborough Road/US 70 into Durham, he is not <br /> really impressed with this kind of development continuing out into his backyard. He has nothing <br /> against Durham, but he chose to buy land in Orange County. He has backyard poultry and this <br /> would not be permitted under Durham ordinances. He sees an extra layer of government and <br /> higher taxes if this is annexed. He has no objection to land being developed in this area, but he <br /> is not in favor of annexation. <br /> Chair Jacobs requested that staff provide a plain, simple map of the Durham Urban <br /> Growth Boundary, the Eno EDD with the reserve area, the roads, and the streams. <br /> Chair Jacobs commended the staff, citizens, and Commissioner Foushee for working on <br /> this plan. When this began in December 2005, people who owned property in the Eno EDD <br /> expressed their frustration that Orange County had done nothing for years. It is an achievement <br /> that the plan has come this far. Regarding Durham's annexation policy, he said that there <br /> should be something clearly written about this in the table of contents so that someone could <br /> turn right to it. He suggested that the Board of County Commissioners sit down with the Mayor, <br /> Mayor Pro Tem, the new Manager, and the Planning Director of the City of Durham to discuss <br /> the annexation policy, water and sewer boundary interlocal agreement, etc. He said that it is a <br /> fact that, since the County does not provide water and sewer, the municipalities that do provide <br /> water and sewer have their own rules about how they provide it, and Orange County will have to <br /> abide by those rules. It is a concern in looking at the rates, but it needs to be discussed. <br /> Chair Jacobs made reference to the mixed use and asked if someone could come in <br /> with a very large retail space with residential upstairs for the dark purple portion. Perdita Holtz <br /> said that the recommendation is that no new residential would be permitted in that area and that <br /> retail/trade would require a Planned Development. <br /> Planning Director Craig Benedict said that in the light purple area, the mixed use area <br /> would allow retail/office/service and residential. <br /> Chair Jacobs said that there are very few areas within Orange County's planning <br /> jurisdiction where there can be high-density residential. <br /> Chair Jacobs made reference to page 53 and the improvements to 1-85. He said that <br /> there are recommendations every year in the TIP about how Orange County wants this <br /> improvement to take place in regard to an underpass on New Hope Creek. He thinks that those <br /> improvements that are requested every year should be incorporated in this document. Also, on <br /> page 56, under item E-1 and the second bullet, he suggested taking out the word "small." <br /> He made reference to Appendix A and the uses and asked where he would find an <br /> asphalt plant. Perdita Holtz said that this table was not complete and this exact table would not <br /> be adopted. <br /> Commissioner Foushee said that for those persons involved in the permitted use table, <br /> most of the efforts were geared to ensuring that what was permitted now would not become <br />