Agenda - 02-04-2014 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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16 1 86 parcels, none of that falls within the boundaries of the Town of Chapel Hill or the ETJ. He 2 said the smaller district does not allow Chapel Hill's participation in funding. 3 Commissioner Dorosin said the task force has been meeting for two years and has 4 considered all of these options, including the district. He said the task force came forward with 5 recommendations, and the priority is to get water and sewer to these 86 parcels. He said this 6 could be moved forward expeditiously, and the district could come later. 7 He said there is a plan in place to get this process moving. He said Carrboro has 8 committed its share of funding, and Hillsborough could put funding in with the ETJ. He said the 9 County needs to make clear its commitment to putting in funding. He said his understanding 10 was that the $3.7 million plan assumed that Chapel Hill would not be able to put in any money. 11 Commissioner Dorosin said he feel it is a disastrous idea to sit back and wait for the 12 resolution of the EPA complaint. He believes the majority of the Commissioners are committed 13 to recommendation #2. He feels this should be explained to the EPA, and this could possibly 14 resolve the complaint and allow them to move forward. He said the EPA could take months, 15 and this would cause momentum to be lost. He said this is an opportunity to do what is right for 16 the County. He would like to move forward with recommendation #2. 17 Mayor Chilton said he agrees with Commissioner Dorosin, and he feels the 18 municipalities should come together collectively and approach the EPA to communicate that the 19 complaint has been resolved. He said it feels disingenuous to hold this up while waiting on the 20 results of the EPA or another study. He feels it is time to adopt the recommendations and go 21 forward. 22 Alderman Seils referred to an email from the County attorney to the town attorney 23 regarding the direction that no funding should be committed until RENA provides assurance 24 that their complaint has been withdrawn or that the EPA has dismissed the complaint. He then 25 read from a letter addressed to the County attorney from RENA, stating that RENA would 26 voluntarily dismiss the EPA complaint in exchange for the County's written agreement to fully 27 fund sewer infrastructure in Rogers Road. He said this seems like a way out, and the solution 28 is right in front of them. 29 Commissioner Price said once the sewer lines are in, there is cost associated with the 30 hook ups. She said this is expensive, and most of these residents cannot afford it. She said 31 the extension of the ETJ would allow for the application for community development block grant 32 (CDBG) funds to help residents hook up. She asked if it is almost certain that Chapel Hill 33 would agree to the ETJ. 34 Mayor Kleinschmidt said the Town asked for more information about a water and sewer 35 district instead of extending the ETJ. He said even if the ETJ is extended, this area is still not in 36 Chapel Hill. He said despite the fact that some CDBG funds have gone up nationally, Chapel 37 Hill gets less CDBG funding because HUD has changed their formula. He would like to avoid 38 removing another recipient of the CDBG funding in order to move money to the Rogers Road 39 area. 40 Commissioner Price said that topic only came up for discussion. 41 Mayor Kleinschmidt said there has been a 50-60 percent decrease in CDBG money in 42 the past decade, so he hopes this is not a solution in anyone's mind. 43 Council Member Greene said she thought that Chapel Hill could only contribute money 44 to water and sewer if Rogers Road was in the ETJ. She asked if this is different than doing a 45 district. 46 Council Member Storrow said the logic was that the larger utility district would 47 encompass a portion of the County that included Chapel Hill and would allow the Town's 48 participation. He said the smaller district that includes only Historic Rogers Road does not 49 include any portion that is part of Chapel Hill. 50 Council Member Greene asked if an ETJ is needed or not.