Minutes 02-27-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Chair Jacobs said part of the original purpose of the interlocal agreement was to set boundaries for growth and to memorialize a joint vision of how Hillsborough and its surroundings would grow or not grow. He said if the boards think it is sufficient to stop now, he wants to make sure that there is preservation of the fact that there is an agreement that envisions certain elements as to what the surroundings of Hillsborough will be. He said there was essentially an agreement that there would be a collar of lower density for the benefit of both parties. He does not want this to be lost, and it is consistent with this to take the 400 acres and put it into a lower density use. He said it may be the best decision to stop, but he wants to make sure both parties agree that this is stopping at a place that is consistent with the vision that was articulated. Margaret Hauth said the only other task that might need to go forward would be bringing the town's future land use plan into the County's comprehensive plan. She said this could happen without changing the homeowners' lives, and it would further memorialize the effort. Commissioner McKee said he is sensing a change of direction since the informational meeting held in January, and he is glad for this. He said he spent a lot of time addressing citizen concerns about this, and the feels the idea being proposed, of moving the land back to the County, and setting a hold on the area in the south, is the best idea. Commissioner Price agreed with Commissioner McKee. She noted that there were some people in Wildwood who may have wanted to be annexed since they wanted urban services. She said it might be good to check in with these people before this is taken entirely off the board. Chair Jacobs said it may be good to have a forum for these particular residents in order to close the loop. Margaret Hauth said there has never been a formal request from Wildwood to be annexed. She said there have been individual inquiries on a regular basis. She said she has created a spreadsheet that can be filled out to tell people whether it is in their interest to be annexed. She said it appears that there might be a provision in the Wildwood covenants that requires an extraordinary majority of residents to even petition the town for annexation. Commissioner Rich asked what happens to the 400 acres being released back to the County. Craig Benedict said this area would have an agricultural/residential land use and zoning. He said it is in a critical watershed area for Hillsborough's water source, and some of it is Duke Forest. He said there is not much development potential there at all, and nothing would really change for that land. Brian Lowen said he has thought that Wildwood would be a perfect candidate for annexation, as it already has city water and sewer, and so many residents are paying high city rates. He said he initiated a meeting with the officers of the home owner's association and this was cancelled at the very last minute, because so many residents did not want to be in the city limits. Commissioner Pelissier said she did not understand Margaret Hauth's suggestion of incorporating the town's land use plan into our comprehensive plan. She asked what the advantage would be. Tom Altieri said Orange County has a jointly adopted land use plan that covers all of the land area within the town's urban services area. He said this plan has been adopted, but it has not been fully implemented with comprehensive plan amendments referencing the document. He said that would need to be done. Mayor Stevens said the general attitude of the town board is that they are open to voluntary annexation, but the amount of energy it takes to do that is enormous, and it is not conceivable at this point.