Agenda - 06-03-2008-5b5e - Laserfiche WebLink

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Donna Baker From: barryj@earthlink.net /.%- ~ ,J Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 10:04 AM To: Donna Baker Subject: Fw: Buckhorn Development -comments for consideration at April 1 hearing for bocc -----Forwarded Message----- >From: Mike <mmcc.collins@mindspring.com> ' >Sent: Apr 1, 2008 9:04 PM >To: barryj@earthlink.net, vfoushee@co.orange.ne.us, mcarey5@nc.rr.com, >gordonam@mindspring.com, mikenelsonnc@aol.com >Subject: Buckhorn Development - comments for consideration at April 1 >hearing >D'ear Commissioners: >I am writing on behalf of Neighborhoods for Responsible Growth, a• >grass-roots citizens group based here in Orange County. Representatives >of our group were unable to attend the meeting tonight, but we would >like to offer these thoughts into the record as part of the >deliberations concerning the current Buckhorn Road development and >rezoning application. >The Orange County BOCC has the responsibility for maintaining our >quality of life and to zone in a manner which protects' it. Up to now, >we have avoided blankets of sprawl because in 1985 three local >governments, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Orange•County, demonstrated the >vision to establish an urban service boundary agreement - the Joint >Comprehensive Plan. If they had not acted as they did then, we would >now be experiencing sprawl in a wide swath across the middle of 'the >county, similar to what has occurred in north Raleigh. The Board of >County Commissioners must protect us from this type of unsustainable >development and the compromised air quality and traffic congestion that >comes with it. >One thing that has become clear from the very large developments that >have recently been approved in our area is that granting approval for >large project, such as The Streets at Southpoint, breaks down the >zoning in adjacent areas. We have also learned that retail centers >located outside of urban areas bleed the economic vitality from our >existing towns and cities. >Approving this permit request under existing conditions will represent >a failure on the part of the Commission to address these issues and >protect the public. > ' >Mebane does not currently have an urban services boundary in place.'The >County Government should enter into negotiations with Mebane to adopt >progressive policies which would prevent sprawl, including just such an >urban services boundary. You must defer this permit and rezoning >request until these steps have been taken to ensure the integrity of >Orange County's quality of life. >The County is in a very strong position because you confer millions of >dollars in value to the land when you grant' a zoning change. Please >protect the interests of all County residents by voting down this >proposal and working for the changes outlined above. >Thank you for considering this matter. >Mike Collins >Co-Chair >Neighborhoods for Responsible Growth >967-4119 >-- >Mike Collins, mmcc.collins@mindspring.com