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Workgroup on Infrastructure <br />Overall Strategy: By June 2010, infrastructure will be in place to support the <br />county's economic development goals of increasing the commercial tax base and <br />retaining and attracting targeted businesses. <br />Why the strategy is critical: Infrastructure helps support desired growth patterns and <br />economic goals. Orange County and its municipalities have led the state in establishing <br />an urban growth boundary that limits expansion of utilities to .prevent low-density sprawl <br />throughout rural areas. Area governments now need to encourage and accommodate <br />higher density in appropriate areas, including the county's three Economic Development <br />Districts. <br />A) Extend water and sewer into all three Economic Development Districts <br />(EDD) <br />During this year, water and sewer extensions are underway to service the <br />Gravelly Middle School, which will open in late Fall 2006. Although the utility <br />extension has been arduous at times, this opens up the southern Buckhorn EDD to <br />the school and soccer complex on the east: <br />Similarly, water and sewer extensions are underway to serve the Durham <br />Technical Community College at Waterstone in the .Killsborough EDD. The <br />~' Community Callege is expected to open in August 2007. <br />There was also movement during the year on providing utility services to the Eno <br />EDD. A meeting was held between the Chair and Co-chair of the Orange County <br />BOCC, the County Manager, and the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem, and City <br />Manager of Durham. The Durham team expressed willingness to work with the <br />County on serving the area, and subsequently Assistant City Manager Ted <br />Voorhees was assigned to facilitate the effort. Two open meetings have been held <br />with property owners and a taskforce is being created to develop a small area <br />plan for the Eno EDD.' <br />B) Establish adequate information networks (e.g., high-speed Internet, cellular <br />towers) throughout the towns and the county <br />The Infrastructure workgroup has had several meetings focused on the Master <br />Telecommunications Plan and the extension of cable and wireless Internet. This <br />will be a priority activity for the upcoming year. <br />C. Encourage participation and input as appropriate in all plans and projects <br />(i.e. storm water plans, plans for the physical infrastructure of Carolina <br />North, including transportation elements for Phase ~ <br />During the year, Economic Development staff has been involved in monitoring <br />