Agenda - 09-04-2014 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

17 1 2 Pete Hallenbeck: Ok, thank you, Mr. Rooks. Is there additional evidence that you would like to 3 enter? 4 5 David Rooks: There is. 6 7 Michael Harvey: Mr. Chairman, before we continue, may I ask anyone coming to speak 8 obviously speak directly into the microphone as humanly possible so that we can insure the 9 recording picks up everything. 10 11 Pete Hallenbeck: Very good, thank you. Alright, well Mr. Rooks, I know everybody's got 12 questions. I know people would like to talk, but I think it would make sense to get all the 13 information out there first. So if you would like to present any evidence, please go ahead and 14 do so now. 15 16 David Rooks: What we have done is —the neighborhood opponents have sort of organized, 17 and I'm trying to organize that organization and present it to the—to the board in the most 18 expeditious way possible. I would first of all ask that, of the folks in the audience who are— live 19 in the adjoining neighborhood who are not planning to speak, but are nonetheless opposed to 20 the project, would you please stand. Mr. Chairman and Mr. Chairman and council, I tender all of 21 these folks to be cross examined as opponents to the project. Thank you. 22 23 Mr. Chairman, at this point we are going to start with our first witness, who is a resident— 24 Bob Cantwell. He is going to make a presentation: and then after that we are going to have two 25 expert appraisers testify; and then following that, we are going to have a group of residents 26 come and testify to you, summarizing their views. So we will at this point call Mr. Cantwell. And 27 I ask that he confirm that he is — his name and that he has been sworn. 28 29 Robert Cantwell: My name is Robert Cantwell, I have been duly sworn in. Nice to see you all. 30 The speaker provided 3 printed appraisals and read the following statement: 31 32 Statement to the Orange County Board of Commissioners, May 27, 2014. 33 34 My name is Robert (Bob) Cantwell. My wife Lydia Wegman and I live at 5704 Cascade 35 Drive, where we have been for twenty-three and a half years. Our property is immediately 36 contiguous with the proposed solar development, which, should it be approved, will be almost 37 literally in our back yard. 38 39 I am a supporter of solar energy. I accept the principle that landowners have the right to 40 use what they own and to prosper from it. But the exercise of that right will likely affect the 41 health, wealth, and well being of everyone nearby in one way or another. That's why we're here. 42 We live in many environments, local and global; reverence for one implies reverence for the 43 other. Consistency does not require that we accept an installation which jeopardizes property 44 values and quality of life, and which is grossly incompatible with the character of the 45 neighborhood--not when there are better alternatives. In any case it will not advance the cause 46 of solar energy to allow an Arizona company, without any feeling for life on the ground here in 47 North Carolina, to go wherever Google Earth tells them to go. 48 49 The Unified Development Ordinance of Orange County states that in order to grant a 50 Special Use Permit, the County Commissioners must find that "the location and character of the