Orange County NC Website
it is important to understand, moving forward, that there are existing state and county <br /> requirements that all BMPs have to be maintained in perpetuity. <br /> Commissioner Pelissier agreed with Commissioner Jacobs with regard to asking for <br /> OWASA's input on this issue, and she would also like for the Commission for the Environment <br /> to review it. <br /> Michael Harvey said these entities can be part of the peer review that is being <br /> recommended. <br /> Commissioner Pelissier suggested staff and the OWASA board should review this. <br /> Craig Benedict said reviews can be solicited prior to the Quarterly Public Hearing (QPH) <br /> and the comments can be made part of the public comment at the QPH. <br /> Commissioner porosin said there was discussion about the idea of looking at <br /> impervious restrictions in other districts. He asked for clarification on why this is being brought <br /> up. <br /> Michael Harvey said there have been comments over the years about this issue. He <br /> said as part of their due diligence in responding to a property owner's petition, as well as <br /> concerns from the Board, the question was brought up again. <br /> Commissioner porosin said this is not necessarily integral to resolving this. <br /> Michael Harvey said no, it is just comprehensive to the question of impervious surfaces. <br /> PUBLIC COMMENT: <br /> Simon Sexton lives in a home in a protected watershed area, and he feels that this <br /> impervious rule is unfair. He said there are exceptions to what this rule is protecting. He said <br /> he likes nature and he does not want to pollute the drinking water. He said he has 10 acres <br /> and a ditch to prevent runoff. He encouraged the Board to allow people to have more <br /> impervious space. <br /> Bryan Sexton thanked the Board for their work on this issue. He said impervious <br /> restrictions are important for the environment, but his impervious rights as a homeowner were <br /> given away before he even moved into his home. He said he moved into a home with less <br /> than 2 percent of usable pervious surface. He said he has ten acres in which there is a <br /> driveway, home and patio that already puts him over the limit. He said he cannot even put in a <br /> shed for a mower. He said he pays $14,000 in taxes for his acreage, and he cannot install a <br /> shed or a pool. He thanked the Board for their consideration of these issues. <br /> Letter submitted via email from: Janel D. Sexton <br /> Message: <br /> Dear Board of County Commissioners: <br /> We appreciate how receptive the Board of County Commissioners and the Orange County <br /> Planning and Inspections Office have been in hearing our grievances regarding impervious <br /> surface issues. It is my understanding that since I spoke at the December 2014 meeting of the <br /> BOCC, the Planning and Inspections Office has done a great deal of work to address the <br /> restrictions in accordance with current data and a consideration of BMPs. <br /> We urge you to support this movement towards more reasonable impervious limits. The new <br /> regulations should take into account current science about water quality and the use of best <br /> management practices such as disconnected structures, pervious pavers, and having a swale, <br /> which mitigate against runoff. <br /> As Orange County residents whose 2015 property tax exceeds $14,000, my husband and I <br /> feel entitled to use our property, provided it does not come at the cost of polluting a public <br /> water source. Our proposal to have more impervious is well within reasonable limits. <br /> Furthermore, after delving further into the allotment we received when we purchased our <br />