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I would strongly suggest that the County Commissioners, in conjunction with the <br /> Planning Board, retain the current long-term land use plan and current zoning for Old NC 10. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Gail Crabtree" <br /> Jon Arvik is a retired research scientist and a resident of Weldon Ridge. He said that he <br /> and his wife hope this is their final home in rural Orange County. He said that this zoning <br /> change will cause significant noise and air pollution. He said that the last 30 years of his career <br /> included growth studies in urban, suburban, and rural areas, as well as environmental <br /> management. This experience has led him to express his concerns. His primary concern is the <br /> EDE-2 zoning. The commercial operations that will be permitted here will result in high rates of <br /> particulate, which cause increases in cardiac and respiratory diseases. He is also concerned <br /> about traffic, which could triple or quadruple. <br /> Ray Hackney lives in Weldon Ridge. He said that he is concerned about the safety of <br /> their children. In the neighborhood, there are seven children under the age of 8 and more on <br /> the way. The proposed rezoning would bring businesses that could present some hazards for <br /> their children. He urged the Board to reconsider these changes. <br /> Chris Kelsey lives along Old NC 10. He spoke to Amendment#3. He said that this is a <br /> beautiful, quiet, historic, rural residential road. He said that Craig Benedict has indicated that it <br /> has been proposed by the Planning Department to retain the rural residential zoning along this <br /> road. He wholeheartedly agreed with this decision. However, it is still proposed to change the <br /> land use classification along Old NC 10 to EDE-2, which allows a number of non-residential <br /> enterprises. This inconsistency will lead to future tension and discord. Furthermore, the <br /> Durham long-term plan calls for the same area in yellow to be residential. This is a discrepancy <br /> between the zoning, the land use plan, and Orange County's plan and the City of Durham's <br /> plan. He said that EDE-1 would allow government, real estate, banking, and other commercial <br /> enterprises to be added haphazardly among rural residential neighbors. <br /> Christi Kelsey is a stay-at-home mom and she lives in Weldon Ridge. She has three of <br /> the seven children mentioned before. She spoke against the zoning change in this rural <br /> residential area. She said that she grew up in the city where she could easily walk to <br /> commercial industry and she did not feel safe. She said that she moved to Orange County to <br /> get away from this. <br /> Emily Bane said that her mother is Dorothy Bane. She said that part of the property that <br /> was removed in the yellow is her family's property and the other part was the mobile home park. <br /> She said that the family is appreciative that the County values the property that her mother sold <br /> that is Weldon Ridge. Her mother has been a wonderful steward of the property in that area <br /> and she is a large landowner. She said that property that is changing, which is Mobile Acres 2 <br /> in the B section, does not belong to her mother. She said that this would not be a conflict of <br /> interest. She said that she appreciates everything that Commissioner Yuhasz has done for <br /> them as a surveyor and a friend. She said that the landowners in this area care deeply about <br /> this area. <br />