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Kristen Smith is the Director of Public Policy and Member Engagement at Chapel Hill- <br /> Carrboro Chamber of Commerce. She is an Orange County resident. She said that she is <br /> representing 1,100 local lawyers who employ about 80,000. She thanked the Board and <br /> encouraged the County Commissioners to continue to strengthen the County's positioning on <br /> availability for economic development, extending a real invitation to businesses to come and <br /> grow in Orange. She said that they support the proposed rezoning and increasing the County's <br /> commercial tax base, reducing the tax pressure on the homeowner, and retaining and recruiting <br /> employers in Orange County, and increasing work opportunity for the children of the community. <br /> She said that Orange County identified EDDs and locations for economic development over 25 <br /> years ago and today is the right time to take the steps needed to rezone them for that long plan <br /> and much needed economic development opportunity, including job opportunities. <br /> Jennifer Sharpe is a single mom and she pointed to where she lives on the map. She <br /> works for the Orange County Health Department. She lives in her grandmother's house, which <br /> was bought in 1965. She moved there in 2003. She said that she lives exactly halfway on Old <br /> NC 10 and people turn around in her driveway. She said that she has done a lot of research to <br /> oppose this rezoning and said that this road is rich in history. <br /> Barbara Robertson said that she did not find out about this except through their neighbor <br /> and they have lived in the neighborhood for 34 years. She spoke about sustainability and said <br /> that the County should really be thinking about this. She spoke against the rezoning. <br /> Laura Streitfield was representing the citizens of Preserve Rural Orange. She thanked <br /> the staff for the maps because in the past she has found some of the proposed maps a little <br /> confusing. She said that all of the residential properties should be reconsidered. She has a list <br /> of 137 affected property owners. She said that 500 feet in a rural area is not very much in terms <br /> of who is actually affected. She urged the staff to make sure that everyone that is affected is <br /> contacted before reaching any kind of decision. She said that there needs to be a lot more <br /> information about the purpose for these changes. <br /> Todd Orr lives in Weldon Ridge neighborhood. Agreed with his neighbors about the <br /> inconsistency between the land use plan and the zoning does not make sense. He requested <br /> that the section in yellow be removed from the EDD area or create something else besides <br /> EDE-1 or EDE-2. He said that there should be a residential land use plan. <br /> Donna Underwood submitted a prepared statement: <br /> "I am writing to respond to the rezoning of NC 10. We are a concerned family that lives <br /> at 4010 Old NC 10. We are right beside the middle railroad tressel. We have twin 8 year old <br /> girls and a 15 year old boy. Right now, the speed is 55 mph. I do not let the kids ride the bus, <br /> letting off on the other side, the traffic coming over the hill would not be able to stop. <br /> The road is already heavy with traffic, which is not wise to check mail from 3pm —7pm <br /> daily. Now, there are more and more bicycles sharing the road and they are extremely narrow. <br /> Many would have to be spent to widen the road and widening and raising the railroad tresses. <br /> The schools here— New Hope Elementary, Stanback, and Cedar Ridge are our only <br /> schools for this area. They are already crowded, so new ones will have to be built. <br /> When I found out about the rezoning that Mrs. Bane wants approved, I became so <br /> stressed with worry. We moved here 15 years to take advantage of the wonderful schools. The <br /> traffic back then wasn't as bad. <br />