Agenda - 11-17-2015 - 6a - Minutes

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4 1 and harmony of our Chapel Hill Community as a whole. These peaceful lands cannot be held in 2 comparison to the Town's lands that are weaved with shops, traffic lights, cookie cutter 3 neighborhoods upon a mixture of asphalt and cement. JPA/ETJ areas are greatly different in 4 form, and function than Chapel Hill In-Town Limits. The interests and environments of the 5 JPA/ETJ people need to have their own representative, because unless you live there, you just 6 don't get it and you won't understand what we want and why we want it." 7 Debbie Mesquela asked for her comments to be put on the Chapel Hill website. She 8 said the request is that the names of the seats remain the same, and whoever holds these seats 9 would represent the needs of the JPA/ETJ. 10 Mayor Kleinschmidt clarified that the only seat to be eliminated was the JPA seat, which 11 would be replaced with a Chapel Hill resident. He said the ETJ seat would remain the same. 12 Commissioner Jacobs said the proposal from Chapel Hill is reasonable, and the County 13 has a similar process for addressing seats that are vacant for 180 days. He suggested a period 14 between 90 to 180 days. 15 Mayor Kleinschmidt said that suggestion is different than the Town of Chapel Hill's 16 Planning Commission's recommendation. 17 Alderman Chaney asked if two seats would be reduced to one seat and would represent 18 this small percentage of the population. 19 Mayor Kleinschmidt said yes. 20 Commissioner Rich clarified that the ETJ position would not be done away with, but 21 rather the JPA seat would be combined, or if it goes unfilled by an ETJ/JPA person in a 22 specified time period, that the seat would go to a Chapel Hill resident. 23 Mayor Kleinschmidt said the Planning Commission's recommendation is to morph the 24 JPA seat into a Chapel Hill resident seat, but there are other options to consider and he 25 reviewed them. 26 Commissioner Rich asked if the Planning Commission has a definite number of 27 membership slots or can the numbers be increased. 28 Gene Poveromo said State statute requires that there be at least one person from the 29 ETJ on Board of Adjustment and Chapel Hill Planning Commission. He said the Planning 30 Commission is made up of nine members, and the JPA agreement says there must be one JPA 31 position. 32 Town Council Member Palmer said Commissioner Jacobs' suggestion of 180 days is a 33 long time and explained the appointment process and Advisory Board schedules. She said 34 even the 90 days could be problematic. She said there are only 298 residents that live in the 35 JPA area, which is a small number from which to find a representative to serve on these boards. 36 Councilman Ward said he believed that the JPA still needs representation, and he 37 supports the "another option" choice. 38 Gene Poveromo said there is one seat dedicated to the ETJ, and it would be possible to 39 have a second ETJ seat. 40 Councilman Ward asked if it is possible to transform the remaining ETJ seat into one 41 that could also be filled by a JPA resident. 42 Mayor Kleinschmidt said that is not be possible, because there must be an ETJ 43 representative. 44 Mayor Kleinschmidt said another option would be to consider bringing the small JPA 45 area into the ETJ or releasing it to the County. He said the latter option would be a longer 46 process. 47 Mayor Kleinschmidt said when this was created years ago, there was a lot more 48 transition area and a lot more residents in the JPA area. 49 Councilman Ward said he hoped that if the shorter time frame was chosen, Chapel Hill 50 would be able to help Orange County fill these positions as the Board should be fully staffed 51 with membership. He said a time extension could be requested if need be.