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

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8 1 Craig Benedict said low water use projects that run on septic systems could be 2 considered. He said such projects would have to meet all applicable standards. He said there 3 are conversations taking place with Durham. 4 Commissioner Price asked what will happen if Durham says no to putting in water and 5 sewer. 6 Craig Benedict said Durham is not saying no, they are saying the cost of$6 million is 7 too high. 8 Commissioner Price asked if Durham does say no, regardless of the reason, what is 9 Orange County's plan for this area. 10 Craig Benedict said Durham agrees that there is still potential, and the City could 11 possibly annex part of this if desired. He said Durham says the current engineering plan for this 12 area is too costly at $6 million. 13 Commissioner Price asked what would happen if Durham is completely out of the 14 picture. She asked if projects would simply have to rely on septic. 15 Craig Benedict said Hillsborough would not be a viable partner for this area. He said 16 Durham is the best partner, and no one is giving up on this district yet. He added that it may be 17 several years out before fruition. 18 19 Hillsborough EDD (slide 20): 20 Craig Benedict said putting water and sewer under the 1-40 interstate could take 21 eighteen months. He said this length of time is an impediment to attracting development. 22 Commissioner Jacobs said the BOCC had a discussion about developing an internal 23 policy for extending water and sewer for economic development purposes. He asked if there 24 was an update on this policy. 25 Craig Benedict said the existing zoning policies lock in how land can be used. He said 26 he can offer a report about what those uses can be. 27 Commissioner Jacobs said he recalled a conversation addressing the concern that 28 Hillsborough will annex land. He said it is important that Hillsborough not use County economic 29 development infrastructure monies to replicate the model of Waterstone, which has too much 30 residential. He asked if there is a formula to apply economic development funds to insure that 31 those funds are used for economic development, and not residential development. 32 Craig Benedict said discussions with Hillsborough about land use have started and that 33 jointly adopted land uses are in place. He said these are generalized land use categories and 34 do not include percentages for non-residential versus residential development. 35 Bonnie Hammersley said staff would work on an internal policy and bring it back for the 36 Board's consideration. 37 Commissioner Jacobs said he remembered him bringing this up last spring and talking 38 about having an internal policy. 39 Commissioner Dorosin asked if the 18-month timeframe of putting water and sewer 40 under the interstate could be reduced, and if the County could act proactively toward this end. 41 Craig Benedict said these discussions have begun with Department of Transportation 42 (DOT). 43 44 2. Discussion on Using a County Water and Sewer District as a Mechanism to 45 Provide a Tool to Finance Expenditures in the Rogers Road Area 46 Bonnie Hammersley said in the final report of the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood 47 Task Force, dated September 2013, this issue was discussed and directed the Manager to find 48 an innovative approach. She said she has worked with the Town Managers and with Orange 49 Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) and has kept the Rogers Eubanks Neighborhood 50 Association (RENA) in the loop.