Agenda - 06-04-1981 - Laserfiche WebLink

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7n North Carolina State in Raleigh and Duke University in Durham), North Carolina Memorial Hospital, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and the state government at Raleigh. Research Triangle Park, in particular, has had an importait impact on the area in terms of in- ' dustrial and commercial expansion beyond the boundaries of the Park. Its success has augmented the perception of the area as a prime invest- ment area. The primary geographic focus for employment within Orange County is di- . vided between the Chapel Hill - Carrboro area and the 1-85/US 70 South- ' ern Railroad corridor which bisects the County, crossing east/west through the Townships of Eno, Hillsborough and Cheeks. The Chapel Hill- Carrboro area's employment emphasis is in institutional and governmental employment sectors given the presence of the University of North Carolina. Its presence has also generated significant commercial and services ac- tivity. The transportation corridor crossing the central townships is characterized by commercial and industrial activity. In Orange County the single largest employer is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is unlikely that a significant alternative employment center will emerge in the immediate vicinity within the County. As a result; commutation patterns, particularly in the southern tier of the County, are focused in the Chapel Hill - Carrboro urban area. However, commutation patterns characteristic of the County are also focused on employment centers outside of Orange County. The commutation patterns of Orange County residents reflect the loca- tion of major employment centers, within and outside Orange County, and the character of the County road network. The existence of a well-defined state-maintained highway system providing convenient and dependable acc- ess from the rural areas of the County to Chapel Hill - Carrboro and from both the rural and urban areas of the County to employment centers in neighboring Durham and Wake Counties plays a very significant role in the economic growth framework. In terms of location and access, Orange County residents are successfully competing for jobs within and outside of the area. In addition, adequate services and retail, facilities are close to residential areas due to good road access. However, the willingness of County residents to commute to jobs and travel relatively long distances to satisfy their demands for goods and services may change dramatically if energy costs and avail- ability become so prohibitive as to impact on transportation costs and result in an increased demand for more local goods and, services requir- ing fewer and shorter trips. This situation may also result in a furth- er erosion of the rural quality of life and increase the sense of iso- lation and, economic disadvantage experienced by rural residents of the County. An important economic factor in Orange County is the disparity between the rate of population growth in the County and the level of employment- ' based out-commutation as shown in Table2-68, Orange County experienced a negative net commutation pattern in both 1960 and 1970 at a time when the County was experiencing a positive population growth rate. 67