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008 <br /> The Board of Orange County Commissioners has repeatedly stated <br /> its commitment to orderly, open government. Key to that commitment has <br /> been an attempt to abandon ad hoc decisionmaking, instead following <br /> regularized channels to achieve reasoned and fully informed choices. <br /> Considering this goal, as well as the stipulated process by which <br /> Orange County reaches land-use decisions, the Planning Board must <br /> protest the manner in which the Commissioners addressed the issue of <br /> greenways prior to receiving the Planning Board's recommendation, <br /> which they requested at the conclusion of the February 22 hearing. <br /> It is indeed unfortunate that presentations at public hearings <br /> did little to assuage fears, or communicate county intentions, <br /> regarding greenways. Further, despite repeated requests by the <br /> Planning Board, little effort was made to explain to the public the <br /> different ways in which green corridors might be achieved in Orange <br /> County. This made it easy for citizens already leery of government to <br /> see the worst in attempts to establish public walkways and/or wildlife <br /> corridors. <br /> The Planning Board must ultimately defer to the wisdom of the <br /> Commissioners regarding the establishment of such greenways. It <br /> cannot, however, become a party to the circumvention of the very <br /> processes from which it derives its authority, and by which the <br /> citizens of Orange County are assured a full and fair discussion of <br /> issues. <br /> March 21, 1988 <br />