Agenda - 04-15-1993 - C-1-a - Laserfiche WebLink

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304 Ray Road Chapel Hill, NC 27516 May 21, 1993 Dear Mayor Kinnaird and Members of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen, I would like to take this opportunity to share my ideas about the rezoning request for the Hogan Farm. I feel strongly that Carrboro would be courting disaster if the Town were to grant this request. The Triangle area is growing so rapidly that we are now the third fastest growing region in the country. The implications of this phenomenon are staggering and difficult to imagine. I have enclosed a build-out map to help visualize what Carrboro will look like in the not so distant future under current zoning. Please take the time to look it over. To my way of thinking, rezoning to allow even more development should be inconceivable. Where is the open space to be preserved? Who pays for the roads, the schools? Most important, what happens to the quality of life? With Orange County's and Chapel.Hill's current zoning, we are heading in the direction of Miami and Los Angeles. Not only would a rezoning of the Hogan Farm add considerable density to the area, it would be a piecemeal approach to a comprehensive problem. What Carrboro needs, instead, is a broad- based plan,arriving at an overall plan for its northern and southern areas. Furthermore, the rezoning of the Hogan land would set a clear precedent for other landowners in the surrounding area. How can you deny their requests, once you have approved the Hogans'? That's a poor way to plan, in my opinion. The Hogan Farm is the gem in Carrboro's northern planning jurisdiction. Why develop this land in a mediocre way, increasing density and losing the beauty of the land? Mediocrity is not the answer. There is a better way. Developers, landowners, neighbors can all work together with Carrboro to find a better way. Everyone will have to compromise but in the long run, I think that the developers and landowners can make their money (maybe not as much), the pond and its surrounding land can be preserved (though it won't be as beautiful), and the neighbors can continue to enjoy this area (though it won't be quite as nice), while schools and roads will not be so greatly impacted, and Carrboro won't have to raise taxes to finance the cost of services . We can work together to find a solution. The answer, however, is not to grant a rezoning request which would allow twice the current density. Let's work towards continuing to build a quality community. We should not gradually erode the quality of life which we are so fortunate to enjoy. Thank you, RECEIVED MAY 2 tt 1993 Livy Ludington