Agenda - 06-05-1989 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3. . - staff wasn' t sure at first if the land in question was in the watershed. The "Action Agenda Item Abstract" prepared for the Planning Board's November 16th meeting just last week did not mention that it was in the University Lake watershed. I suggest that all such proposals be highlighted in big red letters. People rightfully protested when Carrboro approved a major development in the watershed. Some citizens, including myself , have gone to court over it . Watershed issues played a major role in Carrboro election. But Carrboro does not hold all the keys to the watershed. Far from it . More land is controlled by the county. We must not, have Amberly by degrees. It won' t take many " McLennan's Farms to add up to Amberly. We are at one of those junctures where science and politics, short-term pressures and long-range interests, all, intersect . And, as always, we are forced to make choices on the basis of the best available information without "all the facts" or a crystal ball to tell us how everything will turn out . We are at one of those forks in the road where the road not taken is as important 4 as the one we choose. We do not have a perfect water supply now, but the OWASA area is blessed with very good quality water . The University Lake watershed has been well protected by both foresight and good fortune . We are now past the point where we can afford to rely on luck--only a determined effort to keep it free from potentially harmful effects will now suffice . It is also clear that a high quality water source is as much a matter of dollars as it is of health . New standards that are a ,part of the recently passed federal drinking water act will be difficult to meet ; read that "expensive" to meet . .Guess who will bear the costs? We have cleaner watersheds than many places, yet ours are not pristine . Many drink out of the Hudson , the Potomac , or , closer to home , the Haw. Your constituents and • their grandchildren will not thank you if we let University Lake , Cane Creek, and other local sources deteriorate ., Given the long-term nature of the problem and the irreversibile effects of development , I urge the Board to err on the side of excessive caution in dealing with the watershed. In sum, I urge you to reject the proposal for McLennan's Farm, to initiate a moratorium on community systems in the watershed, and to continue to protect our water for the long haul . Thank YOU very much for your consideration of these views.