Minutes 03-07-2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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8 the April 30th deadline, and will allow the approval of the updated Bus and Rail Investment Plan for Orange County. He said this was originally scheduled for April, then moved to June, partly to better inform the cost share decision between the counties. He said the proposal is to move the approval back to April. Jeff Mann said the proposed decision to extend the project till June was a joint decision, but it is believed that the new schedule is quite doable. He said if the April 30th deadline is not met, then the project will automatically be withdrawn from the NewStarts process. He said it is better to stay in the pipeline, as there are many risks with withdrawal, and no guarantee of being readmitted to the program. Commissioner Price asked if the revenue to Orange County could be identified. Jeff Mann said it would be $175 million in new tax revenue statewide. He does not have numbers specific to Orange County. PUBLIC COMMENT: Alex Castro, Jr. said he is a Bingham Township resident, the current vice-chair of the Orange County Unified Transportation Board (OUTBoard) and a volunteer driver for the Department on Again. He has also served for years on the Aging Advisory Board. He said the number of senior residents will soon reach 20%, in Orange County. He said public transportation is critical for this community, and the proposed light rail (LRT) will not serve the majority of this population. He said it will be a huge expense and would severely limit funds for other types of transportation. He said there is little access to public transportation in rural areas, and while there are attempts to expand, it is simply not enough. He said this problem will only increase over time, and he believes the LRT will not be delivered on time or on budget. He implored the BOCC to cut its losses and move on. Julie McClintock said she represents Chapel Hill Alliance for a Liveable Town, as well as a countywide coalition of individuals interested in, and concerned about, the BOCC decision on the LRT portion of the Orange County Transit Plan. She said her groups want effective public transit and a better plan for Orange County. She commended the BOCC for conducting an independent analysis of the GoTriangle financial plan. She petitioned the Board of County Commissioners to call a public hearing so citizens can weigh in on the analysis done by Davenport, as well as the updated Bus and Rail Plan, and changes to related documents. She said the BOCC is getting ready to make a billion dollar decision, which must be founded in facts. She requested that Orange County staff release this analysis when it is received, and provide a presentation at the Public Hearing, allowing for analysis by County staff and questions from the public. Charles Humble said he voted for the transit tax in 2012, and has supported light rail up to now. He said issues are complicated, and he does not support LRT as it is now. He said he supports a petition for a public hearing before making any decisions on this matter. Brenda McCall reviewed her concerns and the problems with the current plan. She supports the petition for a public hearing. Bonnie Hauser said she is confused with the current plan, and she supports the petition for a public hearing on this issue. She reviewed her concerns about the costs. Del Snow shared her concerns and questions about the light rail's financial plan. Alex Cabannes shared his concerns about the present light rail proposal. He cited the failures of the LRT system in Charlotte. Richard Chady said he supports the petition for a public hearing. He said there will be limited economic development and unlimited financial responsibility.