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16 <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Rich to <br /> accept# 4 and # 5: <br /> 4. Eliminate the ability to pay property taxes as a scoring criterion since most affordable <br /> rental property is owned by a non-profit and exempt from property tax. <br /> 5. Eliminate the ability to repay bond funds as a scoring criterion since the focus of bond <br /> funds should be to serve lower income households. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> Chair Dorosin summarized the topics for further discussion: incentivize private sector; <br /> feasibility of developing a program with housing tear downs — costs and how broad of a <br /> program; workforce housing; developer experience - redefine; reduce feasibility points; and <br /> expand guidelines for landscaping and healthy living. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos asked if there should be an "intangibles" category in this <br /> process. He said this is a rigid process, and some flexibility may be needed to allow for <br /> creativity and innovation. <br /> Chair Dorosin said the goal was to make this more of an objective process, and the <br /> Board did demonstrate flexibility by funding the EmPOWERment projects via more subjective <br /> decision-making. <br /> Bonnie Hammersley said the new housing director had similar concerns about the <br /> criteria, and if it is possible to look at projects that do not necessarily fit the mold. She said she <br /> told her yes, and that such ideas can be brought to the BOCC. <br /> Commissioner Price agreed with Commissioner Marcoplos. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs said both are right, and the Board did make exceptions with <br /> EmPOWERment. He said perhaps 5 points could be added to the criteria for intangibles, such <br /> as creativity. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs asked Jeff Thompson, Asset Management Services Director, if <br /> he could provide the BOCC with some figures about moving structures. <br /> 7. Reports <br /> a. Mountains to Sea Trail — Report on Segment 11 Trail Planning <br /> The Board received a report regarding the results of community meetings, information <br /> gathering, and trail planning efforts undertaken to identify a route(s) for the "Segment 11" <br /> portion of the NC Mountains to Sea Trail (MST), from Hillsborough to Alamance County, and <br /> provide direction to staff on next steps. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> The North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) is a continuous off-road trail that will link <br /> Clingman's Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Jockey's Ridge State Park <br /> on the state's Outer Banks. The trail is part of the North Carolina State Parks system. At <br /> present over 650 miles of the roughly 1,000-mile trail route is open for use. <br /> In 2014, the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation contracted with consultants to complete a <br /> statewide MST Master Plan. The statewide master plan, approved in 2015, includes an <br /> established corridor (or "swath") for the MST across the state, broken into defining segments. <br /> The plan includes information about each segment, prioritization and plans for further work <br />