Agenda - 08-28-2006-5 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Workgroup on Infrastructure Overall Strategy: By June 2010, infrastructure will be in place to support the county's economic development goals of increasing the commercial tax base and retaining and attracting targeted businesses. Why the strategy is critical: Infrastruchue helps supporC desired growth patterns and economic goals. Orange County and its municipalities have led the state in establishing an urban growth boundary that limits expansion of utilities to prevent low-density sprawl throughout rnral areas. Area govermnents now need to encourage and accommodate higher density in appropriate areas, including the county's three Economic Development Districts. A) Extend water and sewer into all three Economic Development Districts (EDD) Durizrg this.year, water and sewer extensions are underway to sen~lce the Gravelly Middle School, wlricTr will open in late Fall 2006. Although the utility extension has beezr m•throus at tones, this opens up the soutlrez°n Bucldroz°n EDD to the seJzool curd soccer complex on the east. Similm°ly, water cmd sewer extensions are undez-tvay to serve t/re Durham Technical Community College at Waterstone in the HillshorougTr EDD. The Conuzuarity College is expected to open in August 2007.. There was also movement during the.year on providing utility ser°vices to the Eno EDD. A meeting was held Getween the Chair and Co-chair° of the Orange Coruzty BOCC, the County Manager, and the Mayor° and Mayor Pro Tenr, and City Mmrager of Durham. The DurTram team expressed willingness to work with the County on serning the area, and subsequently Assistant City Mm:ager° Ted Voorhees was assigned to, facilitate the effor°t. Two open meetings have been held with property owners mul a task, face is being cz°eated to develop a small ar°ea plan for the Eno EDD. B) Establish adequate information networks (e.g., high-speed Internet, cellular towers) tlrrouglrout the towns and the county The Infrastructure woz•kgroup lras had several meetings, focused on the Master Teleconmuarications Plan and the extension of cable and wireless Internet. Tlris wall be a pz°iorig~ activity, for tl:e upcorrring year. C. Encourage participation and input as appropriate in all plans and projects (i.e. storm water plans, plans for the physical infrastructure of Carolina North, including transportation elements for Phase I) During the year, Economic Development staff Iran heen invoh~ed in monitoring