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Approved 3/14/2011 <br /> <br />OC Board of Adjustment – 11/8/2010 Page 28 of 43 <br />1 <br />2 <br />3 <br />4 <br />5 <br />6 <br />7 <br />8 <br />9 <br />10 <br />11 <br />12 <br />13 <br />14 <br />15 <br />16 <br />17 <br />18 <br />19 <br />20 <br />21 <br />22 <br />23 <br />24 <br />25 <br />26 <br />27 <br />28 <br />29 <br />30 <br />31 <br />32 <br />33 <br />34 <br />35 <br />36 <br />37 <br />38 <br />39 <br />40 <br />41 <br />42 <br />43 <br />44 <br />45 <br />Stan Smith: I have been sworn in. I live on the same road with the Mittlestadts. I run a family grading and <br />excavating business. The Purcells have contacted us about doing some of their work. Putting that aside, I have <br />lived on this road since 1979 with my family. Along this road, there are other farms with other livestock and I don't <br />think this would create a problem. I have worked with other people that have done horse arenas in the past and <br />the properties are always well maintained and never had a problem with anyone. I have never heard any <br />complaints from others saying after a complex like this has been put up that it has been a bad thing. I agree with <br />the gentleman before that this will enhance the property value of this area. The land was timbered a few years ago <br />and is not attractive at all. I think the approval of this would be good for the community because it will blend it with <br />the farms and not create a problem. <br />Dickie Andrews: I live in Carrboro but I have been a resident of Orange County my whole life. I represent the <br />sellers or owners of this property and they would like to encourage you to approve this permit. They feel it is a <br />good fit for the neighborhood. It is a low impact development as opposed to a residential subdivision. We also feel <br />like it would enhance the value of the surrounding properties. I have been in real estate 32 years and have some <br />experience in seeing appreciation and we felt like this would be a good fit for the neighborhood. <br />Ms. Katherine Cole: I have been sworn in. I live about one quarter mile south of this property on Marks Lane, right <br />off White Cross Road. I am a horse owner so my family will benefit directly from having a horse facility in the <br />neighborhood. What I also see planned for this property as being a win win situation for the whole community. The <br />good news for Orange County is this land will increase in value on the tax books once the facility is built. Unlike <br />other agricultural uses, this facility does not qualify for special use tax so they will be taxed at full benefit so we will <br />gain something for Orange County. The neighborhood will benefit because Ms. Purcell intends to use local people <br />to build the road and grade for the barn and arena and local people for seeding her fields or pastures and cutting <br />and baling the hay. Local sources for buying additional hay and feed. She will use a North Carolina builder for the <br />barn and riding arena. The community will benefit because hers will be the first covered riding arena in the area <br />allowing horse owners to ride even when the weather is bad. Last but not least, this land will not become farmland <br />in Orange County. Keeping horses is a low impact activity that allows us to have productive rural land without <br />sacrificing a rural lifestyle. According to the NC Department Agricultural, the equine industry has an annual <br />economic impact of $1.9 billion dollars in North Carolina. I think it is a fine idea for White Cross and Orange County <br />to share in that prosperity and if I had my way, we would turn all empty farms into horse facilities instead of housing <br />developments. <br />Barbara Kuller: I live on Marks Lane so I am very close to Ms. Purcell's proposed facility. I have been sworn. I <br />think everyone has said what I would have said. I can also vouch for the integrity of Ms. Purcell. I have known her <br />a year and half and worked with her. I cannot imagine anyone who will do a finer job keeping this facility as a top <br />notch training facility. It will be a win win for everyone and our community and I hope it is approved. <br />Michael Harvey: That is the extent of those lined up to speak. <br />Thomas Brown: Would you do staff comments at this time. <br />Michael Harvey: What we have identified in our abstract essentially is that the project complies with the various <br />standards of the ordinance. I will get into more detail when I get to attachment D. Staff has determined on page <br />127 of your abstract that from our perspective the proposed operation applies with several provisions, goals and <br />objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. We have those listed on pages 127 and 128. It is our opinion that it is <br />consistent with the definition of the land use category which it is located. It is consistent with Section 5.6, the Land <br />Use Overreaching Goal and it is consistent with Objectives LU, 3.1 and 3.3 which we have summarized. On <br />Attachment C, staff correspondence, the one item I would like to bring to your attention is that I have two valid <br />health department permits for the septic system. I also have correspondence from David Sykes, the fire marshal <br />for Orange County stipulating they have no qualms about this facility being approved. <br />Larry Wright: On the map, when you talk about the health department, are those two septic systems connected?