Minutes 03-22-2018 Chapel Hill - Laserfiche WebLink

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10 o Edge of Blue Hill District Area Ben Hitchings said there is a desire to connect these projects appropriately. He said regular updates will be provided to the County, as well as to generate some statistics on anticipated property tax revenues. Commissioner Marcoplos asked if the Durham/Orange County line could be identified on the map. Ben Hitchings pointed it out. Commissioner Marcoplos said the boundary means that the Durham County developable area for the Gateway station is bounded by I-40. Ben Hitchings said yes. Commissioner Marcoplos said there is no particular boundary on the Orange County side, but rather how far one wants to walk. Ben Hitchings said yes, and how property owners decide to use property consistent with the Town’s standards and approval processes. Commissioner Marcoplos said it would be inaccurate for one to say that Durham has the lion’s share of the developable area around the station. Ben Hitchings said some of the land around the station will be needed for parking, the platform, etc. He said there is a decent split between the two counties. Commissioner Marcoplos said he would go further and say this is a great opportunity for Orange County, and that Orange County has more opportunity for development. Commissioner Rich said that is a good point and this has been discussed. She said the Durham-Chapel Hill-Orange (DCHO) work group will share updates, and development on the two sides of the County line could complement each other more. Commissioner Jacobs asked if Ben Hitchings will notify the BOCC of updates on meetings. Ben Hitchings said yes, and will try to find a mechanism to update both the Town and the County on these projects as they move forward. Commissioner Jacobs said the agreement with Go Triangle states that Orange County and Durham County will be participants in the planning of the Gateway station; not getting updates, but being notified of when meetings will occur, and participating in them. Ben Hitchings said there has been increasing coordination in recent months, and County staff and Commissioner Marcoplos have attended recent planning meetings. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the Durham County Commissioners are present at these meetings. Ben Hitchings said not at the station area planning meetings, but they have been engaged on this topic through the DCHO work group. Commissioner Jacobs said the County has been talking about this with GoTriangle for half a year and the agreement stipulated that Orange and Durham Counties would be parties to the discussions of the planning of the Gateway station. He said Durham is being short changed if it is not being invited. Ben Hitchings said Durham can be included. Commissioner Jacobs said he has heard this before. He said he is glad that Commissioner Marcoplos attended, but he did this on his own recognizance. Commissioner Price clarified that the Durham Board of County Commissioners did not attend, and asked if the Durham City Council attended. Ben Hitchings said no, the Durham City Council has not attended the station area planning meetings. He said the City Council does have representation on DCHO.