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17 1 Orange County Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Classification 2 "Economic Development Transition Activity Node" - Land in areas of the County which 3 has been specifically targeted for economic development activity consisting of light 4 industrial, distribution, office, service/retail uses, and flex space (typically one story 5 buildings designed, constructed, and marketed as suitable for use as offices but able to 6 accommodate other uses such as a warehouse, showroom, manufacturing assembly, or 7 similar operations.) Such areas are located adjacent to interstate and major arterial 8 highways, and subject to special design criteria and performance standards. 9 *Approved by Hillsborough March 2018 10 11 Commissioner Jacobs said he thinks this approach is a bad idea. He said, firstly, the 12 residents in this area were unhappy with the way this area was already zoned, and the County 13 tried to work with them to offer education and ameliorate the effects of Settlers' Point. He said 14 coming back this quickly, with more commercial development possibilities and more re-zoning, 15 is insensitive and premature. He said, secondly, the County should reestablish its relationship 16 with Hillsborough. He said when the Town of Hillsborough annexes a property it does not want 17 to have approved development standards, because if the Town annexes a property, it can 18 change the zoning and the uses. He referred to the letter from Orange County Schools (OCS) 19 to the Town of Hillsborough about the Collins Ridge Development being unable to 20 accommodate school buses. He said the response from the Town was that this was not the 21 Town's problem. He said this is not the type of partner relationship that should exist between 22 the County and the Town. He said, thirdly, the Board of County Commissioners represents 23 people in non-urban Orange County, and if the County allows Hillsborough annex, and make 24 changes without County input, the residents in the annexed areas will not even have the benefit 25 of their elected officials being able to comment, other than in a courtesy review capacity. 26 Commissioner Jacobs suggested either setting up a group of elected officials from the 27 two boards, or waiting until the annual joint meeting in February. He asked if this issue is time 28 sensitive. 29 Tom Altieri said it is not, but will need to come to a conclusion at some point, due to 30 water and sewer amendments, which become effective once the land use changes have been 31 made. 32 Commissioner Jacobs said the simplest way to discuss this is to be in the same room 33 with Hillsborough, noting the lack of respect that the non-urban residents get from Hillsborough. 34 He said if Orange County does not do this, then no one will do it. 35 Commissioner Jacobs said there is a Joint Planning Agreement (JPA) of sorts with 36 Hillsborough, and it was agreed that there would be the same development standards in each 37 jurisdiction when annexation occurs. He said if Hillsborough is going to change its policy then 38 the JPA should be revisited. 39 Commissioner McKee said there is something about this argument that is the same 40 argument that has stopped development in Orange County for the past 30 years. He said this 41 conversation with Hillsborough should be two way. He said he is less than inclined to be more 42 than respectfully accommodating. He said if an Economic Development District (EDD) exists, 43 he does not understand why it would not be fully used. 44 Chair Dorosin said he does not understand, and asked if Hillsborough has already done 45 something in defiance of the agreement. He said he thought everyone was on the same page 46 about Settlers' Point. He asked Commissioner Jacobs if he believes Hillsborough will annex the 47 property and change it all around. He said he feels that the outline in this evening's memo 48 seems like a process that came out of past meetings. 49 Commissioner Jacobs said the agreement with the Buckhorn EDD —with Mebane— is 50 that development within the EDD takes place under Orange County development standards,