Agenda - 03-07-2019 8-a - Minutes

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17 1 Commissioner McKee said his worries are not about that, but more about being kept up 2 to speed on issues like the train station. 3 Commissioner Marcoplos said communication is tricky on large projects that involve 4 complicated negotiation. 5 Commissioner McKee addressed the transit relationship with the Town of Carrboro by 6 encouraging a stronger relationship. He expressed interest in exploring the southern routes that 7 go in and out of Carrboro. 8 Chair Rich said Carrboro is represented through Chapel Hill Transit. 9 Commissioner Price said NCDOT wanted to widen 54 west of Carrboro, but Carrboro 10 was not necessarily supportive, as they prefer bike lanes or mass transit options. She said this 11 is evidence that Carrboro needs to be involved in the larger conversation as well. 12 Commissioner Marcoplos said Carrboro has an interest in being involved in the 13 conversation as they are affected by traffic in a way that other communities often aren't. The 14 group seemed to agree. 15 Commissioner Price stressed the importance of being in communication with all the 16 jurisdictions, using the train station as an example. She said she worries that plans get made 17 without input and knowledge of the other jurisdictions. 18 Commissioner Dorosin said transit is an excellent example of the "one Orange" theme. 19 He referenced transit and traffic issues that have an impact on the entire county. He said he 20 wants to collaborate in a way with other jurisdictions that encourages creating a unified vision 21 and recognizes that vision in project planning. He encouraged thinking that emphasizes 22 thinking of projects not as "Carrboro's thing" or"Mebane's thing", but as part of a grander vision 23 for the entire county. He said the BOCC is uniquely able to act as a convener of the County's 24 other jurisdictions because they have a responsibility to serve the entire county. 25 Commissioner Price reminded the group that many County residents rely on transit to 26 reach County services. 27 Commissioner McKee said he anticipated conversations where other jurisdictions will not 28 have money to pay for investment into collaborative projects. He said Orange County does not 29 have unlimited funds for this either. 30 Chair Rich said the BOCC did have a unique role to care about the rest of the 31 jurisdictions. She said she recently asked Travis Myren to find information on the bus that ran 32 to Durham Tech, only to find out it had been cancelled. She said this is as an example of the 33 difficulty of getting information, even on issues that directly affect the BOCC. 34 Commissioner Greene asked whether or not there is any leverage the County has to 35 preserve the Durham Tech route. 36 Travis Myren said these projects are funded through Article 43 tax money, which is 37 controlled by the County. He advised the group that this is where leverage would be, but said 38 that it is also a question of whether you want use leverage. 39 Bonnie Hammersley said the County has really tried to push for the Durham Tech route. 40 She credited Chapel Hill with looking at the issue before a decision was made, and said their 41 decision was made on ridership. She said it is important to signal your intent to collaborate to 42 benefit not just the whole County, but the jurisdictions as well. She said this helped her to 43 create a more collaborative environment when she started her role as County Manager. 44 Commissioner Marcoplos said there are good reasons the transit system is not going to 45 Durham Tech. 46 Commissioner Rich said her concern is with the lack of communication, not the decision 47 to which Chapel Hill eventually came. 48 49 Commissioner Greene referred to the Caraway Village approval process, and said they 50 set aside an acre for affordable housing apartments and that development had to be completed 51 within ten years or the land would revert to town ownership. She said this is a possibility for a