Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
19 <br /> said competition in nearby counties do not have as many residential areas close to areas ripe <br /> for industrial development. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin asked about possible solutions to this issue. He asked about <br /> redrawing the districts. <br /> Commissioner McKee said it is an option that needs to be considered and that the <br /> viability of the current zones needs to be protected. <br /> Commissioner Price said she is thinking more of Buckhorn Village. <br /> Steve Brantley said it is about creating a critical mass of some sort of operation. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin presented options including redrawing the districts to exclude <br /> housing that exists and recruiting more compatible businesses. He said it is unfortunate that it <br /> has been difficult to build on the momentum of Morinaga and asked for more options. <br /> Travis Myren suggested that rezoning may be a tool. <br /> Commissioner Rich echoed the call for options to deal with the incompatibility of <br /> residential and industrial areas. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos asked for a continued update on the rezoning progress. <br /> Steve Brantley said work is underway to identify properties for rezoning, and that there <br /> are currently pieces of property unavailable to the county because they are not currently in the <br /> Economic Development District. He noted a GIS study would help to value these properties. He <br /> said when showing property to interested parties, it would be helpful to have a shell building to <br /> show them. <br /> Steve Brantley said sewer capacity limitations are also an issue, and suggested talking <br /> to Mebane about changes to sewer restrictions. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin asked about the most important step to be taken. <br /> Steve Brantley said establishing the current districts as industrial or commercial areas is <br /> a key step. He also suggested fast tracking utilities to these areas. He said an area near <br /> Mebane where a letter of intent has been signed after phase 2 sewer was finished. <br /> Commissioner Rich asked for other options besides light industrial. <br /> Steve Brantley reminded the group that utilities have only been available since 2012. <br /> Steve Brantley again asked the group if the districts should be redrawn. He said there is <br /> some property that is currently for sale in the Buckhorn area. <br /> Commissioner Greene asked about the prospect of an office park as opposed to an <br /> industrial project. <br /> Steve Brantley said office parks are often time created by developers as opposed to <br /> industries. He did note that some developers have looked at some of the spaces for office <br /> parks, but the area is not ultimately on par with RTP yet. He said that currently the properties <br /> are most attractive to industry and warehousing. <br /> Commissioner Price asked about the Gravelly Hill soccer fields, and the effect on <br /> attracting industry. <br /> Steve Brantley said the school can detract from the attractiveness. He said the solar <br /> farm has an effect as it detracts from the available acreage. <br /> Commissioner McKee asked about the pre-zoning again and an update. <br /> Steve Brantley said he would send an email with the response from planning. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos asked for a draft rezoning plan. <br /> Steve Brantley said there is not a plan yet, and the planning director announced that the <br /> process has not begun on rezoning. He also addressed timing by saying that areas, which are <br /> zoned as primary water and sewer areas, do not take long. He said land outside of those areas <br /> takes significantly longer to rezone. <br /> Commissioner McKee said there is a lack of developable land in the Eno district, and <br /> suggested that it may be the place to pull back from. He said the area has changed a lot in the <br /> 30 years since the districts were developed, and that without developable land, chances to <br />