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FROM: Commission for the Environment SUBJECT: Monthly Meeting Summary DATE: April 9, 2012 LOCATION: Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ MEMBERS PRESENT: Renee Price (Chair), Michael Hughes (Vice Chair), Lucy Adams, May Becker, Michele Drostin, Loren Hintz, Bill Kaiser, David Neal, Tom O’Dwyer, Jan Sassaman, Gary Saunders, and David Welch MEMBERS ABSENT: Chris Adams and Peter Cada STAFF PRESENT: Rich Shaw, Tom Davis GUEST: Jonathan Parker (TTA) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ I. Call to Order: Hughes (on behalf of Price) called the meeting to order at 7:34 pm II. Additions or Changes to Agenda – In response to an earlier request by Neal, Hughes suggested delaying the DENR hydraulic fracturing report item until the May meeting so that the CFE could receive a presentation about the Orange County Transit Plan and discuss the proposed one-half cent sales tax referendum. CFE members agreed. III. Approval of Minutes – The March 12 meeting summary was approved unanimously with technical edit by Kaiser. IV. CFE Rules of Procedure – Shaw presented a revised draft set of new CFE policies and procedures in response to the new BOCC policy requiring that all advisory boards’ policies conform to a more consistent model. Shaw pointed out changes he had made to the earlier draft and identified other places that needed further discussion. CFE members recommended further changes. Staff will discuss those changes with the County Attorney and prepare a revised draft for CFE consideration and approval in May. V. Draft Orange County Transit Plan – Jonathan Parker, from the Triangle Transit Authority (TTA), presented a draft bus and rail plan for Orange County and other parts of the Triangle Region. He provided some background of the project and outlined the elements of the plan. Parker discussed public involvement to date and provided dates of upcoming hearings and workshops. He responded to several questions from the CFE. CFE members discussed whether to recommend that the BOCC place the proposed referendum on the November 2012 election ballot. Hintz voiced his support due the many long-term environmental and economic benefits that would result from public transit. Adams noted there would also be improvements to air quality. Sassaman said there would be many collateral benefits for both urban and rural residents. Hintz motioned in favor of the CFE recommending that the BOCC approve a November 2012 referendum on a half-cent sales tax increase for public transit. Neal seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. Neal offered to draft letter of recommendation for full CFE consideration and approval. CFE members agreed with that approach. VI. Updates and Information Items – Shaw reported that the CFE letter to Commissioner Pelissier was signed by Price and mailed. CFE members received updates on the State’s draft 303d list of impaired waters in Orange County, the DEAPR photography contest, and a summary of the March 22 meeting at Duke (A Contemporary Land Ethic). VII The committees did not meet due to the late hour. The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:20 p.m. Minutes by Rich Shaw, DEAPR Staff