Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
6 <br /> Ms. Rich wondered if there were concerns with people in the Orange County schools part of <br /> Mebane that they don't want to go to Orange County or Alamance. Ms. Philipps indicated <br /> concerns have surfaced in the past with Mill Creek because there was just a very small part of <br /> that neighborhood in Orange County. That issue has never been resolved, she noted, and <br /> reflects a failure of collaboration. <br /> Buckhorn Economic Development District, including south of West Ten Road <br /> Ms. Phillips opened the next topic for discussion around the Buckhorn Economic Development <br /> District, which had previously been eliminated from development by Orange County. She noted <br /> there will be a lot of pressure to build there. Mr. Myren offered that Medline has those parcels <br /> under contract and may have purchased them. Mr. Greene indicated Medline has indeed <br /> purchased them. Mr. Myren explained that those parcels are outside the water and sewer <br /> boundary agreement that Orange County has with Chapel Hill and Carrboro and Mebane is free <br /> to execute its annexation authority. According to state law, that trumps any water, sewer <br /> boundary agreement in place, but he said he didn't know if there would be feedback about it. <br /> Mr. Greene asked if he meant feedback from Medline. Ms. Rich clarified that the feedback <br /> would come from the Boards of Chapel Hill and Carrboro because they're signatories to <br /> the water sewer boundary agreement. The concern is that if it goes into annexation and <br /> Medline takes up some of the property but not all, will single-family homes start being built <br /> next to an Economic Development District. <br /> Ms. Philipps noted that there have been homes approved on the other side of Buckhorn Road <br /> and there will be more pressure in that area as well. Mebane is feeling pressure from <br /> developers to buy up any piece of property anywhere near Mebane due to its location as well <br /> as water and sewer capacity. She indicated her personal opinion that if development is going <br /> to occur, it's better to have it with those features and in a condensed area instead of spreading <br /> it out. <br /> Ms. Rich noted she didn't think everyone is aware of Medline buying up the properties in the <br /> water/sewer boundary area and when it is out there, the Boards' reactions could go either way <br /> because it is in the water/sewer boundary agreement area. Mr. Greene asked if she thought it <br /> might not be well received and Ms. Rich replied that she wasn't sure. Sometimes it seems as <br /> though everyone understands we need to grow the Economic Development Districts and we <br /> need to stop putting the burden on our taxpayers when we could get good economic <br /> development, but people are conflicted because they want both. Longstanding agreements <br /> aren't that easy to break. <br /> Ms. Price brought up another pressure—when you have a landowner who's had the land for a <br /> long time, and it was great when they were young and they were farming, but the children and <br /> grandchildren don't want the land anymore, so they're going to sell it to a developer. <br /> Mr. Greene wondered how to control growth and when do you say this is enough. Ms. <br /> Hammersley shared Orange County has controlled growth with policies and agreements such as <br /> the rural buffer and water/sewer agreement. She added controlling growth isn't popular for <br /> everyone. Just like growth isn't popular for everyone. Ms. Philipps observed that Mebane's <br /> Mebane Work Group Minutes, September 2019, Page 5 <br />