Planning Board - 081920 Agenda Packet

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---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Chris Lamb <clamb2411@gmail.com> To: <planningdept@orangecountync.gov> Cc: Chris Lamb <clamb2411@gmail.com>, <ocbocc@orangecountync.gov> Bcc: Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2020 22:25:31 -0400 Subject: [EXTERNAL MAIL!] Development at Old 86 and Davis Rd/I40 Neighbor, Through social media I have learned that the rezoning approval for this project may have been fast-tracked, perhaps due to the current pandemic. I hope that this is not true. Given the challenges that the pandemic presents to all, this hardly seems the time to rush community decisions and limit the opportunity for discussion and input. I spent my childhood in a small rural, New England mill village, where the textile mill had long ago closed, and the business moved south for lower costs. I spent my teenage years in Houston, watching the boom and bust cycles of the oil and real-estate industries and the growth of a city w/o zoning. An I moved to North Carolina in '92 to watch the spams caused by the loss of textile and furniture jobs. Times change, land use changes, often and quickly. Since moving away from my childhood home, I have morned as the woods and fields I grew up roaming have been slowly developed. As a result, I find the rampant clearcutting and thoughtless development commonly seen here and around the country painful and unfortunate. However, I recognize that 'progress' can not be stopped and there are limits to the role of govenment. That said, I think it is the role of the county commissioners to speak and act on behalf of all their constituents, especially those most directly affected. How will the noise and traffic limit their ability to enjoy their own property, and therefore reduce it's value, tangibly and intangibly? How will their health be affected by the truck exhaust? I live a few miles away and fear the traffic will be a detriment to my air quality, increase the noise pollution and make my area a less pleasant place to live. How will the development reflect the long term values of the community? How often have we seen that land use changes over time? From the abandoned mills of my childhood to the dying stripcenters of the past few decades to the malls that are now dying.How many visitors and citizens will look forward to visiting Hillsborough if forced to drive by this neighbor, unattractive, noisy and polluting? How well will the traffic planning actually be done to protect the non-commercial traffic and neighbors? Why should we expect it to be any better or safer than the Walmart/Home Depot area w/o an upgrade to the bridge? Will it be any better than the connections to Old and New 86 from the hostpital and surrounding developments - unmetered intersections with poor visability and lights forcing unnecessary idling when a simple traffic circle would be superior? As well as the I40/15-501 interchange? Where an entrance ramp merge occurs at the same time as the third lane merges, a deadly and criminal arrangement. A safer alternative would have been to simply configure the right lane as an exit only lane and resolve multiple issues. How about drainage and water quality? The neighborhood across the street from us of about 20 houses went through a fair amount of planning, but nothing done in that process has protected my property and pond, which flows into Lake Ben Johnson, from the increased run-off coming from their roads and homes. Will the planning for containment during and after development be any better? Will it really be sufficient? In closing, I am urging you to vote against this project until a plan is presented that protects the health, safety, property values (of all types) and quality of life of the neighbors and community. And until a plan is presented that protects the character and values of the community and it's long term appeal and potential. And until a clear plan to really manage the runoff and water quality has been presented. Until there is a plan you are proud to discuss with citizens, there really isn't a option to approve it. Too long have we allowed narrow commercial and self interested parties freedom to do what they want while failing to provide the neighbors and community freedom from pollution, personal infringements and environmental destruction. It is long past time to stand up for what we will value in 50 or 100 years. No one will miss the mixed use development of their childhood. No one will appreciate the architecture and design, not now, not ever. There will be no value derived from the noise, air, and water pollution. No one will ever suggest visiting the development with their families for an evening stroll and no realtor will list it as a feature when selling adjact properties. We can't stop progress, but we can guide it and we can do what is right for the long term and insist that proper planning is completed before the project is approved. Chris Lamb OC resident since 1996. 105