Agenda - 10-06-20; 8-a - Minutes

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5 1 Church has built this childcare center to help with the church's finances. She said she has 2 grave concerns, and this proposed project is not environmentally just. 3 4 Jeremy Edmondson read the following comments: 5 1 am part of Save Hillsborough. I have serious concerns about RTLP. 6 7 On Jan 25, 2017, the 12-acre parcel connecting the 2 large economic development lots to Davis 8 Road, PIN 9862998894, was sold by court order to a local resident for$185,000. From what we 9 understand, the buyer intended to build several houses on this beautiful wooded lot. However, 10 the buyer was unable to obtain county approval for that purpose, one reason being that the land 11 did not "perk" and so would require city water and sewer. The buyer is directly connected to the 12 current owner and has not been able to develop this land. 13 14 We understand also that the RTLP developer has obtained an option agreement for the right to 15 purchase the Davis Road parcel. The property is currently zoned R-1 with a pending request for 16 rezoning to support RTLP requirements. 17 18 For now, use of this Davis Road property as an "access point" is viewed as critical to the viability 19 of the RTLP development--because, according to the NCDOT, the existing Service Road is 20 unsuitable for use by vehicles that would turn left to exit the development toward 1-40. Instead, 21 the developers would force virtually all RTLP traffic to exit the development onto a small rural 22 road close to an intersection. Due to the elevation of the land, it is a substantial climb up to 23 Davis Road from the proposed location of the main warehouses, and the uphill grade will 24 increase the noise and emissions from 18-wheelers and heavy-duty trucks. Once at the top of 25 the hill, the same trucks need to run back down the grade to enter the 1-40 on-ramps, creating 26 additional noise due to engine-braking by the trucks' drivers. 27 28 This Davis Road parcel should not be part of the development! Either the usage of the 29 development needs to be adapted to the available traffic connections to 1-40 or better access 30 points need to be found to make the economic area viable. Spilling over into a rural residential 31 area to solve a site traffic problem needlessly pushes the burden to the local residents. Once 32 city water and sewer are brought to this land on Davis Road it will make a wonderful site for a 33 business more suited to the area that can bring tax revenue rather than as a traffic corridor for 34 the current warehouse proposal. The local residents fully support smart development of the 35 economic development area without using the Davis road lot to push the traffic problems to the 36 local residents. 37 38 Commissioner McKee joined the meeting at 7:37 p.m. 39 40 Daniel Arneman read the following comments: 41 1 am part of Save Hillsborough. I have serious questions concerning RTLP. The Environmental 42 Committee of Save Hillsborough, has identified several environmental impact issues for 43 consideration by our County Commissioners. While economic development is important to our 44 region and our communities, it must be done in a way that fits with existing uses and preserves 45 our natural assets. The 2019 State of the Environment report produced by the Orange County 46 Commission for the Environment highlights Orange County's ongoing commitment to a healthy 47 environment, including: a transition to 100% renewable energy county-wide by 2050; 48 maintaining a Rural Buffer planning zone to limit urban sprawl for over 30 years; actively 49 supporting local, sustainable agriculture; and reaching the goal of conserving 10% of the 50 County's land. We do not think this proposed development helps to meet those County goals. 51 Furthermore,