Minutes 09-15-2020 Virtual Business Meeting

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72 Chris Bostic said the flood plain that exists on this property is a result of a back water condition form the pipe that goes under 1-40, which is helpful to downstream property owners. He said the amount of flow to that line is limited. He said the Applicant would be required to contain the peak flow at a pre development level. Commissioner Greene asked if 1,000 jobs is an accurate number in the proposal. Michael Birch said yes, that is an estimate. Commissioner Greene asked if that number included truck drivers. Michael Birch said no. Commissioner Greene asked if the percentage of jobs making $30,000 annually or more is known. Michael Birch said a minimal number of jobs would make less than $30,000 annually. Commissioner Greene asked if the type of jobs found in warehouses could be identified. Michael Birch said it depends on the user, but there will be management level positions, technician/computer technician positions, robotic management, etc. Commissioner Greene said she agreed with Commissioner McKee regarding Davis Road. She said it sounds like someone will have to pay for some extra land for easements. Michael Birch apologized and said he and his staff did not fully understand Commissioner McKee's question last week. He said if the question that what percentage of the truck traffic will use Davis Road, he agreed it would be 100%. Michael Birch said if the improvements to the service road and 86 could be done prior to the time that the development would have to make improvements to Davis Road and the Davis Road intersection, then funds could be reallocated from the Davis Road side to this area instead. He said the developer is not trying to achieve any cost savings, but rather obtain an approval that is not subject to his control. He said he understands that no one wants truck traffic on Davis Road, and whenever a signal and service road can be achieved at 86, all work will stop on Davis Road. Commissioner Greene asked if there is a reason this cannot be agreed to prior to any work beginning. Matt Peach with Stantec Consulting said NCDOT policy's is to not have any full movement intersections or traffic signals 1000 feet from an interchange ramp terminal. He said the service road is currently 400-450 feet from that ramp terminal, so NCDOT would need to make an exception to its standard. He said this request has been made to NCDOT, and he is awaiting an answer. Commissioner Greene said that was not really what she was asking. Michael Birch said the Applicant has pursued acquisition of property to have an alternate access point onto 86. He said the Applicant has looked at options further south, and are continuing to pursue this. He said there is a scoped and approved traffic analysis by DOT, and if all can work together to signalize 86 and the service road, then Davis Road will not need to be used. Michael Birch said the project does not work without either access to Davis Road or full movement at the service road and old 86. He said he questions if any project could work in this location without one of those options being available. He said the Applicant is trying to provide an avenue to allow the project to move forward, while still working towards taking Davis Road out of the equation. Commissioner Marcoplos said he is a big supporter of the economic development districts, as they were created for very good reasons that protect the environment and contain business development. He said the EDDs have been waiting decades for projects just like this. He said the Hillsborough EDD location was chosen due to its proximity to the interstate, but he does not believe it was ever expected that traffic would flow into a residential neighborhood. He said he cannot support such a project, as it is antithetical to what the EDDs were designed to do in the first place.