Agenda - 02-16-2021; 8-a - Minutes

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10 1 2 BACKGROUND: 3 On August 7, 2020 a Zoning Atlas Amendment application was received proposing to rezone 2 4 parcels, further identified utilizing Orange County Parcel Identification Numbers (PIN) 9854-16- 5 1576 and 9854-36-3711. Specifically, Buc-ee's Limited is seeking to rezone 2 parcels totaling 6 approximately 104 acres to Master Plan Development Conditional Zoning (MPD-CZ) district. As 7 indicated herein, due to the size of the application, it is available electronically on the County 8 website at: https://www.orangecountync.gov/1722/Current-Interest-Projects. This was a 9 continuation of the public hearing on the application from December 15, 2020. 10 11 Chair Price read the following: the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) received the 12 Planning Board/staff recommendation and opened the public hearing at the December 15t" 13 meeting. The Board continued the public hearing on January 5, 2021, received public 14 comments, and recessed the public hearing until January 12, 2021. The Board is asked to 15 reconvene the continued public hearing, receive public comments, and then close the public 16 hearing. 17 18 RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board: 19 1. Reconvene the continued public hearing; 20 2. Hear from the scheduled speakers; 21 3. Close the public hearing; and 22 4. Remind the public that anyone may continue to provide written comments to all 23 Board members by sending an email to ocbocc@orangecountync.gov 24 25 A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner McKee 26 to reconvene the continued public hearing from December 15, 2020 and January 5, 2020 and 27 open the floor for public comment. 28 29 Roll call ensued. 30 31 VOTE: UNANIMOUS 32 33 PUBLIC COMMENT: 34 Rachel Heller said she is a 27 year resident of Orange County, and strongly opposes the 35 proposed rezoning for the Buc-ee's project. She said it offers nothing to meet community 36 needs, and would create air, water and 24/7 light and noise pollution, taking Orange County in 37 exactly the wrong direction. She said a fossil fuel based, car centric, economic model work will 38 not work, and the County must focus on a sustainable model. She said she is shocked that this 39 proposal has gotten this far. She said the BOCC adopted a resolution to transition to renewable 40 energy by 2050, and must keep this promise. She said she does not understand how the 41 County can even consider this proposal without an impact study. She said the project will use 42 so much water, and she wonders if the County will have to fight for water with Buc-ee's. She 43 said she is very concerned about the inevitable traffic complications, of which Buc-ee's has a 44 history. She said Buc-ee's also has a history of indentured servitude jobs, with very poor 45 conditions for its workers including a "moment" break. She said this seems illegal. 46 Kevin Brooks said he is the current chief of Efland Volunteer Fire Department. He said 47 the Efland Fire Department does not endorse candidates, projects, or any other issues. He 48 said, as the chief, he wrote a letter expressing his support of the Buc-ee's project, which 49 remains true. He said he wanted to address some of the things that have been said about the 50 Efland Fire Department, including the alleged acceptance of a $30,000 bribe, which is 51 absolutely horse hockey, and plain not true. He said if the Buc-ee's proceeds, the fire