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

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15 1 Laura Streitfeld said she is the Executive Director of Preserve Rural Orange, a 2 grassroots nonprofit dedicated to sharing vital information about plans that would have a 3 negative impact on rural communities. She said the organization brings citizens and leaders 4 together to shape outcomes that protect the environment and citizen health. She read the 5 following comments: 6 7 First, welcome to new Board members Hamilton and Fowler and to the new Board Chair 8 and Vice Chair, Commissioners Price and Bedford. We're looking forward to your leadership 9 and vision in charting Orange County's future and upholding the public interest. Preserve Rural 10 Orange stands with communities opposing rezoning for the proposed Efland Station, a 140-acre 11 project that would store a quarter of a million gallons of gas underground in the Upper Eno 12 Protected Watershed. I'm asking you tonight to reject this project in its entirety. The developer's 13 Environmental Assessment (EA) raises more questions than it answers. It is unclear how 14 Planning staff concluded the project is in the public interest when there are significant questions 15 about threats to existing local businesses and residences, pollution, stormwater runoff, 16 groundwater contamination, massive water use, traffic and light pollution. Despite the project's 17 incompatibility with surrounding land uses and a long list of potential negative impacts, the 18 Developer's EA claims a Finding Of No Significant Impact. If this board does consider approving 19 any part of this project, we ask you first to require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). 20 More comprehensive than an EA, an EIS would require exploring in detail all alternatives to this 21 project, including the option of not developing the property at all, as well as examining the 22 secondary and cumulative impacts into the future. And if you consider approving this project, 23 know that the Master Plan Conditional Zoning would benefit the developer to the detriment of 24 Orange County citizens. A blanket, expedited approval process removes key safeguards 25 needed to protect communities from damaging impacts. The developer's application grossly 26 understates direct, secondary and cumulative impacts likely to occur, and we urge each of you 27 to deny the rezoning request and reject the proposed Buc-ee's travel center. 28 Please consider adding the following actions to the Board's agenda this winter: 1. 29 Increase and strengthen limits on development in the protected watershed in Orange County's 30 UDO. 2. Take this opportunity to review how environmental assessments reach a Finding Of No 31 Significant Impact. 3. For projects applying for zoning changes or special use permits, widen the 32 notification area from 1,000 feet to either township-wide or within a two-mile radius, to include 33 affected neighbors in rural communities. Fortunately, Efland citizens have gathered information 34 in record time to respond to this alarming proposal that would irreparably transform their 35 community. In a series of recent development decisions, we've heard that it's too late to stop 36 plans and that lessons learned will prevent similar mistaken approvals in the future. Please stop 37 this project before it starts. The proposed Buc-ee's travel center is out of step with Orange 38 County's commitment to sustainability and goal to reduce fossil fuel use. Thank you for taking 39 the time to allow for full public input before making this important decision. 40 41 Laura Doherty said she is opposed to the rezoning request on environmental grounds. 42 She said the Sierra Club Executive committee has submitted comments. She said the 43 Committee is opposed to the travel station, as it does not reflect values of community. She said 44 the project would be detrimental to water and air quality. She said 240,000 gallons of gasoline 45 will be stored underground, on top of the drinking water aquifer. She said there will be increase 46 sedimentation on Seven Mile Creek. She said Orange County already has air quality issues, 47 due to gasoline emissions, and the travel station would only make this worse. She said the 48 County must move to renewable energy, not gasoline, when there is a climate crisis. 49 Margaret McAdoo said she is a community advocate in Efland. She said she grew up in 50 Efland, but moved away after graduation, as there were no jobs for people who looked like her. 51 She said Efland has digressed instead of progressed. She said Efland was once a thriving