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

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5 1 Lamar Proctor said he is an attorney, and lives 5 miles from the site in Efland. He said 2 he did a deep dive into all pertinent County documents pertaining to this proposal, and sought to 3 give the Buc-ee's application a fair shake. He quoted a portion of the ordinance that relates to 4 the development, and said the application is very problematic regarding the ordinance, 5 especially as it pertains to water. He said the water usage cited by the Applicant is not 6 accurate. He said there are other issues as well, including traffic. He said his parcel will be 7 developed, but the County can do better. He urged the BOCC to deny the rezoning request. 8 David McDuffie said he is speaking on behalf of the Environmental Ministry Committee 9 of the Episcopal Diocese of NC, who opposes the development of Buc-ee's. He said the 10 proposal will violate the desire to protect the environment and be good stewards of God's 11 creation. He said this project will effect the water supply, damage air quality, wildlife habitat, 12 drastically increased impervious surfaces, etc. He said this project is also simply not needed, 13 as there are sufficient fueling stations in the area already. He said gasoline is not a part of the 14 future. He said he is also a resident of Orange County, and this project does not represent the 15 character of the community, and will offer short-lived economic gain at too great a cost. 16 Margret Mueller said she lives off of Mt. Willing Road, and regularly travels in the area 17 near the proposed project. She said she has enjoyed listening to the comments of others, and 18 the community is better if we listen to a wide range of voices. She said she was moved by a 19 comment made by a lifelong Efland resident in a previous meeting that expressed support for 20 the proposal. She said it caused her to consider how her position is related to her privileges, 21 and to focus on what may be a better way to develop the land, as opposed to just voicing 22 dissent to this plan. She said Buc-ee's is a regressive and shortsighted development, but she 23 does not want the BOCC to ignore Efland's cry for help. She said development is necessary, 24 and asked the BOCC to consider what type of development meets the needs of the community 25 and can be respectful. She said the BOCC is committed to moving away from fossil fuels, and 26 this project is simply not the best use of this property. 27 Tom Allison said he is a lifelong resident of Efland, and agreed with many of the 28 comments of previous speakers. He said the BOCC is the only arbiters for the Efland 29 community, and he urged the BOCC to not overlook the potential problems. He said Eno River 30 and Seven Mile Creek, both of which will be impacted by water pollutions, border the proposed 31 site. He said extra revenues from Buc-ee's will not outweigh the revenue losses to other area 32 businesses. 33 Benny Cecil said he is speaking on behalf of the Efland community, and in support of the 34 Buc-ee's development. He said Buc-ee's has complied with the regulations and will bring in $2 35 million in local revenue, including $30,000 in revenue to the Efland fire station. He said area 36 churches and business will get free advertisement due to Buc-ee's. He said he is concerned 37 that those who do not live in Efland are the ones protesting against the development. He urged 38 the BOCC to approve the rezoning request, due to the benefits to travelers and local residents. 39 Lucy Lewis said she is a lifelong Orange County resident, and opposes the rezoning 40 proposal due to the unhealthy impact to the community and the watershed. She said working 41 conditions at Buc-ee's are horrendous, and she opposes continued reliance on fossil fuels. She 42 said she stands for the kind of community in which residents want to live and work. She said 43 she supports development, but encouraged the Economic Development office to attract a better 44 proposal for this area. 45 Heather Smith said she has lived in Efland for 5 years, and expressed support for 46 existing zoning that protects both the community and environment. She said corporations with 47 no connections to the area cannot dictate a community's future. She said this type of 48 development displaces residents and renters, and existing zoning helps to protect residents 49 from predatory developments. She said the community is being quite literally gaslit by 50 development plans. She said she does not want Orange County to be collateral damage, and 51 rejects tokens like the Efland name going on the sign.