Orange County NC Website
27 <br /> County Attorney John Roberts said the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) has a <br /> provision that the Applicant must have a reasonable time to consider any newly proposed <br /> conditions, and be able to return to the Board with a decision or compromise. <br /> Michael Harvey said any changes regarding the relocation of Ben Johnston Road would <br /> require meetings with staff and DOT officials, which will take some time. He said any such <br /> changes would require modifications to the TIA for this project, which would also take some <br /> time. <br /> Commissioner McKee asked if the Applicant could elaborate on Buc-ee's involvement <br /> with the local community. <br /> Stan Beard said Buc-ee's takes a lot of pride in being involved with the local community, <br /> and provided examples of ways it supports the community. He said Buc-ee's always has very <br /> close ties with public safety and law enforcement. He said Buc-ee's is a big part of the <br /> community. He said he has provided a great deal of details to County staff, and Buc-ee's is a <br /> generous partner. <br /> Beth Trahos referred to letters in the abstract packet from other communities discussing <br /> the benefits of having Buc-ee's nearby. <br /> Commissioner Bedford said she has examined the project based on various plans, <br /> emails, minutes, planning board recommendations, economic forecasts, videos from the <br /> Applicant, etc. She said she has especially considered the possibility of jobs and tax revenue, <br /> and thanked County staff for its intense review of this project. <br /> Commissioner Bedford said the Applicant will have to contract with outside vendors for <br /> trash removal and recycling, and this is said to have "no impact to Orange County." She said <br /> this waste will go somewhere, and it is likely to go to a lower income or minority neighborhood, <br /> and she feels Orange County does have some obligation here. She said the County needs to <br /> consider future cost benefit analysis, impact to residents, and broaden its view, just as we do <br /> with other issues. She said she took an environmental science last fall, and learned about local <br /> groups who are advocating composting. She said remediation is good, but there needs to be a <br /> greater focus on reducing waste in the first place. She said the goal should be to prevent <br /> pollution. <br /> Commissioner Bedford said there are many pros to providing performance standards <br /> and conditions. She said taxpayers have funded public water and sewer with that intent. She <br /> said she supports economic development to diversify the tax base. She said this is a land use <br /> decision, and the BOCC does not choose between specific preferences (e.g.: Outback vs, Olive <br /> Garden). She said many of the arguments against this project do not apply because they do <br /> not pertain to land use. She said the comprehensive plan does recognize the wide range of <br /> interrelated planning areas, including economic development, housing, natural and cultural <br /> systems, parks and recreation, services and community facilities, and transportation, in addition <br /> to land use. <br /> Commissioner Bedford said she reviewed the 8 principals of the comprehensive plan <br /> and held them in mind while considering the application. She said the BOCC needs to wisely <br /> use the investment of water and sewer. She said sustainable growth and development should <br /> occur in a place where it can be long term, and this site is ideal for dense commercial growth. <br /> She said the third principal is divided into 3a and 3b, with 3a being the encouragement of <br /> energy efficient, lower energy consumption, and use of renewable energy resources. She said <br /> this project flat out fails on part 3a. She said 3b is the promotion of both air quality protection <br /> and development of effective transportation, and this project also fails here. She said the fourth <br /> principle is the natural area resource preservation, which she narrowly interprets as the <br /> protection of niche items, like hardwood forests. She said others likely have different <br /> interpretations, but it did not really seem applicable. She said the fifth principle is preservation <br /> of rural land use patterns, which this project could be argued as both for or against. She said <br />