Agenda - 03-16-2021; 8-a - Minutes

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3 1 Ten Road into a tractor trailer by-pass of the weigh station. Finally, the plan ULTIMATELY 2 demonstrated that the MOST SUITABLE PARCELS for industrial development are ALREADY 3 IN OUR EDD. If county staff and our elected officials want to do more big game hunting, they 4 should focus their efforts there. 5 Margo Lakin read the following comments: 6 Good Evening, my name is Margo Lakin and I live in Hillsborough. 7 In the past eight months, I've seen proposals for a 2.5 million square foot logistics 8 warehouse surrounded by residential homes and a 120-nozzle gas station on a critical 9 watershed make their way from the Planning Advisory Board to the BOCC. And now, the 10 citizens are faced with the Buckhorn Area Plan to facilitate industrial development on a much 11 larger scale. 12 I'm getting a clear message from our planning process that western Orange County's 13 future is fast tracked to become nothing more than an industrial brownfield. Projects fall under 14 the lowest tiers of development (for example warehouses). And the wants and needs of the 15 community and the safety of the environment often take a back seat to taxes. That's not 16 progress. 17 Where's the diversity and imagination in these projects? Where's the sustainable and 18 progressive development for our neck of the woods? When do we get libraries and grocery 19 stores and community-based facilities to improve our towns? When will imagination, creative 20 thinking, and forethought reach rural Orange County? 21 Can we expect more ill suited proposals that don't meet the zoning, Comprehensive 22 Plan, Future Land Use Map, or UDO? Can we expect proposals that create a citizen outcry so 23 large it requires three public comment sessions? I'm tired of it—aren't you? 24 Yes, our county needs taxes, but there are things the residents need, too. Like roofs 25 over our heads and clean drinking water, schools not surrounded by industrial pollution, a 26 respect for the quality of life we moved here for (be it 20 years or 20 days ago), and we need 27 assurance that the regulations and plans put in place—the same ones we looked to when 28 deciding where to put down roots—will be protected and upheld. 29 Thank you. 30 Annette Moore, Human Rights and Relations Director, shared the winners of the Pauli 31 Murray award, which will be presented on February 28t". She said Nikki Giovanni, Jaki Shelton 32 Green, and Alani Rouse will present, and the theme is "words have meaning." 33 34 b. Matters on the Printed Agenda 35 (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda 36 below.) 37 38 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members 39 Commissioner Bedford said she had no comments. 40 Commissioner Fowler said she attended a Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) 41 meeting, where she heard presentations from several groups working with youth. She said the 42 groups have received fewer referrals during the pandemic. She said the JCPC released an 43 RFP released for programs on a variety of skill building, teen court, temporary shelter, and 44 counseling services. She said she attended the agricultural summit last week, which 45 highlighted health, in particular mental health and farm related stress. She gave the phone 46 numbers for assistance programs for those experiencing mental health crises. She said she 47 also attended the Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization (TARPO) meeting, and the public 48 can find information on TARPO projects on the TARPO website. 49 Commissioner Hamilton said she had no comments. 50 Commissioner McKee said he attended the ABC board meeting this morning, and there 51 will be upgrades to several of the stores, especially the store in northern Hillsborough. He said