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