Agenda - 04-06-2021; 8-a - Minutes

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4 1 1 want to start by thanking the commissioners for listening to public comments made about the 2 Buckhorn Area Plan, and setting up a working session with Mebane City Council. I come to you 3 and the public today to share information I have about the Buckhorn Area Plan, as I believe the 4 best plans come from groups of interested and informed parties coming together. 5 6 To our residents, Orange County and The City of Mebane are working on a plan to extend the 7 economic development district in western Orange County. The first step in doing so was to 8 commission a study of land in the area, this study is known as The Buckhorn Area Plan. It 9 recommends extending the boundaries for industrial development and discourages rural 10 residential growth in favor of light industrial manufacturing. This is a major shift from the long- II standing land use plans for economic development, in place by both The City of Mebane and 12 Orange County. I encourage you all to view the 2030 Orange County Comprehensive Land Use 13 Plan and the Mebane by Design Plan and compare it to the proposed Buckhorn Area Plan. This 14 plan will encourage industrial growth around, not only, rural residential housing, but also 15 Gravelly Hill Middle School, local farms, Seven Mile Creek, and the soccer complex. 16 To the commissioners, I ask that you and the Mebane City Council members address at least 17 the following questions during the March 9 working session: 18 1. How and when will the public be able to engage? When will Orange County 19 Commissioners and Mebane City Council come together to hear from the public on this 20 matter? 21 2. If you feel you must continue with this area plan I ask you and the council members to 22 consider a binding agreement on a joint area plan instead of the BAP plan as it stands 23 now. The most important aspect of a binding agreement is that Orange County and 24 Mebane City would both need to agree on any rezoning in the area. This means that both 25 Orange County and Mebane City residents would have equal representation and be able 26 to weigh in on changes made to local zoning. 27 28 To both residents and Commissioners, I want to make clear that I do not oppose development 29 nor do I oppose neighbor's rights to sell their land. I appreciate and respect that we are in need 30 of jobs for our local residents and tax money for our municipalities. Industrial builds will not bring 31 the jobs our community is looking for, it is well known that industrial companies are moving 32 toward automation, not hiring large groups of people. Furthermore, the entire plan seems to 33 serve up land to developers on a silver platter while not addressing those who are currently 34 underserved in our community, helping the 1%, not the majority. I hope that our local 35 governments and community can come together and create a plan that truly would benefit the 36 citizens of the area and both governments. I ask our residents, council members and 37 commissioners to think outside the industrial box and come up with a better plan that helps this 38 area preserve the area's natural feel and supports its residents. 39 40 Margo Lakin said she is concerned about misleading advice from Planning Department, 41 to increase industrial development. She said the Buckhorn Area Plan will target Seven Mile 42 Creek. She said safe drinking water should be guaranteed for us all, and expressed frustration 43 over the continual rezoning of land. She said Seven Mile Creek is designated as a drinking 44 water source, a paramount reason to protect this gem. She said she gets the impression that 45 some see it as a loophole, and want to degrade this water source by a few levels to achieve 46 development goals. She said it so important to get the facts straight before any more decisions 47 are made, and Orange County turns into Flint, Michigan. She asked that the Commission for 48 the Environment be involved; a hydrology report be commissioned; a forensic audit on the 49 watershed be performed, etc. She said the County must balance its watershed checkbook. 50 51 Janine Zanin, showed maps to the Commissioners, and read the following comments: