Orange County NC Website
6 <br /> 1 Tim Spruill read the following statement: <br /> 2 Hello, I am Tim Spruill and have lived in Orange County in Efland for more than 20 years. I am <br /> 3 concerned about the disappearance of the rural countryside in Orange County east of Mebane <br /> 4 and the degradation of Sevenmile Creek, which will receive drainage from the proposed <br /> 5 development by Mebane. This all results in a lower quality of life for those who prefer and value <br /> 6 rural areas, good water quality, and good biodiversity. <br /> 7 <br /> 8 In 2019, new rules were passed by the State Legislature governing development in critical and <br /> 9 protected watersheds (and are shown in the table that I sent in my letter). The County <br /> 10 governments that have land use authority within designated water supply watersheds shall <br /> 11 adopt and enforce ordinances and watershed maps that meet or exceed the requirements of the <br /> 12 law to protect water supply watersheds. <br /> 13 <br /> 14 My concern is that the planned development will negatively impact Seven Mile Creek, a High <br /> 15 Quality Water that also contributes a major portion of water to Hillsborough's public water supply <br /> 16 (it empties directly into Lake Ben Johnston) and provides habitat for a multitude of invertebrate <br /> 17 and vertebrate species, several of which are considered threatened or endangered. Large areas <br /> 18 of impervious surfaces in the form of building roofs and parking areas will ultimately cause an <br /> 19 increase in biological impairment of the receiving streams, a decrease in water quality, an <br /> 20 increase in flow magnitude, and an increase in sediment loads, effectively creating a lifeless <br /> 21 and ugly urban stream as urbanization increases. I am concerned that existing laws concerning <br /> 22 allowable buildouts with impervious surfaces are too high-up to 24% for Critical Watersheds and <br /> 23 up to 30% for Balance of Watershed (which is a Protected Watershed in Sevenmile Creek <br /> 24 between Buckhorn Road and Efland/Hillsborough) will cause severe water quality and biological <br /> 25 degradation of Sevenmile Creek and significant degradation of Hillsborough's water supply from <br /> 26 Lake Ben Johnston. Research over the past 20-30 years has shown much lower impervious <br /> 27 surface percentages cause significant water quality and biological degradation- only 10% <br /> 28 impervious coverage in a watershed can cause significant (25% or more) biological community <br /> 29 degradation according to a 2012 USGS study. There are several other studies that offer similar <br /> 30 conclusions. <br /> 31 <br /> 32 It is the responsibility of Orange County and Mebane to enforce existing State Laws at a <br /> 33 minimum, and to consider and hopefully adopt, stricter rules governing critical (6 % maximum <br /> 34 impervious) and protected (12% maximum impervious) watersheds to preserve the character of <br /> 35 the rural environment between Mebane and Efland/Hillsborough, as well as to limit any <br /> 36 development to north of West 10 Road only, to ensure protection of the water quality of <br /> 37 Sevenmile Creek and Hillsborough's water supply. Thank you. <br /> 38 <br /> 39 b. Matters on the Printed Agenda <br /> 40 (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.) <br /> 41 <br /> 42 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members <br /> 43 Commissioner Fowler petitioned the Board to declare May Mental Health Awareness <br /> 44 month. <br /> 45 Commissioner Hamilton said she had no comments. <br /> 46 Commissioner Greene petitioned the Board to start planning legislative agenda items <br /> 47 earlier in the year, so that the Board may provide input to the legislative delegation earlier in the <br /> 48 process. <br /> 49 Commissioner Greene petitioned the Board to add a component to its development <br /> 50 review: a concept review. She said she would like this to be added before a development <br /> 51 proposal goes to the Planning board. She said this addition would avoid the situation where <br />