Orange County NC Website
31 <br /> 1 rural character of the place, tells me that its time for the BOCC to establish a new direction for <br /> 2 the Orange County Planning Department. <br /> 3 <br /> 4 1 ask that you, the Orange County Commissioners, prevent the current BAP from moving <br /> 5 forward and encourage Mebane to cooperate on a new plan for a more sustainable and <br /> 6 appropriate development of the Sevenmile Creek Watershed and a plan that does not violate <br /> 7 watershed protection laws of North Carolina. <br /> 8 <br /> 9 Daniel Nuttall read the following statement: <br /> 10 <br /> 11 My name is Daniel Nutall, I'm an Orange County resident, and I'd like to ask the Commission <br /> 12 not to move forward with the Buckhorn Area Plan as it currently exists. Our county does need <br /> 13 economically viable development plans, but this particular plan carries far too many <br /> 14 environmental risks to critical watersheds and poses too great a threat to the Gravelly Hill <br /> 15 school community to be the right plan for Orange County. Gravelly Hill serves more minority <br /> 16 students than any other school in our system, and it is vital we not commit the mistake of asking <br /> 17 our working families of color to bear the burdens of increased development that does not align <br /> 18 with our county UDO. <br /> 19 More broadly, this discussion, like several recent discussions before it, show how urgently we <br /> 20 need to reimagine our county development priorities to better align with our UDO guarantee we <br /> 21 can remain a progressive community a long time into the future. To my eye, this development is <br /> 22 simply more unsustainable sprawl that will serve to inconvenience working families while <br /> 23 moving us further back on our climate goals. I hope the Board can consider more plans that <br /> 24 prize sustainable transit, access to housing, and environmental benefits that can live up to <br /> 25 Orange County's reputation and goals. <br /> 26 <br /> 27 Chair Price said she is concerned about Growth Area B. She said the Board had <br /> 28 determined there would be no development below West Ten. She said she can understand <br /> 29 Medline purchasing the property across from it, but does not understand why the County would <br /> 30 aggressively go after other parcels in this area. She said serious public outreach is missing. <br /> 31 She said, in the early days of the timeline, there was a lot of work with the community, and she <br /> 32 would like to see more of that now. She said there are discussions with people in specific <br /> 33 areas, but not with Commissioners or those who will be directly affected. She said she would <br /> 34 like to see discussion, rather than a presentation, moving forward. She said there should be <br /> 35 more than one meeting with the public. She said if Commissioners plan on attending the public <br /> 36 meeting, please let the Clerk to the Board know, so she can provide public notice. <br /> 37 Commissioner Hamilton commended the past actions in Orange County for protecting <br /> 38 watersheds. She said this demonstrated forward thinking, and she would like to continue that <br /> 39 thinking. <br /> 40 Commissioner Hamilton said the Buckhorn Area Plan Study seems to be a technical <br /> 41 study, and she does not understand why it is being called a plan, if it has not been approved. <br /> 42 She said it is a proposed plan, and the current language makes it seem like it is a done deal. <br /> 43 She said different language should be used. She said she looked at the study, looked at SWOT <br /> 44 analysis, and it is a technical study on one narrow facet of water and sewer. She said an area <br /> 45 plan is about everything that is valued about land use: the environment, land use, the <br /> 46 underserved and vulnerable communities, etc. She said the Buckhorn Economic Development <br /> 47 District already has the areas on which the Board is focused, and she does not see the need to <br /> 48 go beyond that. She said growth Area B is not in the original plan. She said the Board can <br /> 49 refuse to promote growth in an area that is not in Orange County values. She said she wants to <br /> 50 clearly determined what a plan is, as it will help the public feel that things are not being done <br />