Minutes 04-20-2021 Virtual Business Meeting

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29 Orange County consists of approximately 257,000 acres of land. 15,420 acres are fully protected now. If we agree to participate in the 30 by 30 Executive Order then we must protect a total of 77,100 acres – that is 61,680 more acres that must be protected. Where will we find that land in Orange County? One thing for sure is that if we continue to allow development as proposed in the Buckhorn Area Plan we will have far less land to target for conservation. Commissioner Dorosin, you also seemed to get defensive about County residents like me who keep coming to the meetings to speak about the need to protect our Orange County lands and waters. I am most appreciative for the lands that have been fully and partially protected but I believe, like our President, that we need to do far more. The Lands Legacy program has identified tracts of land of interest, but does not approach private landowners. Private landowners must initiate contact with Mr. Hirni. I might suggest that this approach change. We need to be in active pursuit of our conservation protection goals. The need to protect our lands and water is dire. Once land is developed it cannot be protected for some number of years. I would like to propose that the Orange County Board of Commissioners issue a proclamation in accordance with President Biden's executive order; Orange County agrees to do our part– protect 30% of our county land by the year 2030. When that happens then we can be assured that we are doing our part! Tom Mullaney said he lives in Hillsborough, and is a former teacher at Gravelly Hill Middle School. He said the plan is calling for heavy industrial use around Gravelly Hill Middle School. He said no families at the school were consulted about how they felt about industrial development around the school. He said the student body of the school is lower socio- economic, and he hopes the BOCC will step up and take the needs of these children seriously. He said he wants his family and neighbors to have clean drinking water. He said encouraging development on protected watersheds is not a good way to celebrate Earth Day. He said the Buckhorn Area Plan was created in consultation with Mebane, and not citizens of Orange County. He said the Board should slow this process down, and a binding plan with the Commissioners of Orange County with strong public input would be much better. Patty O'Connor read the following statement: Good evening commissioners, I have been told the following by different Mebane city council members at different times: 1) West Ten Road has a long-standing plan for industrial development; 2) Preston Loop should never have been built; 3) if you live close to the interstate, you should expect industrial development around you. (I'll say, just for the record, my home was here before the interstate); 4) I'm worried about how far down West Ten Road the development is occurring—it is a feeder road and not a primary road for development I'm concerned that while Mebane city council says they have tabled the BAP, they will continue to annex and rezone properties on a parcel-by-parcel basis as owners want to sell their land and cash in. In my estimation, there are only 2 Mebane city council members who have shown much concern for the rural feel and character of the Mebane outskirts. I guess "positively charming" means different things to different folks. For this reason, I would ask that the BOCC and the Mebane city council enter into a binding agreement on a joint area plan, informed by the citizens of Orange County.