Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
19 <br /> limited options to cover the funds and without the state, there are few options to obtain the over <br /> $30 million needed to cover those non-federal costs. <br /> Council Member Berry asked about the fares for Mobility on Demand. <br /> Theo Letman said it was $5 per trip and payable on the app. <br /> Council Member Berry asked if partner agencies or non-profits could help provide <br /> access to Mobility on Demand for low-income individuals. <br /> Theo Letman said they are open to that. <br /> Commissioner Richards asked about the MTP final report. She asked if she <br /> understands correctly that it is based on future land-use plans from the county and the <br /> municipalities that are not available yet. She asked if the final plan is out for public comment <br /> and expressed concern about planning going out to 2050 when the land use plans are not <br /> available. <br /> Craig Benedict said all local jurisdictions have some form of land use plans and updates <br /> to the plans are in progress. He said the focus that supports the 2050 MTP is to focus <br /> development on areas that have been identified as high and definite corridors such as 1-40 and <br /> 15-501. He said it is a dynamic process and always being updated to support the transit <br /> corridors and the plans are reasonable and can always be improved. He said that Chapel Hill is <br /> in the process and plans will be matched with other initiatives. He said all the other jurisdictions <br /> are reevaluating their plans. He said the county will be looking at their land use program in the <br /> next year. <br /> Commissioner Richards asked when the county's land use program was last updated. <br /> Craig Benedict said the plan was fully updated in 2008. He said the next update will be <br /> done now that 2020 census information is available. He said the existing plan is good enough <br /> to be used for the 2050 MTP plan. He said during the next budget year, there will be funding <br /> requested for a major update to the county plan. <br /> Commissioner Greene said during a retreat in the summer for the policy steering <br /> committee, the group set out priorities and agreed they wanted the plan to have aspirational <br /> components. She said in response, the consultant outlined new issues and opportunities. She <br /> said she wanted to remind them that they should not think of transit in a vacuum because it also <br /> must be connected to land use and environmental strategies. She read the issues listed in the <br /> consultant's report: <br /> "Over 65% of county's affordable housing units are located within proposed transit service <br /> improvement areas, but housing (especially affordable housing) has gaps that are growing. <br /> Service to minority and low-income residents is improved, but inequities remain and are <br /> exacerbated as more residents move far beyond the urban core in search of affordable <br /> housing." <br /> Commissioner Greene read the list of opportunities from the consultant's report: <br /> "Adopt a county-wide growth management land-use vision and implementation strategy for <br /> focusing new development in current or future transit corridors. Prioritize and incentivize <br /> residential development in current or future transit corridors. Ensure that jobs and housing are <br /> transit accessible. Identify innovative commuter solutions." <br /> Commissioner Hamilton asked Brian Litchfield about the Chapel Hill Sunday transit <br /> services. <br /> Brian Litchfield said he would send the governing boards a link to those routes. He said <br /> the ridership is similar to Saturday ridership, which seems to be a little stronger than weekday <br />