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9 <br /> 1 Commissioner Hamilton said another possibility would be to change the State's rules for <br /> 2 giving money for school facilities because Orange County is not currently eligible. <br /> 3 Senator Meyer said Speaker Moore made it a priority to introduce a bond package which <br /> 4 passed the House, but he hasn't heard anything discussed since then. <br /> 5 Chair Bedford said the Board has a meeting with the school boards on March 9, 2023. <br /> 6 Board members and the legislative delegation discussed the public school funding <br /> 7 debate, and the movement of support for charter and private schools. They also discussed <br /> 8 developments regarding non-partisan maps for elections. <br /> 9 Chair Bedford said Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools are <br /> 10 the 1St and 3rd in the state for funding, but systems across the state need more support. She <br /> 11 acknowledged that Representative Buansi, Representative Price, and Senator Meyer are all <br /> 12 there to do the best they can. <br /> 13 Senator Meyer said he's been in very productive conversations with the Chancellor of <br /> 14 Leadership at UNC Chapel Hill about shutting down the coal plant. He said not only will there be <br /> 15 an environmental benefit, but the North Carolina Railroad Corporation would no longer need the <br /> 16 rail line, which goes through the largest areas of undeveloped property in southern Orange <br /> 17 County. He said converting it to a transportation pathway opens up possibilities for housing and <br /> 18 economic development. He said the University is open to a long range plan for the area. <br /> 19 Representative Price asked if this would require changing the rural buffer. <br /> 20 Commissioner Greene said Carrboro has already changed land-use planning to <br /> 21 accommodate future development in the area in question. <br /> 22 Senator Meyer said development in the area would not impact the rural buffer. <br /> 23 Chair Bedford said she advocated for rails to trails, but hadn't considered other options. <br /> 24 Senator Meyer said it would be a very different way of handling this corridor than <br /> 25 Durham handled the American Tobacco Campus, which is almost exclusively recreational. He <br /> 26 said this would be similar to the Beltline in Atlanta with recreation and transportation pathways <br /> 27 through the middle of multiuse development. He said the community will need to work with the <br /> 28 university on an energy transition plan and then a long range plan for housing and economic <br /> 29 development in the area. <br /> 30 Commissioner Richards asked if the university is also talking about workforce housing <br /> 31 as a possible use. <br /> 32 Senator Meyer said yes, it is driving their interest in the project. <br /> 33 Commissioner Greene said an opportunity exists to create a positive outcome. <br /> 34 John Roberts briefly reviewed the departmental legislative priorities. <br /> 35 Representative Price asked for John Roberts to send the list to the legislators. <br /> 36 Chair Bedford thanked everyone for coming together. <br /> 37 <br /> 38 A motion was made by Commissioner Richards, seconded by Commissioner Hamilton, <br /> 39 to adjourn the meeting at 10:04 a.m. <br /> 40 <br /> 41 <br /> 42 Jamezetta Bedford, Chair <br /> 43 <br /> 44 <br /> 45 Recorded by Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board <br /> 46 <br /> 47 Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board. <br />