6.7.23 PB Agenda Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

emotional well being of the student body and the willingness to collaborate with the broader education community. This 166 is the benefit of charter schools in your community. Steps from here where we sit tonight as a charter school here in 167 Hillsborough that is actually been recognized by DPI for its academic growth most importantly the greatest academic 168 growth for socio-economically disadvantaged children and will be working with DPI in the Fall to provide this 169 programming which will be a benchmark and cornerstone for all public schools in the state. This is a real example of 170 equity in education and how charter schools’ partner with public schools in the community despite what you may have 171 been told. As I stand here tonight, this is the 16th anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre and between April 5 and 172 tonight, you have a room full of parents that want social, emotional programming, access to athletic programming, 173 organizations, fields, because our kids are at risk. I am an alumni of Virginia Tech, I had 3 family members on the 174 campus that day and quite frankly the violence in our schools and threat to our schools every day has not improved, it’s 175 gotten untenable and uncontrollable. Just since April 5th, two schools in our area, have either been in lockdown because 176 there’s a weapon on site or the threat of one. Parents in this community want better, and Orange County can do better. 177 Our kids are hurting, they need a sense of belonging and programs that support their well-being and social and 178 emotional well-being for our community. If you rezone Lawrence Road, this will be available to our community. The 179 fundamental change is not coming from the federal government or the state, its coming from decisions that you have to 180 make tonight, at a local level. 181 Ms. Bickford presented the Board Chair with a petition supporting the project. 182 183 Kathleen Harper: I’ve lived in Hillsborough since 2008 and my husband and I have 2 children in Orange County schools. 184 I respectfully request that the planning board vote no on the Lawrence Road rezoning. The proposed development does 185 not align with the county’s comprehensive plan in which land use should be coordinated with other plans including utility 186 and infrastructure and limited water resources should be managed wisely. The town of Hillsborough leadership has told 187 the developer during several meetings during the last year and a half, that it would be difficult to meet the water and 188 sewer requirements for one or more schools at this site. If the rezoning is approved, the Town of Hillsborough, by law, 189 and the NCDA to provide water and sewer to the schools, even if that means denying other water and sewer to other 190 town priorities. If the developer decides to provide the schools with wells and septic, which was mentioned as a 191 possibility earlier this month, will the septic fields take the place of the ball fields? I do support recreational fields. I want 192 fields for HYAA and more courts for tennis and pickleball players but not this way. Not by forcing the town of Hillsborough 193 to provide water and sewer to schools on the opposite side of the county from where the most growth is predicted, or by 194 sacrificing the ball fields to build a large septic field in Durham’s Teer Quarry protected water shed. At the end of the day, 195 given these infrastructure concerns, this site is not a good site for schools. Also concerning, the applicant team 196 suggested on April 5th that West Triangle High School would be well situated to absorb some of the anticipated growth of 197 Orange County Schools. According to their charter application however, West Triangle intends to establish matriculation 198 agreements with the Expedition school and several charters in Durham. If finalized, these agreements would grant 199 priority enrollment to students from these charters. With approximately 40 students matriculating from the Expedition 200 school and the possibility of more than 100 students from Durham charters, few seats may remain for students not 201 already enrolled in a charter. Please ask the applicant to provide an explanation of their current pending and planned 202 articulation agreements as it relates to the school’s ability to absorb growth in Orange County Schools. The majority of 203 anticipated growth in Orange County Schools is predicted to take place in the Western half of the county, near Mebane. 204 The Lawrence Road parcel is situated between Hillsborough and Durham. This proposal does not benefit the Orange 205 County school district and it does not benefit Orange County at large. Please vote no on the rezoning and please keep 206 this area rural residential. 207 208 Rachael Price: My husband and I own the Rock House which is a historic property at the corner of Business 70 and 209 Lawrence. Tonight, I would love to bring 3 concerns of ours to the board and the developer. First, when my husband and 210 I moved into our home, we both commented on how dark it is at night and how nice it is to clearly stargaze while being 211 so close to downtown Hillsborough. I believe that this project with all its required lighting, including all those with the 212 athletic fields, will create a tremendous amount of light pollution for the residents in the surrounding neighborhood. In 213 addition, the light pollution will also disrupt migrating birds as this area is on a major migration route. I propose that the 214 board take this into consideration in deciding if this is the right location for this particular project. If you decide to allow 215 the rezoning, then an evening curfew be put on all lighting and after-hours activities. Second, my husband and I both 216 work in Durham and drive Business 70 almost every day to and from work. What I appreciate about Business 70 is that 217 you clearly leave Durham, there is space between the two towns and that you clearly arrive into Hillsborough. I believe 218 that Hillsborough has done an impeccable job maintaining and cultivating its historic charm and this sets it aside from our 219 neighboring cities. I worry that this project will begin the urban sprawl of business that will take away from Hillsborough’s 220 8