6.7.23 PB Agenda Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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uniqueness. I would hate for Business 70 to become another 15/501, a corridor of business that runs Durham right into 221 Chapel Hill. I believe that this project is not only about the rezoning of this particular parcel of land but represents the 222 direction and future that you, the Planning Board, see for Hillsborough. Finally, while the idea of walking our 6-year-old 223 across the street to a STEM based high school, sounds idyllic, the reality is that a lottery-based enrollment that serves 224 the entire Triangle makes that unlikely. While I highly advocate for more STEM based education, I would rather see a 225 school in Hillsborough that prioritizes the children in our community, as opposed to the Triangle at large. I ask the board 226 if this particular school proposal is the fit for our community. If there is a need for further educational opportunity in 227 Hillsborough, perhaps you should consider a school that first prioritizes the admittance of Orange County students, then 228 once that need is met, opens enrollment to students from around the Triangle. …..have this meeting about how people 229 would address the traffic situation that would be created not just by the school but also by the athletic fields. They are 230 going to be extremely busy after hours and evenings because they are so popular and bring so much of a need to the 231 area. I don’t think we can accommodate that with the improvements on the roads…. 232 233 Jennifer Bailey: I’ve been part of the Hillsborough community since 2005. I am speaking in support of the project. Tennis 234 has been a part of my life since I was 8 years old. My parents thought it would be fun for us to learn how to play tennis 235 so we could not only have family support but so that we could meet other people in our community. My family moved 236 every few years and with each new home, one of the first things we would do was seek out the local tennis community. 237 Many years ago, I moved to Hillsborough with my family which included three young children and as usual, I sought out 238 the tennis community for us. What I found was unique among the fourteen places I have called home. There was a 239 tennis community but there were no courts. Being a part of this vibrant tennis community and hearing the vision for 240 creating a club, I embarked on a journey to help make the Orange Tennis Club a reality. Over the years we have played 241 at private courts, school courts and now we have just three public courts. This community deserves better. We deserve a 242 dedicated facility that supports the local community of new players, young players, older players, and families. Orange 243 Tennis Club is a non-profit that offers affordable high quality tennis instruction but it also offers our community something 244 else. It gives us a place to build relationships with other local people of all ages and backgrounds that may have never 245 otherwise crossed paths. So please give Orange Tennis a home. 246 247 John Hughes: I have been in Orange County since 1972, lived in Cedar Grove since 1974. I empathize with people who 248 are looking at traffic issues and water issues, however I do love to play tennis. I am a founding member of Orange 249 Tennis Club. We started planning in 2006 and became a reality in 2009. We are a 501 c3 organization. Our original 250 mission was to provide tennis to anyone in Northern Orange County who wanted to play tennis regardless of their ability 251 to pay. We have a sliding scale fee, and we offer scholarships to anyone who wants to play. Of the 200 members that 252 John mentioned, 100 of those are children under the age of 18, ages 4-18. We have clinics 5 days a week for all ages 253 and abilities, we have summer camps. Prior to Covid, we had 2 community events every year that invited folks from all 254 over, particularly the Fairview community, we provided 300-400 rackets, 200 cans of tennis balls to people so they could 255 start playing tennis. We have experienced a lot of growth during Covid. The CDC said that tennis was a safe sport to 256 play so our membership jumped. We are at capacity. Hillsborough Youth Athletic Association is faced with a cap that we 257 will have to impose pretty soon because we can not accept anymore people because there is just no space. So I 258 encourage you to support this project for the tennis facilities. I am 74, I figure I have got 15 more good years of tennis 259 and if this one doesn’t happen, then I hope that you put putting tennis courts in Northern Orange County on your agenda 260 as some part of your planning opportunities. 261 262 Raul Herrera: I am a resident of this beautiful town. I am speaking as a member of the business community and the 263 Hispanic community. Our community lacks recreation facilities, our community needs amenities such as baseball, and 264 tennis courts and recreational facilities. When youth are part of athletics and part of a team, they understand how to be 265 productive citizens as they become adults. Accessible and affordable, athletics keep our youths out of trouble. The 266 proposed facility includes schools that are aimed at providing access to quality education and quality sport centers that 267 we so desperately need. The area of concern by neighbors has been addressed by the developer. I believe this project 268 will create more equity for our youth and their families who do not have access in close proximity to these services. We 269 live on the corner of Victoria Drive and Orange High School Road, that is less than a mile from Orange High School and 270 Orange Middle School. In the 17 years that I have lived there, I can hardly feel the traffic. Thank you for voting yes to this 271 rezoning. 272 273 Rhonda Zack: Has lived in the Wyngate neighborhood off of Lawrence Road for more than 20 years. I wanted to support 274 this project because I have been on the side of the developers, I’ve sat in your seats and had Kimley Horne do traffic 275 9