Agenda - 09-05-2023; 8-a - Minutes

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55 1 goal is to wait for the projects to fail and to request a rezoning again to have high density 2 development. 3 Kate Faherty said she is a passionate supporter of HYAA but she worries about the 4 preliminary nature of the project. She said that she worries that it will affect the Town of 5 Hillsborough in a negative way. She said that people who already struggle to pay their water bill 6 will be adversely affected. She said she is torn by the costs and benefits. She said that there has 7 been no mention of the charter school complex leading to more water usage as it grows. She 8 said that she strongly supports recreational facilities for young people but asked the Board to think 9 of the benefits, as well as the dangers. 10 Jamie Paulen said she is a single mother and paying some of the highest water rates in 11 the state. She said the presentation says that the Hillsborough community will not just serve the 12 Town of Hillsborough and that anyone that lives in NC could apply. She said that this would mean 13 that she is paying for water for a school for children and families that are not paying for the water. 14 She said this additional expense is going to be difficult for those that are already struggling to pay. 15 She asked the Board to please vote no on the project. 16 Rusty Tolin showed a sign requesting that the Board vote yes on the project. 17 Chad Pickens said he is a resident of Lawrence Road. He said he has respect for everyone 18 who has expressed support and opposition to the project. He said his family appreciates the life 19 that they have in Hillsborough. He said they are directly affected by any change to the land 20 because they are about 1,000 feet away from the proposed school. He said that he supports the 21 project and encouraged the Board to focus on the amazing community assets, a modern campus 22 for schools, a STEM focused high school, and desperately needed recreation facilities. He said 23 that he believes the county has the right leadership to guide the project. He said that regardless 24 of the decision made tonight, there is no way this will remain a pristine hayfield. He said that 25 rather than it becoming a lifeless subdivision it could become an asset to serve residents for 26 decades to come. 27 Linda Maitland said she lived at US-70 and Lawrence Road. She said she is a retired 28 educator and was a single mother. She said her son learned much from his soccer and baseball 29 teams and that she is a pickleball player. She said that despite the positives it may bring, it is her 30 gut feeling that this is not the right location. She said it does not fit the area. She said that it would 31 bring noise, light, and traffic pollution. 32 Raymond Gregg said he moved to Hillsborough 6 years ago to get away from the city. He 33 asked the Board to vote no and to not turn this into another urban area. 34 Margaret Cates said she lives at 1919 Lawrence Road. She said she has lived there since 35 the mid-1960s. She said she is speaking on behalf of her family and neighbors. She said it is 36 unimaginable that they might not have birds. She said now they have deer constantly through her 37 yard. She said they might lose their quietness due to the noise from the baseball field. She said 38 traffic is terrible and the bridge is down across 1-85, and the traffic is constant. She said they are 39 asking the Board to keep their quiet neighborhood, so that they will be able to hear each other 40 over the traffic and the noise and enjoy the life they have lived for 50 years. She said she wants 41 to be able to continue to listen to the birds. 42 Allison Mahaley spoke on behalf of the Human Relations Commission. She asked that the 43 Board please consider how the project will affect low-income people who depend on water from 44 the Town of Hillsborough. She said in 2023, they have helped more than 100 families with 45 assistance. She said that an average of 120 customers in Hillsborough have their water cut off 46 every month. She asked them to please consider what will happen to low-income people if their 47 bills are raised. She said that they cannot base the decision on the type of school, they should 48 consider that Northern Orange is already home to two schools. She said that Eno Academy only 49 includes only 5.1% of economically disadvantaged when approximately 35% of students are 50 economically disadvantaged at Orange High. She said there are also huge discrepancies in racial