|
Approved & 7 - 2023
<br /> 111
<br /> 112 Chris Johnston : I have a follow up question about the tennis facility . I understood from the documents that it was going to
<br /> 113 be a pro -shop or clubhouse , but I also saw recently in one of the narratives that it was going to be indoor tennis courts so
<br /> 114 could you be clear what that structure is going to be ?
<br /> 115
<br /> 116 James Parker : The structure is sized like it is on the plan to allow different uses internally that could be accommodated
<br /> 117 there . Basketball courts , indoor tennis courts , volleyball courts , anything indoor recreation that could be in there and
<br /> 118 certainly a pro - shop could be in there as well . It is a building that could house all or some of those items .
<br /> 119
<br /> 120 Melissa Poole : I don ' t have a question but I would like to address the board . I ' ve been on the planning board for 5 years
<br /> 121 now . I ' ve heard presentations , everyone imaginable , UDO updates , commercial development, residential development ,
<br /> 122 never in my memory has a project come before us that benefitted across the entire county . The majority of projects
<br /> 123 brought before us during my time , have been residential developments . Most of the time , those residences have been
<br /> 124 classified as single -family homes , usually anticipating buyers with children . Families buying homes in Orange County are
<br /> 125 going to look for extracurricular activities for their kids and with this project, there are a number of options clustered
<br /> 126 together in one space . With regards to HYAA , they are likely to lose 4 fields due to the town ' s train station project . The
<br /> 127 contract with the town only gives them a 60 - day notice when they are going to lose their fields . For the district 1
<br /> 128 represent, I don ' t know many people who have not or do not have children involved in HYAA and they have been for
<br /> 129 years . Some of whom are still involved even though their kids have aged out . Since 2020 they have provided $ 12 , 000 in
<br /> 130 scholarships to children . There are currently hundreds of children signed up and there are waiting lists . I think it is
<br /> 131 reasonable to infer that with additional residential development in Orange County , the numbers for HYAA and waiting
<br /> 132 lists due to lack of space will only increase going forward . I apologize to the tennis club ; I am admittedly more familiar
<br /> 133 with HYAA than I am with tennis . I would imagine that their struggles are going to be the same . HYAA has players from
<br /> 134 Orange , Person , Chatham , and Alamance Counties . That is 3 other counties coming to Orange County and likely
<br /> 135 spending money in Orange County . I think that investment in the space for them , giving them the zoning to build their
<br /> 136 fields , is an investment for our county . They have almost 1 , 000 players per year coming through . The project meets the
<br /> 137 mission , particularly the ball fields , providing space that reduces the town financial impact of purchasing and
<br /> 138 maintenance of athletic and park space . The wells versus water/sewer, I know we have discussed that ad nauseum , but
<br /> 139 I ' ve never sat up here and had a project where they had multiple options . Usually , we only hear county proposals and
<br /> 140 that is strictly well and septic . The state does have a mandate for provision of water and sewer to public schools . If our
<br /> 141 ultimate concern is the resident' s wells , then I would encourage the developer to pursue the state mandated provision of
<br /> 142 water and sewer. The other discussion has been around what was presented in our first meeting being the letter that
<br /> 143 was presented and entered into the record . This still bothers me as what is referenced is their proposed plan , their draft
<br /> 144 plan , which we cannot consider because it is not legislation . It has not passed , therefore shouldn ' t bear on any decision
<br /> 145 made by us . Regarding traffic , As a parent, I ' ve made clear that I have children in charter schools , our charter school has
<br /> 146 one entrance , in and out, onto Hwy . 57 and we don ' t block traffic . There are no busses at our school . This charter school
<br /> 147 is proposing busses . That is going to reduce traffic compared to what some of the other charter schools in the county
<br /> 148 have . I would urge that we pass this on and advance it to the BOCC .
<br /> 149
<br /> 150 Chris Johnston : I ' m new to this board , this is my first foray into this , so I appreciate everyone bearing with me on this .
<br /> 151 think , and I am only speaking for myself here , that if this were a presentation for athletics fields and only for athletics
<br /> 152 fields , that we would have been done on April 3rd . I don ' t think anyone here disagrees that we need additional athletics
<br /> 153 fields and that we need them badly . It is outrageous that we have to go other counties for that sort of thing , tennis
<br /> 154 players , pickleball players , whatever you may be . I think the question that we are all wrestling with up here is dealing with
<br /> 155 our mandate of following the planning board thing of considering all the things that we can ' t consider . . . right? We can ' t
<br /> 156 consider the water considerations ; we can only consider the plans as they are . We have to consider the WASAMPBA
<br /> 157 participation as it currently is , we can ' t consider the traffic , we can ' t consider a number of things . Charter school versus
<br /> 158 public school versus private school , it' s a school . But at the same time , we do have other considerations as well . We are
<br /> 159 neighbors with the folks of Hillsborough and the folks of Hillsborough have elected representatives and those
<br /> 160 representatives have submitted that letter that said they were against this particular development for whatever reasons
<br /> 161 they have . So , I am struggling a lot with this one just because of all the things we can ' t consider . I think we really need
<br /> 162 the athletic fields , I think those are really important , I don ' t know, we had a . . . . . Cy , are you here? In regard to the school
<br /> 163 and the need that was mentioned , in regards to needs for schooling in this area , in terms of attendance and what our
<br /> 164 future growth is and that sort of thing . . .
<br /> 165
<br />
|