Agenda 02-06-24; 8-a - Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 1 regulations. Without that information, Chapel Hill's too-vague plans of dense development along 2 15-501 are missing key data points which may, indeed, impact the suitability of extending urban 3 services. 4 Until the watershed issue is resolved, we can't know what kind of development will be allowed in 5 the Southern Area. The reason I, and others, have been requesting comprehensive planning and 6 environmental study is to have better insight around what works well for our community's growth 7 needs as well as the environment, our drinking water, wildlife, traffic and infrastructure, and the 8 livelihood of current residents. 9 I'm a member of the Southern Entryway Alliance, a small group of neighbors concerned about 10 development and its impacts, who have been communicating with you all for some time. We've 11 been trying to keep folks aware of the proposed WASMPBA amendment, but it's challenging and 12 time-consuming work. We have an email list with over 100 subscribers, most of whom live in the 13 Chapel Hill or Carrboro ETJs, and who have expressed deep concern to us about Chapel Hill's 14 recent WASMPBA amendment vote. Please remember that the Board of County Commissioners 15 remain the best and only direct representatives for those of us living in the ETJs. We are 16 collectively hoping for much better clarity around proposed development, before you decide to 17 take up the Town's request to amend the water and sewer boundaries. 18 Thanks in advance for your continued attention to this issue. 19 Julie McClintock read from the following statement: 20 One reason Orange County and its towns have experienced fewer growing pains than other 21 neighboring Counties is because we've planned ahead. Orange County engaged in joint planning 22 when they passed the 1986 Joint Land Use Plan and the WASMPBA agreement. Good joint 23 planning has allowed our County to protect its rural roots, grow urban densities without sprawl - 24 in an orderly sustainable way that protects our water supply watersheds. 25 It was alarming that the Chapel Hill Council proposed to modify the WASMPBA agreement in 26 November without any common understanding about what they wanted to accomplish when 27 utilities were added. What happens could vary from acres of townhouses to Bluehill - like 28 apartment buildings-to something else. We really have no idea, nor do the folks living in southern 29 Orange County. 30 Chapel Hill's action was taken in an illogical order. Why not allow full input of residents and 31 affected parties to comment on land use changes as part of the County's new Land Use Plan? 32 Why not allow Chapel Hill to complete its land use revisions as part of the Complete Communities 33 framework when there is a clear plan to propose? Utility map changes can follow. 34 These are all reasons why the Orange County Commission should await these outcomes and not 35 make premature changes to the joint planning boundary agreement. 36 Where did this utility agreement come from? 37 Julie McClintock continued her comments by stating that she was the OWASA Board Chair at the 38 time. She said that in the 1990's OWASA was starting to respond to public health emergencies 39 and requests to put in water and sewer. She said that infrastructure development was starting to 40 break down the land use plan. She said the local governments got together to create a plan for 41 where they would put water and sewer. 42 Julie McClintock continued reading from the following statement: 43 No one knows the consequences of placing utilities in a water supply watershed without studying 44 it first. Based on OWASA's calculations, as many as 2,200 residential units would turn Southern 45 Orange County from rural to urban overnight without any guarantee of BRT funding, missing 46 middle housing or a traffic free corridor enabling patients to get through to UNC hospitals. 47 A person identifying himself as Madden thanked the Board for what they do. He asked 48 the Board how they would they like some more money. He said before the US Constitution was 49 ratified, representatives came to Hillsborough and voted not to ratify the US constitution because 50 it wasn't good enough at the time. He wanted to know if it would be possible to appeal to historians 51 from outside of Orange County who would like to come visit and learn more about that and