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1 <br /> APPROVED 3119/24 <br /> MINUTES <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> BUSINESS MEETING <br /> February 6, 2024 <br /> 7:00 p.m. <br /> The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Business Meeting on Tuesday, February <br /> 6, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Human Services Center in Hillsborough, NC. <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jamezetta Bedford, Vice-Chair Sally Greene <br /> and Commissioners Amy Fowler, Jean Hamilton, Earl McKee, Phyllis Portie-Ascott, and Anna <br /> Richards <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None. <br /> COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts <br /> COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Deputy County Manager <br /> Travis Myren, and Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen. (All other staff members will be identified <br /> appropriately below) <br /> Chair Bedford called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All commissioners were present. <br /> 1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda <br /> Chair Bedford dispensed with reading the public charge. <br /> 2. Public Comments (Limited to One Hour) <br /> a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda <br /> Terri Buckner said in the information item from Orange County Planning staff, Chapel <br /> Hill's zoning and stormwater regulations as urban, and the County's as rural. She said that <br /> observation fails to recognize that the area under concern for WASMPBA extension is neither <br /> urban nor rural. She said there are both farms and suburban neighborhoods and it is a transition <br /> area without infrastructure and community services to support high density development. She <br /> said building out that infrastructure will not fall to Chapel Hill alone and Orange County and <br /> Carrboro will be forced to support that growth in one way or another. She said cost estimates to <br /> the county cannot be done until there is a plan in place so why open the area to sewer without <br /> the plan. She said bringing in water and sewer and opening the area to high density development <br /> without a plan is the antithesis of sustainable development. She said it conflicts with the county's <br /> own Climate Action Plan among other plans. She reminded the Board that the county has already <br /> had to buy out three homes in Heritage Hills due to nuisance flooding, which arises from past <br /> planning decisions that did not anticipate climate change by allowing construction in watersheds <br /> and floodplains. She said that further destruction of currently functional watershed, which is less <br /> than 10% impervious surface, will exacerbate the effects of the nuisance flooding events. She <br /> said two homes in Heritage Hills have experienced flooding within the past 30 days, forecasting <br /> the probability that more homes will need to be condemned down the line. She said a recent <br /> report from a group of UNC researchers claims that new housing construction in flood prone areas <br /> has contributed to increased risks across NC despite community and government efforts to <br /> reduce flood damage. She said the report further claims that due to climate change and <br /> development within watersheds and floodplains, the technical BMPs are not working. She said <br /> Chapel Hill has stated that WASMPBA must be changed before they can put zoning in place, <br /> OWASA said the zoning must be in place before they can accurately estimate the cost and design <br /> of the new sewer lines, and Orange County staff claims that University Lake won't be affected, <br />