MInutes 02-06-2024 - Business Meeting

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2 but residents are completely helpless to protect their homes and safety without the BOCC's resistance. Catherine Vaughan thanked the Commissioners for their responses to an email she sent earlier in the week. She said she applauds the decision to have a crisis diversion facility in the community and reflects humanity and pragmatism. She said she is concerned that her neighborhood is being enclosed by development. She asked the Board to consider helping to preserve the residential character of the Waterstone at Harmony community by minimizing intrusion from development around the neighborhood. She said she would like for there to be sufficient setback, a substantial wooded buffer so that lights will not come into residential windows at night and would also like to see perimeter fencing. b. Matters on the Printed Agenda (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.) 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members Commissioner McKee petitioned the Board to instruct staff or the Broadband Task Force to identify solutions that would extend broadband to the areas that have been identified and would not otherwise receive service in Lumos's current plans. Commissioner Hamilton said she attended the Central Pines Regional Council Open House and board meeting. She said this council is an important regional governmental body that encourages collaboration between participating counties and helps tax dollars go further. She said Central Pines recently won a $3.9 million grant to study EV charging stations and help create a national standard to enhance reliability. She said she also attended an Alliance Health board meeting and encouraged residents to apply for vacancies on the board. Lastly, she said she attended the Durham Technical Community College Board of Trustees meeting and update and the Go Triangle Special Tax Board meeting. Vice-Chair Greene said she attended the Orange County Democratic Party meeting at Carol Woods last Sunday which recognized Chapel Hill Town Council Member Theodore Nollert's efforts to organize the student vote for the fall election. She said she appreciates Commissioner McKee's petition and joined him and Commissioner Portie-Ascott at the Caldwell Community Center for another Lumos community presentation. She said on Saturday, she and Commissioner Richards represented the Board at the Orange County Extension and Community Association, which dates to the home demonstration groups of the early 20th century. She said the Association is a group of women who used to do canning and quilting, and they now raise money and give goods and services to nonprofits in the community. She shared that one member has been part of the group for 65 years. Commissioner Fowler petitioned staff to bring forward an Ordinance that would preclude tobacco, vape, and hemp shops within 1000 feet of schools and parks. She said she would also like the county to serve as a resource to municipalities so they may adopt similar ordinances, which is vital for them to have any real impact. She said she has reached out to elected officials in Hillsborough, Carrboro, and Chapel Hill with this request. She said County Attorney John Roberts anticipated this issue and has been delineating a course of action. Further, she said this topic has been discussed by Health Director Quintana Stewart and the Board of Health Equity Committee, who agree it is worthwhile. She said surrounding counties and municipalities in Wake, Alamance, Durham, and Chatham have already or are looking into adopting similar ordinances. She shared some statistics regarding tobacco use and vaping, including that usage among NC high school students has increased over 1000% since 2011 and that NC has the second highest rate of youth vaping in the country. She shared that 4 local Orange County youth met with Senator Tillis to discuss substance use prevention. She said there are things that will have to be addressed by the state, but a county ordinance is something that can be done on a local level. Commissioner