Agenda 04-02-24; 8-a - Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 1 said there is a fire station 2 minutes away from the ETJ, but the station that serves the area is 2 based in Carrboro. She said Chapel Hill Police Department does not cover the ETJ and because 3 it is the southern-most part of the county, claimed an Orange County Sheriff patrol car is a rare 4 sighting. She questioned whether nearby schools will be able to accommodate additional students 5 moving to this area. She said she is not asking for changes, but there are no bus stops and no 6 sidewalks in the ETJ. She said more affordable housing does need to come to Chapel Hill, but 7 developers are going to spend millions of dollars to extend water and sewer to as many dwellings 8 as they are allowed. She said the Board can call for needed studies and plans with community 9 input before voting to amend WASMPBA. 10 Morgan Womble said she is a Chapel Hill native, and her family owns a farm off of Smith 11 Level Rd. in Chapel Hill established in the late 1800s-early 1900s. She said her grandfathers 12 worked to sustain the land through a variety of means, and now her brother and father work every 13 day just to pay taxes on the land. She said her concern with the WASMPBA extension is the 14 downstream effects it may certainly have on the south Chapel Hill community. She asked the 15 Board what consideration has been made regarding economic and demographic impacts of the 16 water line that will lead to continued development in the area. She asked how this would affect 17 taxes in the community. She said the areas surrounding the proposed extension are filled with 18 low to middle-income families that will be priced out as big developers come into the area, her 19 family included. She said this change will completely change the demographics of this area unless 20 thoughtful planning is done for how to develop the region. She said she understands that growth 21 and development is inevitable, but asked the Board to ensure there is appropriate regulations in 22 place for developers who may come in to build apartment complex after apartment complex. 23 24 b. Matters on the Printed Agenda 25 (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.) 26 27 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members 28 Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she attended the Research Triangle Regional 29 Partnership luncheon, and the discussion showcased the diversity and strength of the region's 30 economic landscape and how community colleges are working together to enhance workforce 31 development programs. She said an attendee asked one of the site consultants what they think 32 different counties should work to improve, and he responded that industry leaders are looking to 33 hear how they are addressing affordable housing issues and that demographic groups being left 34 out of the workforce are identified and work is being done to engage them. She shared that she 35 participated in BIPOC Electeds Black History Month Poetry Reading and also went to the Ag 36 Summit yesterday. At the latter event, she said there was an eye-opening discussion on farm 37 transitions and the presenter stressed the importance of the availability of resources for farmers 38 to begin early planning. She said she read Lillian's Right to Vote earlier today to a group of fifth 39 grade students at Carrboro Elementary for the Eighth Annual African American Read-In and is 40 grateful that the students were attentive and engaging and invited her to their classroom. 41 Commissioner Hamilton said she also participated in the BIPOC poetry reading and noted 42 the event is available to view on Carrboro's website. She shared that she also had the privilege 43 of reading Testing the Ice at Carrboro Elementary School today and There Was a Party for 44 Langston at Northside Elementary on February 9th. She said it was important to her to be in the 45 classroom with the students and reiterated how vital it is to invest in our children. Commissioner 46 Hamilton said she is on the Alliance Health Board and questions have come up about the structure 47 of that board. She said the board looks for applicants with certain expertise and perspectives. She 48 reviewed some of the areas of expertise the board is looking for. She petitioned the Board to form 49 a subcommittee to look at the performance measures of the Strategic Plan. 50 Commissioner Fowler said she filled in at the Central Pines Regional Council MPO 51 meeting and reported that Pinehurst, Southern Pines, and Aberdeen will be pulled out into their