Minutes 03-07-2024 - Business Meeting

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19 the pressures of transit. She said she does not think the rationale for this holds and wants more information before she feels comfortable saying yes to this amendment. Commissioner McKee said he does not have any interest in this area, but his wife's family owns lands on the western side of Chapel Hill-Carrboro. He said they are experiencing the same unaffordable growth in value. He said there may be some affordable housing added with this amendment, but the alternative for parcels in this area is multi-million-dollar homes will be built. He said this is a major corridor and an access to Chapel Hill, which will not stop growing and will not stop being attractive. He said in every agenda item, some are advantaged, and some are disadvantaged. He said it makes sense to him to put water and sewer along major access corridors. He said it allows more affordable housing and closer density, although will still likely not be affordable to the average wage earner. He said he thinks BRT will be in the plans in this area in the future. He said this amendment does not change anything about future development. He said the planning people want will still have to happen. He said he does support this amendment, and this can be a good thing. Vice-Chair Greene said the most compelling argument that residents have brought to the Board is that they are their only elected officials. She said she takes that to heart and takes it very seriously and has appreciated their perspective and heavily considered their input. She said she keeps coming back to the fact that this area is within Chapel Hill's planning jurisdiction and is the intention of Chapel Hill to grow in this area. She said it absolutely will not be all affordable housing, but there are multiple ways to produce some affordable housing here. She said for subsidized housing, it is critically important for land to be donated to an affordable housing developer because it is such a critically expensive part of the proposition. She said the idea for this amendment came from the Chamber's Big Bold Ideas and the Chamber's focus on what it can do to work on affordable housing in the community. She said Chapel Hill does have rigorous processes for collecting input in the next planning steps and ETJ residents will be a part of that. She said ultimately, she believes this is Chapel Hill's area to plan and they will do a responsible job with it, and they need the assurance this boundary amendment will be approved before investing resources for additional planning. Commissioner Richards said Vice-Chair Greene discussed the Big Bold Ideas more eloquently than she did, and describing the level of community input that went into identifying areas that make sense. She said this area makes sense. She said this does not affect the rural buffer and with Chapel Hill and Carrboro renewing their commitment to maintaining the rural character of Smith Level Rd., it gives her some reassurance. She said given the rigorous planning process, it is good there are no plans yet because if the plan were set, there would be no opportunity for residents to participate in the visioning. She said she feels the Town Council is committed to the affordable housing piece of this, and ultimately, she is inclined to support it as well. She said she also lives in the ETJ, just on the other side, and understands the concerns raised by residents and encouraged them to be involved in the next planning phases. Commissioner Fowler said she agrees with a lot of what the Board has said and understands the concerns of residents in the area. She said she understands the argument that this will not make a big dent for affordable housing, but if they do not make any dent, it will only continue to get worse. She said regarding vehicle miles traveled, if people do not live here, they will be traveling from other counties to Orange County for work or other reasons. She said this is a major corridor and development here makes the most sense at this point in time. She said all this amendment does is change the water and sewer boundary, the planning process still must take place. She said weighing all of the different issues, she supports this amendment. Chair Bedford said she agrees with a lot of what has been said. She said she attended the public meeting that Chapel Hill held, and a number of people were opposed, and some were also in favor. She said she had an opportunity to review the WASMPBA with Orange County Planning staff. She said she initially wanted to wait until CLUP 2050 was done but has been assured that there is enough water for all future planning. She said ETJs are undemocratic in her