Orange County NC Website
276 <br /> Approved 8.7.24 <br /> 1352 <br /> 1353 Dan Eddleman: Mr. Stober, our planning director, reminded us sternly at the first meeting here that is <br /> 1354 about land use, not intent. You've heard a lot about intent, but the bottom line is you have <br /> 1355 to judge this on what the footprint is on the ground and what you see in this plan is a large <br /> 1356 development R5 zoning category which, again, the land use plan specifically states where <br /> 1357 those areas are perfectly acceptable. This approach and their intent could have been <br /> 1358 applied to those areas. Mr. Gilfillen made a comment about quick speeches and one that <br /> 1359 came to mind to me is, "We hold these truths to be self-evident". And it is in the land use <br /> 1360 planning principles 5 and 8, preservation of rural land and rural character, future growth <br /> 1361 and development should occur in a manner that preserves and enhances the existing <br /> 1362 character of the county, its townships and rural crossroads. Land use goal three, a variety <br /> 1363 of land uses that are coordinated within a program that limits sprawl, preserves <br /> 1364 community, rural character, minimizes land use conflicts, supported by an efficient and <br /> 1365 balanced transportation system, discourages urban sprawl, this is Land Use LU-3.1, <br /> 1366 discourages urban sprawl, encourages separation of urban and rural land use and direct <br /> 1367 new development into areas where community facilities and services exist. To coordinate <br /> 1368 land use, this is LU-3.4, coordinate land use patterns that facilitate the expanded use of <br /> 1369 non-automobile transportation modes. This is NA-17, maintain and protect land that <br /> 1370 contains valuable productive water, productive resources such as prime farmland, prime <br /> 1371 forest land and directing incompatible development away from these areas. We hold this <br /> 1372 to be the truth in this matter. Let me read something quickly here from the 2022 long <br /> 1373 range OWASA land use plan for water. While we, this is OWASA speaking, have plenty <br /> 1374 of water in the most circumstances, Cane Creek Reservoir is vulnerable to extended <br /> 1375 drought or back-to-back droughts. It was designed to maximize storage which is <br /> 1376 generally good and provides a higher yield; however, it has a relatively small drainage <br /> 1377 area for storage volume and can take a long time to refill. University Lake refills quickly, <br /> 1378 but it doesn't hold enough water for our daily needs. Cane Creek Reservoir can take over <br /> 1379 a year to refill under these weather conditions. Chapel Hill's water supply is these <br /> 1380 agricultural, low population density land contains small creeks and tributaries that feed <br /> 1381 into the reservoir. This is about Chapel Hill's water supply. I'm surprised that Chapel Hill <br /> 1382 doesn't have the opportunity to speak on this matter, so I think that's why it should be part <br /> 1383 of the comprehensive plan in the future. <br /> 1384 <br /> 1385 Mike Fox: Mike Fox, thank you for allowing me to speak. I have until 10, is that correct? I'm kidding. <br /> 1386 I'm opposed to the rezoning. Alan, Maria, Scott, they've all been in my house, we live right <br /> 1387 across the street from this proposed development. Our property, 20 acres, my daughter's <br /> 1388 property, 2'/z acres, could probably not sit more directly right in front of where this land is. <br /> 1389 If I would have had any idea, I did a couple years ago, that Tom was going sell his <br /> 1390 property, I would have done my best to purchase it myself or get people around us to <br /> 1391 purchase it, because we just love the 90 acres of trees there. My daughter lives right next <br /> 1392 door, I have her two horses right there on Goldmine Loop. I don't like the horses, but 1 <br /> 1393 don't want them spooked all the time with the noise. Very concerned about all this. <br /> 1394 We've been meeting with them for 2 years, went into the meeting very open-minded <br /> 1395 because initially you're like, okay, well, this is something that's never heard of this before, <br /> 1396 1 left the last meeting proud of myself that I learned what a rural activity node was. So <br /> 1397 now that I've learned all this, and I see what's getting ready to happen here, this is totally <br /> 1398 inconsistent with why we moved out there, Tom said he's been there for six generations, <br /> 1399 Gaston Pierce has been there 3-4 years, generation farmers, right next to this <br /> 1400 development. This is a massive project, so Fiddlehead Corner they say that they're going <br /> 1401 to blend in with rural Orange County. There's no 3-story building within miles of where <br />