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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 2, 2004 <br />Action Agend <br />Item No. ~_~ <br />SUBJECT: Expansion of Sewer and/or Water Utilities into Areas Defined by the 1997 <br />Efland Sewer Bond and the EPA Grant for the Buckhorn EDD/Communit <br />DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y!N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Paul Thames, Cnty. Engineer, ext 2300 <br />Utility Maps (under separate cover) <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To provide for BQCC approval a recommendation (with associated proposed utility <br />extension mapping) that will: 1) define the boundaries and scope of work for the design portion <br />of the project that will extend sewer to the area of Efland defined by the 1997 sewer bond and <br />extend water and sewer to the Buckhorn Economic Development District (EDD)/community; and <br />2) authorize staff to solicit Requests for Proposals for the consultants that will provide the <br />surveying, engineering and master planning services for the project, <br />BACKGROUND: Since the mid-1980's, Orange County has been involved in the process of <br />planning for or developing utility service areas in specific portions of the US 70/ Efland/I-85/40 <br />corridor. The utility service that the County has caused or allowed to be developed has to date <br />been primarily limited to wastewater collection intended to address serious pubic health issues <br />related to failing on-site wastewater treatment systems and to enhance the availability of <br />affordable housing, <br />Since 1997, Orange County has passed a sewer bond intended to address public health issues <br />and fulfill sewer system expansion commitments in the central Efland area and secured an EPA <br />sewer grant intended to: a) enhance development opportunities for the Buckhorn Road EDD; <br />b) provide sewer utilities for a new Efland middle school; and c) address environmental <br />justice/public health issues in the Buckhorn Road community. The initiation of the project to be <br />funded by the band issue and grant has been delayed by a number of practical as well as <br />procedural concerns related to the availability of resources and land use, Specifically, the <br />BQCC, through its formal goal process, set a number of preconditions related to initiation of <br />sewer utility expansion in the Efland community. Specific preconditions have included; <br />incorporating the development of the Buckhorn Road EDD into the sewer expansion <br />planning; and <br />establishing a joint planning relationship with the City of Mebane; and <br />