Minutes 09-04-2025-Business Meeting

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1 APPROVED 1017/25 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUSINESS MEETING September 4, 2025 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Business Meeting on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Human Services Center in Hillsborough, NC. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jamezetta Bedford, Vice-Chair Jean Hamilton and Commissioners Marilyn Carter, Amy Fowler, Sally Greene, Earl McKee, and Phyllis Portie- Ascott COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None. COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager Caitlin Fenhagen, and Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen. (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) Chair Bedford called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All commissioners were present, except Commissioner McKee. 1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda Chair Bedford made a motion to postpone item 6-a to a future meeting. Commissioner Greene seconded the motion. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Commissioner McKee arrived at 7:01 p.m. Chair Bedford read the public charge. 2. Public Comments (Limited to One Hour) a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda Rebecca Gallegly spoke about her concerns regarding a proposed rezoning issue for a 78-acre development on Highway 86 that would affect her small neighborhood of 14 homes and Eno River Academy. She expressed worry about the potential for sewage from over 50 septic fields contaminating Strouds Creek, which is a major tributary to the Eno River and protected watershed. She noted that Eno River Academy students use the creek daily as a significant learning tool for creek studies and hiking. She asked the commissioners to consider not rezoning the agricultural land for a development. Cathy Owens shared a handout with the Board regarding the agricultural features of the proposed development on Highway 86. She has lived at 158 Blackman Lane (also 1501 NC Highway 86 North) in Hillsborough for 24 years. She emphasized the importance of agricultural use and the rural buffer to their lifestyle and how they raise their children. She noted that the developer consistently calls their pasture "vacant land," which she characterized as "smoke and mirrors." She detailed the wildlife on the property including deer that neighbors rely on for food, bears, wild turkeys, and mollusks in Strouds Creek. She mentioned that their barn is one of the 20 oldest dairy barns in North Carolina and that Daniel Boone has walked through their front yard. She strongly advocated for maintaining the rural buffer.