Agenda 12-09-2025; 8-a - Minutes for November 6, 2025 Business Meeting and November 11, 2025 Work Session

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43 1 Beth Trahos reiterated that anything over 20 lots requires them to move through a rezoning 2 process. 3 Taylor Perschau said the applicant could not do a 49-lot subdivision, but could come back 4 with a proposal with fewer than 20 lots. She said they could also request a conditional zoning 5 again, but it would have to be a different site plan and a different design. 6 Commissioner Portie-Ascott said the Board has received emails with concerns about 7 contamination of Strouds Creek. She asked for some instances that could result in contamination. 8 Beth Trahos said in her opinion, contamination is unlikely given the required federal, state, 9 and local regulations. 10 Ward Marotti said he doesn't see the wells as an issue for contamination. 11 David Barcal agreed. 12 Commissioner Carter said she walked an adjacent property yesterday and saw Strouds 13 Creek and the property in question tonight. She said the water levels there after Chantal were 14 quite high. She acknowledged that it isn't possible to design for every possibility, but asked what 15 in the design prevents contamination from septic systems in the event of flooding. 16 David Barcal said to main protection is that none of the lots are permitted within the riparian 17 buffer, so there is already a boundary set just from the lot lines, and there are setbacks from the 18 lot lines as well. He said regulations force septic to be built outside of vulnerable areas. He said 19 the 12 inches of additional usable soil required at the bottom of the septic trench can't be soil that 20 has shown a history of standing water, so that is another protection. 21 Ward Marotti said the reason to have the buffers in the first place is so that there's 22 additional inflow and infiltration opportunities prior to those surface flows reaching the existing 23 surface waters. 24 Commissioner Fowler asked what the plan is for areas where the road crosses the riparian 25 areas. 26 Don Sever said there is only one crossing that would require a small culvert. 27 28 A motion was made by Commissioner Fowler, seconded by Commissioner McKee, to 29 open the public hearing. 30 31 VOTE: UNANIMOUS 32 33 PUBLIC COMMENTS: 34 Chris Pacheco, father and coach at Eno River Academy, opposed the rezoning, citing 35 concerns about runoff, sediment, and drip field failures potentially polluting Strouds Creek and the 36 Eno River basin water supply. He emphasized the school's outdoor learning in the creek and 37 safety concerns on Highway 86. 38 Wayne Honeycutt, listing broker for the Brown family, who has owned the property since 39 the 1950s, supported the rezoning. He noted the family's history as good neighbors, providing 40 land to Duke Power and easements to Hillsborough. He shared that the property has been under 41 contract four times with various proposals, and the family supports this plan's green space and 42 lower density. He emphasized the property must be sold as no heirs remain in North Carolina. 43 Cathy Owens said she sent three emails to the Board, including some concerning statistics 44 about the traffic on Highway 86. She asked the Board to deny the rezoning request. 45 Henry Chan, Eno River Academy parent, thanked commissioners for their service and 46 opposed development that would cut down a lot of the green spaces adjacent to the school. He 47 cited the cross-country team's reliance on the land for training and meets, noting their conference 48 championship success. He expressed concerns about increased injuries from rerouted courses 49 and quoted the commissioners' earlier statement that "leadership is not about policies, but about 50 people."