Agenda - 11-18-2008 - Transfer 1

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2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 I! 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 M More distressing to me however, is the seemingly inconsistent evaluation of the criteria, such as the Adopted Exclusionary Criteria, which you did approve. According to that, under item 5'Floodplain as defined in the Orange County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance. Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source. Floodplains in Orange County are delineated on an official map of Orange County, issued by FEMA...' As you can see here, from Figure 4-Sites with Wetlands and Floodplains, it appears that this creek outlined in green ends just north of 1-40. This would seem to go along with the pictures in their research. No creek or water source appears to be affected. However, information has come forward from the Orange County GIS and FEMA, which clearly shows that the two creeks, Cates Creek and Cates Creek tributary, actually do extend south beyond 1-40. When you look at the Orange County Floodplain Map from 2008, it shows that both parcels are affected not only by the presence of the creeks, but also have 100 -year floodplains. According to a letter from FEMA to Commissioner Carey in January 2008, it is clear that development along Cates Creek and its tributaries affect flooding issues along these creeks. According to the NC Division of Water Resources, one acre of impervious surface produces 16 times more runoff than a one-acre meadow (source: News & Observer in 2006). Yet the consultant and Mr. Wilson have told us at the Hillsborough Advisory Meeting, that construction here would not affect the area. I would ask you to tell that to the people who live here: (she showed a picture) This is how development in the area has affected those along Cates Creek and tributaries. So, according to the information provided by Orange County, FEMA, and the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) of 2007, it appears that all are in agreement that sites 857 and 573 are indeed in a floodplain, and should therefore have been automatically excluded based on the adopted exclusionary criteria. Yet they were not. This is a flaw. I just wonder how many other flaws or omissions are in the overall study." Ralph Warren lives in one of the affected communities along NC 54. He thanked the County Commissioners, County staff, State staff, and Olver, Inc. for the work that has been done. He said that site 010 is one of the finer sites along NC 54. He made reference to setting the point differences and said that most of the sites are pretty similar along that line. He said that there is no process that allows for closeness. He is concerned about this process. Secondly, he said that in terms of the environmental justice, the area along NC 54 has had a series of "environmental assaults", including land acquisition for a southwest bypass in the 1970's, two proposals for an airport location in the 1980's, land acquisition for Cane Creek-' Reservoir, land acquisition for the treated waste building at the 759 site, and now the transfer station and the UNC airport siting survey. Sarah Timme said that she would like Jo Soulier to speak for her with a letter. Jo Soulier read the letter from the heirs of Carl Pegg, which are the owners of parcel 857. Dear Mr. Sallach: I am the Power of Attorney for my Grandmother, Eleanor Pegg, who is 98 years old and unable to speak on her behalf. My Grandfather, Carl Pegg, is deceased. I received your letter regarding the aforementioned transfer after the County Commissioners' meeting, as I would have made arrangements to appear on behalf of my Grandmother. I wanted to provide you with a little background on my grandparents. Carl Pegg moved to Chapel Hill in 1923 to attend the University of North Carolina (UNC), and later accepted a position as Professor of History in 1930. It is there where he met his wife Eleanor Smith. They made Chapel Hill their home and my grandmother still lives in Chapel Hill. My grandparents have been philanthropic in both Orange and Chatham Counties, helping out individuals as well as institutions. They acquired much of their land in tough times as people were in need of cash. And sometimes, when folks got "back on their feet," my grandfather would sell it back to the original owner at no profit. 0