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7 <br /> ignored by our elected officials. Senate Bill 1925, an appropriations bill for the University of <br /> North Carolina System, was passed in the legislative short session. Buried in SB1925 is <br /> Section 4. Section 4 granted the UNC Board of Governors the power to effectively create a <br /> municipality out of thin air in the name of an "Airport Authority." The UNC Airport Authority is a <br /> political subdivision of the State has the power of eminent domain, and can bypass county <br /> regulations. UNC and UNC Healthcare are granted majority membership in the Authority, <br /> seating eight out of fifteen members. SB1925 was passed without consulting Orange County <br /> Commissioners or citizens who would be affected by the creation of an Airport Authority. <br /> The University recently released a Talbert & Bright economic impact study based on a <br /> regional airport located in Orange County. Their study projects 40-50 million dollars annual <br /> revenue from an "unrestricted" general aviation airport in Orange County. If we accept the <br /> Talbert & Bright economic report, are we to assume that the University is now the un-elected <br /> planning board for the county? <br /> We do not believe the 2008 Talbert & Bright study is an accurate assessment of the <br /> economic benefits. We ask the county to assess the accuracy of Talbert & Bright's May 2008 <br /> "working paper." We believe the University is using this unverified paper, written by an aviation <br /> consulting firm, as economic justification for the airport. <br /> This heavy handed and opaque progression of events that purposely bypassed the <br /> County Commissioners and county voters is very troubling. We cannot wait for the Airport <br /> Authority to issue letters of eminent domain which would, as you know, make it impossible for <br /> landowners to remain on their property. <br /> Given the University's proximity to RDU, a county airport is not needed to fulfill the <br /> AHEC's mission. The Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport recently received $5 million in <br /> FAA funds to lengthen their runway in order to accommodate larger jets. The Burlington <br /> Airport Authority made a proposal to UNC in 2005 offering to accommodate AHEC MedAir <br /> Operations. Duke Medical currently flies out of Burlington-Alamance. WE ask the <br /> commissioners to include Burlington's proposal in discussions you hold with UNC. <br /> If land is taken by eminent domain for an airport in southwest Orange County, the <br /> county will lose active farmland that has been passed down from family to family for <br /> generations. We ask the commissioners for a resolution condemning the use of eminent <br /> domain for commercial purposes. <br /> We believe the proposed airport is an environmental disaster. An airport would put our <br /> well water at risk and endanger the Haw River watershed without regard for the people <br /> downstream that rely on the watershed for drinking water. Diabase sill dikes run beneath Site <br /> H properties and prevented a landfill from being built many years ago. <br /> We believe that creative solutions to concerns raised by AHEC staff and the University <br /> regarding commute times to RDU have not been explored. UNC is a research facility. Surely, <br /> for much less than $50 million, the University can devise and implement an environmentally <br /> and economically sound plan to transport UNC and AHEC staff to and from RDU. We enlist <br /> the help of the commissioners to be certain that solutions other than a new airport are <br /> considered by the Airport Authority. <br /> We believe that both federal and state taxpayer's money, spent on an airport built <br /> mostly to serve special interest groups, could be spent much more effectively elsewhere in <br /> Orange County and the state of North Carolina. <br /> We respectfully request the Commissioners take a public stand on the airport issue and <br /> censure the legislature for bypassing Orange County voters with SB 1925. <br /> We request a referendum to allow the people of Orange County to weigh in on the <br /> airport issue with their votes. <br /> If the airport site selection process proceeds, we ask that the commissioners commit to <br /> making certain that county land use, zoning and permits are strictly enforced. <br />