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WHEREAS, Orange County has approved a 1.1 million-square foot planned development for <br /> the Interstate 85/Buckhorn Road Economic Development District that will create an estimated <br /> 1,000 to 1,500 construction jobs and 1,500 to 2,000 permanent jobs in the retail, <br /> accommodation and food services sectors; and <br /> WHEREAS, a traffic impact analysis has estimated the development will generate over 45,000 <br /> trips per weekday and over 60,000 trips per day on weekends, with capture of over 5,000 peak <br /> hour pass-by trips on weekends; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Buckhorn Village planned development proposes three access points on <br /> Buckhorn Road between Interstate 85 and West Ten Road; and <br /> WHEREAS, that traffic impact analysis recommends several improvements on Buckhorn <br /> Road, an auxiliary lane on westbound Interstate 85 from the Weigh Station on-ramp to the <br /> Buckhorn Road off-ramp, and signalization of several intersections to handle increased traffic; <br /> and <br /> WHEREAS, the project will produce an estimated $6 million in retail sales revenue per year <br /> and an estimated $1.35 million in property tax revenue; and <br /> WHEREAS, North Carolina Session Law 2007-323 makes abase budget appropriations for <br /> current operations of State departments that includes the North Carolina Department of <br /> Transportation; and <br /> WHEREAS, Section 27.3 of that act provides that, of funds appropriated by that act to the <br /> Department of Transportation in fiscal year 2007-2008, fourteen million dollars be allocated <br /> equally among the 14 Highway Divisions for economic development transportation projects <br /> recommended by the member of the Board of Transportation; and <br /> WHEREAS, the needed transportation improvements for Buckhorn Road will contribute to <br /> further economic development; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Buckhorn Village planned development ensures any needed right-of-way will <br /> be provided to NCDOT at no cost and that utility relocations will be accomplished at no cost to <br /> NCDOT; and <br /> WHEREAS< the Buckhorn Road improvements are one of Orange County's top priorities in <br /> the Triangle Area Regional Planning Organization (TARPO) Priority List for the Transportation <br /> Improvement Program, and have been for several years, and adverse impacts to existing <br /> neighborhoods can also be reduced with the Buckhorn Road improvements; <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Orange County Board of Commissioners that <br /> Orange County requests the $400,000 reserved in Division 7 funds for economic development <br /> transportation projects, and authorizes the Chair to forward a letter to the Board of <br /> Transportation member and the Division 7n Engineer requesting those funds. <br /> VOTE: Ayes, 4; No, 1 (Commissioner Nelson) <br /> Lease Renewal: Sawyer Building <br />