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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19930316 APPROVED 5/3/93 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL MEETING MARCH 16, 1993 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in Special Session on Tuesday, March 16, 1993 at 5:00 p.m. for the purpose of meeting with the Hillsborough Town Commissioners to discuss the items as listed below. COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRESENT: Chair Moses Carey, Jr. , and Commissioners Alice M. Gordon, Stephen H. Halkiotis, Verla C. Insko and Don Willhoit. TOWN COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Mayor Horace Johnson and Town Commissioners Allen L. Lloyd, Evelyn Lloyd, Carol Lorenz, Robert Rose and Remus Smith. COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr. , Planner Gene Bell, Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe, and Planning Director Marvin Collins. TOWN STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Eric Swanson and Planning Director Margaret Hauth. INTRODUCTIONS Introductions were made and Chair Carey stated that this meeting is being held to clarify direction for both boards on several issues. 1. HILLSBOROUGH ANNEXATION PLANS Chair Carey asked Hillsborough for an update on the two annexation requests Hillsborough recently received. Mayor Johnson stated that they received a request from property owners who live on St. Mary's Road and also property owners who live on Old #10. The legislative guidelines for annexation is that Hillsborough can annex 250 contiguous acres. This figure is 10% of the Hillsborough area and cannot change unless the base is changed. In answer to a question about Hillsborough's policy on satellite annexation, Mayor Johnson stated that this issue came about because of University Station which would have provided Hillsborough a way to loop their waterline and increase pressure putting fresh water in the line. The Town feels that their efforts to increase water customers were hampered with the loss of University Station. Town Commissioner Rose stated that increasing water customers is within their fifty year plan. They had hoped that the University Station project would be approved, staying within the County's juris- diction with the city providing water and sewer. Rose feels that the Town Board, Planning Board and the Town Manager need to talk about annexation. They need to decide on a policy which would specify if the area must be contiguous or satellite. The Fox Farm development does not seem viable for annexation and the only reason they want annexation is because they want landfill site 11 removed from the consideration for a landfill. Town Commissioner Smith agreed that the Town Board has no policy on annexation. They are aware of the problems they have and will need to talk with each other and develop a policy. Eric Swanson stated that the only policy they have is that any annexation must pay for itself. Commissioner Insko stated that the County Planning Board and the County Commissioners approved the Wildwood development which is contiguous to Hillsborough town limits. However, Hillsborough is finding it difficult to annex the area because of drainage problems. The County needs to be sure they are not creating problems for other jurisdictions. Town Commissioner Rose stated that many times there are unforeseen problems which cannot be detected before they actually happen. Commissioner Willhoit questioned if these problems could have been anticipated from the design. Mayor Johnson pointed out that up until 1987, the Town contracted out all their subdivision and inspection work. They did not have adequate staff at that time to go out and review the area. They now have staff so this will not happen again. In answer to a question about similar problems, Planning Director Marvin Collins indicated that the County now has a County Engineer who reviews and identifies problem areas. The problems with Wildwood are the culvert which runs under the railroad and the springs on the land. Commissioner Insko noted that this is an example of how growth will cost money because of previous problems. Commissioner Gordon noted that one way to be sure that these problems are limited is cooperative zoning. In answer to a question about growth, Mayor Johnson indicated they want Hillsborough to grow to a population of 10,000. They can only grow northeast and southeast. Industry would be allowed along the major corridors. If they had a major pump station, they could then use gravity flow and develop from the pump station back. Most of these lines would be installed at the cost of the builder. Town Commissioner Rose stated that if nothing happens and people start developing on two acre lots and putting in wells and septic tanks, they are setting on something that will fail. Commissioner Willhoit questioned if the problem is with existing development which have failing septic tanks. Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the proposed reservoir and if the Town was depending on University Station for money for the reservoir site. Mayor Johnson indicated that they were not depending on University Station for the reservoir but rather that they were going to use that money to replace infrastructure that needs replacement. 2. COUNTY/TOWN COMMITMENT TO THE COOPERATIVE PLANNING AGREEMENT AND PROCESS Commissioner Gordon asked if the Town feels that all the area in the Cooperative Planning Zone will eventually be part of the town and Town Commissioner Smith indicated that they will not be expanding west, east or south and that it will be urban to the Rural Buffer. In answer to a comment from Commissioner Insko about the small area plan for Chapel Hill, Chair Carey indicated that the concept of small area planning is something the Board needs to look at and give the Planning Board some direction. This would be contingent on the commitment of the County and Town to the CPZ agreement. Town Commission Rose asked if water and sewer have been deleted from the open space area amendment and emphasized that Hillsborough needs to know what is happening in this area. Commissioner Gordon stated that the County was caught with zoning that University Station did not fit into. The density was about twice what was permitted. In answer to a question from Marvin Collins about economics interfering with the Cooperative Planning Agreement, Town Commissioner Rose indicated that the Town is desperate. Town Commissioner Lorenz stated that the Town is trying to play catchup from the last 10 to 20 years. They have made some progress. They have a "Vision 2010 Plan", with water and sewer plans and other things in place to go forward. Town Commissioner Rose indicated that they are not necessarily interested in annexation but they are interested in making money. Commissioner Gordon emphasized that dense development does mean specific costs for the County like schools, etc. She asked about the income from University Station and was told that the user rate would incorporate specific costs. Commissioner Insko made reference to the Cooperative Planning Map and stated that what she is hearing is that the Town needs the County to approve developments so that the Town can provide water and sewer and increase their base. Commissioner Willhoit made reference to the process and stated that the County plans to go to public hearing in May on the CPZ and adopt the Land Use Plan in November. What they cannot hold up is the rural character recommendations. Everything must be in place before it is adopted. Also, one of the proposed Economic Development Districts is in the I-40 area which is on the CPZ map. He expressed concern about this node. Collins stated that part of the CPZ plan is the Open Space area and the County needs to know what the Rural Character or Open Space strategies will be in order to finalize the plan. If the County is talking about doing a small area plan for the Open Space area, they cannot meet the schedule. The process has been held up until these two boards met to see if everyone is still in agreement. John Link stated that the County wants to pursue planning that would incorporate open space and the question of density will have to be addressed once the rural character strategies are approved. He feels the big question is the densities and if these densities will be agreeable to the County and Town. Commissioner Gordon noted that the soils are not going to be able to support sewage. Where there is water and sewer it will be dense and where there is no water and sewer there will be a noticable dropoff to rural. Commissioner Insko noted that they also need to manage growth and Town Commissioner Lorenz indicated that is the reason why they want to cooperate and have an agreement. Chair Carey clarified that although a lot of information that has already been developed can be used in doing a small area plan for the open space area, a complete plan could not be developed in time to stay with the schedule. Town Commissioner Rose asked if they will be able to run water and sewer into the open space area and indicated that they need to know what the density will be. Commissioner Insko noted that they also need to get citizen input. Commissioner Willhoit noted that the question of extending sewer to serve an area does not mean it must serve that area in any pattern. A system is designed to serve a certain capacity and planning can fit around what infrastructure will serve. Town Commissioner Carol Lorenz made reference to their Vision 2010 plan and asked if the County had a plan. She is hearing that the Board has never read their 2010 plan. Town Commissioner Rose stated that they have a detailed plan for extending water and sewer within guidelines in place. He feels the Town and the County need to share information on what each is doing. If the two elected bodies are going to do cooperative planning, then maybe they need to do an information sharing. Chair Carey agreed. Town Commissioner Lorenz suggested having an information sharing session and include (1) the County's philosophy of growth, (2) executive overview of Vision 2010 and (3) the plans the County has in place John Link asked if the two boards want staff and planning boards to move forward on ways to create a threshold on jurisdictions -- County density threshold and the city economic threshold. He needs to know if they want to go forward with the schedule for the CPZ. Commissioner Insko verified that if there is no water and sewer in the open space they don't have an agreement except in the transition area and the Town Board agreed. Commissioner Willhoit questioned if creating a loop at the New Hope School is a flaw in their open space plan. It may be that the present committee working on this needs to be expanded to get more people interested. Marvin Collins suggested that instead of expanding this group the County and Town deal with specific issues such as water and sewer and come to an agreement about density and what is needed for the line to be feasible. He does not have a problem coming up with a small area plan. The County wants to hear that it is okay to go ahead and work on the CPZ and deal with specific issues separately. They will look at the timeline and come back with an alternative proposal if necessary. There was a consensus that this is satisfactory. Town Commissioner Smith asked to go on record that he cannot go with a plan if the Town cannot run lines into the Open Space area. Commissioner Insko stated that the County Commissioners are concerned about density and want to be able to control growth. 3. OTHER ITEMS John Link gave an update on garage construction. For the Rural Education facility the County has identified three or four locations on the County and Town property and will be talking with the Town about a long-term lease. This is an issue that involves both the Town and County. With regard to library and recreation services provided by the County, Town Commissioner Rose indicated that the Town is not in a position to make contributions to either the library or recreation and parks. The Town hopes to be able to provide recreation in the form of trails and ballfields. Eric Swanson asked that his board see the f inal plans for the swimming pool. Town Commissioner Carol Lo-renz suggested that the Town and County meet quarterly with a specific agenda. EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Chair Carey to go into Executive Session to discuss a personnel matter. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Motion was made by Commissioner Insko, seconded by Commissioner Willhoit to adjourn the Executive Session and to reconvene into Special Session. VOTE: UNANIMOUS ADJOURNMENT With no further items to consider, Chair Carey adjourned the meeting. The next regular meeting will be held on March 23 , 1993 at 7:30 p.m. in the OWASA Meeting Room in Carrboro, North Carolina. Moses Carey, Jr. , Chair Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk