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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19921201140 APPROVED 2 1 93 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY EOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND ORANGE COUNTY PLANNING BOARD DECEMBER 1, 1992 The Orange County Board of Commissioners and the Orange County Planning Board held a joint meeting on December 1, 1992 at 7:30 p.m. in Superior Courtroom, Hillsborough, North Carolina. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Moses Carey, Jr., and Commissioners Alice M. Gordon, Stephen H. Halkiotis, Verla C. Insko and Don Willhoit. PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Carol Cantrell and members James Grey, Elizabeth Eidenier, D. Rent Scot, Clinton E. Burklin, and Joan Jobsis. COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe, Planning Director Marvin Collins, Recreation and Parks Director MaryAnne Moore and Planner Mary Willis. A. OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIRMAN Chair Moses Carey, Jr. welcomed everyone to the meeting. He stated that letters and statements have been received and will be noted in the minutes for this meeting. B. PUBLIC CHARGE Chair Moses Carey, Jr. read the public charge. PUBLIC HEARING ON A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT A. C'P--1-92 UNIVERSITY STATION Planning Director Marvin Collins presented slides to explain the request. He emphasized that this public hearing involves an amendment to the County's Comprehensive Plan. It is not a rezoning and is not involved in considering the issuance of a Special Use Permit. It is not involved with any specific site plan or any subdivision plat, but is an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. If tr-.t amendment is approved, there would be another pudic hearing. process that the applicants would have to go. through.. That.. could not occur before the February quarterly public hearing. If this amendment is approved, then they would be involved in considering a specific site plan for the project, the issuance of a Special Use Permit,. and also rezoning of the property. He stated that normally they do not have this many public hearings,involving a project which is simply an amendment to the Land Use Plan. He noted that a dispute resolution group has beer, set up to try to wore.. out some agreement in terms of the project. The plan shown tonight is still in the conceptual stage. There is room for change. It is not as detailed as the plan that will be considered at the February public hearing. The slides show the location of the property at the intersection of New Hope Church Road and Old NC 10. It is currently designated in the plan as Rural Residential which allows one unit per acre. The slides show the open space development area around the Town of Hillsborough. He noted that in that area public water and sewer extensions would be permitted for any development .hat preserves a significant amount of open space. He briefly told of the historical background of this area beginning in 1938. In 1966 a change begin 141 to occur and although the north side of NC 10 is in farmland, the south side had changed completely and become forested. In 1985, most of the property ww - wooded. He presented several slides which showed the area as it exists todal- One thing that characterizes the property is wetlands. Mr. Collins showeu several slides on the condition of the land. He emphasized that the plan tonight is the revised plan. The plan presented in August had 1,326 units located in a village to the south of the power line which runs through the middle of the property- and scattered in cluster subdivisions to the south and northwest of the village and across NC 10. In the August plan there was 54 to 55% open space being proposed. The revised plan has reduced the number of units from 1,326 to 1,094. There are more wetland areas preserved and there is more open space and buffers provided in terms of the cluster subdivisions. The County park site has been expanded from 25'acres to a0 acres. The area on the north side of NC 10 has been left open from the eastern extent of the property to the western end. The village would have a day care center and a transit stop. In the center around a commons area, there would be a cluster of commercial and institutional uses as well as a community center and a church site. The golf course would be located on the north side of the village. There are many trees and vegetation that would need to be protected. He told about neotraditional villages. It does not mean that it is a Dunay village. Andres Dunay is the godfather of neotraditionalism because of his work around the United States. Mr. Collins showed some slides of Pinehurst which demonstrated a similar pattern to what the developer for University Station would like to do. He then showed some slides of what the applicant as in mind for the concept of University Station with a village commons su--rounding by small scale commercial and institutional uses. It takes a very detailed plan to carry out the village character. One of the issues is th -L .,,pact on public schools. The elementary school membership would grow 8_..;, children over capacity cr,the equivalent of four classrooms. The impact on the middle school membership would be 40 over capacity in the first year ally and the impact on the high school capacity would be 14 in the last year of project development. Another issue would be traffic impacts. The capacity of New Hope Church Road is 7760 vehicles a day which is based on a speed limit of 35 miles per hour and a pavement width of 20 feet. The protected growth on New Hope Church Road is 3% a year. The University Station project would generate 6,194 cars a day_which- falls below the capacity of the road... He showed the same information for NC 10 which indicates that the long range impact falls within the capacity of the road. University Station Road would have lower impacts because of the traffic assigned to that road. He talked about water and sewer service to the area. The major water distribution lines would be 12-inch lines and would extend from a 16-inch line on US 70 and go down University Station Road, turn and go down Old NC 10 and then down New Hope Church Road to connect to the 12-inch line in front of New Hope Elementary School. In terms of the impact on the Hillsborough Water Treatment Plant, there will still be at the end of ten years one million gallons per day capacity. He showed how the lines would serve the development. The sewage treatment plant has a capacity of three million gallons per day. At the buildout of University Station, there will still be one million gallons left. Distribution lines and collection laterals associated with the sewer system will be installed by the developer. The developer would also be responsible for paying capital facility fees and a perpetual maintenance fee associates' with the lift station and paying the entire cost of putting in the majo. distribution lines. That total cost is 2.5 million. The fiscal impact of University Station shows a surplus resulting from University Station. In 142 terms of the fiscal impact on the school board, there is zero impact. Mr. Collins stated that there are man opportunities of `iccomplish.ing some of the strategies that are set forth in the rural character ..strategies. The Planning Staff has made several recommendations. One recommendation is that, in terms of the corridor along Stoney Creek, there be a 600 foot corridor that extends through the site and designated as a wildlife corridor. In terms of the golf course, they recommend that it be removed from the wetlands and the wildlife corridor and remain less than 50% of the open space on the property. In terms of the impacts, the develcper may want to consider a self-imposed impact fee to collect $330,000 which would be used for acquisition of a future school site. They would also like to see the older structures incorporated into the design of the plan as much as possible. They would like to see the beech bluffs incorporated into the open space area. Street improvements include widening all the roads abutting the property to 24 feet, and installation of deceleration lanes anO center turn lanes at any entrances into the property. They would like to see the bridge over Stoney Creek replaced so that it could provide for pedestrian as well as wildlife movement along the corridor. Both NC 10 and New Hope Church Road have been identified as potential bike routes. If the road is widened, bike lanes could be installed. In terms of the wildlife corridor, they would like to see that given over to some organization such as Triangle Land Conservancy or some other private land trust. In conclusion, there recommendation is that the Land Use Plan amendment be approved. There are two options. The first is to designate the property as Transition which will allow the extension of public water and sewer and allow the development of the site. The second option is that the Open Space Development Area category be put into the Land Use Plan. ?'his would insure that this project would stay in the county's jurisdiction end that the project be carried out in accordance with adopted open space strategies. COMMENTS FROM BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OR PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS Commissioner Gordon asked for a further explanation of the fiscal impact. Mr. Collins noted that they used the number of school age children pew household as developed as a part of the school impact fee study which was lower than the number of children per household that was reported in the 1980 Census. Commissioner Willhoit made reference to the alignment of New Hope Church Road with NC 10 and asked if that realignment had any affect on the carrying capacity of the road. Mr. Collins stated that widening the roads would increase their carrying capacity. If NCDOT were requested, as part of the Transportation Improvement Program or the secondary road improvement program, to widen New Hope Church Road and NC 10 to 24 feet, it would increase the capacity of the road substantially. Speed limit signs need to be placed on these two roads. Commissioner Insko clarified that the purpose of this hearing is to hear comments on the plans, goals, objectives, policies and locational criteria without respect to the particulars of the proposed project. She asked if the goals pertain to the goals of the Transition area or Open Space. Mr. Collins indicated this could mean any of the goals as contained in the Comprehensive Plan. It could also include the goals of the Master Recreation and Parks Plan. She asked how they can legz.:lly hear comments on the open 'pace concept in addition to the transition area. Mr. Collins clarified that .rie open space concept was included in the new advertisement which means that this is a continuation of the old public hearing which included the transition 143 area with the addition of the open space concept. In answer to another-- question, Mr. Collins indicated that he would recommend that this t designated Open Space Development Area but that assumes that the Tura:.;. character strategies will be adopted as well as the open space Land Use Plan category. If neither of these are approved, he would like to see the project go forward and have the site designated Transition. The County has not yet adopted a Cooperative Land Use Plan with the Town of Hillsborough. If the County wanted to assure that a particular project stayed within its jurisdiction, it could be placed in an Open Space category. If University station is approved and designated as Open Space, it would be incorporated into the Cooperative Planning Zone with Hillsborough. COmmiSS=oner Insko asked if the open Space is part of the Rural Character Study. Mr. Collins stated that the County's-Water and sewer Policy discourages public water and sewer extension outside of Transition areas except for emergency.purposes or to serve a public facility. It says that where developments are carried out with significant amounts of open space that public water and sewer facilities would be allowed. The und rstanding with Hillsborough is that the strategies that control what constitutes a significant amount of open space or constitutes open space development would be the Rural Character Strategies. if a developer carries out a project in accord with the Rural Character Strategies and preserves open space, then he would be allowed to have public water and sewer. This falls under option #6 in the Rural Character Strategies. Commissioner Willhoit made reference to the open space Development Area category and stated that this was an outgrowth of comments made by County Commissioners regarding the Transition area because of the implications o` annexation. This was not considered previously as part of the Comprehensiv, Plan. He questioned why the County would oppose annexation and if this issue was identified as a concern of the neighborhood in the University Station area. CommIssioner Insko asked if comments are appropriate on the particulars of the University Station project. Mr. Collins indicated that the only way the Board can assess the impacts of the development is to get into a fairly specific plan. In answer to a question about light rail, Mr. Collins stated that in the revised plan, there is a site designated.as a transit site. These areas are not intended to support the rail system but to supplement it, Commissioner Insko stated she has a problem in supporting light rail as a concept and have the philosophy that drives the development decisions to increase density in order to be able to support light rail. Mr. Collins clarified that if the Board adopts the Land Use Plan Category of Open Space on January 8, 1993, they could then, if they approve this Land Use Plan Amendment, place University station into that category. Commissioner Gordon asked about option #6 which is allowed only in the Hillsborough Open Space Area. The other Rural Character Strategies are allowed anywhere in the County. She asked if the Board needs to act on all the Rural Character Strategies or just #6. Mr. Collins noted that Rural Character Strategies and Open Space Strategies are the same. Actually all the strategies would be available in the Cooperative Planning Area. Chair Carey asked for suggestions on a date to continue this public hearing and it was decided that this public hearing would be continued or. December 14, 1992 at 7:30 p.m. in Superior Courtroom in Hillsborough, Nort: Carolina. COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE 144 Callie Warner stated that the choice is between staying within the current zoning and do cluster open Space Developments and save portions of the rural character while addressing the needs or go to a category which will wring in higher density and water and sewer. She feels that this plan has been presented to the public as a great alternative to the one house per acre development and a statement as to what can be done in Orange Cou:-;ty. She thinks it is something that has generated a lot of concern. She introduced Randall Arendt who has had 20 years of experience in rural planning with emphasis on blending, conservation and development. He is co-author of Dealing With Chan. Randall Arendt stated that he thinks the University Station plan represents a tremendous amount of site analysis and thought and represents the work of a lot of people but the logic is based on the wrong premise and that no matter how good the analysis is, from then on it is flawed. He addressed the three areas of density, sewer service and open space. Mr. Arendt stated that offering 67% density bonus and extending sewer lines to protect open space is like building a highway to relieve traffic congestion. The solutions cause growth. He stated that density bonuses have been seen for a long time as a way of encouraging developers to do better site design, but maybe the solution is to write design standards in the ordinances so that better design is part of the package the developers normally do and density bonuses are then not necessary. He made reference to a planning document called "Rural Orange Buildout Analysis" dated January, 1992. That document indicates that in the rural area in 1990, there were less than 20,000 people. The buildout of rural Orange when the unbuildable areas are deleted is 130,000 without any density bonuses. He showed some slides of Farmview which is a development on 430 acres in an area with 1 acre zoning located within easy commuting distance of ?hiladelphia. Of this 430 acres, 130 were wet woods. This left 300 acres for -300 lots. The developer asked that he be allowed to build these 300 homes on 150 acres leaving 150 acres of farmland w1.ich he donated to the local land trust. This ended up to be the fastest selling development in this area. Not only are density bonuses necessary but so are public sewer line extensions. One alternative is land treatment of reclaimed wastewater land application. This would avoid the need for expensive sewer connections. A publicly financed sewer line encourages growth. Mr. Arendt's third point is the definition of open space. He-recommends clustering on 50% of the buildable land to reserve the other half as permanent open space. He doesn't count unbuildable wetlands or floodplains or "steep slopes, power line easements,-' road rights-of-way, storm retention basins or parking lots as contributing toward open space requirements. But he feels that in this very creative University Station plan, one of the creative aspects is how much of these power line easements and retention basins and golf courses could be counted as open space. A highly developed intensively managed active recreational plan should definitely count toward open space, but should not count for any more than half of the required open space. He noted that except for the golf course and the 30 acre recreational park, almost all the 60% open space consists of unbuildable areas as noted above. He recommends a balanced approach to open space which would include pastures, meadows and overgrown forests which is not.preserved in this plan. The plan is workable but this imbalance of the open Space Area needs to be addressed. He feels this could be done by (1) scaling back the proposal, (2) redesigning the proposal to a -rue neo-traditional village, or (3) legitimizing his request for a hugh 67% density bonus by preserving 500 acres of developable land elsewhere in the University Station neighborhood. To increase the acreage of neutral lands 145 preserved as open space, the developer should also consider eliminating the golf course or at least scaling it back to nine holes. He noted that th -= Rural Character Study listed three goals which he feels are not included i. the University Station plan. The first goal is to preserve and protect agricultural lands and managed forestry. This goal would permit farming and forestry operations to coexist. The second goal is to preserve and protect natural resources. He'feels that in the University Station plan any land that is buildable is designated for house lots, streets and a golf course except for the 25 acre park on the north side of NC 10.' A third goal of the Rural Character Study is to preserve and protect visual resources. He feels the plan doesn't do a terrible job of that but could do better. Mr. Arendt feels that in return for a 67% density bonus, the plan should satisfy these three stated goals in order to get this density bonus.' Extending the sewer line is going to open up the area and cause growth. He continued his presentation by showing a group of slides which demonstrate a density neutral development. Mr. Arendt indicated that he works for a land trust near Philadelphia which owns 54 nature preserves and has an active planning group which advises developers and municipalities on conservation and development strategies. In answer to a question from Commissioner Halkiotis, Mr. Arendt stated he is serving as a consultant and the group is making a contribution to the Land Trust to cover his time and expenses. ARTHUR COGSWELL, one of the planners for University Station, stated that the issue with University Station is jobs and economic growth versus the elitist interest of a small group. They had considered doing a very high priced subdivision using a self contained sewage system as Mr. Arendt,.. mentioned which would have cost the same as the sewer and water system. H understands that the Town of Hillsborough needs the water customers. HL emphasized that this is a middle market project. The struggle is to keep the unit prices down so that middle management and.supervisors -- moderate income people can buy the houses and thus companies can be induced to move to Orange County to provide jobs and increase the tax base. They are designing this project within the existing regulations. It is not their role to propose radical changes from the existing ordinances. This project meets all the existing and the proposed regulations. They have reduced the density from 132.6. to 1094. which is what they were told they could do..- He explained that he and all the planners for this development are from Orange County and------- Raleigh. The outcome is very important to them and it is important that what they do is good for Orange County and its people on all levels. They want to be proud of this development. They are not the kind of people that would knowingly do anyt#ing to harm the environment or create other serious problems for the county. They are concerned about the misinformation and distortion of facts that characterize the comments from those who oppose this project. The environmental impact to the golf course will be minimal. Michael Ortosky will discuss this issue later in this presentation. The traffic issue will k discussed by Mr. Robert Grill. This development will not raise taxes as has been claimed by the opponents. Also, the open space areas will not be built on in the future. The open space will be deeded to the Triangle Land Conservancy. The planning principles used in this project have been used everywhere in the 19th and 20th centuries. The citizens who oppose this plan say that the plan is rural. Mr. Cogswell stated that that is not true. ThiF is a deteriorating and disused farm located between two interstates next t a trailer park and contiguous to a Transition area in a section of the County that will clearly be developed in the near future. It has been said that 146 University Station will flood the school system which is not true as shown in the presentation by Mr. Collins. Owen Keenan, one of the University station planners, emphasized that :his land is priced at $6,000 to $10,000 an acre. This project is very risky. The property will provide affordable housing which is needed in this community. The average cost of these homes will be $140,000 with a range from $80,000 to $220,000. This is the only scenario that will work that will provide enough margin of profit that anyone would be willing to risk. He feels that golf courses do not pollute. A typical 200 homes in a neighborhood will produce at least double to three times the pollution that a golf course will and a dairy farm will pollute probably four times more than a golf course. Mr. Cogswell stated that they have incorporated into the plan a 600 foot wide wildlife corridor along the bed of Stoney Creek and pulled all golf holes out of that area. They have agreed to the improvements to the roads and bridges that were recommended by the Planning Staff. They have pulled back from all of the Beech Bluffs that were mentioned and will preserve the old houses both north and south of NC 10 and if they can find the old slave cemetery, they will preserve that. They have eliminated the exit onto University Station Road and incorporated the realignment of NC 10 and New Hope Church Road. They have done everything that the Planning Staff has recommended. Mr. Michael Ortosky made comments on the environmental assessment. He is with a company called "Soil and Environmental Consultants" located in Raleigh. His company prepared a preliminary ecological and archeological assessment of the site. He used slides to review this assessment. He showed ..,the different soil types in the area. They reviewed the site from the Standpoint of general plant communities and habitat and from the standpoint of jurisdictional wetlands on the site as well as the wildlife that occurs within each of those habitats and a review of the archeological significance of other areas on the site. He showed the nine different types of habitat and plant communities as indicated in their preliminary report. He showed the wetlands and the farm ponds. He pointed out that some of the bottomland hardwood habitat is in danger from the beaver activity. He showed some of the houses that are located on this property. The present plan does accommodate all of the wetlands which is_50 to 60 acres. He showed a golf course in Raleigh that maintained the vast majority of_ their wetlands and redesigned the. golf course to do so.- He showed development that had taken place around the wetlands which have taken a newer status in development because of environmental regulations and because of a new ethic in developing around wetlands. The qualitative impacts are regulated by DEM in terms of 401 water certification which would be required. Any impact from the wetlands would also require Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The 401 has to do with water quality which the State will review relative to runoff from the golf course. The State has a degradation policy which says that this will not degrade the quality of the water locally in the region. They can construct buffers or physical diversions or wet retention ponds to reduce the runoff from the golf course. He feels that the University Station Plan can la exercised with very little impact to the water quality in the wetlands and in the surrounding flowing stream. Leon Lucas, a professor of Plant Pathology at North Carolina Jniversity, indicated his job is to work with turf grasses throughout North Carolina specifically on disease and pesticide education. He made comments 14'7 about the golf course and the use of pesticides. Research studies are showing that turf grasses are the very best pollution control methods they have right. now. In Pennsylvania they did some studies by putting on fertilizer ar. pesticides and then exposing the turf to three to six inches of rain per hour. When they trapped the water that ran off they did not detect high levels of these nutrients or pesticides. He cited other studies where they have not identified problems with the use of pesticides. They have analyzed water from ponds and wells and not found high revels of nutrients or pesticides associated with golf courses. The scientific facts indicate that the perception that golf courses provide large amounts of pollutants is not true. It is only happening where they are not following the recommendations. Some advantages with golf courses is that sludge and compost are being used as fertilizer. Commissioner Gordon asked about the levels of pollutants that are present. Mr. Lucas noted that the problem is determining the base level. They must determine what amount is already present and establish a base level. The golf courses have not contributed to the base level or caused an increase. His recommendations include the type of turf grass best for a golf course, silt fences and fertilizer control. Mr. Lucas will provide additional written material for the county Commissioners. Craig Morgan, Environmental Consulting Engineer specializing in water and wastewater management and silt sanitary systems, gave his list of credentials. He noted he takes his ethical responsibility to help protect the health, safety and welfare very seriously. He noted he objectively evaluates the relative dimensions of any controversial environmental issue and screens out irrelevant dimensions. He feels the irrelevant dimension at this time__ is a lot of the specifics of what University Station may or may not be. Wha they do in the Stoney Creek drainage basin is very relevant. The question i.... do they let this be one or two acre development with onsite septic system disposal or encourage the growth and development which will bring sewer and water to this area. Mr. Morgan stated that water and sewer can be on site but it is not without its own environmental consequences. He questioned if it is the responsibility of a developer of a select parcel to protect the entire corridor. He feels that this authority is best left in the hands of the county and the towns. In this drainage basin there is Strayhorn Hills, Colonial Dills and. Joppa Oaks.. Joppa Oaks. and Colonial Hills are - in trouble. Their septic systems are failing. He asked that people who don't wan; this development to talk to people who are trying to sell their homes in these subdivisions. In Strayhorn Hills they cannot expand their homes because they have peeked out with no reserve capacity for their septic systems. These three existing developments are contributing more pollution to the environment and allowing University Station to develop with on site wastewater disposal would not protect the water quality in the area. By putting the sewer in, they will create a mechanism by which they can clean up a lot of the existing development which is causing environmental problems in this section of Hillsborough. With regard to golf course pollution, if they caused pollution as claimed by the opponents, they would have to condemn Pinehurst. They developed a golf course on the banks of the reservoir in Southern Pines. They monitor the runoff and nothing has shown any pollution. Robert Grill, traffic engineer, sated that Mr. Collins has indicated that New Hope Church Road can handle the number of vehicle:- generated by this development. Mr. Cogswell indicated that their intent is not to hurt the environment. They are aiming at middle income people with moderate housing 148 to benefit Orange County economically. Commissioner Insko asked if the changes in the plan changed the 1iercentage of open space. Mr. Cogswell stated that they are at 60%. It did seduce the area for the golf course. He will provide these figures to Commissioner Insko. With regard to the impact on the road, she asked if this took into consideration normal increases from other development and Mr. Grill indicated that it takes into account the 3% annually increase in growth. In answer to another question from Commissioner Insko about the cost of the homes, Mr. Cogswell indicated they hope to keep the price in the 901s. They will be dedicating all the neutral open space including the buffers. They will also pay school impact fees. The golf course will have public access which is one of the two required by the Master Recreation Plan. Commissioner Willhoit asked if the development rights of the golf course would be dedicated to assure that it remain as open space. Mr. Cogswell indicated they could develop an arrangement that would satisfy that request. Commissioner Willhoit stated that the goal is not jobs and economic development. Mr. Cogswell stated that they understand that young adults in the northern part of the County have complained about the lack of employment in the County. They want to address the middle income market which would help the county economically. Providing housing will encourage citizens to move to the County. He feels that what they are doing will preserve the rural character of the County. Commissioner Insko stated that her goal is preserving open space in perpetuity. It is helpful to hear the comments. She is glad that people are willing to talk to determine if something like University Station can happen in Orange County. Randall Arendt stated that the idea of open space development is not )nly density neutral but it ranges up the scale from beginning homes to larger "'nomes. He feels that the developers should identify how many units they plan to build in each -rice range. He feels the project should address affordable housing and should be guaranteed. The land prices are driven by the density. Commissioner Gordon asked about the use of alternative systems and Mr. Arendt stated that he has used these alternative systems with many types of soil including clay soil very similar to that here in Orange County. He would recommend public water and a shared sewage plant. Commissioner Willhoit asked about Mr. Arendt's knowledge of other alternative forms of wastewater treatment in the triassic basin. He indicated that he would follow up on this. QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS THOMAS BUELL, JAMES M. BARTON, SR. and JOHN STONE declined to speak:. One of the developers noted that the land prices have not been inflated due to the potential development. They were $6,000 to $10,000 an acre four years ago and are still that today. The landowners are not interested in how many units will be built. LETTERS RECEIVED Each County Commissioner, Planning Director and County Manager received copies of all letters received in the County Commissioners Office in Hillsborough. (Each letter is filed in the Permanent Agenda File '_n the Clerk's Office) Below is a list of letters received. 149 ROXANNE BARKSDALE wrote in opposition of the proposed change in the land use plan. She stated that University Station would be the first of future , developments that would demand changes in the land use plan to fit tr.. definition of "rural". BENITA BARTON strongly opposed such development in this area. The beautiful countryside will be ruined and the schools will be overcrowded. JAMES BART ON wrote in opposition of University Station. JUANITA BARTON wrote opposing University Station Town. ROBERT CANTWELL wrote in opposition of the zoning variance requested for University Station. NORMAN L. CHRISTENSEN, JR., Dean, School of the Environment, expressed concerns about transportation, adequacy of a 25 acre park, location of utility corridors, and the overall environmental quality. PAULA ECKLUND asked that development proceed in a planned and controlled manner. He would like Orange County to remain a "rural buffer" with no more than about 1 residence every 2 acres. He feels.. that the University Station plan is ill-advised. JUDSON EDEBURN, Duke Forest Resource Manager, asked that several specific areas be considered as details of the development are determined. These... include recreational pressure, utilities, roads, water quality and parklan designation. JANE AND JONATHAN FARBER wrote in opposition to this gigantic, hasty project. They feel that the University Station development will benefit only the developers and that it will irrevocably spoil one of the last large and lovely pieces of rural Orange County. ALBERT HARDY wrote in support of the project. He expressed concerns about the already over-crowded roads and asked that an open-space buffer remain.around such a village. He listed several design considerations he would like the developers to consider. JEF asked that the Board deny this particular rezoning and allow t';e developer to consider building a development on the property that fulfills a truly rural character as the Land Use Plan calls for. G. ALLAN JOHNSON wrote in opposition to any development at density greater than 1 unit/acre. HORACE JOHNSON, Mayor of Town of Hillsborough, expressed the support of the Hillsborough Town Board for the project. He indicated that the Town has the resources and the desire to provide the proposed University Station Development with water and sewer service. CAL JORDAN, President of the Hillsborough Area Chamber of Commerce, wrote i. support of the concept of rural villages such as University Station in Orange County to provide housing and economic development and to restrict urban 150 sprawl. 'MTHERINE.C.H. KLING, RODNEY W. KLING AND KATHERINE B HARDING asked that the rezoning for University Station be declined and that the land be kept as it now is. JANE MASKE wrote in opposition of the University Station high. density village. She feels the plan can destroy the rural character of this area of the county, decimate the wildlife, create an unbelievable traffic situation and dilute the quality education by overcrowding the schools. SUSAN MICKELL wrote in opposition to the planned University Station development. Her concerns included damage to'the area, harm to wildlife, water and the general environment. JENNIFER MILLER asked that the County commissioners to not separate the Open space decision from the Rural Character Study. She asked that schools be added to the Open Space Area Development Locational criteria. JOHN AND HARRIETT MOORE wrote in opposition of any efforts to rezone the area proposed for the University Station development. Their concerns include environmental effects of such a subdivision and especially the golf course, the effects of increased traffic in the area, effects on the existing schools and cost to the current residents of Orange County. JAY AND DOT PENCE wrote in opposition of the rezoning which would allow University Station to become a rural village. "DEBRA A. PERRY AND DONNA MARNELL wrote in opposition to part of the Rural Character Study proposal to the University Station project. She expressed concerns about roads, schools, water, sewer and police and fire protection. TRISH RAFALOW wrote in opposition of creating urban space in a rural space. KAREN SANDERS RALEIGH wrote in support of University Station. She feels that a planned community shows vision and forethought. JOHN RINGLAND wrote in opposition to the rezoning of the University Station__ development. He feels a development of this size is unwarranted, unfeasible and is not likely to succeed economically. His concerns include the runoff from the golf course, the traffic and the schools. ROY W. ROTH asked that the applied zoning districts in the "Open-Space Development Area" not include R-2 as it may relate to the potential University Station development. WILLIAM B. STROM wrote in opposition of the "Open Space" designation. GEORGANNE SEBASTIAN AND DENNIS PFEIFFER wrote in opposition of changing the land use designation for University Station to 20 year transition or the open space category. She expressed concerns about schools and the effects a large levelopment and golf course would have on county roads in the area. LARRY D. MALL-ACE wrote that he thoroughly oppose the planned University 151 Station development. TAMMY WALLACE wrote in opposition of the University Station plan. Sr_ expressed concerns about schools, traffic and pollution. JAMES WEBSTER wrote in opposition of the proposed development on N.C. #10 and New Hope Road. SHIRLEY WEBSTER wrote in opposition to the University Station project. She expressed concerns about traffic, schools and the wildlife. PHILIP L. WITT expressed concern about the water supply for the University station development. He outlined an alternative development plan that would minimize some of the complaints and fit in with the rural character of the area while at the same time provide Orange County businesses the opportunity to grow. ELIZABETH L. WOODMAN wrote in support of developing "clusters". She is opposed to the University station development, because it does not offer an appropriate solution to "democratizing" the rural housing needs. She asked that the Board consider the financial and social implications of approving a community centered around a golf course. ADJOURNMENT Motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkio,--is to adjourn this meeting to December 14, 1992 at 7:30 p.m. in Superior Courtroom,......, Hillsborough, North Carolina. Moses Carey, Jr., Chair,-.-_- : " Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk