HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19980512APPROVED MAY 18, 1999
MINUTES
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MEETING
MAY 12.1998
The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, May 12, 1998 at 7:30 p.m.
with the Hillsborough Town Commissioners in the meeting room of the Government Services Center in
Hillsborough, North Carolina.
12 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Margaret W. Brown, and Commissioners Moses
13 Carey, Jr., William L. Crowther and Alice M. Gordon
14 COUNTY COMMISSIONER ABSENT: Commissioner Stephen H. Halkiotis
15 COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill
16 COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Managers Rod
17 Visser and Albert Kittrell and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe (All other staff members will be identified
18 appropriately below)
19 HILLSBOROUGH TOWN BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Kenneth Chavious, Frances L. Dancy,
20 Catherine Martin, Richard Simpson and Evelyn Lloyd
21 HILLSBOROUGH MAYOR PRESENT: Horace Johnson
22 HILLSBOROUGH STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Eric Peterson and Planning Director
23 Margaret Hauth
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26 NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT
27 AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. ALL RECORDINGS OF THE MEETING
28 WILL BE KEPT FOR 5 YEARS.
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30 A. Identification of Parcels to be Annexed by Hillsborough
31 Town Planning Director Margaret Hauth used a map to show the parcels of land that the Town has
32 annexed. Part of the agreement of the annexation was that the owners would not expect services to be
33 provided by the Town. If services are provided, the property owners will pay the cost. These were effective
34 April 10. They will have zoning hearings the end of this month. Fox Meadow requested R-20 for a total of
35 190 acres. The Town still has another 70 or 80 acres that they can annex. The Hines-Liner property was
36 24 acres.
37 In answer to a question from Chair Margaret Brown, Mayor Johnson said that the purpose for
38 annexing one of these areas was the threat of the County locating a landfill in that area. Both of the areas
39 they annexed will provide growth areas for the Town of Hillsborough.
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41 B. Possible Annexation of Fairview Community Park
42 Mayor Johnson said that they have a law enforcement problem in the Fairview Community because
43 part of this area is in the Town's city limits and part is in the County. Also, the County does not keep up the
44 maintenance at Fairview Park.
45 Commissioner Gordon said that she would be willing to sell this land to the Town for $1.00. The
46 County Commissioners will discuss this option and let the Town know its decision.
47 Horace Johnson said that they have provided water to the park. He said that they would be willing to
48 take the park for $1.00. The Town Board will also further discuss this issue.
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50 C. PROPOSED FAIRVIEW PARK COMMUNITY CENTER
51 Horace Johnson said that funds are in the budget to upgrade this facility. This will provide the
52 presence of law enforcement officers for that neighborhood and also provide a facility for community
53 meetings and activities.
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1 D. POSSIBLE EXPANSION OF FAIRVIEW PARK
2 Horace Johnson said that funds are available to expand this facility. They are considering locating a
3 community center at the park.
4 Mr. Simpson asked if bond money is available to use for this park.
5 Town Commissioner Ken Chavious said that there are two issues. One is a community center which
6 would house a substation for the police. He does not agree with this concept. The second issue is a mobile
7 van which is a vehicle prepared and developed to combat crime. The Town has receive a COPS grant but
8 has not decided what to do at this point. Regarding expansion of the park, they were approached by
9 Eurosport to build soccer fields in this area.
10 John Link said that they made a trip to Charlotte to see a soccer field which had been built on top of a
11 landfill that had been closed. Charlotte officials indicated that they were having constant problems with the
12 ground sinking.
13 Chair Margaret Brown said that she is working on a recreation task force and they are doing an
14 inventory of park needs throughout the County.
15 Ken Chavious feels that they could control the problems associated with the landfill. Eurosport is
16 really interested in helping the Town finance soccer fields.
17 Chair Margaret Brown feels that the property needs to be evaluated to determine if it will be feasible to
18 locate soccer fields in this area. She said that the task force will have a report by late fall.
19 John Link said that the County does have $60,000 in the budget for Fairview Park. Some of this
20 could be used to test the ground in that area. The County Recreation and Parks Board supports testing the
21 ground before spending additional money to extend the park.
22 Commissioner Carey suggested contacting NC State to see if someone in their Environmental
23 Department can help with testing the ground for gases.
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26 E. RIVER PARK STEERING COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
27 Margaret Hauth made reference to the original committee for the River Park. She said the plan is
28 finished and they need to decide on specifics and responsibility for the day to day use of the park. The
29 committee would include an elected official from each jurisdiction and a representative from each recreation
30 and parks board and three at-large members. All have been appointed except for the elected officials. This
31 steering committee will also look into the availability of grant money for developing the park.
32 Commissioner Gordon would like for the committee charge and composition to come before the Board
33 as an agenda item for their discussion and input.
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35 F. NAMING OF RIVER PARK
36 Commissioner Crowther said that the original task force did a survey and asked for possible names
37 for the park. They came up with four recommendations. These two governing boards will need to name this
38 park. The four names suggested by citizens are River Park, Eno Will Park, Heritage Park and River Green.
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40 G. SOLID WASTE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES
41 John Link said that this is in response to a letter from Mayor Johnson in which he expressed
42 concerns about various enforcement issues within Hillsborough's Extraterritorial Planning Jurisdiction.
43 John Link said that he has indicated to Mayor Johnson that if there is a problem with accumulated waste,
44 that the Town contact the County's Public Works Department which will send someone out with a Sheriffs
45 Deputy to investigate and hopefully identify who has thrown out this trash. The Town is responsible within its
46 own city limits. The County's responsibility is the County and the ETJ.
47 John Link made reference to animal control issues and said that the County does enforce the Animal
48 Control Ordinance within the Town of Hillsborough but has no contract to do so. The managers will work
49 together to clarify the situation and determine the level of service.
50 Mr. Simpson said that he feels the level of service is adequate. The County's Animal Control officers
51 have responded every time he has called them.
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53 H. ZONING ENFORCEMENT OF PROPERTY AT CORBINICHURTON STREETS
54 John Link said that the County does issue building permits within Hillsborough and soil and erosion
55 permits but the County has no authority to enforce zoning regulations within the Town limits.
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Geoffrey Gledhill said that there has never been an agreement between the County and the Town to
do any enforcement of building code violations.
Margaret Hauth said that they assumed that since the County did the permitting and inspections that
they would do the enforcement.
John Link said that in response to concerns expressed by citizens about the property located at
Corbin and Churton Streets, he talked informally with the owner and asked him to do something.
Commissioner Crowther said that this building may be in the historic district and any major
improvements or demolition would have to be approved by the Historic District Board.
In answer to a question from Commissioner Gordon, Geof Gledhill said that there is no formal
agreement to do the permitting and inspections for the Town of Hillsborough.
Mr. Simpson said that Whiffed Forest may have not been inspected because there are a lot of things
wrong with those apartments.
The managers will work through this issue and bring back a recommendation.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further items for the Board to consider, a motion was made by Commissioner Carey,
seconded by Commissioner Crowther to adjourn this meeting. The next regular meeting will be held on May
19, 1998 at 7:30 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Margaret W. Brown, Chair
Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk