HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 20021030 APPROVED 1/21/2003 MINUTES
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ASSEMBLY OF GOVERNMENTS
October 30, 2002
7:30 p.m.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for an Assembly of Governments
Meeting with the Town of Chapel Hill, the Town of Carrboro, and the Town of
Hillsborough on Wednesday, October 30, 2002 at 7:30 p.m. in the Southern Human
Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Barry Jacobs and Commissioners
Margaret W. Brown, Moses Carey, Jr., Alice M. Gordon and Stephen Halkiotis.
COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill and S. Sean Borhanian
COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John Link, Jr., Assistant County
Managers Rod Visser and Gwen Harvey, and Clerk to the Donna S. Baker. (All other
staff members will be identified appropriately below)
CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Kevin Foy, Pat Evans,
Ed Harrison, Flicka Bateman, Mark Kleinschmidt, Jim Ward, Bill Strom
CARRBORO ALDERMEN PRESENT: Mayor Mike Nelson, Jacquelyn Gist, Joal Hall
Broun, Diana McDuffee, Alex Zaffron
HILLSBOROUGH TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Joe Phelps
NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE
PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
OPENING REMARKS-Chair and Mayors
Chair Jacobs gave an open invitation to Senator Howard Lee's reception on
Wednesday, November 6`h from 6:15-7:15 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center.
Hillsborough Mayor Joe Phelps said that he wants to thank the Board of County
Commissioners for this chance to all meet together.
Chair Jacobs also welcomed the school board members. He also mentioned the
volunteer award ceremony prior to this meeting that was at the senior center.
1. SAPFO Implementation Timeline and Decision Points
Orange County Planning Director Craig Benedict said that there is no need to go
through the language of the model ordinance because there has been very little change.
He does want to talk about the timeline. Originally, the timeline was to have the local
governments adopt implementing regulations for the Adequate Public Facilities
Ordinance in November. The new timeline (attachment 1d) says November, December,
or January for the local governments to implement the new regulations. In the interim,
data will be collected and hopefully the program can be up and running by February 15,
2003. There will be a final transmittal to all parties in the next few weeks. The Board of
County Commissioners has addressed this in a work session and it will be on an agenda
soon.
Diana McDuffee asked about the decision matrix and the staff's recommendation
on the level of service (attachment 1-c). Craig Benedict said that what was sent out in
the agenda package had a difference between districts at the start. The School
Facilities Task Force has addressed this issue and suggests that the levels of service
stay the same for both districts (105%, 107%, and 110%). One way to address the over
capacity situation at the Orange County middle school level is to defer the
implementation at the middle school level.
Jacquelyn Gist said that she has heard this brought up several times and asked if
there was anything in place (page 5-h) to stop one large development from taking
everything. Craig Benedict said that this has been discussed. However, it is a first
come, first serve development ordinance. What can be done is that as local
governments review projects, they can ask for pacing mechanisms within the approval
process to stretch out the impact from a large project.
Jacquelyn Gist said that there could be a glaring, fatal problem if a large
development took all the capacity. Craig Benedict said that there has been one
substantive change in the past couple of years and this has been that local governments
can phase a project in before getting the CAPS from the school system.
Jacqueline Gist asked if there was any way to have a percentage cap so that no
one project could take all the capacity. She says that this is almost a fatal flaw and it
favors large developers.
Craig Benedict said this issue was discussed and it is difficult to have some sort
of formula to say why we are doing this percentage base. They did examine this and
found no legitimate mechanism on how to add another percentage pacing program.
Jacqueline Gist said there needs to be something or you will end up with
something like Hogan Farms or Meadowmont.
Jim Ward said that it seems to put Chapel Hill in the position to say to a large
project that it could only be approved in phases and the CAPS would only be issued for
each phase.
Commissioner Gordon said that she does not remember this being a concern
from Carrboro and she thought that the Schools and Land Use Council had addressed
all of the concerns that were put forth. She asked for clarification from Carrboro.
Diana McDuffee said that she does not believe that this was one of the concerns
that they had discussed as a board. It was discussed, but the board as a whole has
accepted what the attorneys have said about it. She said that it was something that
each board could discuss. She asked the attorney's opinion on this.
Geoff Gledhill said that the SAPFO is not the tool to do what Jackie Gist is
asking. The SAPFO cannot set up a large and small development process. It will have
to be done through the regulatory process and not the schools.
Commissioner Carey asked if the jurisdictions already had the provision of
phasing in of projects or if the ordinances would have to be changed. Craig Benedict
said that the planned development ordinances have mechanisms for phasing. There is
also a process for major subdivisions that are not planned developments and do not
have to go through a rezoning.
Pat Evans said that she remembers when this all started and they were trying to
adopt regulations to address overcrowding of the schools. It was agreed upon that we
needed to get all of the schools in line in both systems before we started this. She is
seeing this begin to erode because there is discussion of separating the two school
systems. She said that this is the beginning of the eroding because we are not starting
out in a balanced situation. She said that we are changing the rules to fit the situation as
we go along.
Craig Benedict said that both systems will adopt and implement the ordinance at
the same time and will go through the adequacy tests at the same time. It was
anticipated that there would be two processes because there are two different systems.
Pat Evans said that at least when we start this, it should be balanced. All school
levels should be acceptable.
Bill Strom said he supports the percentage enrollment numbers. He thinks that
raising the numbers would be a mistake. He said that he differs with Pat Evans because
he thinks that they were working to put a tool in place that would ensure adequate
capacity in the schools in the future and that this tool should not be criticized. He is very
comfortable that we have conditional use zoning in Chapel Hill and that the Council can
pace the CAPS.
Jim Ward said that the issue of levels of service has been a big hurdle to get an
agreement on. The other issue is that this is not an agreement that they are interested
in if it creates an immediate moratorium. It would in Orange County unless we have
some way of addressing the middle school level of service. The School Facilities Task
Force decided that the best way to handle this is for the implementation date for Orange
County to be pushed back to when the new school is put in place. He said that this is a
narrow window of opportunity that we should take advantage of even though it is not
perfect.
Diana McDuffee said that she liked to look at the levels of service from a different
angle and that these represent the best of what we look for in our schools. It is difficult
to look at both school systems equally. She is concerned about the levels of service that
the Board of County Commissioners can support and write a CIP plan that can support
these levels of service without wiping out other items in the CIP. She thinks that
Carrboro's recommendation was that they were very concerned to see a CIP that shows
that this level can be supported.
Commissioner Gordon said that another important thing that was considered was
the status of each jurisdiction of what remains to be done. She recalls that Chapel Hill
has approved the MOU without conditions, Carrboro approved it with conditions, the
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools approved it, and Orange County will take this up
shortly. There will be two different agreements, but we are trying to make them start at
the same time. The Hillsborough Town Board discussed this on July 23'', and was
willing to adopt the MOU, but did not commit as to whether or not it will adopt the
ordinance. The Orange County School district adopted a previous version, but they had
some concerns with the second version. She said that the Schools and Land Use
Council and the Schools Facilities Task Force made recommendations on all of the
decision points in the MOU. According to the County Attorney, it is possible to suspend
the middle school level for the Orange County schools and not wait for the effective date
of the ordinance. She hopes that the MOU can be adopted before Thanksgiving.
Alex Zaffron said that he looks forward to reading the addendum, and Geoff
Gledhill said that it is not ready. They need to see the addendum before they know that
the revisions are adequate.
Orange County School Board Chair Dana Thompson passed around a letter that
the Orange County School Board sent to the Board of County Commissioners this past
week. They are concerned that there are a number of questions to be answered. She
wants to suggest an alternative that has not been suggested yet. It is listed on page two
of the letter. She said that their board has felt tremendously rushed in this process these
past weeks as they have tried to get some of the questions answered. She said that
they feel that they needed more time to address some concerns. The alternative is
instead of all of the boards formally adopting the MOU and the ordinance that we agree
to go through a trial run in the upcoming year to see what works. This allows the staff to
identify problems as the process unfolds and then immediately try out possible solutions.
She said that nothing says that we have to have this in place this year. Her board would
appreciate the opportunity to see exactly how their concerns will be addressed during
the yearlong process.
Chair Jacobs asked if this is her opinion or the Board's opinion. Dana Thompson
said that this is her opinion and she said that she has discussed this with a few members
and they agreed but they would like to take this back to their board.
Alex Zaffron asked Dana Thompson if she wanted to run all the mechanisms as
a rehearsal and see what flaws come out and do an analysis at the end and make what
changes need to be made after the trial run. Dana Thompson said yes.
Bill Strom said that they have had a long discussion about how you would try to
pace the CAPS. He thinks that there are a lot of huge community issues at stake, and it
does not seem practical to hold up someone's development just because you are in a
trial run. He said that we all know that this is a voluntarily agreement and any body that
signs this document can leave voluntarily if not comfortable. He does not support the
trial run approach. It is time to proceed in his opinion.
Joal Hall Broun said that it would be interesting to put in the mechanism and the
model and start from 1992 and look at both school systems.
Discussion ensued between Joal Hall Broun and Bill Strom about the issue of the
trial run.
(Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson arrived at 8:35 pm)
Dana Thompson said that as to the issue of whether people would take it
seriously if it were a trial run, it is an issue of commitment. She said this needs to reflect
the equitable commitment of the Board of County Commissioners to education
throughout the County. It has been disconcerting to hear that if any body is not satisfied
with the particulars, then they can disengage from the process. She said that they have
not seen compromise, but only that if they are not happy that they could disengage.
This is not a good message. They want to start out equitably and do not want to be
rushed to finish this.
Chair Jacobs said that one question is whether it would be legal to do the trial
run. He spoke to Craig Benedict about his statement that February 15`h was optimal, but
the ordinance could still work if it were not on February 15`h
Craig Benedict said that February is the starting date for implementing the
ordinance. But if you want to delay until June, it can be done, but you start a different
type of process. The cadence of activity was well thought out.
Geoff Gledhill said you could not say to a developer during a trial run that you
have to go back and redo. He sees this as a negotiation process with respect to
matching school capacity and development. This piece of it would be difficult to play out
in a model.
Flicka Bateman said that she feels like we are in this relentless cycle of delay.
The whole point was to decide. She thinks that we need to say that this is flawed but we
need to go on, or we need to do something with this to change it.
Chair Jacobs said that we would all get the addendum and all boards will be able
to vote on it and comment on this and the Board of Commissioners will make a decision
after taking all of this in consideration.
Commissioner Gordon said that she thinks the Board of County Commissioners
will take this up in November and not wait until they get everything back.
Commissioner Carey said that he has heard three different Carrboro elected
officials raise the question about the Board of County Commissioners' intent relative to
funding. He wants to know what the Carrboro Aldermen want to see before they act on
this. The Board of County Commissioners' intention to fund school projects is in their
CIP annually. He said that no commissioner is going to fund something without looking
at the whole picture.
Diana McDuffee said that her concern was about being committed to funding this
level of service for both school systems and what Orange County's debt level is. If going
into this, the County is obligated to fund a third high school, a middle school, and the 10`h
elementary school, then how would the Board of County Commissioners fund this at the
current debt level.
Chair Jacobs said that there is leeway in the CIP in terms of size and whether to
go with bonds and the staff is working on scenarios now in order to not over-commit.
Diana McDuffie would like to see this information and she thinks that there is
mistrust that this is a tool to stop growth rather than to manage growth.
Commissioner Gordon said that the Board of County Commissioners would show
their commitment through the CIP. The Board will not adopt this unless they think that
they can do it. She stated her commitment to the SAPFO.
2. Southern Community Park and Collaborative Park Planning Process
Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Director Kathryn Spatz said that she was here
to answer questions. The concept plan was presented to the Board of County
Commissioners on October 1�`, and the Board asked specific questions, which have
been answered by the Mayor.
Mayor Foy mentioned number two on his letter: The County's request was "What
was the rationale related to the addition of a third soccer field when the plan was
adopted by the Town Council?" The response is basically that there are not enough
soccer fields. They are willing to remove this third field if the soccer complex is built on
Old Eubanks Road and NC 86.
Flicka Bateman said that the Hispanics use the soccer fields and they would not
be able to use the fields at Eubanks Road.
Jim Ward said that he is convinced that we need soccer fields tremendously. He
said that two fields at the initial phase is adequate if they get a commitment from the
Board of County Commissioners to fund fields at the Eubanks site.
Chair Jacobs said that on November 11`h is a work session and this park will be
part of the discussion. Also, there is a group now working on the planning for the
Eubanks site and they will hopefully have this back in the spring. Commissioners
Gordon and Brown are the representatives from the Board.
Commissioner Brown said that this is the site for active recreation and the
timetable is to have a well-defined site plan by late spring. She said that no elected
official from Carrboro has come to these meetings and she hoped one could attend in
the future.
The Mayor said Carrboro will send a representative to these meetings.
Kevin Foy pointed out the process for the Southern Park and the Board of
County Commissioners will review the plan and approve it. Then the town and the
County need to agree on the process for construction and project approval. The town
will then begin the special use permit review process. He asked the Town Manager
about the potential time frame.
Chapel Hill Town Manager Cal Horton said that it would depend in part on the
bond issuance schedule that the County will follow. The County proposes to issue $1
million in bonds in 2004-2005 and a second $1 million in 2005-2006. It will be 2004-
2005 before any substantial construction begins.
Commissioner Brown said that, in looking at the Southern Park map, she sees
two full sized soccer fields and then a third one over by the school. If you add a third
one where the nature trail area is, then there will be four fields in this small area. She
asked how these could be coordinated with usage. The County paid extra for this
soccer field, because it is not a normal component of an elementary school.
Jim Ward said that there is a superior need for soccer fields. He said that there
is a challenge working with all of the entities to coordinate usage of the fields. The
location of the third field at Southern Park has not been sited yet.
Commissioner Brown said that it would be interesting to see another
configuration of the fields. The proposed area for the third field is the only natural area
and buffer for this park. She would like to hold this in reserve and maintain the natural
area and work with the soccer fund to try and find sites that will not tear out a natural
area.
Mayor Foy said that they are going to be investing a lot of effort in the design and
they might agree on making the field fit along 15/501.
Commissioner Gordon said that it depends on the type of soccer fields you plan
because the ones at the schools only serve after school hours and if you are thinking of
adults coming in there to play during school hours, it will not work.
Kathryn Spatz said that they programmed this field Monday-Friday from 5:00
p.m. on and all weekends.
Diana McDuffee said that 5:00 p.m. on is quite a bit after school and cuts in to
the weekday play that the soccer groups are running. She thinks there is an issue with
the utility of a field that is primarily there for the schools. She agrees with sharing the
fields, but there are problems with it.
Chair Jacobs said that they will be discussing this at a BOCC Work Session on
November 11`h and can respond to the concerns of the Chapel Hill Town Council.
3. Issuance Plan for 2001 County Bonds and Alternative Financing
Assistant County Manager Rod Visser said that he wanted to make sure all
understood the County's first sale of 2001 voter approved bonds and alternative
financing that goes along with it. He made reference to attachment three in the packet.
There are $19.175 million in bonds, and $3.475 in private placements.
4. Regional Transportation Issues
Craig Benedict distributed handouts that had to do with two resolutions and the
transportation planning process. Resolution A has to do with some projects within
Orange County (in the Durham/Chapel Hill/Carrboro Long Range Transportation Plan).
This is the recommendation to the preferred option of the Durham/Chapel Hill/Carrboro
long-range transportation plan. The LRTP serves as a 20-year plan and looks at
initiatives over the long term. You are supposed to match your transportation
improvement plan with the LRTP. Then the Federal Highway Administration is able to
bring funding forward for the different programs within the MPO. The timeframe is
critical in order to receive federal funding. Resolution B has to do with an option 7.
There was a NE/NW loop that was put on the map in the late 80's that extended from
eastern Durham to northern Durham, past US 70 and 1-85 and on to 1-40. This was not
recommended for inclusion in the 1989 long-range plans, but a version has come up
more recently. Option 7 is the NE segment of the proposed loop. There is no
continuation of this loop into Orange County and the Hillsborough area. There is a
question of where it will go in the future.
Commissioner Gordon referred to Resolution B and she explained the history of
the loop. In the past there have been proposals to extend a road west of Roxboro Road.
She said that the reason Orange County is concerned about option 7 is that Snow Hill
Road eventually turns into St. Mary's Road, which goes into Hillsborough. The troubling
thing is the process because this has surfaced after the TAC had voted down Eno Drive.
She is proposing that the County Commissioners adopt these two resolutions to be
forwarded to the TAC on November 6`h and also to ask the other jurisdictions part of the
Transportation Advisory Committee (Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro) to take this
under advisement and come up with their own statements.
Mayor Foy said that he thinks that Orange County has a direct interest in this
road because it is anticipated that the funding would be from the loop trust fund. He
suggested that the Chapel Hill Town Council take the lead of the Board of
Commissioners, and if they pass it then they should give the TAC members direction in
removing option 7.
Chair Jacobs said that this is a reversal of the situation with the 15/501 corridor
where Chapel Hill passed a resolution regarding what was going on at South Square.
The County Commissioners passed it to support Chapel Hill's position. He said that St.
Mary's Road is one of the most scenic corridors in the County and this is the first place
where we have tried to develop a scenic corridor plan in association with the property
owners. This is a direct threat to this kind of planning.
A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner
Brown to approve and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution B as stated below:
A Resolution to Provide the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation
Advisory Committee with a Recommendation to Exclude "Option 7" —
The Northeast/Northwest Loop from the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro
Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
(LRTP Resolution B)
WHEREAS, Orange County participates in regional transportation planning as a member
of the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO);
and
WHEREAS, the DCHC MPO is composed of a policy-making body, the Transportation
Advisory Committee, and a technical body, the Technical Coordinating Committee; and
WHEREAS, the DCHC MPO is preparing a Long-Range Transportation Plan, and has
released the Preferred Option of the Plan for public comment; and
WHEREAS, at the Transportation Advisory Committee meeting on September 18, 2002,
the Transportation Advisory Committee directed the Highway Trust Fund projects known
as the Northeast and Northwest Loops, or Eno Drive, be removed from consideration;
and
WHEREAS, at the Transportation Advisory Committee meeting on October 23, 2002, a
recommendation from the Transportation Coordinating Committee referenced as "Option
7" was proposed as a replacement for the Northeast and Northwest Loops; and
WHEREAS, "Option 7" is depicted on the map labeled Attachment A and more fully
described as follows: "The southern segment runs from US 70 to 1-85, and the northern
segment runs from 1-85 to Roxboro Road via Old Oxford, Snow Hill and includes new
alignment to Roxboro Road north of Snow Hill.'; and
WHEREAS, the terminus of"Option 7" at Snow Hill Road and Roxboro Road (US 501) is
on approximately the same alignment as the "Northern Freeway" proposed in the 1989
Draft DCHC Thoroughfare Plan; and
WHEREAS, the general path of the "Northern Freeway" paralleled Mason Road and St.
Mary's Road in Durham County; entered Orange County immediately south of Ebenezer
Church Road; ran southward between Pleasant Green Road and the Durham County
line until it intersected Cole Mill Road; and then ran southwesterly crossing Pleasant
Green Road, the Eno River, US 70, 1-85, Old NC 10, and "New" NC 86 before
interchanging with 1-40; and
WHEREAS, the "Northern Freeway" is depicted on the map labeled Attachment B; and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners strongly opposed the
"Northern Freeway" in 1989 because of its potential impacts on prime forest land, the
Eno River State Park, the Eno River, existing neighborhoods, and the Rural Buffer; and
WHEREAS, "Option 7" provides the opportunity through its proposed alignment and
terminus to correspond to a future loop or freeway into Orange County along the Mason
Road/St. Mary's Road corridor attendant with the aforementioned impacts; and
WHEREAS, the hallmark of sound planning is careful and deliberate consideration of
proposals through a process involving all interested parties, rather than the sort of last-
minute rush to judgment embodied in the inclusion of an inadequately studied and
discussed "Option 7";
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Orange County Board of Commissioners
that the Board of Commissioners recommends to the Transportation Advisory
Committee that "Option 7" be deleted from consideration as a recommendation in the
2025 Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization Long-Range
Transportation Plan.
This, the 30`h day of October 2002.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner
Carey to approve and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution A as stated below:
A Resolution to Provide the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro
Transportation Advisory Committee
With a Recommendation on the Preferred Option of the
Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
(LRTP Resolution A)
WHEREAS, Orange County has participated in regional transportation planning as a
member of the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization; and
WHEREAS, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee is
preparing a Long-Range Transportation Plan, and has released the Preferred Option of
the DCHC Long-Range Transportation Plan for public comment; and
WHEREAS, Orange County seeks ample opportunities to review and comment on
regional transportation plans and policies, and may offer additional comments on this
plan at a later date;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Orange County Board of Commissioners
that the Board of Commissioners recommends to the Transportation Advisory
Committee that the 2025 Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning
Organization Long-Range Transportation Plan include:
1. Intensive transit improvements to provide an integrated transit system throughout
the urban area.
2. Improvements to US 70 Bypass in Orange County, from NC 86-North to 1-85
near the Durham County line.
3. Improvements to NC 86-North in Orange County, from US 70 Bypass to NC 57.
4. A facility with bicycle and pedestrian amenities for the Elizabeth Brady Road
Extension project connecting US 70 Business and US 70 Bypass on an
alignment (and with a reduced cross section) that has the least impact on the
Eno River, the natural environment and cultural sites as recommended by the
Orange County/Hillsborough Economic Development District Transportation
Work Group.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners is
strongly opposed to "Option 7" —the Northeast/Northwest Loop as presented to the
Transportation Advisory Committee on October 23, 2002, and a separate resolution to
this effect is being sent; and
FINALLY, BE IT RESOLVED that this resolution replaces a similar resolution passed by
the Orange County Board of Commissioners on October 15, 2002 providing the Durham-
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee with a recommendation on the
preferred option of the Long Range Transportation Plan.
This, the 30`h day of October 2002.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
Chapel Hill
A motion was made by Bill Strom, seconded by Jim Ward to direct the TAC
representatives to support Resolution B to oppose option 7.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
Carrboro
A motion was made by Alex Zaffron, seconded by Jacquelyn Gist, to accept the
direction of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen and to support Resolution B to oppose
option 7.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
5. Drought and Collaboration on Water Supply and Protection
County Engineer Paul Thames said that Lake Orange is full and is spilling and all
water restrictions have been lifted. Hillsborough's reservoir is within one foot of full. He
said that Cane Creek is always low at this time of the year and is still down six feet.
OWASA is being cautious at this time. He said that we might have been in trouble if we
had not received three times the amount of rain than we normally do at this time of year.
There was a lot of confusion in the differences in ordinance language regarding
conservation, and over the winter, we will all be talking about this.
Chair Jacobs said that OWASA was trying to get a forum together for
conservation ideas.
6. State Budget Impacts- FY 2002-03 and Beyond
Rod Visser said that this was put on the agenda in case the boards wanted to
talk about the impacts from the State budget cuts. He said that we received written
confirmation yesterday from the State Treasurer's office that they have received the
County's resolution levying the additional half-cent sales tax, and it will begin December
1 5`
Joal Hall Broun asked how much additional revenue the County expected to
receive from the half-cent sales tax. Rod Visser said about $1.8 million from December
through June from the County's perspective.
Additional Concerns:
Commissioner Brown said she had some concerns about the transportation issue
and asked about#5, which says, "An extension of the proposed U NC/Ca rrboro/Horace
Williams Fixed Guideway Transit Route to the North Carolina Railroad at University
Station, utilizing the existing Norfolk Southern Corridor."
Bill Strom said that this was one of the components of the preferred option that
the Chapel Hill Town Council specifically removed from the 2025 option C.
Commissioner Gordon said this is not something that everyone has in their
packets.
Commissioner Brown asked for someone to find out about this.
Diana McDuffee said that they had discussed the TIP and the Horace Williams
Tract.
Bill Strom said that they left open a fixed guideway system for the campus and
they discussed whether it should be on Franklin Street or on Cameron Avenue.
Mayor Foy said that that this did come up at the TAC's last meeting and the
immediate response was a question of ridership support, and specifically whether there
was sufficient ridership between Horace Williams and Hillsborough without having
something in between. This brought up land use implications that no one was prepared
to talk about.
Commissioner Gordon said it is not on the long-range transportation plan, but it is
part of Carrboro's comments. This is her understanding.
7. Information Items: Did not get to these items.
• Update on the Release of Shaping Orange County's Future Report
• Consideration of Recommendations on Shifting of Urban Service Boundary
South of Chapel Hill and Carrboro
• Mental Health Reform Update
• Early Action Compacts — Presentation from the North Carolina Division of
Air Quality
A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner
Carey to adjourn the meeting at 9:55 p.m.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
Barry Jacobs, Chair
Donna S. Baker
Clerk to the Board