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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 02-09-2016 1 APPROVED 3/1/12016 MINUTES BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Work Session February 9, 2016 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in a work session on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center, in Chapel Hill, N.C. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair McKee and Commissioners Mia Burroughs, Mark Dorosin, Barry Jacobs, Bernadette Pelissier, Renee Price and Penny Rich COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Deputy Manager Travis Myren and Clerk to the Board Donna Baker (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) Chair McKee called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. He noted the following items at the Commissioners' places: - Letter: update from Orange County Department of Aging - Hardcopy of agenda for BOCC assignments 1. Board of County Commissioners' (BOCC) External Advisory Board Appointees BACKGROUND: The Board suggested in 2014 to invite County-appointed advisory board representatives to external boards to a work session, in order to give these appointees an opportunity to provide updates/concerns on issues they think should be brought to the Board's attention related to their advisory board service. It is in everyone's best interest to improve communication with these Orange County representatives, and to better coordinate their work for the betterment of the County. These appointees have been solicited to submit updates, concerns, and suggestions if they wish. The appointees have also been invited to address the Board at the meeting, all in order to provide a better line of communication between the Board and its appointees to external advisory boards. The external appointees that attended this meeting: • Carrboro Northern Transition Area Advisory Committee: Anahid Vrana Anahid Vrana said this Committee is concerned about the area of Old Highway 86, around the Calvander area. She said this Committee is most concerned about the actual road of Old Highway 86, and the County's future Twin Creek park site. Anahid Vrana said neighbors are very excited about the park site, but are concerned about the entrance/exit to the park, as it is a blind intersection. She said the development is concerned, but has come up with some ideas. She offered one suggestion to enter the park with a right hand turn and to exit the park behind the school and onto Eubanks Road. She said the Department of Transportation (DOT) was able to drop a perpendicular road, called Deer Ridge, to give more sight line to that road area, but there is still a lot of blind traffic. She said the County built a beautiful path from behind Morris Grove Elementary School to the Lake Hogan sub-division, which is an asset and connects with Twin Creek Park. She noted 2 that the path ends abruptly. She said if it were completed, it would offer a beautiful and extremely safe way for children to walk and bike to school. She said the Committee wonders where the responsibility lies for completion of this path. Anahid Vrana said there was a County plan to have a connector road between Homestead Road and Eubanks Road, and there is a stub out connection within the Hogan Farms subdivision for this very purpose. She said this plan was never completed, but would take some of the load off of Old Highway 86, if it were. She said the residents that live along old 86 know is a beautiful, historic road and used to be a wagon trail, but the safety issues are a concern. Chair McKee said the BOCC will pursue her concerns with DOT and staff, especially the pathway. David Stancil, Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation (DEAPR) Director, said the path was part of the greenway that was constructed several years ago as Phase One of the Twin Creeks Park. He said the extension of the greenway is part of the overall plan for this area, and there is a segment that is missing. He said there is a segment planned to go around a townhome community, and there is some work planned to move this forward. He said this path is called the Jones Creek Greenway. David Stancil referred to the road questions, and said the road is on hold due to the Ballentine subdivision being on hold. He said the County is waiting an ultimate decision about the remainder of this subdivision, noting the County does still have some funding to put towards this road project. Commissioner Jacobs said the north-south road that is east of the park, that connects with Eubanks Road, is a four-lane bike and sidewalk that was required by Carrboro of the County, when the park is completed. He said this will be a hugely expensive project, and may merit further conversation with Carrboro. Commissioner Jacobs said there was some concern about this impacting Duke Forest to the east. David Stancil said there are several questions regarding this north-south road, Lake Hogan Farm Road, but there is a stub out that was built at the same time as Morris Grove Elementary School. He said the next phase will happen when the next school facility is built in this area. He said thereafter there are a couple of different alignments as to how the road gets from there to the existing road that straddles the Ballentine-Twin Creeks property. • Chapel Hill Planning Commission: Deborah Harris Deborah Harris said she had no comments. Commissioner Jacobs said one of the reasons the BOCC wanted to have these opportunities to meet with appointees to outside boards is to have open communication between appointing and appointed boards. Commissioner Jacobs said if she could please send the BOCC an email regarding the issues on which her board is working, which may have impact on the County. Chair McKee said the BOCC wants to give all boards an opportunity to bring any concerns forward. Neal Bench said he is the Chair of the Chapel Hill Planning Commission, and noted that Deborah Harris has been on the Planning Commission for about six months. He said she is getting a good feel as to what is going on. He said it was new to her, and she is working on being a continued addition to the Commission. • Chapel Hill Parks, Greenways and Recreation Commission: Mary Musacchia 3 Mary Musacchia thanked the Board of County Commissioners for appointing her to this board, saying she has greatly enjoyed representing Orange County. She lives in the University Lake area and has had the privilege to take tours of many of the Orange County parks. She said Chapel Hill recently integrated their boards and commissions and reduced them, and this relates to the County at large. She said bringing greenways into the mix was a good idea, and noted the biggest pressure in Chapel Hill is that all of the facilities are heavily used and overtaxed. She said there are a lot of Orange County children that come into the Chapel Hill recreation summer programs, and these children are always accommodated whenever possible. She said there are children with special needs as well, and a park in the southern area of Chapel Hill is being expanded to be a full accessibility park. She said as a representative of the County, she is most concerned with building fully accessible parks. Mary Musacchia said the Legion Road park area has recently received offers from private developers, and Chapel Hill was unable to meet the market price. She is paying attention to that area, since there is a need for new park properties. Commissioner Jacobs said there is a program through the Department of Social Services (DSS) to help subsidize children in recreation programs. Commissioner Jacobs said DSS Director Nancy Coston is here tonight. Mary Musacchia said the earlier children register, the better. • Mebane Planning Board: Thomas Fenske Thomas Fenske said there has not been very much activity in the Orange County area of Mebane. He said the Meadows subdivision, which straddles the county line, is re-zoning to increase density. He said there is only a small part of Mebane in Orange County, but he is here to serve. Chair McKee referred to the Meadows project, and asked if there was any discussion about a buffer area on Ben Wilson Road, given that the property on the eastern side is commercial. Thomas Fenske said there was discussion about traffic, but no concerns were raised regarding the commercial property. Commissioner Jacobs said he spoke to the Clerk regarding boards that failed to send representatives this evening, noting that some did not respond to emails. He suggested following up with phone calls next year. He said it is valuable to have face-to-face time with these representatives. 2. County Commissioners — Boards and Commissions —Annual Work Plans/Reports PURPOSE: To provide feedback and/or direction on the list of boards and commissions' annual work plans/reports with their Chairs (or representatives) in attendance. BACKGROUND: In the past, as part of the Board of Commissioners' annual planning and goal setting retreats, the Board requested and reviewed/provided feedback on annual summaries/work plans from the County's internal advisory boards and commissions. This information provided the Board with a yearly overview of the boards and commissions and their projected goals for the upcoming year. This particular process ended in 2007. The Board decided at its April 13, 2010 meeting to reinstate this process independent of the Board's annual retreats. Boards and their representatives below: • ABC Board: 4 Presentation made to the BOCC on February 2 Chair McKee moved the Advisory Board on Aging to be first in the line up of reports. • Advisory Board on Aging: Alex Castro, Jr., Chair Alex Castro said he added a letter at the Commissioners' places, which is in addition to the plan the Commissioners already received. He said this letter concerns senior safety, noting there was a tragic accident with a senior walking home from the Seymour Senior Center. He said in Hillsborough there are people pushing walkers down highway 70 to the senior centers. He noted that Orange County owns the facilities, but there is multi-jurisdictional involvement with towns responsible for the sidewalks and DOT for the roadways. He is concerned that safety gets lost in the bureaucracy. He suggested interagency groups that can be tasked with addressing issues that affect multiple jurisdictions and can be held accountable. Alex Castro said there is a growing population of seniors who are encouraged to get out a walk, but the conditions to do so are unsafe. He referred to a movement called Complete Streets, noting Chapel Hill has received bond approval for $16.2 million to improve infrastructure, including items such as senior crossings, akin to school crossings. He said seniors need crosswalks, and he is asking the Board of County Commissioners to cut across red tape to remedy this concern. Alex Castro then referred back to the report, which was originally submitted to the BOCC for this evening's discussion. He said he is proud to be associated with this Department, and noted its great efforts to implement programs like Project Engage. He said Project Engage selects individuals from throughout Orange County and provides them with a 13-week overview of all resources available in the County, so that they can return to their own communities and share this knowledge, while perhaps getting involved in the services as well. He said the Department has been developing Master Aging Plans that are community driven, including community meetings to hear all concerns. He said the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina (UNC) was able to help in these efforts. He said the department is good at harvesting resources from young and dedicated students, county staff, and senior volunteers to create multi-faceted programs. Commissioner Pelissier asked staff to look into what happened at Eno Haven Apartments, as she recalled there was supposed to be a pathway to the Senior Center. Alex Castro said there is a sidewalk, but it does not reach the Senior Center, and it is also on a grade. Commissioner Jacobs said he recalled a discussion about a connection not on highway 70, but rather a road that goes behind the complex. He informed Alex Castro that the BOCC has asked staff to look at all of the County's facilities to make them more accessible to pedestrians. Alex Castro said attention should be drawn to senior pedestrians, noting the example of strobe lights at some crosswalks in the County. Commissioner Rich suggested erecting signs at crosswalks noting that seniors are crossing. Alex Castro referred to an example in the County where a variable marking sign was added to alert motorists of an upcoming change in traffic pattern. He also said lowering and enforcing the speed limit would help. Commissioner Price said the sidewalk approaching the Senior Center in Hillsborough is on an incline, and once at the Senior Center the line-of-sight needs to be improved at the entrance. 5 • Adult Care Community Advisory Board: Mary Frasier, Department on Aging Staff Mary Fraiser said the Adult Care Community Advisory Board volunteers visit all six assisted living facilities and five family care homes each quarter, to look at resident rights and quality of life. She said a report is submitted and is available on the County website. She noted there is some disparity between fee-paying facilities and those available to those with lower incomes, and that leadership turnover is a problem. She said Board volunteers try to be supportive to the nurse administrators. Commissioner Dorosin asked if there is a difference between this Board and the Nursing Home committee. Mary Frasier said the two groups are required by state statute, and it is at the county's discretion whether to keep them separate or combined. She said a nursing home requires skilled nursing, whereas an assisted living is more of a social model program where needs are not medical in nature but rather connected to life skills. She said the work of the two committees is identical. Commissioner Burroughs said the work of the group is laudable. She asked if there are enough volunteers for the Board. Mary Frasier said if the committees are full, there are enough people to do the work necessary of visiting the facilities quarterly. She said there must always be at least two people on each quarterly visit, with three being optimal. Commissioner Burroughs asked if there is a pattern to the timing of the visits. Mary Frasier said visits are made at different times, in order to view different elements of the facility's day, including meal times, evenings, leisure time, and weekends. Commissioner Price visited a facility last year with this Board, and recalled its desire to present to the BOCC about its work and what was going on in the facilities. She asked if such a presentation could be added to a future BOCC agenda. Commissioner Pelissier said a weakness mentioned is that staff have limited experience with mental health issues, and she asked if local mental health providers have been contacted to provide training of some sort. Mary Frasier said the Committee has not done so directly. She noted that Cardinal Innovations is involved in most of the assisted living facilities, as they now have a geriatric education specialty team that is funded through the State. She said her concern is when young people suffering from mental illness are placed in the same facility as elderly, frail patients with the same conditions. She said this mixing occurs more in the Medicaid funded facilities. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the number of beds in Orange County for nursing homes versus assisted living is known, and if there is a waiting list. He asked if these numbers could be forwarded to the BOCC. Mary Frasier said yes, she can easily provide this information to the BOCC. She said there are five assisted living facilities, all at a fairly low census and struggling financially. She said Medicaid funded facilities are more full. She noted that there are few facilities that provide both. Commissioner Jacobs asked if there any models in counties across North Carolina that work with people on government assistance to operate or subsidize nursing homes. Mary Frasier said not that she knows of, noting that this is a big policy issue that requires deep review. She said much depends on the federal government and for what Medicaid and insurance will pay. Commissioner Jacobs asked if this topic will be part of Master Aging plan update. Mary Frasier she said it could be. 6 • Affordable Housing Advisory Board: Noah Oswald, Member Noah Oswald said Chair Barbee had another commitment and had to leave, but he said she did want to thank the Board of Commissioners for all that it has done, noting that the Affordable Housing Advisory Board is at full capacity, which allows for more productive meetings. He also expressed her thanks to the BOCC for including affordable housing as part of bond referendum. Noah Oswald said the draft plan submitted to the BOCC consists of three components: gather information, innovative solutions, and effective collaboration. He said he would like to give the BOCC and the public more information about the impact of affordable housing efforts. He said his Board has talked about property inventory, housing vouchers and barriers landlords face in offering affordable housing. He said there are a lot of units working toward affordable housing that can be coordinated to have a far greater impact on the issue. He said his Board is hoping to work more effectively with its sister boards and the non-profit community. Commissioner Pelissier expressed agreement with the goal of effective collaboration. She referred to the work plan and asked if the BOCC can attend the affordable housing bus tour. Noah Oswald said he was not part of the Board the last time this tour was conducted, but he would extend an invitation to the BOCC when the tour next occurs. • Agricultural Preservation Board (APB): Renee McPherson, Chair Renee McPherson thanked the BOCC for her appointment. Staff Member Peter Sandbeck said the APB had a good year and added 17 new farms this past year voluntarily. He said there is a total of 69 farms in the program now. He said the ordinance was tweaked to allow farms that are not in the present use program to be in the voluntary agricultural district program, and there is now have one farmer who is eligible. Issues: o Current Present Use program rules require that new owners or heirs of farmland must apply for Present Use status within a short period of time after the land transfer has taken place, or the option to enroll expires. Some farmers and property owners are not aware of this rule and are forced to wait the full four-year waiting period before they are able to participate in the Present Use program. Better education is needed to inform new owners of this requirement. o Efforts to keep farmland in agricultural producing and farmers in farming in the County depend partly on developing and maintaining local and regional markets for farm products. Nationally and regionally, direct-to-consumer sales of farm products appear to be plateauing or decreasing by some measures, such as sales at farmers markets and customer participation in CSAs. The APB would like to explore the possibility of forming a study group or task force to develop strategies for fostering local direct-to- consumer and regional sales opportunities for our farmers. o Nuisance lawsuits by neighboring property owners continue to be a problem for some farmers. Those who purchase property next to a pre-existing farm operation still have the ability to complain and sue based on farm smells and noise unless the farm is already enrolled in the VAD/EVAD program. Chair McKee said he thinks the tax office sends out notifications regarding Present Use status, but he would follow up. 7 Commissioner Pelissier said part of the problem may be the timing of the notification between the Register of Deeds office and the tax office. Commissioner Jacobs said inserts could be placed in tax bills, or during the revaluation, to remind the owners of these requirements. Peter Sandbeck said some members talked about direct sales to consumers plateauing and suggested perhaps a committee could look at this issue. Commissioner Rich said the report referred to the Orange County Agriculture Heritage project, which takes oral histories, and asked if there is a plan for where this will be kept. Peter Sandbeck said this is an ongoing conversation, with interest from the APB and the Historic Preservation Commission. He said the project has started by looking at archived recordings, but has run into the technology divide with old equipment. He said it is expected that this problem will be overcome. He said key people within the community are being identified and approached to see if they are willing to be recorded. He said the public library is interested in hosting this information. Peter Sandbeck said there has been discussion about a possible Heritage Center and possibly a web site to host this information in the future. Commissioner Jacobs said the Food Council has requested to come before the BOCC and have a Commissioner volunteer to be a member of the Council, along with a member from each government in the County. Chair McKee said it may be wise to have Mike Ortosky, Orange County Agriculture Economic Developer, take a look at this issue as well. Commissioner Jacobs said the Piedmont Food and Agricultural Processing (PFAP) Center is under new management, and wants to be more proactive in reaching out to the agricultural community. He said it may be wise for the APB to take a tour of PFAP. Commissioner Price said asked if the lawsuits mentioned in the report are serious. Peter Sandbeck said yes there are complaints, but many are situational and Board members hear about these issues from their friends. He said he is not sure that they have been serious, full-blown suits. • Animal Services Advisory Board (ASAB): Warren Porter, Chair Warren Porter said the ASAB has three main tasks: act as a sounding board for residents on all animal related issues in the County; perform the role of the potentially dangerous dog appeal board hearings; and work with Animal Services staff on policies, strategies to improve animal welfare in the County, etc. He said some ways that the ASAB achieves the last task is by seeking partnerships throughout the County, such as working on the UDO, creating a long-term plan to address pet overpopulation and managing free roaming cats. He said future plans include investigating options for animals of the homeless and victims of domestic violence. • Arts Commission: Tim Hoke, Chair Tim Hoke said in calendar year 2015, the Arts Commission celebrated its 30th anniversary, and awarded 11 grants to schools, 28 grants to nonprofit organizations, and 5 grants to local artists. He said artwork was commissioned and purchased (30th Anniversary Poster Design, NC Emergency Operations Center) from 2 additional local artists. He said the Commission continues to promote, remind and train artists and arts organizations on our online arts calendar (www.ExploreChapelHillARTS.com) embedded in our new WordPress website. He said community outreach is a large goal, and the Commission is starting a new initiative of mini-grants. He said there will be additional funds dedicated to advertising as well. 8 Commissioner Jacobs said Raleigh just adopted a strategic arts plan and suggested the Arts Commission consider something similar for Orange County. Tim Hoke said it was a multi-year process, and the Arts Commission will be looking at their plan. Commissioner Jacobs said there has been criticism of the Art Commission's outreach in the past, and he is glad to hear this is a focus of the Commission moving forward. Tim Hoke said there are several sub-committees with the Commission, one of which is reviewing the grant application process. He said sample grants will be provided to aid in the application process, as well as specific training and help for those seeking to submit an application. • Board of Adjustment: Michael Harvey, Planning Staff Michael Harvey said a new board was appointed late last fall, which did an admirable job of handling two very difficult cases. Chair McKee agreed. • Board of Health (BOH): Liska Lackey, Chair Liska Lackey said it has been her privilege to serve on this Board, which covers all aspects of health. She gave the BOCC an update on the BOH strategic plan. She noted that every four years, the BOH commissions a community health assessment to identify community health issues. She said the current priorities from the 2011 community health assessment are childhood and family obesity prevention, substance abuse and mental health, and access to care. Liska Lackey said a new community health assessment was completed in fall 2015, and a new strategic plan will be completed in spring 2016. She reviewed the following highlights from 2015: Substance Abuse and Mental Health • As a result of the BOH Directive, 75% of law enforcement agencies in Orange County are now equipped with naloxone (4 lives saved in the first 6 months of the project) • Winner of the NCACC Innovation in Government Award for the naloxone program • Health Department is one of three major partners in a collaborative approach to reduce binge drinking in and around Chapel Hill • Evaluations show continued improvement in percent of OC residents who know about the Smoke Free Public Places Rule Childhood and Family Obesity Prevention • Partnering with UNC Health Promotion and Disease Prevention to pilot online GO NAP SACC tool in OC • Founding partner of No Kid Hungry NC • Participating with UNC's Food for All campus theme Access to Care • Celebrated 1st anniversary of the Family Success Alliance o 4 Navigators hired o 3 Kindergarten readiness programs offered o Collective Impact summit recognized statewide • Innovation Grants Program on-going 9 Other • Active in the every 4-year community health assessment process including attending focus groups and community listening sessions Chair McKee said there has been consideration of a sharp container, or a syringe exchange program, and asked if there was an update on this topic. Colleen Bridger, Orange County Health Department Director, said yes the BOH approved this initiative which will go into effect no later than April 1, 2016. She said this initiative will allow people to go either Health Department location and receive a personal sized sharps container, as well as clean syringes and needles. She said these supplies can be returned and replenished as necessary. Chair McKee said there has been a lengthy history of Cardinal Innovations not being accommodating of County policies and procedures, but he sees a change forthcoming based on the Board meeting he attended last night. • Board of Social Services: Tamara Dempsey-Tanner, Chair/Nancy Coston, DSS Director Tamara Dempsey-Tanner said the Board has identified the following three issues as those of primary concern for the next year: o Child Care Tamara Dempsey-Tanner said DSS received an additional $1 million from the State for childcare, and thus DSS will not need to ask the County for additional child care funds at this time. She said in November there were 160 children on the waiting list, but currently none are on the waiting list. She said 700 children are currently being served with their funds. She said some County funds are being used for after school care. o NC FAST Expansion Tamara Dempsey-Tanner reminded the BOCC that NC FAST is North Carolina Families Accessing Services through Technology. She said the intent of this program is to have a universal system for access to all DSS programs, allowing for seamless application and enrollment. She said the State is growing this system slowly, with Work First, Nutrition Services and Medicaid being live thus far. She said there has been some learning curve, and DSS staff has worked diligently to meet the curve while still serving the clients. o ABAWD Work Requirements and Employment Services Tamara Dempsey-Tanner said the able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) program began in January 2016. She said this program applies to adults ages 18 to 49 who previously received food and nutrition services. She said these clients will no longer be eligible for benefits unless they have a qualified dependent, and are not currently working. Nancy Coston said DSS is working diligently with clients regarding this change, noting benefits will not cease until April 1. She said it has been a great challenge to reach clients, but DSS will continue to reach out. She said there has been a wonderful response from community partners regarding work program placements. Commissioner Dorosin asked if there is a plan in place to inform clients that benefits will be ceasing. Nancy Coston said a notification letter was sent from the State in December 2015, and a termination letter will also come from the State. She said if clients do not read the letter, they will be informed when the benefits card no longer works at the grocery store. 10 Chair McKee asked if there is an emergency plan in place to help clients in the aforementioned scenario, such as extending benefits for a day or a week. Nancy Coston said no, but noted there is a food bank. She said clients can get back into the program by working with DSS staff to reapply or getting an exemption for a disability. She said the number of people facing the loss of benefits may be as high as 900, and DSS will likely receive many phone calls when benefits are terminated. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the local supermarkets have been notified that this may happen. Nancy Coston said not yet, but outreach to some of these vendors has been discussed. Commissioner Jacobs said it would be preferable to avoid humiliation at an open market, and perhaps vendors would be willing to exercise some charity. Commissioner Rich asked if there is a telephone number on the card. Nancy Coston said yes, but the number is for the EBT call center only. She said the client would be told the benefits have been terminated, and they must call the local DSS office; it will not replenish the card at that point. Commissioner Burroughs referred to the DSS report and asked if DSS is indeed continuing to see increases in the number of people needing services. Nancy Coston said it varies by service, but the numbers of people needing public assistance are not decreasing. • Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau: Rosemary Waldorf, Chair Rosemary Waldorf said the County gets 2.5 million overnight visitors per year, and each one spends between $255.00 and $348.00 per visit. She said in 2014, tourism contributed $181 million to the local economy and provided 1,800 jobs. She said there is a wonderful staff at the Visitor's Bureau, including an excellent, high-energy new sales director, Marlene Barberra. Rosemary Waldorf provided an update on new hotels: the Hyatt Place at Southern Village, which should be accepting guests in spring 2017; and the AC Marriott in downtown Chapel Hill, which has been approved. She noted a boom in hotel building in the area and said the Board will stay on top of that. Rosemary Waldorf said Jeff Stickler has agreed to serve on the Board, pending BOCC appointment. She said he works in health care and will be a helpful addition to the Board as healthcare is a growing industry in the area. Rosemary Waldorf said discussions have begun about whether to move the Visitor's Center to the old InterFaith Council facility, and the Visitor's Bureau has deemed this to be a matter between the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County. She noted that should the Visitor's Bureau move to this location, it will be a first class operation. Rosemary Waldorf said one issue the Board has been pondering is the potential need for an expanded multi-purpose meeting space, as a lot of business has been lost due to the lack of such a facility. She said several consultants have given proposals for consideration, and the Board would welcome input from the BOCC as this idea is considered further. Rosemary Waldorf said agricultural tourism is growing, and she is thinking about overnight packages connecting to this area. Laurie Paolicelli, Orange County Community Relations Department Director, said a potential multi-purpose meeting space is a three-prong process: local needs assessment, outside market analysis assessment, and site selection review and process. • Commission for the Environment (CFE): Lydia Wegman, Chair 11 Lydia Wegman said the Commission has excellent support from staff. She reviewed the following information: Highlights/Accomplishments o Initiated a series of articles on environmental issues featured in SOE report (2015) Recommendations: o The CFE will continue to advocate for an expansion of the County's commercial food waste pickup and composting services to reduce food waste in the solid waste stream o The CFE remains interested in developing incentives for increasing energy efficiency in new construction o The CFE will continue to learn more about environmental justice matters and incorporate relevant information and considerations in the State of the Environment report and its other activities o The CFE will continue to follow the Solid Waste Advisory Group's discussions of how to improve the handling and disposal of Orange County's solid waste, and will advocate for better long-term solutions o The CFE will continue to advocate for increased efforts to gather information related to water resources in Orange County and to increase public awareness and understanding of water supply sources, related concerns, and what steps can be undertaken to maintain or improve the quantity and quality of Orange County water supply resources o The CFE will continue to address, as appropriate, the critical environmental issues for Orange County as enumerated on page 3 of the 2014 State of the Environment report, which include potential adverse effects from a) invasive, non-native, plant and animal species; b) reductions in State-led collection of water resources data; c) potential drilling for natural gas in the Deep River basin; d) urban sprawl; and CFE support for e) the responsible deployment of clean and appropriately-sited renewable energy and reductions in energy use to help fight climate change Commissioner Dorosin said he appreciated that environmental justice has been folded into the CFE plan. • Economic Development Advisory Board: Donald (D.R.) Bryan, Chair D.R. Bryan said in 2015, the Advisory Board received 50 small business applications and approved 28 awards, totaling $183,338.00 for the Small Business Investment Grant program. He said in addition, the Agriculture Economic Development Grant program received 24 applications and approved 20 awards, totaling $157,178.49. D.R. Bryan said in 2016, staff asked the Board to consider how Orange County should be branded for Economic Development. He said the Board is considering a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) approach to assess and brand Orange County. He said the Board also plans to look more closely at the Economic Development District (EDDs), and the characteristics of each one. He said the EDDs were created 25 years ago. 12 He said the Board has asked staff about the possibility of having certified sites for industrial recruitment. Commissioner Rich said at the BOCC retreat Chair McKee and Commissioner Jacobs requested an update on these issues, and the information is eagerly anticipated. Commissioner Jacobs said Chair McKee suggested having a work session on these issues. Commissioner Jacobs said he would like to have more regular information about what the Economic Development Advisory Board is discussing and considering. Chair McKee said he sees a crucial tie between tourism and economic development. He thanked the Board for its expeditious work on the grant programs. D.R. Bryan said the Board spent a great deal of its efforts on the grants process. Commissioner Rich asked if those who did not receive a grant are being encouraged to reapply. D.R. Bryan said yes. • Historic Preservation Commission (HPC): Susan Ballard, Chair Peter Sandbeck, Orange County Cultural Resources Coordinator, reviewed the following highlights: o Applied for and received a second federal grant of$5,000 to continue a major project to update the County's historic resources inventory in partnership with the State Historic Preservation Office. This includes GIS mapping, digital photography, research and written text for the HPC's planned publication documenting the county's historic properties. (2015) o Completed in 2015 the first phase of a multi-year project to update the County's historic resources inventory with a focus on African-American, agricultural/farm heritage sites and post-World War II resources. This will culminate in a new publication documenting our historic properties and sites. The HPC obtained a federal grant of$15,000 from the State Historic Preservation Office, through the Certified Local Government (CLG) program. o Designated two new properties as Orange County Local Historic Landmarks: White Cross School in White Cross and the Nicholas Corbett Hester House in Cedar Grove. (2015) o Held a successful piedmont regional history symposium in partnership with Preservation Chapel Hill and the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough (2014) o Hosted a historic preservation training workshop for piedmont region city and county historic preservation and planning staffers, in partnership with the State Historic Preservation Office and the Certified Local Government Program (2014) o Held a full membership retreat to review goals and establish a new five-year action plan to focus the energies of the HPC on a series of major projects and initiatives (2013) o Completed an archaeological survey (Phase II) of Hollow Rock Access Area (New Hope Creek Preserve) to further identify Native American sites, with funding assistance from a $15,000 federal grant through the State Historic Preservation Office (2013) o Designated the Captain John S. Pope Farm in Cedar Grove as an Orange County Local Landmark (2013) o Convened the Orange County Historic Preservation Summit (May 2012) involving 10 organizations (historic commissions and non-profits) from the county and municipalities 13 o Completed Design Standards for Orange County Local Landmarks and Local Historic Districts to provide the HPC with proper design review guidelines (2010) o Prepared the Cultural Resources Chapter of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan (2008) Issues going forward: o The HPC will seek grant funds from private foundations to help complete the update of the county-wide historic resources inventory started in 2014. These funds are needed to allow the HPC to produce a comprehensive book/publication documenting the county's historic resources (Fiscal impact: HPC will request $10,000 in County funds to secure $25,000 in matching grants in 2016; HPC staff will provide project support) o The HPC will continue working with the Hillsborough Planning Staff and the County Attorney on an approach for the handling the further identification and protection of historic resources in the Town's extra-territorial jurisdiction (No fiscal impact) o The HPC will increase efforts to promote the Local Historic Landmark program to eligible property owners, working in cooperation with the Lands Legacy Program, to generate at least two new landmark applications per year (No fiscal impact— funding already budgeted for this in the Lands Legacy program funding) Commissioner Jacobs said he is encouraged to hear about the planning regarding the historic courthouse. He said the lands legacy program should address historic preservation as part of its charge, and noted there should be communication between departments and the two boards. Chair McKee asked if the HPC is following the events and developments at the Colonial Inn. Peter Sandbeck said yes, but the HPC is at arms length as it is a Town of Hillsborough issue. He said the HPC could bring something back later about this. Commissioner Jacobs asked if the Colonial Inn will be on the agenda for the BOCC joint meeting with the Town of Hillsborough. Chair McKee said yes. • Housing Authority: Jean Bolduc, Chair Jean Bolduc thanked the BOCC for its debate on affordable housing as related to the bond referendum. She said a lot of people are being pushed out of their current housing due to unaffordability. She reviewed the following highlights: What are your Board/Commission's most important accomplishments? • Review and Discussion of the Consolidated Plan and Analysis of Impediments • Purging of the Existing Waiting List, Planning for and Opening of the Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List (over 800 applicants). For the first time, mail-in of applications and Saturday hours during application period. • Development and Submission of the HCV Five Year Plan and Annual Plan following required Public Hearing • Initiating a New Resident Advisory Committee • Educating the Community and BOCC on affordable housing needs in support of including affordable housing in the Bond Referendum. • New Resident Member on the Board and full membership and active participation and attendance of members 14 For next fiscal year some items already discussed include: • Planning for a 2016 Affordable Housing Conference (in collaboration with the Affordable Housing Advisory Board) • Developing a family self-sufficiency program • Assess initiatives associated with expanding supply of affordable mobile homes • Landlord outreach and incentives • Review and Amendment of the HCV Program Administrative Plan • Increasing homeownership participation in HCV Program for participants • Educating the community on affordable housing needs and the importance to the vitality of the County • Continued advocacy on behalf of low-income families in need of sustainable housing solutions. Jean Bolduc referred to the idea of having an affordable housing conference, saying its goal would be to bring the many wonderful ideas regarding affordable housing and harnessing them into purpose and action moving forwards. She said the BOCC would be invited to attend and hopefully speak at the conference. Jean Bolduc said the Housing Authority is seeking allocated County funds for board volunteers and staff members to attend professional development conferences. Commissioner Rich suggested tapping into the Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG) about the affordable housing conference. Commissioner Jacobs suggested considering the Human Relations Commission as a partner. • Human Relations Commission (HRC): Member Matt Hughes and Monica Richard, Vice Chair Monica Richard highlighted some of the Commissions accomplishments: after years of work, the BOCC implemented a mandate for all agenda items to include a consideration of possible social justice impacts; and in June 2015, the HRD presented a proclamation to support the full implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which lead to the County investigating the accessibility of all of its facilities and working towards full ADA compliance. Monica Richard said the HRC is greatly concerned about the demographics of its make up, and its lack of diversity. She said, as a result, the HRC will have a retreat on March 5, out of which the HRC hopes to develop a recruitment plan to generate a more diverse pool of applicants for the HRC. She expressed thanks to the BOCC for its support of the recent HRC forum. Matt Hughes thanked the BOCC for facilitating the ADA review of County facilities, and also Commissioner Price for initiating Constitution Day. Commissioner Rich asked if it would be possible to give the HRC events schedule to the BOCC earlier, in hopes that BOCC members may be able to attend more events. • Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee: Teri Driscoll, Chair Teri Driscoll said Mary Frasier shared a great deal of information with the BOCC, and the Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee is an advocate for the nursing homes, and also does site visits quarterly and write reports which are on the County website. Teri Driscoll said a goal for 2016 is to recruit more men to serve on the Committee. 15 • OUTBoard: Heidi Perry, Chair Heidi Perry said she has been the Chair of the OUTBoard since November, but the Board has not met since that time. She said the Office of Public Transportation (OPT) dominates four of the OUTBoard meetings each year. She said this past year the OUTBoard presented an outline for a Bicycle Safety Task Force to the BOCC. She said this outline is undergoing reviews and will be brought back to the BOCC in a revised format soon, with a focus on education. Heidi Perry said she has asked OPT to arrange for a bus trip to travel the new OPT routes, to allow for a greater understanding of exactly where the routes will run. Heidi Perry said so many boards overlap with transportation issues. She said it may be helpful to add in a few extra meetings solely dedicated to some of these overlap issues, specifically issues pertaining to pedestrians. • Parks and Recreation Council (PRC): Neal Bench, Chair Neal Bench thanked them for their approval of the PRC Master Plan. He said hiking and trails were a priority amenity, as well as primitive campsites in the plan. Accomplishments: o The PRC reviews site plans for major subdivision applications in the county's jurisdiction. Recommendations are made on potential land dedication for parks and open space. (Goal 5) o The PRC was the lead advisory board for the Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2030. This effort was largely undertaken in house, and the Council played a role in advising on surveys, outreach and work products, participating in public input sessions and focus groups in its role as "steering committee." (Goal 5) o The Council reviewed plans and advised on the Blackwood Farm Park Limited Opening Plan and provided input on trail connectivity and disc golf opportunities. (Goal 6) Neal Bench wanted to acknowledge David Stancil and the DEAPR staff for their support. • Planning Board: Lydia Wegman, Chair/Tony Blake, Vice Chair Lydia Wegman thanked all involved in supporting the Planning Board and reviewed the following highlights: o UDO text amendment to require a neighborhood information meeting prior to public hearings for Special Use Permit applications. o UDO text amendment to establish a new conditional zoning district for Agricultural Support Enterprises, both within the Rural Buffer and in the remainder of County planning jurisdiction, and various accompanying changes to the text. o UDO text amendment to change standards related to home occupations, which liberalized the ability to have home businesses. o Pleasant Green Woods Phase IV major subdivision concept plan and preliminary plat. o Triple Crown Farms major subdivision preliminary plat. o Stroud's Creek major subdivision concept plan and preliminary plat. o Class A SUP for a solar facility in Cheeks Township. 16 More recently: o UDO text amendments for revisions to the public hearing process to enhance public input opportunities, streamline when possible, and improve legal integrity. o UDO, Comprehensive Plan & Zoning Atlas Amendments to adopt two new zoning overlay districts in Efland that recognize community character and add flexibility to target development. o In 2015, two property-owner initiated applications for non-residential rezonings were processed. The Planning Board reviewed these and issued a recommendation to the BOCC on each application. o UDO text amendments related to temporary health care structures. o Henderson Woods major subdivision concept plan and preliminary plat. o UDO text amendments related to impervious surface matters. o Class A SUPs for a solar facility in Bingham Township and for Emerson Waldorf School. o UDO text amendments related to recreational land uses. Lydia Wegman said she and Craig Benedict, Orange County Planning Director, believe the population projections to be too high as well as the distribution of the population. Craig Benedict said these numbers will be reviewed moving forward. Tony Blake said the Board's priorities are well aligned, and he is pleased with the inter workings with the telecommunications efforts and the alternate septic areas, as they will draw a thread through affordable housing. Commissioner Jacobs thanked Craig Benedict for the work on the population projections and noted the numbers are way off. He said planning based on these numbers is not conducive to smart planning. Lydia Wegman said all involved agree. Commissioner Burroughs said she heard that Chatham County is well ahead of Orange County on tiny houses' regulations. Craig Benedict said it is both the building code and the Planning Board that will move this issue forward. He said definitions are being established for different types of tiny homes, as well as the expansion of the number of unrelated persons that can dwell in one home. He said these items will return to the BOCC in late February. Commissioner Jacobs recalled Commissioner Dorosin questioning County regulations pertaining to how many people can reside in one dwelling. Craig Benedict said the response will be given at the upcoming quarterly public hearing. Commissioner Jacobs asked if this information will pertain just to medically necessitated co-dwelling. Craig Benedict said no, this expands beyond temporary health care structures. Commissioner Jacobs said he could not find when the Pauli Murray awards will take place anywhere on the HRC website, noting this website is not linked into what Laurie Paolicelli publicizes, or into the County website. He asked if all involved could work together to provide clear communication. 3. County Commissioners — Boards and Commissions Assignments BOARD NAME Serving 2016 STATUTORY 17 ABC Board Chair McKee Board of Health Commissioner Burroughs Board of Social Services Chair McKee Community Oversight Board (part of OPC Commissioner Price Community Operations Center) INTERGOVERNMENTAL and OTHER GROUPS WITH BOCC MEMBERS Burlington/Graham MPO Transportation Advisory Commissioner Jacobs — Member Committee Chair McKee -Alternate Communities in Schools Commissioner Burroughs Community Home Trust BOD Commissioner Rich Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro-Metropolitan Commissioner Jacobs - Member Planning Organization (MPO)- Transportation Commissioner Price -Alternate Advisory Committee Durham- Orange-Chapel Hill Work Group Commissioner Rich Commissioner Jacobs Durham Tech Board of Trustees Commissioner Price Family Success Alliance Commissioner Pelissier Commissioner Rich Fire Chief's Association of Orange County Chair McKee Healthy Carolinians Commissioner Dorosin HOME Program Review Committee Commissioner Dorosin Intergovernmental Parks Work Group Commissioner Pelissier— member Commissioner Rich -Alternate JCPC (Orange County Juvenile Crime Prevention Commissioner Price Council) Library Committee- Elected Officials Commissioner Jacobs, Chair McKee, and Commissioner Pelissier Orange County Partnership for Young Children Commissioner Burroughs Small Business Loan Program Commissioner Pelissier Partnership to End Homelessness Commissioner Dorosin TJCOG Commissioner Rich — Member Chair McKee -Alternate Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization Commissioner Price —Member-Chair- (TARPO) Transportation Advisory Committee Officer Alternate-OPEN Go Triangle Board of Trustees Commissioner Pelissier- Secretary Upper Neuse River Basin Association Pam Hemminger *not to exceed one year Chair McKee Commissioner Jacobs Workforce Development Board — Regional Nancy Coston Partnership 18 Visitor's Bureau Commissioner Rich — Member— Finance Officer BOARDS TO WHICH BOCC HAS ALREADY MADE APPOINTMENTS for 2015 NACo Voting Delegate Commissioner Price NCACC Voting Delegate Commissioner Price Triangle Transit Special Tax Board Commissioner Dorosin Commissioner Burroughs LIWG ( Legislative Issues Work Group) Commissioner Burroughs and Commissioner Rich SHORT TERM TASK FORCES/WORKGROUPS Alternatives to Jail Assessment Work Commissioner Jacobs Group and Commissioner Pelissier Cedar Grove Advisory Board Meeting Commissioner Jacobs and Commissioner Price Strategic Communications Work In Maintenance Group Solid Waste Advisory Group (SWAG) Commissioner Jacobs and Commissioner Rich Space Study Work Group In Maintenance EX-OFFICIO Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce- Chair Serves does not require a Commissioner NC DOT Quarterly Meetings Chair/Vice Chair School Collaboration Meetings Chair/Vice Chair 4. Environment and Agricultural Center Project Update Due to time constraints this item is considered an Information Item. BACKGROUND: On June 16, 2015 the Board of County Commissioners appropriated design and due diligence funds in the FY2015-16 Capital Investment Plan for a new or renovated Environment and Agricultural Center on its existing and desired Revere Road site. The purpose of the renovation is to improve the facility as an operationally efficient and centralized provider of agriculture related services. Over the past three months, County staff and consultants have performed due diligence on the site in preparation for the coming engineering and design activities. A request for qualifications ("RFQ") process was initiated in September 2015 for the designer for the project. Nine submittals were reviewed, and four firms interviewed with a staff panel representing DEAPR, Cooperative Extension, Asset Management Services, the Soil & Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, and the Commission for the Environment. The interview panel has since selected a preferred designer. Staff is negotiating the professional services agreement and related fees and hopes to bring a recommendation for this firm as part of the agenda review process in March. Once the designer is engaged, the first priority in the design process will be to solicit 19 stakeholder feedback for the project. The designer will conduct surveys of building residents, County partners, elected officials, staff, and other interested stakeholders in an effort to assemble the best facility of its type and purpose for Orange County. The project team will present this information to the Board for its discussion and feedback As the project progresses through this collaborative design process, staff will provide future updates as the schematic design unfolds. The Board will be asked to approve the final design development documents and authorize construction documents and bidding to occur. A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Pelissier to adjourn the meeting at 10:26 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Earl McKee, Chair Donna Baker,Clerk to the Board