HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 02-20-20181
APPROVED 3/8/2018
MINUTES
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MEETING
February 20, 2018
7:00 p.m.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, February 20,
2018 at 7p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Dorosin and Commissioners Mia Burroughs,
Barry Jacobs, Earl McKee, Mark Marcoplos, Renee Price and Penny Rich
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None
COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts
COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Deputy County Manager
Travis Myren and Clerk to the Board Donna Baker (All other staff members will be identified
appropriately below)
Chair Dorosin called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda
Chair Dorosin noted the following items at the Commissioners’ places:
- PowerPoint for Item 6-a,
- PowerPoint for Item 4-b
- Yellow sheet: Handout for 7b
PUBLIC CHARGE
Chair Dorosin dispensed with the reading of the public charge.
Arts Moment - Aaron Belz
Aaron Belz’s poetry has been published in American journals such as Fence, Boston
Review, Eleven Eleven, and Zócalo Public Square, and internationally in publications such as
Van Gogh’s Ear, Jacket, and Tears in the Fence. He has given readings in numerous venues
ranging from literary salons and bookstores and university classrooms to improve workshops,
literary festivals, and comedy festivals. Mr. Belz has released three full-length books, The Bird
Hoverer (2007), Lovely, Raspberry (2010) and Glitter Bomb (2014) and has one forthcoming:
Soft Launch (2019, Persea Books). Aaron lives in Hillsborough, N.C. The late John Ashbery
remarked, "Aaron Belz's poetry reminds us that poetry should be bright, friendly, surprising,
and totally committed to everything but itself. Reading him is like dreaming of a summer
vacation – and then taking it."
Aaron Belz read two poems.
2. Public Comments
a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda
Chair Dorosin said Ellie Kinnaird wished to speak to an item on the consent
agenda, and asked the BOCC if it would be acceptable to allow her to speak at this time.
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The Board agreed by consensus.
Ellie Kinnaird said she is here to speak to Item 8 -g: Letter to Cardinal
Innovations in Support of Club Nova’s Request for Capital Funding. She thanked the
BOCC for its support, and said Club Nova is taking time to tell people what they do. She
said Club Nova fulfills a policy that was created in the 1980s, when the institutions for
the chronically mentally ill were closed down with the goal of providing services in the
community. She said Club Nova is a day program where the mentally ill can gather,
which meets in a 100-year old house. She said a variety of programming is offered to
meet all levels of need. She said socialization is very important for the chronically
mentally ill. She said Club Nova provides three meals a day, transportation, follow up
pertaining to health and medication needs, transitional employment, etc. She said all of
these services allow for the clients to receive care, families to know their loved ones are
safe, and the taxpayer to see that these clients are not re-hospitalized, incarcerated or
homeless.
Commissioner McKee arrived at 7:10 p.m.
Commissioner Price said Cardinal Innovations has changed some of its policies,
and she asked Cardinal Innovations if it would now provide funding for residential
construction, and she was told yes. She said Cardinal Innovations encouraged Club
Nova to apply for funding.
Commissioner Jacobs said the Board of County Commissioners has always been
supportive of Club Nova.
Ivy Barger said she is here to address the plans of a neo-confederate group to erect a
billboard size confederate symbol in every county in the state, including Orange County. She
said this group considers this symbol to be a flag, but according to the Unified Development
Ordinance (UDO) these are not flags but signs, and, as such, should be subject to the sign
code. She said this symbol is not a flag of a country, state or political subdivision, and thus
does not fulfill the UDO’s definition of a flag. She asked the BOCC to apply the sign code to
the planned display.
Heather Ann Redding said she is here to discuss the aspects of the permit granted for
the 60-foot flagpole in northern Orange County, off of route 70. She said she is not here to
contest the content, imagery, or related messaging of the anticipated flag, but rather an issue
regarding code compliance enforcements. She said signs on private property can be
regulated, and referred to portions of the UDO to support this.
Hillary MacKenzie declined to speak.
Patricia Clayton said she is the President of Northern Orange chapter of the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and is concerned about the
raising of this proposed flag. She said the NAACP is against racial hatred, division, and
discrimination, and encouraged the BOCC to please vote against the confederate flag.
Joe Cole said his family is from West Virginia, and many family members were coal
miners. He said his parents left W est Virginia, as his father did not want to be a coal miner.
He said he has a heritage that is rooted in the south, and in a blue-collar community. He said
there is a lot of complexity in the history of poor white people in the south, and in recent years,
he learned that one of his great grandfathers was a part of the Ku Klux Klan, and some of his
ancestors were slave owners. He said, to him, the confederate flag is a symbol of racism and
terrorism. He said he knows that he has racism in himself, but this flag is a symbol that
promotes racial hatred. He said this symbol should not be so large that it can intimidate
people of color.
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Artha Cravey said she wanted to speak against the large confederate flag that is
proposed to go up in northern Orange County, and the group that is proposing these in every
county. She said this group is promoting white supremacy, and mega-size racist symbols are
being used as mega-size racist statements. She said Orange County Schools (OCS) has
shown leadership on this issue, and the Board of County Commissioners can do the same.
Emily Elstad said she wanted to speak out against the large confederate flag that is
proposed to go up close to her home. She said she is worried about her property values,
tourism, and the people of color who will have to drive past this symbol daily, two of whom are
her children. She said this is a 20 x 30 foot flag on a 90-foot pole, which her family will be able
to see from its back yard. She said neither she nor her children want to see this symbol of
hatred. She said movement around the confederate flag is often sluggish, and she urged the
BOCC to consider how it would act if this group was going to put up a swastika or a flag of
male genitalia.
Amy Halberstatt said she is in awe of the speeches that have come before her, and she
has flags at home but this flag and its size, is a symbol of hatred and racism. She said she
has concerns for all that would see this flag, and how it would reflect on Orange County. She
said erecting this flag will not be helpful to Orange County in any possible way.
David Neal said he is concerned about the idea of a mega-size symbol of hate going up
in Orange County. He said he agrees the UDO should be used to limit the size of this symbol,
and any other symbol, on residential property. He said if there any ambiguity within the UDO,
he hopes the BOCC will work with the Planning Department to remove it, and any doubt,
moving forward.
Julia Sendor said she is here because of the young people with whom she works. She
said she never thought seriously about the confederate flag until she started working with
middle and high school students. She said many young people of color “just shut down” when
they see a flag such as this. She said the County has the tools to govern in a way that
protects public health and welfare.
Sarah Cross said she is speaking against the confederate flag that may be put up in
northern Orange County. She said this flag is stained with murder. She said she is a
descendant of southern families and confederate flags. She does not want a mega-sized
confederate flag in Orange County, or anywhere else in the country.
Erik Johnson said he is a retired minister in Chapel Hill, and he stands in opposition of
any flag of this type. He said symbols are powerful, and the confederate flag is a symbol of
reality that is horrifying to him, and one in which he does not want to participate. He said
when he sees this flag throughout the country he trembles and is chilled. He said he feels pain
and terror, and he is white; he can only imagine how people of color must feel. He said other
areas have removed this flag, and Orange County can do the same.
Chair Dorosin said this is a matter of concern, and the Board has asked John Roberts
to look in some of these issues, and will ask him to look at more of these after tonight. He said
the public has spoken very eloquently about all the elements of this issue, and he said the
Board of County Commissioners is taking this matter very seriously.
Commissioner McKee said it is a two-prong approach: the Sons of Confederate
Veterans is the group that is intent on putting one flag in every county; and the group that is
based in Alamance County wants to put up 4 flags in Orange County specifically.
Commissioner Jacobs said about 15 years ago, the Sons of Confederate Veterans
approached the Board of County Commissioners requesting that the confederate Memorial
Day be a County holiday. He said German soldiers fighting for Germany in WW2 were fighting
for the Nazis, and their actions were therefore immoral. He said confederate soldiers were the
same. He said the confederate flag has been used to protest racial reconciliation and the
institution of equal civil rights.
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Commissioner Price thanked the public for coming out and speaking.
b. Matters on the Printed Agenda
(These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda
below.)
3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members
Commissioner McKee said he had mentioned recently that GoTriangle would come
back to the BOCC for an additional vote in 2018, but he has learned that this was incorrect.
He said he would like to petition the Board to direct staff to determine when the BOCC has
another go/no-go vote on the light rail project.
Commissioner McKee said he would like to know whether a material change, as
defined in the plan, automatically triggers a go/no-go vote, or if the change is simply reported
to the BOCC.
Commissioner McKee said he is disturbed that at the last Metropolitan Planning
Organization’s (MPO) meeting, a weighted vote occurred. He said he did not know about the
weighted vote, but it is his understanding that the weighted vote did not change the outcome,
but it ensured the outcome. He said he is concerned that this was used as a tactic, when all
are supposed to be equal and collaborative partners.
Commissioner Price said she would also like to know what triggers a review and
reevaluation of the County’s agreement with GoTriangle.
Commissioner Price said residents have been requesting walkability around
Hillsborough, in particular a sidewalk or gravel pathway to and from the State Employees
Credit Union (SECU) that just opened on Highway 70.
Commissioner Price thanked the new elections director for updating the website about
upcoming elections.
Commissioner Price said she attended her first ABC board meeting today, and she
distributed alcohol resource guides to the BOCC. She said the Sheriff’s department plans to
take a DWI simulator to local schools to educate young people about the dangers of drunk
driving.
Commissioner Rich said she handed over her MPO orientation book to Commissioner
Marcoplos. She said the weighted vote has not always been in the make up of the MPO, and
it goes by population, with each group getting the amount of votes per population. She said
this vote can be asked for at any time, but usually occurs when there is a controversy.
Commissioner Rich said she and Commissioner Jacobs attended the 5-year LAUNCH
celebration event. She said LAUNCH now has an additional space.
Commissioner Rich gave a big shout out to Chapel Hill Town Council member, Hongbin
Gu, for the Chinese New Year event at the Friday Center.
Commissioner Rich said she attended the fire academy with Chapel Hill High (CHHS)
students, which was a learning experience. She said the students lead the class, and this is a
great program for students at CHHS and Orange High School.
Commissioner Rich said she also took an EMT class with students at CHHS. She said
learning CPR is no longer sufficient, and EMT training needs to include how to stop bleeding,
and tourniquets are needed for all the first responders in the schools.
Commissioner Rich said she attended a program about hunger in schools, where they
talked about food distribution in Wake County high schools. She said she would like to have a
similar program for high schools in Orange County.
Commissioner Marcoplos said it was frustrating reading the article about the MPO
meeting. He said the article made it out to be a power play, and as he talked with others, he
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found the article was fairly erroneous. He said the article fired people up with misinformation,
and he said the MPO is going to have a committee on communications. He asked if there is a
better way to get on top of controversial issues in the future, in order to provide factual
information up front.
Commissioner Marcoplos said last night he attended a presentation by the group
working on the tiny homes initiative. He said this initiative is doing a lot of work in showing the
roadblocks to tiny homes, and he encouraged everyone to find out more.
Commissioner Burroughs said she attended the Family Success Alliance (FSA)
meeting, and the FSA has been invited to submit a significant proposal to the Kenan Trust.
She said the new head of United W ay for the Triangle attended the FSA meeting, and said the
United Way is again changing the way it does funding. She said UNC has applied for, and
received, more funding to help with evaluations.
Commissioner Jacobs said this Monday is the 20th Orange County Agricultural Summit
at the Whitted building.
Commissioner Jacobs petitioned to direct staff/Commission for the Environment to
research how Orange County can be qualified as a “Bee Friendly County”.
Commissioner Jacobs said he asked that the new Elections Director to come and talk
to the Board about the safety of their votes. He said he served on the State Commission on
Electronic Voting, and they found that the machines in Orange County are hard to hack, but
they did see a demonstration about how easy it is to get into electronic machines. He said a
review would be good.
Commissioner Jacobs referred to the MPO vote, and said it was an unfortunate
decision from the Durham representatives to undercut the collegial relationships that were
created about the light rail. He said Durham’s petition to remove certain projects would have
failed 5-3, because Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Chatham, Orange and Hillsborough voted no; but
because it was a weighted vote, these 5 entities lost. He said this does not set a good tone for
the future. He said he believes GoTriangle staff has an answer to when there is a check-in
point in the project, which he believes is related to insufficient funds being available in order to
proceed.
Commissioner Rich said they are talking about removing projects that may or may not
be getting state funding, and it is important that everyone understands what the SPOT 5.0 is,
and how the state funding works. She said this could be an information item on an upcoming
agenda.
Commissioner Price said she has worked with the SPOT series before, and with the
Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization (TARPO) there is a level of trust and collaboration
where they shared the points system.
Commissioner Price said the Orange County Mental Health Work Group toured the
WakeBrook Behavioral Health facility in Raleigh. She said local judges and other criminal
justice staff attended, and they were looking at ways to help keep people with mental health
needs out of jail.
Commissioner Price said she also attended the Lantern Festival, and Chapel Hill-
Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) won the dragon dance.
Chair Dorosin said he attended a good school collaboration meeting this morning. He
said one of the discussion items was safety within the schools. He said one suggestion was
for the two school boards and Orange County to meet with the Community Emergency
Response Collective to share information. He said he suggested hosting a community
listening session to allow the public to receive up to date information regarding school safety.
Chair Dorosin said he had a meeting with Community Home Trust Director, Robert
Dowling and Kevin Foy yesterday, who are Chairs of the InterFaith Council’s (IFC) campaign
for the Food First facility in Carrboro. He said this project may be one of which the Board of
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County Commissioners would be supportive, and possibly use the social justice fund to fund
their capital building request over several years.
4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations
a. OWASA Annual Update Presentation
The Board received a presentation and information from the Orange Water and Sewer
Authority (OWASA) on recent activities.
Ray DuBose, Orange County Appointee to the OWASA Board, said they value this
annual opportunity to present to the BOCC.
Ray DuBose, Robert Morgan, OWASA Board Chair, and Todd Taylor, OWASA General
Manager, reviewed the following information:
The North Carolina Drought Monitor currently classifies central North Carolina including
Orange County as being in a moderate drought. The OWASA Board and staff are closely
monitoring conditions and we continue to encourage wise use of water resources.
As of January 17th, our reservoirs (Cane Creek Reservoir, University Lake and Quarry
Reservoir) were 63% full, which is lower than normal for this time of year. Since 1990, the
lowest level for our reservoirs on January 17th was 41% full in 2008, during our last severe
drought.
We have a Water Shortage Response Plan and a Drought Response Operating Protocol,
which guides our decisions to ensure we work proactively with the community in response to
increasingly severe drought conditions. Each year, we want to see our water supply capacity at
100% by the spring, so we anticipate improvement within the next month or so. If not, we will
take action to seek additional conservation from our customers and consider our Jordan Lake
supply option.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure/Agua Vista
Significant progress was made last year on our Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project
called Agua Vista to include:
• Wrapping up vendor selection and contract negotiations.
• Executing the installation contract with our preferred vendor.
• Installing a portion of the network infrastructure.
• Substantial completion of software integration.
• Staff training.
• Development of the community engagement plan and materials.
• Upgrading a small quantity of meters with OWASA staff to reinforce training and test
processes.
• Processed a small quantity of bills utilizing AMI reading data.
The key benefits of the project are:
• To improve customer access to water use information,
• To make for more efficient and effective billing,
• To allow early detection of possible water leaks, and
• To enhance operational efficiency.
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Key activities for 2018 will include finishing the installation of the network infrastructure,
completing a field readiness test with the installation subcontractor to review their processes,
begin system-wide meter upgrades, and launching the customer portal.
Sewers for the Historic Rogers Road Area
Sewer installation began in the fall of 2017. About 2,950 feet of sewer pipe has been installed
to date. This is approximately 15% of the 19,000 feet of pipe that will be installed. The project
is on schedule for completion in summer 2018.
Financial Management
Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 is the sixth consecutive year with no increase in our monthly water and
wastewater rates. We received an unmodified opinion from our independent auditors that our
financial statements fairly present our financial position. We continue to meet our financial
performance objectives, including the metric we use to measure the affordability of our
services. The average household in our area uses about 4,000 gallons per month of water and
sewer service; the annual cost of service at this level, $70.66 per month, is less than 1.5% of
median household income.
Affordability Outreach Program
2017 marked the second full year of OWASA’s formal Affordability Outreach Program. We
continue to engage with over 20 social service agencies from across the county to increase
community awareness of options to manage and reduce OWASA bills and empower low-
income customers and the local agencies that serve them with information and tools to
manage and reduce OWASA bills. Some of our notable efforts in 2017 include:
• A revenue-neutral transition from a seasonal water rate structure to a uniform water
rate structure for multi-family, master-metered customers to help with month-to-month
water bill budgeting for sub-metered tenants.
• The launch of a neighborhood conservation challenge (Save2Gain) in partnership with
Chapel Hill Public Housing.
• Promotion and completion of water use assessments to identify water saving strategies
for low-income customers, working through the local agencies that serve them.
• The implementation of a pay-by-text option for interested customers.
We continue to promote the on-bill contributions to the Care to Share customer assistance
program in our Blue Thumb customer newsletter, public events (like our Open Houses), and
website. In fiscal year 2017, the program raised over $5,400 in on-bill contributions from 1,038
customers. We also promote direct contributions to the Inter-Faith Council.
In 2018, OWASA will consider a reduction in our service availability fees (renamed system
development fees) for all new connections to OWASA’s water and sewer system, as well as
the creation of a new, low tier for homes that are 800 square feet or less. Additionally, the
OWASA Board of Directors will receive and discuss a proposal for Year 3 of the Affordability
Outreach Program Plan at our February 8, 2018 Work Session.
Fluoridating drinking water
On October 9, 2017, OWASA resumed fluoridation of drinking water to promote dental health
and in accord with recommendations of the US Centers for Disease Control, US Environmental
Protection Agency, US Public Health Service, NC Division of Public Health and the Orange
County Board of Health. Fluoridation resumed following completion of improvements to the
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safety and reliability of the fluoride feed system at the Jones Ferry Road Water Treatment
Plant.
In February 2018, the Orange County Board of Health is scheduled to consider OWASA’s
request for the Health Department to facilitate a County-wide process for periodic review of
drinking water fluoridation.
Drinking water quality
In 2017, we again met all Federal and State standards for the quality of our drinking water,
including requirements to test for over 150 substances.
As part of our regulatory monitoring, we test every three years for lead in tap water at 30
homes built between 1983 and 1985. The results from this testing in 2017 were that 90% of
samples tested below the detectable level of 3 parts per billion (ppb). In 29 of the water
samples, lead was below the detectable level of 3 ppb. We found lead in one sample at a level
of 4 ppb, which is below the Federal action level of 15 ppb.
We continue to offer drinking water quality testing to all of our customers free of charge.
Quality of our treated wastewater and biosolids
In July 2017, we received the Platinum Peak Performance Award from the National
Association of Clean Water Agencies for seven consecutive years of meeting all standards for
the quality of our treated wastewater. Our treated wastewater has phosphorus and nitrogen
levels well below the limits set by the State for our Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant.
We also continue to meet all standards for the quality of the treated wastewater solids, and our
Class A biosolids (the solid residue from wastewater treatment) meets federal environmental
standards for “exceptional quality.” We recycled our biosolids primarily to enhance the soil on
approved farmlands in Orange, Chatham and Alamance Counties. Some biosolids are
recycled at a private composting facility in Chatham County, which makes a soil additive for
landscaping.
Commissioner Rich asked if a bit more information could be shared about about Energy
Management, and alternative sources of energy.
Todd Taylor reviewed the following information:
Energy management
In April 2017, the Board adopted an Energy Management Plan that included a suite of
strategies to help us work towards our Board-set energy management goals to:
• Reduce our use of purchased electricity by 35% by 2020 compared to a 2010 baseline.
• Reduce our use of purchased gas by 5% by 2020 compared to a 2010 baseline.
• Beneficially use all Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant biogas by 2022, provided
the preferred strategy is projected to have a positive payback within the expected life of
the required equipment.
• Formally engage local governments and partners in discussion about potential
development of biogas-to-energy projects at the wastewater treatment plant.
• Seek proposals for third-party development of renewable energy projects on OWASA
property.
This plan is a key milestone to improve the environmental impact of our operations, reduce
costs, and improve reliability. It represents our first formal, comprehensive, organization-wide
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evaluation of ways we can better manage energy across all our facilities. On February 22,
2018, the Board will receive and discuss an update to the Energy Management Plan.
Diversity and Inclusion Program
We are proceeding with our Implementation Plan for the Employee Diversity and Inclusion
Program. Our consultant, VISIONS, Inc., has trained a Diversity Leadership Group, Diversity
Recruitment Group and a Diversity Resource Group as well as the OWASA Board of Directors.
An organizational assessment has been conducted and results will be reviewed with
employees soon.
Key activities for 2018 are completion of organization assessment and additional training for
OWASA staff.
Infrastructure investments
Capital investments, including debt payments for capital projects, account for about half of our
costs. In 2017, we invested about $13.6 million to renew, replace and improve our
infrastructure to maintain the reliability and quality of our services and the structural integrity of
facilities.
Key accomplishments in 2017
• Replacement of aging water mains on parts of East Rosemary and Henderson Streets,
in coordination with Town of Chapel Hill street resurfacing.
• Substantial completion of work to replace an aging water main on Hillsborough Street
from East Rosemary Street to Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, again in coordination
with an upcoming Town roadway project.
• Rehabilitation of a deteriorating section of a pressurized sewer in the Hamilton Road
and Prestwick Road area, an extremely high priority project in that this pipe carries
nearly half of the wastewater flow of the entire service area.
• Installation of a new water main from our water storage tank on Hilltop Street to
improve system pressures in the Hilltop/McCauley neighborhood.
• Completion of needed electrical, controls, and monitoring improvements to the
wastewater pump station in the Piney Mountain neighborhood (off of Mt. Sinai Road)
• Received approval for nearly $15 million in low-interest loans from the NC Division of
Water Infrastructure to serve the design and construction of six capital projects.
Key projects planned in 2018
• Completion of rehabilitation and improvements to the wastewater pump station near
Cleland Drive, our largest remote wastewater pump station.
• Completion of an assessment at our treatment plants to identify and assess risks that
would prevent OWASA from providing services that meet or exceed federal, state, local
quality requirements.
• Replacement of filter media and rehabilitation and improvements to the filtration system
used at the Jones Ferry Water Treatment Plant.
• Installation of and enhancements to security systems at various remote water supply
and storage facilities.
• Completion of work in the Heritage Hills Neighborhood, including replacement of water
mains on portions of Brandywine and Lexington Roads, and rehabilitation of sewer
mains and manholes throughout the neighborhood.
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New System Development Fees
As explained in my December 18, 2017 letter (attached), the OWASA Board expects to take
action to lower our one-time fees for new water and sewer connections effective July 1, 2018.
We currently refer to these fees as Service Availability Fees. They will be called System
Development Fees in the future.
For single-family residences, depending on the house size, these fees will be reduced by 25-
36% (even more for our proposed new lower tier for small homes). For example, under current
rates, a new 1,300 square foot home would be charged a System Development Fee of $3,862
to connect to the water and sewer system. Under the revised rates, the same new connection
would be charged a System Development Fee of $2,472.
40th Anniversary Celebrations
We held an open house on October 21st at the Cane Creek Reservoir and an open house on
Saturday, November 4th at our 400 Jones Ferry Road facilities in Carrboro. These events were
well received by the public.
OWASA Water Wagon
In 2017, OWASA built and debuted a Water Wagon to serve chilled drinking water from our
water treatment plant at public events. The Water Wagon is powered by solar panels and
provides the opportunity for community members to fill their water bottles, drink directly from
the fountains, and even give water to their dogs. We are excited about this new platform for
engaging with the community.
Commissioner Rich asked if there are plans to use solar panels.
Todd Taylor said OWASA owns a lot of land, and solar farming is being considered.
He said the initial obstacle is that the Duke solar substation, on this land, is at capacity.
Commissioner Rich said she is not talking about having solar panels on the land, but
rather on property.
Todd Taylor said he would take this suggestion back to OWASA.
Commissioner Price referred to the Rogers Road project, and asked if the completion
date of summer 2018 includes hook ups to all homes.
Todd Taylor said it is his understanding that individual hooks ups will be done by the
homeowners, and the timeline is for the infrastructure.
Commissioner Price referred to working with the Health Department about fluoridation,
and asked if this is inclusive of the whole County.
Todd Taylor said this is still in the works, but OWASA would like to have the
conversation about fluoridation with the entire community, and is seeking the assistance of the
Health Department in this endeavor.
Commissioner Price offered kudos for OWASA’s efforts towards energy management.
Commissioner Marcoplos asked if there is a status update on the re-use system.
Todd Taylor said this system is working well, and UNC added the reclaimed water
system to the wastewater plant. He said last year OWASA sold the largest amount of
reclaimed water in its history. He said the growth of this system is at the maximum now.
Commissioner Marcoplos asked if the record number is known.
Todd Taylor said he thinks it was 2.6 MGD, and most of the hospital and campus
chillers are on this system, as well as some irrigation.
Commissioner McKee complimented OWASA staff on their professionalism around the
greenway bridge project.
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Chair Dorosin referred to a point in the report about considering a reduction in the
service availability fee/connection fee for homes that are 800 square f eet or less, and asked if
there could be some clarification on this topic, as it was his understanding for years that
OWASA could not do anything about this fee. He also asked if the number of homes, that are
800 square f eet or less, is known, and why the size of 800 square feet was chosen.
Robert Morgan said nothing has changed on how the costs are calculated, but the
State directed utilities to calculate the cost in a certain way, which OWASA has done. He said
during this process, it was determined that the costs for smaller structures were less, and this
is being recognized. He said he does not know how many homes of this size are in existence,
but he can find out.
Chair Dorosin asked of there was a reason the size limit was set at 800 square feet, as
opposed to 1000 or 1100 square feet. He said the idea sounds like a good one, but his
concern is that it will not help many affordable housing projects. He said the Board of County
Commissioners supports the goal of reducing housing costs, and he is not sure that this
change will have a significant impact.
Commissioner Marcoplos said the idea came about in consideration of tiny homes.
Robert Morgan said he can research the number of units that fit this size limit, why the
800 square foot size was chosen, and whether there is any flexibility on this issue, and get
back to the BOCC.
Chair Dorosin said he is encouraged by this step, and affordable housing has become
a real action priority amongst all local governments, but he suspects there are very few homes
that are 800 square feet or less.
Commissioner Price referred to the Tiny Homes Summit, and said this reduction in fees
lays a foundation for tiny home communities to exist.
Commissioner Price said different size homes are ruled by different regulations.
Chair Dorosin said this progress for tiny home communities is excellent, but the cost of
OWASA is a huge factor in the cost of housing, and he would like to see more help made
available to the most people.
b. FY2018-19 Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) Continuation Budget
The Board received an update on the current continuation budget projections for the
FY2018-19 Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools budget.
BACKGROUND:
During the last collaboration meeting of the three Boards, Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools
requested the opportunity to appear before the Board of County Commissioners prior to the
official start of the budget process. The request is an effort to be transparent with information
early in the process so that the Board of County Commissioners is aware of the current reality
in Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools. The estimated local cost for potential state mandates is
$3,057,231. This represents the estimated amount of funding needed to maintain the current
educational services, programming, and staff.
Re: 2018-19 Preliminary Continuation Budget
Each year the district prepares a continuation budget estimate to begin the budget
development process. The continuation budget is an estimate of the additional funding needed
to maintain our current educational services and programs. This estimate is based on the
anticipated state salary increases and benefit cost increases that must be matched for locally
paid employees.
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The continuation budget also includes estimated revenue increases as a result of student
growth, special district tax inflation, and other miscellaneous revenue growth. We anticipate
receiving our official state enrollment projection from the Department of Public Instruction by
the end of February. At this time our continuation budget is based off the same growth as the
state projected last year of 109 additional students. We project a $777,460 increase in local
revenues from student growth and the special district tax inflation. We also project a $175,000
increase from all of the other revenue sources.
A placeholder amount has been included in the preliminary budget for a 6.9% state pay raise
for certified staff and a $1,000 increase of all other staff. This placeholder will also support the
district meeting Orange County’s living wage goals for all of our employees. We have also
projected increases in the state retirement employer match rate as well as in the health
insurance rate. In total the estimated local cost for these potential state mandates is
$3,057,231. This represents the estimated amount of funding needed to maintain our current
educational services, programming, and staff.
District schools and central offices submitted budget requests as part of our budget
development process. Over $3 million was requested by school improvement teams and
district administrators to support unfunded educational needs of our students. Over the next
two months, these requests will be prioritized and may be included in the Board’s budget
request to the Board of Orange County Commissioners.
Superintendent Pam Baldwin and Assistant Superintendent Todd LoFrese made the
following PowerPoint presentation:
Preliminary 2018-19
Local Budget Review
Board of County Commissioners Meeting
February 20, 2018
2017-18 District Highlights
• Restorative Practices & Discipline Data
• District-wide focus: Culture of Safety
• Co-located Mental Health
• CTE Fire and EMT programming
• Newcomer Graduates
2017-18 District Initiatives
• The Innovation Project
• Northside AVID program
• Phoenix Evening Program
• TRAC Grant
• LAUNCH
Strategic Plan Development
• Student and Staff Forums
• Focus Groups
• Four Key Themes Emerge
o Whole Child
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o Human Capital
o Organizational Structure
o Family and Community Engagement
Commissioner Rich asked if an update about the bus driver situation could be provided.
Superintendent Baldwin said there are driver sicknesses as well as vacancies that are
creating some route issues, and CHCCS has advertised this need across the district.
Todd LoFrese resumed the PowerPoint presentation:
Preliminary 2018-19
Budget Drivers
• Legislative salary and benefit increases
• Impact of School Funding formula changes
• Renovations to school facilities
• Potential charter student increase – loss of State and Local funds
2018-19 Student Enrollment Projection
2018-19 Enrollment Projection 12,348
2017-18 State Enrollment Projection 12,239
District Projected Enrollment Increase 109
Projected Local Revenue Increase
• County per pupil for enrollment change $ 431,067
• 1% Inflationary increase to district tax 346,393
• Net change in other Local revenues 175,000
Total Net Increase $ 952,460
Projected State Mandates
State Mandates
• 6.9% State pay raise for teachers incl. benefits $ 1,488,731
• $1,000 pay raise for other employees 857,000
• State retirement match increase
(17.13% to 17.64% est.) 500,000
• Employer health insurance match increase
($5984 to $6104 est.) 211,500
TOTAL OF CONTINUATION BUDGET REQUEST $3,057,231
Local Expansion Budget Requests
Expansion Budget Requests
• Schools’ Expansion Requests $2,070,750
• Support Services 345,000
• Transportation Department 55,218
• Facilities Department 133,000
• Exceptional Children’s Department 382,988
• Curriculum and Instruction 163,300
TOTAL $3,150,256
TOTAL OF STATE MANDATES AND EXPANSION BUDGET REQUESTS
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• State Mandates $3,057,231
• Expansion Requests 3,150,256
TOTAL $6,207,487
PROJECTED REVENUES COMPARED TO GRAND TOTAL OF REQUESTED
EXPENDITURES
• Revenue Increase $ 952,460
• Less: Grand total of request $6,207,487
• Budget Shortfall ($5,255,027)
Ad Valorem Tax Increase Required to Fund Budget Shortfall
Using Current Year Valuation:
County Ad Valorem Tax Increase
$5,255,027/$1,069,015 = 4.91 cents
$438 per pupil increase
Local Fund Balance Projection
• Assign $1,000,000 in Fund Balance for 2018-2019
• Estimated year-end unassigned fund balance for June 30, 2018 is $6.9 million or 9%
• The projected 5.5% target is $4 million
• $2.9 million above the target
Key Dates on the Budget Development Calendar
• March 1 Superintendent presents recommended budget
• March 15 Budget work session and public hearing
• April 5 Board approves budget to be submitted to the County
• April 24 Joint meeting of school board’s for budget presentations to County
The Main Priority is the students
Chair Dorosin referred to a spreadsheet in the Commissioners’ packet, specifically
page three, and asked if this could be reviewed.
Todd LoFrese reviewed the following information:
CHAPEL HILL CARRBORO CITY SCHOOLS
BUDGET UPDATE
2018‐19 SCHOOL YEAR
FY18 FY19 DIFFERENCE
PROJECTED ENROLLMENT 12,239 12,348 109
CHARTER SCHOOL Funded 162 162 ‐
Less: Out‐of‐District Estimate (241) (242) (1)
TOTAL STUDENT BILLING BASE 12,160 12,268 108
__________ _________ ________
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Revenue at FY 2018 per pupil ($3,991) $ 48,530,521 $ 48,961,588 $ 431,067
County Appropriation $ 48,530,521 $ 48,961,588 $ 431,067
Special District Tax 23,092,849 23,439,242 346,393
Prior Year District Tax 125,000 125,000 ‐
Tuition 670,000 670,000 ‐
Fines & Forfeitures 330,000 330,000 ‐
Interest Earnings on Investments 25,000 50,000 25,000
Other Local Revenues 2,600,000 2,750,000 150,000
Total Local Revenue $ 75,373,370 $ 76,325,830 952,460
Fund Balance Appropriation 1,000,000 1,000,000
Local Operating Expenses 75,373,370 76,023,568
Total Local Budget $ 76,373,370 $ 77,023,568
State Mandated Increases (estimate) $ 3,057,231
Estimated Funding Gap $ (2,104,771)
*Projected student enrollment based on DPI estimate from 16‐17 to 17‐18.
Chair Dorosin referred to the 162 students attending charter schools, and asked if they
are counted in the per pupil number, and if the money goes to the charter school with the
student.
Todd LoFrese said the charter schools provide documentation that they have CHCCS
students enrolled in their schools, and on a monthly basis the budget and finance office writes
a check to those charter schools for the per pupil equivalent. He said CHCCS is just a pass
through for the charter school funding.
Chair Dorosin asked if Orange County is also giving this money back to CHCCS.
Todd LoFrese said it is included in the total student billing base number. He said
CHCCS started with the projected enrollment of 12,239, and added the 162 charter students to
that number. He said the out-of-district students are backed out of that number, which leaves
a total student-billing base of 12,160 students.
Chair Dorosin said these 162 students are budgeted as part of the total student
enrollment; their per pupil is sent to the charter schools, and then Orange County gives
CHCCS this money again to replace this. He said Orange County holds CHCCS harmless
under the current model, and Orange County is paying CHCCS as if the charter students are
there. He said this is a fairly extraordinary thing for a County to do.
Commissioner Price asked if the charter school students are only those who live in
Orange County.
Todd LoFrese said only the ones that live in the CHCCS district.
Chair Dorosin said it does not matter where the students attend a charter school, as the
money follows the students.
Commissioner Price asked if the process would be the same if the charter school were
within the CHCCS district
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Todd LoFrese said PACE Academy used to reside within CHCCS, and not only did
CHCCS have to provide the per pupil from the County, but also had to provide the
proportionate amount for the special district tax.
Commissioner Price asked what would happen if there was a student from Durham
County who attended PACE academy.
Todd LoFrese this student would not be calculated in CHCCS numbers.
Todd LoFrese continued to review page 3.
Chair Dorosin asked if tuition is from out of district students coming into CHCCS.
Todd LoFrese said yes.
Chair Dorosin asked if there is a policy for setting this tuition number.
Todd LoFrese said it is a CHCCS Board policy.
Chair Dorosin asked if the only way one can attend CHCCS schools from out-of-district
is by being a child of an employee.
Todd LoFrese said yes.
Commissioner Marcoplos asked if the cost for paying for custodians in house is known.
Todd LoFrese said this information will be brought back to the BOCC at a later date.
Commissioner Marcoplos clarified that this this cost is not currently part of the
expansion budget.
Todd LoFrese said that is correct.
Commissioner Rich referred to the healthcare plan, and asked if it is purchased through
the State.
Todd LoFrese said it is prescribed to CHCCS, and it is the State health plan, and is not
open for negotiation.
Commissioner Price referred to the priority expansion request, and asked if it only
refers to for operational expenses, and not capital.
Todd LoFrese said yes.
Chair Dorosin said having these early presentations was a good idea that came out of
the school collaboration meetings.
5. Public Hearings
NONE
6. Regular Agenda
a. Greene Tract Conceptual Plans
The Board considered development and preservation alternatives for the Greene Tract
and authorize staff to communicate the Board’s preferences to the Towns of Chapel Hill and
Carrboro. These preferences include decisions on:
1. Reconfiguration of the Headwaters Preserve area;
2. Size of the development and preservation areas within the Greene Tract;
3. Density of the development area;
4. Land uses and affordable housing preferences in the development area such as
a. Single use (residential) versus mixed use development (residential and
commercial)
b. Affordable housing versus mixed income/market rate housing
c. Goals for the number or proportion of affordable units
Upon receipt of feedback from both towns, County staff - in concert with town staffs - will
prepare a draft resolution for future approval by the Board of Commissioners, the Chapel Hill
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Town Council and the Carrboro Board of Aldermen to codify the preferences/input from all
three entities. With adoption by all three governing boards, the resulting resolution would
supersede the 2002 Resolution that outlined the County and Towns’ intentions for developing
the Greene Tract.
BACKGROUND:
The Greene Tract is a 164 acre parcel of which 104 acres is jointly owned by Orange County,
Chapel Hill, and Carrboro. The remaining sixty (60) acres is owned by Orange
County and has been designated as the Headwaters Preserve.
Last year, the owners of the jointly owned portion of the Greene Tract agreed to have the
Mayors and BOCC Chair consider different preservation and development options for the
property. This discussion resulted in three alternatives that illustrate high, medium, and low
development intensities. All of the alternatives include an elementary school site, a site for a
future park, the preservation of significant environmental and cultural areas, and a preliminary
road network and infrastructure design. The three alternatives also consider the project area’s
current environmental conditions, elements of the 2002 Joint Governments’ Resolution, the
Rogers Road Task Force report, the Mapping Our Community’s Future report, and previous
land use discussions. These three alternatives are contained in Attachment 3.
In addition to the high, medium, and low development intensity scenarios, the Mayors and
Chair requested an examination of the entire Greene Tract, including the Headwaters
Preserve, in an effort to preserve the most environmentally sensitive areas and to develop the
most appropriate areas of the entire 164 acre Tract. As a result, staff amended the proposed
conceptual plan, reconfiguring the Headwaters Preserve and the jointly owned areas. This
reconfiguration maintains the same total acreage for each of the areas but aligns them
differently. The reconfigured tracts were drafted with environmental staff from the Town of
Chapel Hill, the Town of Carrboro, and Orange County in order to create new parcels which
endeavored to protect environmental features and habitats located on site. The proposed
reconfigured Headwaters Preserve area alternatives are also contained in Attachment 3.
Attachment 4 includes land use and density outcomes for the different alternatives.
Attachment 5 includes potential affordable housing outputs based on different affordable
housing proportions.
Greene Tract Conceptual Plans
Information on Factors Considered During Creation Process
The staff-created conceptual plans for the Greene Tract are a result of several months of
iterations and input from a variety of staff from the three jurisdictions. While planning staffs
were the lead on creating the conceptual plans, input was also sought and incorporated from
environmental and stormwater staffs.
The following information addresses some anticipated questions regarding why the conceptual
plans are presented as they are.
Environmental Features
Although the Greene Tract lies entirely within the planning jurisdiction of the Town of
Chapel Hill, 104 acres of the Greene Tract are co-owned by Orange County and the Towns of
Chapel Hill and Carrboro while 60 acres are owned solely by Orange County.
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Planning staffs chose to apply the most stringent development regulation of the three
jurisdictions when determining stream and wetland buffers and preservation of other
environmental features such as forest types. For example, if one jurisdiction requires a 50-foot
stream buffer and another requires a 65-foot stream buffer, a 65-foot stream buffer was used
as the stream buffer on the conceptual plan.
The Upland Hardwood Forest areas were slated for preservation as at least one jurisdiction
would normally request/require preservation of these types of forests if a development
proposal were made.
Road Configuration
All previous planning efforts of the Greene Tract/Rogers Road area have strongly stated that
Purefoy Drive and/or Lizzie Lane should not be the only access to the Greene
Tract. Connections to the south, north, and/or east must be made. The early iterations of maps
(not included in materials) sought to avoid a stream crossing and connected to
Merin Road, near the southeast corner of the Greene Tract, by traversing the area
between two stream buffer areas. However, this configuration was revised as
environmental and stormwater staff members stated that a stream crossing would be
preferable to impacting the Upland Hardwood Forest areas while also bisecting
preserve connectivity.
Staffs have spoken with Norfolk Southern railroad representatives regarding a crossing on the
east side of the Greene Tract. While Norfolk Southern is amendable to reviewing any requests,
the railroad generally requires closure of at least one existing crossing for each new
crossing. Staff has not been able to identify existing crossing(s) that could be proposed
for closure in order to make a connection from
the Greene Tract to Weaver Dairy Road Extension to the east.
A connection to the north (to Eubanks Road) might be possible through an edge corridor of the
“Neville Tract” if an alternative site can be found to conduct the Solid Waste activities occurring
on the Neville Tract.
Reconfigured Preserve Area
Quarterly “Managers, Mayors, Chair” (MMC) meetings have been taking place to provide the
opportunity for staffs and the Town/County managers, Town mayors, and
County Chair to meet and receive updates/guidance on Rogers Road sewer system and
planning issue status, including progress on Greene Tract planning. Staff received direction to
consider the reconfiguration of the County-owned 60-acre portion of the Greene Tract to
encumber the most preservation-worthy lands. Staffs conducted the analysis and the
conceptual plans incorporate a reconfigured County-owned preserve area.
If a reconfigured preserve area is desired, future work would include re-platting the parcels to
reflect different parcel boundaries and ownership from those that currently exist.
Travis Myren said his PowerPoint presentation does not contain new information, since
the BOCC reviewed this topic at the Assemblies of Governments (AOG) meeting. He said
Commissioner Jacobs reminded staff that the Board wants to take a walking tour of the
property, and this will be done prior to the development of a resolution. He said the Housing
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Coalition and Rogers Road Neighborhood would also like to be part of the conversation, and
staff will check in with both of these groups.
Travis Myren made the following PowerPoint presentation:
Greene Tract Conceptual Plan
February 20, 2018
Item 6 (a)
Purpose
• Consider the development and preservation alternatives for the Greene Tract
o Potential reconfiguration of the Headwaters Preserve
o Size and location of development and preservation areas
o Density of the development area
o Land use and affordable housing goals
Single use vs. mixed use
Affordable housing only vs. mixed income with market rate
Goals for the number and proportion of affordable housing
• Next Steps
o Communicate Board’s preferences to Towns
o Walking Tour of the Property
o Receive feedback from Towns
o Consult with Affordable Housing Coalition
o Check in with Neighborhood
o Prepare and act on joint resolution for Greene Tract development
Greene Tract
• Approximately 164 total acres
o 104 acres jointly owned by Orange County, Town of Chapel Hill, and Town of
Carrboro
o 60 acres owned by Orange County – Headwaters Preserve
Originally Solid Waste Property
General Fund Purchased in FY2016-17
Designated for low impact recreation and preservation
o Neville Tract
Solid Waste Owned
Provides soil cover for C&D Landfill
Background
• Rogers Road Task Force Report
o Open Space
o Schools
o Affordable Housing
• Mapping Our Community’s Future Report
o Open Space and Recreation
o Connectivity – avoid over burdening existing roads
o Preserve neighborhood character
o Opportunity for mixed uses
o Communicate with neighborhood
• 2017 Managers, Mayors and Chair’s Meetings
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o Create three development area scenarios (Large, Medium, Small)
o Consider total development area to include 60 acre Headwaters Preserve
Scenario Assumptions
• Joint Development
• Apply most stringent development regulations
• Preserve natural areas for preservation, recreation
• Protect areas of cultural/historic significance
• Develop connectivity/road network
• Create development area for affordable housing opportunities and/or mixed use
potential
• Retain area for a school site
Headwaters Preserve Potential Reconfiguration (map)
Headwaters Preserve Potential Reconfiguration
• Maintains current acreage balance
o 60 acres owned by County
o 104 acres in Joint Ownership
• Advantages
o Creates a continuous environmental corridor
Upland Hardwoods
Wildlife Habitat
Historic/Cultural Sites
o Consistent County ownership
• Disadvantages
o Separates potential development areas
o Creates access challenges for eastern development area
Railroad crossing on eastern boundary
Northern road required for access
Development Area – Large (map)
Development Area – Large (tables)
• Development/Preservation
• Unit Output Potential
Development Area - Large
• Advantages
o Creates largest area for housing development
o More acreage to offset development costs per acre
o Double road frontage
• Disadvantages
o Least amount of preservation
o Increased impervious surface
o Greater traffic impacts depending on density
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Development Area – Medium (map)
Development Area – Medium (tables)
• Development/Preservation
• Unit Output Potential
Development Area - Medium
• Advantages
o Wetland buffer adjacent to wildlife corridor
o Additional preserve
o Double road frontage
• Disadvantages
o Fewer units possible: 242-72 depending on density compared to large
development area
o Less development to offset infrastructure/affordability
Development Area – Small (map)
Development Area – Small (tables)
• Development/Preservation
• Unit Output Potential
Development Area – Small
• Advantages
o Additional preserve
o Wildlife corridor – landscape connectivity
o Fewest traffic impacts
• Disadvantages
o Fewer units possible: 138-690 compared to large development area
o Less development to offset infrastructure/affordability
Development/Preservation Areas (pie charts)
Density- photos
- Low—4-6 units per acre
- Medium -6 – 10 units/acre
- Large- 10-20 units per acre
Unit Potential by Density (graph)
Land Uses (photos)
- Residential
- Commercial
- Mixed Use
Mixed Use/Mixed Income Affordable Housing Potential – Headwaters Existing (table )
(If mixed income development – % of affordable housing shown at bottom left)
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General Conclusions
• Headwaters Existing vs. Headwaters Modified
o Modified allows continuous environmental corridor with continuous ownership
o Modified produces larger development areas and unit outputs
o Modified yields less area for preservation and land banking
o Modified needs to be ground verified
o Modified presents access challenges by separating development areas
• Development Area
o Larger development areas produce more potential units except in small area
where unit outputs are approximately the same
o Larger development areas have less preservation areas
o Larger areas allow more potential for other development to subsidize
infrastructure costs and affordable units
• Density
o Higher density produces more potential units
o Higher density allows more opportunity to offset costs of infrastructure and
affordable unit costs
o Low to moderate density more consistent with current neighborhood
• Land Use
o Mixed use/mixed income provides opportunity to offset infrastructure and
affordable unit costs
o Mixed use/mixed income yields fewer affordable units
o Single use for affordable housing requires more public subsidy
Decision Points
• Consider the development and preservation alternatives for the Greene Tract
o Potential reconfiguration of the Headwaters Preserve
o Size and location of development and preservation areas
o Density of the development area
o Land use and affordable housing goals
Single use vs. mixed use
Affordable housing only vs. mixed income with market rate
Goals for the number and proportion of affordable housing
• Next Steps
o Communicate Board’s preferences to Towns
o Walking Tour of the Property
o Receive feedback from Towns
o Consult with Affordable Housing Coalition
o Check in with Neighborhood
o Prepare and act on joint resolution for Greene Tract development
Commissioner Jacobs referred to the Neville Tract, and said he thought it was used for
borrowing soil to cover landfills. He asked if a portion of this tract can be rehabilitated to
support a road.
Travis Myren said Solid W aste has borrowed up to the property line, and it is tapered.
He said engineering and fill would be required, and there is not sufficient undisturbed width to
support a road north of the property line.
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Commissioner Jacobs said the County has the equipment to do this, and using it to
make a roadbed would be a preferable option to other possible approaches, such as asking
the railroad.
Commissioner Jacobs said the walk through needs to take place before he feels
comfortable making a recommendation.
Commissioner Jacobs asked if land banking can be defined.
Travis Myren said an undefined current use that would require some further action to
put it into active use.
Commissioner Jacobs asked if land is land banked does that mean it will be developed,
or it is undetermined.
Travis Myren said undetermined at this point, and until there is some affirmation action
taken by Board of County Commissioners, it will not be developed.
Commissioner Jacobs said part of the reason the County kept the east part of the land
in Orange County ownership, is because there is a rail line there and a County controlled rail
stop may be built at some point. He said the BOCC may want to keep this in mind, and
incorporate it into future plans.
Commissioner Rich asked if clarification could be provided regarding a “County
controlled rail stop”.
Commissioner Jacobs said this would be on Orange County property, and the County
could put a rail stop there. He said it was a visionary plan, and there is nothing planned.
Commissioner Jacobs referred to the “low scenario,” and said he did not understand
why the wildlife corridor preserve was only included in this scenario, as opposed to all three.
Travis Myren said it is in the low and medium, but it is not continuous in the large.
Commissioner Jacobs said he applauded the incorporation of a wildlife corridor, but if it
is not a corridor, it does not serve the wildlife. He said whether long or narrow, or headwaters
modified versus a chunk, is preferable is something he cannot answer, but he would like more
information.
Commissioner Jacobs said he does not understand why a higher density could not be
done anywhere.
Travis Myren said the development area by the potential densities would be applied to
each size of development area.
Commissioner Jacobs said he does not understand why it is assumed in the small
scenario that the density is low, as opposed to high density all the way through.
Commissioner Jacobs said he does not want to make this land into a “new ghetto” by
packing the largest possible amount of people onto the land. He said he is in favor of having
mixed use and a variety of housing types, but he does not understand why the density
assumptions are being made, especially in the small scenario.
Travis Myren said in an unbounded thought exercise, one could see how high the
density could go.
Commissioner Jacobs said some open space would be required, but he questioned the
assumption that one would automatically yield the fewest units, unless the BOCC decides it is
going to yield the fewest units. He suggests that a range of units may be a better way to think
about it.
Travis Myren said he understands Commissioner Jacobs’ comments.
Chair Dorosin said he does not understand, and he thought this was a good way to
compare the scenarios, because the same metrics is being used for each. He said it does not
have to be 20 units, 10 units, and 6 units, but these numbers are benchmarks. He said he is
referring to slide 16.
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Chair Dorosin said the presentation lays out three different options for how much
developable area there will be, based on how the headwaters are configured. He said the
metrics are being applied to these three different total acreage numbers.
Commissioner Jacobs said there could be a target number of units, as opposed to a
target number of acreage, and design something less dense, and more livable.
Travis Myren said the reason why the 39 acres times 20 does not work, is because the
39 includes the school site, the road, etc. He said a subset of those 39 acres would be
available for housing.
Commissioner Jacobs asked, if there is mixed use, is it counted separately yet again, or
is it a part of the housing.
Travis Myren said that would be part of the housing.
Commissioner Jacobs said the inclusion of commercial development has been part of
the debate from the beginning, and the issue of food deserts makes this particularly germane.
Commissioner Marcoplos said food deserts and jobs, and he would be in favor of mixed
use. He said the eastern side has always intrigued him because it allows easier access to
existing transportation and food.
Commissioner Marcoplos asked if there is a reason why this railroad track is such an
insurmountable obstacle.
Craig Benedict, Planning Director, said there are no new crossings allowed over the
railroad, and adding one requires the removal of two existing crossings. He said the existing
crossings, at Homestead and Eubanks roads, are critical. He said if the North Carolina
Railroad (NCRR) were to abandon this rail in the future, there would be no problems. He said
Orange County will submit an application, but NCRR has recommended that the County find
another access point from the north or south. He said there is possible access to the north
through Genestu Drive, next to the Animal Shelter, but some right of ways would be needed
from property owners.
Commissioner Marcoplos asked if NCRR has the same criteria for a freight train
travelling at 60 miles per hour, and a coal train that is crawling along.
Craig Benedict said yes, and the possibility of a new rail crossing is minimal.
Commissioner Marcoplos asked if Norfolk-Southern is a private company.
Craig Benedict said Norfolk-Southern has the use of the right of way from the State.
Commissioner Marcoplos asked if anyone has approached Norfolk-Southern to see if
they will change their mind.
Craig Benedict said they are in the mode to close private crossings throughout the
state, and close public crossings where they can, NCRR has rerouted roads rather than
closing crossings.
Commissioner Price asked if they are discussing at grade crossings.
Craig Benedict said yes.
Commissioner Price asked if, this area would be developed; would there be any at
grade, open crossings.
Craig Benedict said one suggestion was to have a grade crossing, as there seems to
be no way to go under or over it. He said the likelihood of NCRR approving this is minimal.
Commissioner Price asked if there would be trains going through the property without
signals, and bars to alert people to the train’s presence.
Craig Benedict said the train is only used to transport coal to UNC, and there are no
crossings being suggested for this site.
Commissioner Price referred to the buffer, and asked if the buffer is a long standing
policy, or a current recommendation.
Craig Benedict said the wetlands necessitate required buffers.
Commissioner Price asked if the size of the buffers is an existing requirement.
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Craig Benedict said the buffers are required, and the County has expanded them
beyond the regulated size. He said these policies exist amongst the local governments.
Commissioner Price said what bothers her is that the County is considering this project
in isolation to the rest of the neighborhood, and without seeing what else is around the
proposed development area. She said she would like the Board to be cognizant of this, and
she requested working with the surrounding neighborhoods in an ongoing manner as the
process moves forward, as opposed to at the end of the process.
Craig Benedict said Reverend Campbell has been a good attendee of all staff
meetings, and is already providing input. He said staff will do some ground trooping as it
receives direction from the BOCC. He said the land will likely be a mixture of low, medium,
and high density.
Commissioner Price requested again that there be more interaction with the different
residential communities that would surround this area. She said she would like to see some
mixed use, such as a small business incubator, included in the conversation.
Craig Benedict said this is a part of the mixed use discussions, and staff has heard
from professionals who build mixed use, about the importance of considering the amount of
critical mass that is needed to create enough traffic to get people to use retail and incubator
space, in connectivity to different roads. He said eventual roads to the north and south will be
important to create the critical mass of traffic.
Commissioner Price said she is not thinking of a huge commercial development, but
rather a centralized small business space for people in the neighborhood, or a small health
clinic. She said there are a lot of residents in this area, and she would like to see them more
involved in the conversation.
Commissioner Jacobs thanked the chair and the staff for being creative, and he said
this is one of the most undisturbed natural areas in Chapel Hill. He said it would be useful to
see more of where the roads are going to go out of the area, and it is important to make sure
the neighborhoods are kept informed through neighborhood meetings. He said Reverend
Campbell is only one person, and it would be smart and kind to include the whole
neighborhood.
Bonnie Hammersley said to Commissioner Price and Commissioner Jacobs that one of
the reasons this item was brought forward tonight is get the Board’s input, and staff is fully
aware of what they need to do with the neighborhoods. She said a community meeting should
be held going forward, as well as using the report from the Jackson Center.
Chair Dorosin said the community has expressed concern about the traffic being
dumped on Purefoy Road, and the importance of having other access points to Eubanks
Road. He said part of the goal in adding this to the agenda is to keep the discussion moving
forward. He said the maps are misleading as to what can be developed, and the idea of
having this natural corridor, and recognizing that the SW corner of the current headwaters
preserve is good developable land.
Chair Dorosin said this is the greatest potential for the Board to create affordable
housing, and he sees Orange County as the driver of this process. He said, preliminarily, he
supports the medium or larger amount of developable area, to create the maximum number of
options.
Commissioner Marcoplos asked if there is a timeline for this project.
Chair Dorosin said there is not a particular timeline, so Orange County can drive the
timeline. He suggested scheduling the walk about as soon as possible.
Commissioner Marcoplos asked if all of the governments will do the walkabout.
Chair Dorosin said yes. He said there is an urgency to proceed, and part of the
community’s concern is if anything is ever going to happen.
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Commissioner Rich said the Manager’s recommendation calls for f eedback from the
Towns by May 1, 2018. She said a walk through should happen soon, in order to comply with
this recommended date.
Commissioner Jacobs said staff does not need a surveyor to come to the property. He
said there have been several problems with the Greene Tract over time: one jurisdiction did
not want to pay for its part; the recession in 2008; and there was a lot of objection to mixed
use in the early 2000s. He said those who were advocates for affordable housing rotated off
of boards, and the momentum slowed.
Commissioner McKee said whichever alternative is chosen, he would suggest starting
with the most developable property, while maintaining the best preservation corridor. He said
there is no requirement that all of the property be developed, and it is easier to start with a high
level and work down, than to start at a low level and work up.
Commissioner Burroughs said it makes sense to look at the headwaters modified, as
the corridor is in all three options. She agreed with Commissioner McKee’s point of starting
high and working down, if necessary.
Commissioner Jacobs agreed with Commissioner McKee, and said to preserve as
much of the significant natural areas as possible, and then go with the highly developable
areas.
Chair Dorosin said it sounds like there is consensus to:
• Modify the headwaters preserve, with the goal of creating, or protecting, the natural
north-south corridor, with the exact boundaries to be determined;
• Begin with the highest developable areas;
• Keep to the timeline established of May 1, and communicate this to the Towns;
• Set up the walking tour as soon as possible;
• Have a community-wide meeting, presenting that which has been learned, between the
walking tour and May 1.
Commissioner Rich asked if Carrboro is still engaged in this project.
Chair Dorosin said yes, at least through the May 1st deadline, and if the Board felt
Carrboro should ultimately not be involved, then Carrboro would consider stepping back.
Commissioner Price said it would be good to speak with St. Paul’s Village.
Chair Dorosin agreed, and thanked staff from across the County for working hard on
this project.
NEVER MOTIONED FOR OR VOTED ON!
The Manager further recommends the Board authorize staff to communicate the Board’s
preferences to Chapel Hill and Carrboro town staffs and request feedback from the towns by
May 1, 2018. Upon receipt of feedback from both towns, County staff - in concert with town
staffs - will prepare a draft resolution for future approval by the Board of Commissioners, the
Chapel Hill Town Council and the Carrboro Board of Aldermen to codify the preferences/input
from all three entities. With adoption by all three governing boards, the resulting resolution
would supersede the 2002 Resolution that outlined the County and Towns’ intentions for
developing the Greene Tract.
VOTE:
7. Reports
a. Orange County Sheriff’s Office Portable Audio/Video Recorders Policy
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The Board discussed the Sheriff’s Portable Audio/Video (body-worn cameras) Records
Policy.
BACKGROUND:
At the February 6, 2018 Board of Orange County Commissioners meeting, the Board received
a presentation on Motorola’s Digital Evidence Management Solutions
(DEMS) and introduced the SI-500 Body Camera and Command Central Vault. Orange County
Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood responded to questions from Board members about the
possibility of equipping Sheriff’s Deputies with these body-worn cameras (BWC). During the
conversation, the Board expressed interest in revisiting the discussion after having a chance to
review the Sheriff’s Portable Audio/Video Records Policy, which was distributed at the
meeting.
Jennifer Galassi, Legal Advisor, said the policy tracks with State law, as well as best
practices. She said many of the parameters of the policy are already established based on the
relatively new North Carolina General Statute, which excludes recordings from the public
records designation, and sets out the process for seeking disclosure, and/or release of
recordings. She said the State’s records and retention schedule for Sheriffs’ offices, which this
body adopted, and the office adheres to for retention policies. She said this is the framework
into which the policy fits. She said the Statute requires all law enforcement agencies that use
body cameras to have a policy that addresses the use of those devices, and places restrictions
on when a recording may be reviewed and released, both internally and to the public.
Jennifer Galassi said the Statute does not address what the policy must address. She
said there are issues such as when to activate the body-worn camera; what should guide the
Sheriff’s decision to allow disclosure, when that request is made; or when the Sheriff should
seek a court order to release a recording. She said all of these areas are within the Sheriff’s
purview to establish in his/her policy.
Jennifer Galassi said she is here this evening to entertain the BOCC’s comments, and
suspects most will center around social justice and issues of civil liberties. She said it is
important to remember that this policy has not yet been issued, as the Sheriff’s office does not
yet have the body-worn cameras. She said all policies are open to revision and changes when
laws change, or better practices are encountered. She highlighted some issues of particular
interest to the Board:
• This is just another piece of equipment that will be assigned to their officers. As with
any equipment, the officer is responsible for insuring, prior to going into service, that it
is in good working order.
• The policy will outline the specific situations when the body-worn cameras should be
activated. The policy states that not every scenario can be foreseen, but it focuses on
two touchstones of when a recording should begin: when it is appropriate or valuable to
record the incident. An officer is called upon to exercise his/her discretion when
making that determination. Good training will be very important.
• What to do when privacy issues are encountered. The policy envisions a balancing
test that will be employed to weigh the privacy interests of an individual against the
legitimate law enforcement interests. If the privacy interests outweigh the law
enforcement ones, the decision would weigh in favor of turning off the recording device.
• The policy indicates that officers will never be asked to jeopardize their safety by
turning on the camera, and will be guided by a standard of reasonableness.
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• The policy addresses when turning off the device is appropriate, which is usually when
the officer’s direct participation in an incident is completed, if the set out criteria no
longer fits, significant periods of inactivity, etc.
• The State’s retention schedule for Sheriff’s offices, which Orange County has adopted,
sets the floor for the different timelines for how long things should be retained. The
State sets it at 30 days, and Orange County’s policy requires 180 days, at the
minimum. Any misdemeanor would require a 3-year retention period, and any felony
would require a 20-year retention period.
Commissioner Price said in the purpose and scope section, it refers to “portable and
mobile,” and asked if Jennifer Galassi could differentiate between the two.
Jennifer Galassi said an officer using a personal device is still subject to this policy.
Commissioner Price referred to the second paragraph, and said it does not apply to
mobile audio-video recordings.
Jennifer Galassi said it reads “mobile, audio, or video recordings, interviews or
interrogations…” and this is modifying what comes after it. She said it is taking out of this
policy interviews, interrogations, recordings that are made within the Sheriff’s office, or taken
from an undercover officer, wire taps, or eavesdropping.
Commissioner Price said some of the language reads, “should” instead of “shall,” and
asked if there is specific reasoning behind this. She read the following as an example: “when
using a portable recorder, the assigned member should record his/her name.” She asked if
there is a reason the officer is not required to record his/her name.
Jennifer Galassi said that is envisioning what it then goes on to discuss. She said she
does not know how their particular system will work, and it is envisioned that each unit is going
to be assigned to one particular officer, and so the system will be set to an individual, and thus
recording a name will be unnecessary.
Sheriff Blackwood said the devices will be issued, and the computer index will have the
officer’s name on it, and it will be theirs to keep with them all the time.
Jennifer Galassi said they have envisioned having additional devices in the event there
is a malfunction with one. She said in this scenario, the officer will have to manually assign
themselves to the device.
Commissioner Marcoplos said it sounds like a lot will be learned with experience, and
asked if there are any process or evaluation techniques in mind.
Jennifer Galassi said it will be a learning curve as things occur. She said issues can be
anticipated, but as soon as the officers have the devices, further input and feedback will be
gathered.
Chair Dorosin said last time this topic was discussed, Sheriff Blackwood said the policy
would say that if someone wanted to see a video, they would be permitted to do so; but he
said he does not see that allowance in policy 803.
Sheriff Blackwood said it is in the General Statute, and if it is not in the policy, it will be
added.
Chair Dorosin said the State General Statute says a video “may” be disclosed, and he
understood that Orange County will make the wording that a video “will” be disclosed to a
requesting party contained within the video recording. He said if this is true, he would like to
see if reflected in the policy.
Jennifer Galassi said the only reference to this point is in 803.5o.
Chair Dorosin said he would like to see this specifically added to the Orange County
policy.
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Chair Dorosin said a concern that has occurred in other places is officers turning off
cameras before an incident takes place. He said Policy 427 says, “the recorder should remain
on continuously,” and he asked if it would be worthwhile to make this language stronger. He
said the question is how the discretion is monitored, and asked if the policy can include how
they would determine if discretion were utilized appropriately.
Jennifer Galassi said a violation of this policy is treated as any other violation, and
internal affairs conducts an investigation and disciplines as appropriate, up to, and including
termination. She said Policy 427.8 addressed the monitoring question, and supervisors are
encouraged to spot check and monitor how things are going.
Sheriff Blackwood said this is another piece of equipment, but it is a unique one. He
said the concept of trust is being built on the legitimacy of what the officers are doing. He said
nationally there have been studies that indicate officers are completely forgetting that the
cameras are on, and are acting inappropriately. He said these scenarios speak to the culture
of specific agencies and communities, and Orange County has a good agency and community,
and a level of trust they do not want to jeopardize. He said there will be strong oversight of
this equipment and its use by Orange County officers.
Chair Dorosin said he appreciated that, but this is unique of equipment, and he would
like this policy worded as strongly as possible. He said he believes Sheriff Blackwood has
made this commitment to the community, and he would to see it reflected in the policy with a
line that says that violations of this policy will be treated pursuant to, etc.
Commissioner Price said there are several “shoulds” in the language, which give too
much leeway, and she would like to see stronger language.
Sheriff Blackwood agreed.
b. Update on the Mobile Home Parks Initiative
The Board received an update on the activities undertaken to date, as well as those
that are upcoming, as it relates to the County’s Mobile Home Parks Initiative.
Sherrill Hampton, Housing Director, said this initiative is an inter-departmental and
multi-jurisdiction collaboration. She reviewed the yellow sheet at the Commissioners’ places:
a revised draft strategy from Chapel Hill regarding the Lakeview Mobile Home Park. She said
Chapel Hill has developed and completed the residents’ survey, which the County will use with
a few tweaks. She said Chapel Hill is conducting its due diligence.
Commissioner Price asked if Chapel Hill has a plan in place.
Sherrill Hampton says Chapel Hill is continuing discussions with the developer, and is
considering several sites and funding sources, but has not shared specifics. She said the
conversations with the residents are very important.
Commissioner Price asked if there is a hold on evictions.
Sherrill Hampton said she does not know, and they will continue to update the Board of
County Commissioners as information is received.
Chair Dorosin said he spoke to the Mayor of Chapel Hill, and the developer has been
cooperative, and has not submitted anything yet to the Town. He said some residents do not
have leases anymore, and are living month to month.
Sherrill Hampton said yes, that is correct. She said mobile home park owners have to
comply with the 180-day North Carolina Statute for closure.
Commissioner Jacobs asked Sherrill Hampton if the Town is looking at parcels.
Sherrill Hampton said yes, the Town is examining Town-owned properties, and other
locations.
Commissioner Jacobs said there is a parcel of land on Homestead, and asked if the
Town is considering that parcel.
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Sherrill Hampton said she does not know if that is one of the sites being considered.
Commissioner Jacobs said since the County and Town are working as partners, it
seems information should be shared. He said he would hate to see opportunities lost, or
conclusions reached without discussion amongst partners.
Commissioner Jacobs asked the Managers to talk about having more open
conversations.
Chair Dorosin said he made that point to the Mayor today, and reiterated the County’s
desire to have Sherrill Hampton included in all discussions.
Sherrill Hampton said Town staff is in communication with her.
Commissioner Marcoplos asked Chair Dorosin if Mayor Hemminger mentioned in any
way, shape or form, that Chapel Hill has land that it is considering.
Chair Dorosin said the Mayor said the Town is looking at Town-owned parcels, but did
not identify specific parcels. He said the Mayor reported the Town is feeling positive about the
Millhouse Road location.
Sherrill Hampton reviewed the following information:
BACKGROUND: For many years the Orange County Board of County Commissioners has had
a keen interest in addressing the vulnerability of residents living in mobile home parks and
allocated funding to address land banking for mobile home parks and/or to assist in the
acquisition of property for future residential development as an affordable housing alternative.
As a result of the Board action approving funding, a multi-sector Affordable Housing/Mobile
Home Park Work Group was formed. On November 20, 2017 the Work Group presented the
Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) with its recommendations on strategies for mitigating
resident displacement and relocation challenges due to park closures and redevelopment
efforts. The BOCC approved the recommendations and requested that County staff develop a
Rapid Response Protocol in order to allow for timely, coordinated action when mobile home
park closures occur.
TIMELINE/RECENT AND UPCOMING ACTIVITIES:
• Discussions with the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough began before
and have continued since the BOCC’s November 2017 approval of the Work Group
recommendations. Discussions focus on the development of a coordinated approach
between the jurisdictions and sharing of pertinent information.
• January 2018 – Orange County staff learned of a potential mobile park closure, and
Town of Chapel Hill staff shared notice regarding the potential closure and
redevelopment of the Lakeview Mobile Home Park.
• January 16, 2018 – County staff held a meeting of the Work Group to receive input and
comments on the draft Rapid Response Protocol.
• January 23, 2018 – County staff presented a proposal to use a portion of the County-
owned Millhouse Road property as a potential site for a new mobile home park to the
Board of Orange County Commissioners. The Board approved moving forward with
completing a full assessment of the proposed site, including an environmental and
engineering study, as well as initiation of the rezoning process, as applicable.
• January 30, 2018 – The approved Work Group recommendations, along with a
synopsis of the proposed Millhouse Road project, were presented at the 2018
Assembly of Governments meeting. Additional input and comments were gathered as
to the creation of a comprehensive and coordinated strategy regarding the Mobile
Home Park Initiative.
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• January 30, 2018 – The Town of Chapel Hill developed a response strategy for the
proposed closure of the Lakeview Mobile Home Park and shared that information with
Orange County staff.
• February 1, 2018 – County staff learns of the proposed displacement of residents at
the Homestead Mobile Park located in an unincorporated part of the County outside of
Chapel Hill. The Homestead Mobile Home Park includes approximately nine (9) homes
that would be affected by the closure. Staff had a conversation with the Park owner to
discuss the situation. Conversations with the Park owner will continue throughout the
process.
• February 9, 2018 – County staff convened an initial meeting of the Rapid Response
Team to plan for a community meeting with the Homestead Mobile Home Park
residents.
• The County Manager has invited both Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange
County Schools to be a part of the Mobile Home Park Work Group and the Rapid
Response Team.
• February 24, 2018 – A meeting is planned with the residents of the Homestead Mobile
Home Park (map) to gather their input and comments, as well as ascertain their needs
given the proposed displacement. The meeting will be held at the New Hope Camp and
Conference Center starting at 10:00am- 1:00pm.
• County staff continues to conduct due diligence on the Millhouse Road site and other
identified strategies, including identifying cost centers and gathering applicable pricing
information.
• By March 16, 2018, the Rapid Response Team will meet again, debrief on the February
24th meeting with residents and provide input on the draft proposal to the County
Manager as it relates to the provision of services for the Homestead Mobile Home Park
residents.
• By March 23, 2018 and based on the findings from the February 24th meeting, staff will
present a proposal, including applicable cost, to the County Manager as it relates to the
provision of services for the Homestead Mobile Home Park residents.
• By March 30, 2018, County staff will convene a meeting with mobile home park owners
within the County. Work Group members and a representative from the Rapid
Response Team will participate in the meeting.
• Periodic updates to the Board of County Commissioners will continue throughout the
process.
Chair Dorosin asked if Sherrill Hampton would update the Board of County
Commissioners after the February 24th meeting, and after the surveys are completed.
Commissioner Jacobs said to Sherrill Hampton and Craig Benedict that the vendor from
the tiny home meeting last night might be a useful source of information to pursue, prior to
involving a consultant. He said the vendor is Kimberly Brewer.
Commissioner Marcoplos said he has her contact information.
Commissioner Rich said she would like to talk about Millhouse Road as a
neighborhood, instead of an industrial site. She said it is important to include these neighbors
into activities that are going on in that area.
8. Consent Agenda
• Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda
8-e: Commissioner Jacobs and Commissioner Price
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• Approval of Remaining Consent Agenda
A motion was made by Commissioner Burroughs, seconded by Commissioner McKee
to approve the remaining items on the Consent Agenda.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
• Discussion and Approval of the Items Removed from the Consent Agenda
8-e. Resolution in Opposition To Offshore Exploration, Drilling Activities and Seismic
Blast Activities Off the Coast of North Carolina
The Board considered voting to approve a Resolution, which is incorporated by
reference, in Opposition To Offshore Exploration, Drilling Activities and Seismic Blast Activities
Off the Coast of North Carolina and authorize the Chair to sign.
Commissioner Price said this is an important resolution, even though similar resolutions
have been passed in previous years. She said she would like to have this resolution sent to
the organizations that are mentioned in the resolution, as well as to all other counties in North
Carolina.
Commissioner Jacobs said that he wanted to highlight this resolution, and heard
yesterday that 70 scientists have written a letter to the Department of the Interior, objecting to
the seismic testing because it is so harmful to marine mammals, and its consequences are
unknown.
A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to
approve a Resolution in Opposition To Offshore Exploration, Drilling Activities and Seismic
Blast Activities Off the Coast of North Carolina and authorize the Chair to sign.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
a. Minutes
The Board approved the minutes from January 26 and 30, 2018 as submitted by the Clerk to
the Board.
b. Fiscal Year 2017-18 Budget Amendment #6
The Board approved budget and grant project ordinance amendments for fiscal year 2017-18
for the Department on Aging, and Animal Services.
c. Application for North Carolina Education Lottery Proceeds for Chapel Hill – Carrboro
City Schools (CHCCS) and Contingent Approval of Budget Amendment # 6-A Related
to CHCCS Capital Project Ordinances
The Board approved an application to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
(NCDPI) to release proceeds from the NC Education Lottery account related to FY 2017-18
debt service payments for Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS), and approved Budget
Amendment #6-A (amended School Capital Project Ordinances), contingent on the NCDPI’s
approval of the application and authorize the Chair to sign.
d. Approval of 1.0 FTE Time-Limited Erosion Control Officer I Position and Budget
Amendment # 6-B
The Board approved the creation of a 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) time-limited position to
address the work load of a multi-year Erosion Control and Sedimentation Control project and
approve Budget Amendment #6-B.
33
e. Resolution in Opposition To Offshore Exploration, Drilling Activities and Seismic
Blast Activities Off the Coast of North Carolina
The Board approved a Resolution, which is incorporated by reference, in Opposition To
Offshore Exploration, Drilling Activities and Seismic Blast Activities Off the Coast of North
Carolina and authorized the Chair to sign. (Discussed above)
f. Authorization for NC Recreational Trails Program Grant - Hollow Rock Nature Park
The Board authorized staff to resubmit an application to the North Carolina Division of Parks
and Recreation Recreational Trails Program (RTP) by the March 2, 2018 deadline for a 2019
grant for $100,000 to develop an ADA accessible 1/3-mile loop trail at Hollow Rock Nature
Park consistent with the adopted master plan.
g. Letter to Cardinal Innovations in Support of Club Nova’s Request for Capital Funding
The Board authorized the Chair to sign a letter to Cardinal Innovations Healthcare in support of
Club Nova’s capital request for $2.5 million from Cardinal Innovations Healthcare to assist in
the construction of a new, expanded clubhouse facility.
9. County Manager’s Report
Bonnie Hammersley pointed out the Guide to Orange County Government at the
Commissioners’ places, and said this was mentioned at the first Orange County Academy,
which met this evening for the first time.
Bonnie Hammersley said the Board has a joint meeting with the Town of Hillsborough
on February 22nd.
10. County Attorney’s Report
Annette Moore said that the Pauli Murray Awards are on February 25th. Mariella
Hernandez is this year's adult winner. She is a Zone Navigator with Orange County’s Family
Success Alliance (FSA), an organization designed to “close the achievement gap and end
generational poverty in Orange County.” She works with a variety of resources in the area to
connect children and families with the services they need. She collaborates with local non-
profits and public agencies to develop ways to empower community members and address
structural inequities in the systems in which we live.
Annette Moore said Kenzie Patrick was chosen as the youth honoree. She is a 12th
grade student at Orange High School with a heart for being involved through service. She
balances a high GPA, athletics, and service effectively. Among numerous other clubs and
initiatives, she was involved with the Hate Free Schools Coalition and advocated to have the
Confederate Flag banned from Orange County Public Schools in hopes of creating a learning
environment free from racial intimidation.
Annette Moore said Davison Douglas Ph.D., Dean of the College of William & Mary
Law School and Arthur B. Hanson Professor of Law, will provide the keynote address.
11. *Appointments
NONE
12. Information Items
• February 6, 2018 BOCC Meeting Follow-up Actions List
• Memorandum Regarding Second Quarter FY2017-18 Financial Report
• Memorandum Regarding Continued Review of Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Text
Amendments on Signage
• BOCC Chair Letter Regarding Petitions from February 6, 2018 Regular Meeting
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13. Closed Session
NONE
14. Adjournment
A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner McKee to
adjourn the meeting at 10:55 p.m.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
Mark Dorosin, Chair
Donna Baker
Clerk to the Board