HomeMy WebLinkAbout110420 Virtual Planning Board Minutes Approved 1/6/21
1 MEETING MINUTES
2 ORANGE COUNTY PLANNING BOARD
3 NOVEMBER 4,2020
4 REGULAR MEETING
5 (Due to current public health concerns,this meeting was held virtually.
6 Members of the Planning Board, staff and public participated remotely)
7
8 MEMBERS PRESENT: David Blankfard (Chair), Hillsborough Township Representative; Adam Beeman (Vice-Chair), Cedar
9 Grove Township Representative; Kim Piracci, Eno Township Representative; Susan Hunter, Chapel Hill Township
10 Representative; Patricia Roberts, Cheeks Township Representative; Randy Marshall, At-Large Representative; Hunter
11 Spitzer, At-Large Representative; Alexandra Allman, At-Large Representative; Melissa Poole, Little River Township
12 Representative; Carrie Fletcher, Bingham Township Representative; Gio Mollinedo,At-Large Representative;
13
14 MEMBERS ABSENT:Vacant,At-Large Representative;Vacant,At-Large Representative;
15
16 STAFF PRESENT: Craig Benedict, Planning Director; Perdita Holtz, Planning Systems Coordinator; Michael Harvey, Current
17 Planning Supervisor;Tom Altieri, Comprehensive Planning Supervisor; Brian Carson, GIS Tech III, Christopher Sandt, Staff
18 Engineer; Molly Boyle: Planner; Tina Love,Administrative Support; Steve Brantley, Economic Development Director,
19 Amanda Garner,Assistant Economic Development Director;
20
21 APPLICANT AND ASSOCIATES PRESENT: Stan Beard, Buc-ee's Ltd., Director of Real Estate; Beth Trahos, Nelson Mullins,
22 Partner; Earl Lewellyn, Kimley-Horn, Engineer; Kelsey Westwood, Kimley-Horn, Engineer;
23
24 PROPERTY OWNER/PROPERTY OWNER REPRESENTATIVES: Ben Lloyd, Robbin Taylor-Hall
25
26 OTHERS PRESENT:John Bannon, Jeff Bruett, Erica Cartmill, Matt Cartmill,Jared Cates, Evelyn Cecil, Cathy Chapman,Jane
27 Cheshire-Allen, Bobby Cobb, Mary Cooter, Valerie Curry,Will Drummond, Laura Easterling, Rosemary Edwards, Donald
28 Efland, Knox Efland, Donald Efland, Marsha Efland, Paul Efland, Carroll Enterkin, Sherry Eshelman, Kathy Evans,
29 Alexandra Farrell, Caroline Foster, Jacob Foster, Chrisean Fuller, Matt Gandy, Sam Gharbo, Robert Golan,Alexandra
30 Griffin, Brian Harry, Jimmy Holcomb,Joseph Howard,Julie Laws, Jamie Lawson, Chad Lloyd, Jon Lorusso, Kristen
31 Marbais, Catherine Matthews, Diana Montgomery, Patricia O'Connor, Helen Pak-Harvey, Larmar Proctor, Steve Ramarge,
32 Noah Ranells, Michelle Rash, Linda Richardson,Andrea Riley, Loren Roberts, Eric Russell,Anne Shortlife, Chris Smith,
33 Heather Smith, Shontea Smith, Tim Spruill,Jeanne Tate,Aimee Tattersall, Del Ward, Richard Ward, Frances Wheeler, Rex
34 Williams, Laurie Wolfe, Elaine Wright, Janine Zanin; Kaye Brown
35
36 Perdita Holtz reviewed the technical processes and rules for the virtual meeting
37
38 AGENDA ITEM 1: CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
39 Chair David Blankfard called the meeting to order.
40
41 AGENDA ITEM 2: INFORMATION ITEMS
42 a. Planning Calendar for November and December
43
44 AGENDA ITEM 3: APPROVAL OF MINUTES
45 October 7, 2020
46
47 Adam Beeman: I have a correction on line 115, it should say that aren't.
48
49 MOTION by Adam Beeman to approved the October 7, 2020 Planning Board Meeting Minutes with correction. Seconded
50 by Carrie Fletcher.
51
52 ROLLCALL VOTE:
53 Susan Hunter: Yes
54 Adam Beeman: Yes
55 Patricia Roberts: Yes
56 Melissa Poole: Yes
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57 Alexandra Allman Yes
58 Carrie Fletcher Yes
59 Kim Piracci: Yes
60 Gio Mollinedo Yes
61 David Blankfard: Yes
62 MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
63
64 AGENDA ITEM 4: CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONS TO AGENDA.
65
66 AGENDA ITEM 5: PUBLIC CHARGE
67
68 INTRODUCTION TO THE PUBLIC CHARGE
69 The Board of County Commissioners, under the authority of North Carolina General Statute, appoints the
70 Orange County Planning Board (OCPB) to uphold the written land development law of the County. The
71 general purpose of OCPB is to guide and accomplish coordinated and harmonious development. OCPB
72 shall do so in a manner, which considers the present and future needs of its citizens and businesses
73 through efficient and responsive process that contributes to and promotes the health, safety, and welfare
74 of the overall County. The OCPB will make every effort to uphold a vision of responsive governance and
75 quality public services during our deliberations, decisions, and recommendations.
76
77 PUBLIC CHARGE
78 The Planning Board pledges to the citizens of Orange County its respect. The Board asks its citizens to
79 conduct themselves in a respectful, courteous manner, both with the Board and with fellow citizens. At
80 any time, should any member of the Board or any citizen fail to observe this public charge, the Chair will
81 ask the offending member to leave the meeting until that individual regains personal control. Should
82 decorum fail to be restored, the Chair will recess the meeting until such time that a genuine commitment
83 to this public charge is observed.
84
85 Randy Marshall Arrived
86
87 AGENDA ITEM 6: CHAIR COMMENTS
88
89 David Blankfard: There are 18 speakers with 3 minutes each to speak so what does the Board think about how late to run
90 this meeting?
91
92 Planning Board Member consensus was to try to end the meeting by 10:00 p.m. and possibly reconvene at a later date.
93
94 AGENDA ITEM 7: ZONING ATLAS AMENDMENT(MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION—EFLAND STATION) —To review
95 and make a recommendation to the BOCC on a developer-initiated application for and MPD-CZ(Master
96 Plan Development Conditional Zoning). The proposed project encompasses approximately 104 acres
97 located north of Interstate 85/40,west of Mt.Willing Road,within Cheeks Township. The two parcels
98 comprising the proposed project are currently zoned Office/Research and Manufacturing (0/RM)with
99 three different overlay districts(overlay districts are to remain unchanged). This item is scheduled for
100 BOCC public hearing on December 15, 2020.
101 Presenter: Michael Harvey,Current Planning Supervisor
102
103 Michael Harvey presented a PowerPoint Presentation
104 The Applicant's Representatives Stan Beard and Beth Trahos Presented a Project PowerPoint Presentation
105
106 Gio Mollinedo left the meeting at approximately 7:45 p.m.
107
108 The Applicant's Representatives Earl Lewellyn Presented a PowerPoint Transportation Presentation for the Project.
109
110 David Blankfard: I had a question for Earl,you said you based the traffic impact on a 10% increase from actual data from
111 Buc-ee's, if you took the actual data from Buc-ee's would that change your recommendations for the exit 160 for removing
112 it?
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113
114 Earl Lewellyn: If we dropped back the traffic generation intensity by that 10%would we still be recommending removal of
115 160,yes we would indeed. It was an issue brought up even before we instituted that addition.
116
117 David Blankfard: Would that exit have to be removed on day one?
118
119 Earl Lewellyn: My personal recommendation is yes,you would absolutely want to have it operational at day one and 1
120 believe that is the opinion of NCDOT too.
121
122 Melissa Poole: There is a hotel in phase 2 do you already have that or it's just a proposal and you don't know what it will
123 be?
124
125 Beth Trahos: There is not a specific hotel user today.
126
127 Stan Beard: If I can address some of the phase 2 questions,we only call it phase 2 because it will be subsequent to Buc-
128 ee's operating and breaking in as we get the kinks out of our operating,traffic. We watch that very intently for the first half a
129 year and then once we get comfortable with where we are and everyone else around us,we will start fielding inquiries from
130 other users, hotels, retail shops, sit-down restaurants who like think we are a good fit for them. A hotel, and please keep in
131 mind that we will continue to own this entire development for the foreseeable future. We're going to be very stringent who
132 the hotel is, it's going to be in the higher up major chain type of offerings. The same thing with sit down restaurants.
133
134 Melissa Poole: My question is around a lot of public comments that I've seen have been around potential crime and I know
135 that is a concern. It always is any time you've got any industrialized space, particularly when you are going to have a hotel.
136 So, can you commit to an internal entry to rooms hotel versus an external.
137
138 Stan Beard: This will be a hallway hotel,there will not be a motel situation at all.
139
140 Melissa Poole: On pages 114-115 from the memo from Department of Environment,Ag and Parks and Rec(DEAPR)
141 regarding the Seven Mile Creek watershed, and it references;the staff recognizes the site plan submitted shows the
142 developers effort to preserve the watershed (I'm summarizing that)as the easement grantee, the County would be
143 responsible for monitoring the site. It looks like a recommendation, I'm just curious as to with this recommendation,what's
144 going on with that?
145
146 Michael Harvey: You're talking about Christian Hirni's memo(shared screen). Obviously, as Ms. Trahos has indicated,
147 there are several open spaces areas (Mr. Harvey identified the areas on the map denoting open space) and the darker
148 areas are stream buffers around identified wetland areas and streams. In discussions with DEAPR staff there was a
149 question on whether or not there would have to be conservation easements put around these areas to preserve and protect
150 the water features. The applicant has already indicated that they are going to comply with Section 6-13, the stream buffer
151 standards, of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). As a result,the natural area in and around these streams would
152 have to be protected with either a 65 or 85 foot buffer. In certain instances,there will actually be more land are preserved,
153 though designed open space, in a natural state increasing established County buffers. I believe what Mr. Hirni was
154 referring to is that we(the County)would have to monitor development activities to ensure that the buffer is protected
155 consistent with existing land use regulations. One of the concerns Mr. Hirni has also talked about is the potential for
156 environmental degradation of the Seven Mile Creek preserve which is the area south of the Project(shown on GIS). This is
157 the area(Mr. Harvey identified an area of property at the southeastern portion of the project)that does flow, at least is
158 anticipated to flow,across the interstate approximately 1,000 feet south to property owned by Orange County and others
159 within the Seven Mile Creek Preserve area. What the County is also obligated to do is hold this applicant to existing
160 stormwater control measures as detailed within the UDO, including nutrient(nitrogen and prosperous) removal as part of
161 our stormwater rules. When you look at the totality of the development and you look at DEAPR's memo and staff
162 conditions,we believe that we have addressed DEAPR's concern and that a conservation easement is not going to be
163 necessarily warranted due to existing compliance with County regulatory standards. There are going to be multiple moving
164 parts to that issue but it needs to be remembered what regulations we have in place and how they will be enforced on this
165 project if approved.
166
167 Craig Benedict: To restate the summary, if approved,the master plan development rezoning is a document that gets
168 recorded and stays with the land. These uses and various regulations they have to adhere to are ongoing commitments by
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169 the property owner and monitored by the County because it is a rezoning and we have to ensure that what was in that
170 master plan document continues in the future.
171
172 Adam Beeman: The traffic analysis, has that taken into account all the residents that get off that exit every day to go home.
173 I'm one of those residents and I'm not feeling the shutdown of exit 160. You offer me no alternatives to get home other
174 than running through traffic lights that I don't have to do now. Why can't those driveways come out to the intersection
175 where you want to put lights? If you were to put a light at the intersection,why can't your driveways come out there and not
176 be on that ramp? I understand NCDOT's long-term plan but there's no way to address any of the residents that live north of
177 Hwy. 70, I'm of those thousands of residents that get off that exit every day and I know you've estimated 185 seconds but 1
178 don't believe that, if I get caught at that light, I'm going to go up and over and get caught at another light so that adding at
179 least 3 or 4 minutes to my commute just to get off the ramp. I don't know why we have to have the right in/right out and lose
180 the 160 exit. Right now, a lot of us depend on getting off that exit and getting home, it's the only way for us to get home.
181
182 Earl Lewellyn: The first and biggest concern is that with the additional increase in traffic,whether it from this project or
183 another,that the weaving area between the ramps combined with the speed of exiting traffic onto the service road whether
184 there's another ramp there or not, is in fact a problem from a capacity standpoint and a safety standpoint. It may not be
185 dramatic today but with increases in traffic,whether the accesses occur onto the service road or not,that traffic if it is going
186 westbound still has to use that facility to get east and west. That is the biggest criteria. We have struggled with trying to
187 find options as well that would satisfy DOT's criteria, maintaining access for the public through the existing path. The
188 reason we did the comparison is because we always hear people say they had to wait at a traffic signal. In these
189 operations,traffic signals probably along Mt.Willing Road, cycle lengths are going to be somewhere in the nature of 60 to
190 70 seconds. Cycle lengths along the US 70 connector and the interchange ramps along the US 70 connector are probably
191 going to be in the order of 90 seconds just given the volumes and the number of phases that have to be there. That is what
192 is driving the travel time that we mentioned. It's basically the delay at the signals and it depends on when you hit the signal
193 and that's why there is variation in those times from the simulations and simply just traveling along the street. We feel that
194 is very accurate and calibrated with current conditions.
195
196 Adam Beeman: You are inserting two light into the equation that right now we don't have to contend with at all the biggest
197 contention is coming off the ramp and hitting the stop sign on Mt. Willing and hanging a right and going out into the country.
198 We will have to come of 161, hit a light,come back up over that ramp, hit another light and then continue on our route. If
199 there was the 70/85 connector that didn't force us into Hillsborough and you could make a left onto 70 then I would say
200 have at it and do what you have to do but that interjection of those two lights is going to make a huge difference on a lot of
201 people's lives in northern Orange County. There is no other way for us to get there. If we take the 85 connector it forces us
202 down 70 and you have to ride up 86 or you have to come back up. There is no good way. I think a lot of people aren't
203 going to be happy. I don't know the answer to it but I'm not happy about the lights. I understand the timing and the queues
204 and add Buc-ee's traffic now the commuters have to contend with all the traffic in and out of your store. It's going to be a
205 real turn off for the residents north of the County. 1,for one, I want the development but I'm not a fan of how you are going
206 to get this traffic flow. It is going to have a huge impact on a lot of people out in Northern Orange County. A lot of people
207 come from Virginia down Efland-Cedar Grove. I don't know why there are so many driveways. If you could stay away from
208 Mt.Willing at all costs,then it might negate some of the impact but there are a lot of people who travel out to the country to
209 go home and come to the highway to go to work every day.
210
211 Earl Lewellyn: I respect what you are saying. I actually live not too far away and travel through this area myself. Most
212 often on the weekends, occasionally during the week. I certainly don't want this to be a problem area either. That is why we
213 did the comparison to quantify how much additional time will be spent just traveling whether it's that signal or traveling
214 through there. The other thing to keep in mind is these right in and out assess points,traffic on the service road will
215 continue moving through and there will be two lanes all the way through so we have to keep that in mind. The real reason
216 we're doing this is primarily safety and capacity that is related to the existing exit 160 configuration.
217
218 Stan Beard: There is no getting around the aggravation that all the Efland folks feel about this situation. If I were part of
219 that, I would have that same aggravation.What we have strived to do all along,from the first day we met with the local DOT
220 engineer and moving through the various planning stages with those guys to figure out a way to make this work for
221 everybody. They were adamant that our development or any development at this tract,this 100 acres on 40/85, if any
222 development came along, it would trigger some fairly massive traffic changes. As we all know, no one likes to say it and no
223 one wants to hear it,with growth comes some shifts in traffic patterns and habits. Where we are here is that most
224 intersections east of here and plenty of intersections west of here are all lit. When you get down to the bottom of the ramp,
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225 you are looking at a signal. What you guys have managed to do is to stay out of that issue for a while and what we are
226 seeing now is what we believe to be a great site for Buc-ee's. We really like being here; this is a cool site for us. Given the
227 fact that we are who we are, we have the ability to work with the County and work with you guys figuring out all sorts of
228 ways to as least impactful as we can. The traffic issues are unavoidable if we or anyone else is to go there, NCDOT is
229 going to stick to their guns and say we don't like the braided ramp, never have,we're getting rid of them and whoever
230 comes in is going to get rid of them. What we've done is our traffic studies are based on our traffic. The last thing,the very
231 last thing that Buc-ee's needs is a traffic problem and that means the traffic problem throughout that whole intersection.
232 What we hope we have done and we have experience in doing this and we have feedback from NCDOT and our engineers
233 all along the way, that we are creating a more efficient, safe intersection. It's going to cost you a couple of minutes or more
234 and I apologize for that being a guy who has great respect for my own exit ramp when I come home. We are hoping you
235 guys in Efland, that this can become a real development for Efland that isn't 2 million square feet of distribution center.
236 That is only'/z million square feet of cool stuff. Buc-ee's and a nice hotel, nice sit down restaurants where it becomes part
237 of Efland and part of your commute.We have looked at every other way.To get DDT's permission to construct a project on
238 that 100 acres is going to take answering their concerns and their big concern is that eventually that is a failing system and
239 it will fail and they'll have accidents and they'll have to spend 12 million to fix it where we're here and we will spend the
240 dollars to make this work for us and for the neighborhood.
241
242 Michael Harvey: I want to remind the Board in order for any reconfiguration of these exits to occur,there has to be NCDOT
243 and Federal Highway Administration action through various processes independent of this Zoning Atlas Amendment. If
244 elimination of(westbound) Exit 160 is approved, the project moves forward consistent with this master plan. If it's not
245 approved,then the applicant will have to work with NCDOT and the County Planning staff to develop and incorporate
246 another solution. Keep in mind there is an external process that will have to occur in order for this to become reality. Staff
247 has made recommendations on conditions associated with traffic management and impacts.
248
249 Carrie Fletcher: For Mr. Beard,first of all why do you think having a giant travel oriented business right there in Efland,we
250 have several large refueling stations, not in the very far distance from where you want to build, an exit or two over. Do we
251 really have a need for such a large refueling station? What justifies the use of this land for such a large project? Two, how
252 do we keep Orange County's vision of a rural community and I bought into Orange County ten years ago because it was a
253 rural community. Many people still have that vision. I understand the need for development, I understand the zoning, 1
254 understand the whole reason behind why we are reaching out for people to come and do projects like this but what will
255 keep people thinking Orange County is a rural community. Have we changes our mind on how we want to envision
256 ourselves. The third is the property you're going to build this on,who owns this right and how do you get access to it? I'm
257 unclear on that. Maybe I am blurry on that but I would like clarification on that.
258
259 Stan Beard: The first answer is our business is to be the best pit stop off of any road trip you've been on. The clean
260 restroom and plentiful foods available all of that,the friendly atmosphere is a Buc-ee's experience. We've been doing this a
261 long time,we have a bunch of stores in Texas and we are in Alabama and about to open in Georgia. Building in Florida
262 and South Carolina so what we want to do and the reason we are here at this site is that we want to be in the middle of
263 somebody's trip road trip either going East,West, North, South that needs to stop for a clean restroom, reasonable gas and
264 cool stuff to buy.That brings us to a freeway system that has two merged interstates for a stretch that carries a 125,000
265 cars per day on that stretch. It travels East/West through Orange County and it is in the middle of a well-traveled length of
266 folks going from Virginia all the way over towards this way. Where we are now, is it's on a 100 acre tract next to the
267 freeway bounded by the railway and the 70/85 connector and so I respect the fact that Orange County is a rural place and 1
268 agree I think it is and I think the Efland area in particular is beautiful and very rural feeling. I do not think that this tract is a
269 rural tract. I think it is an undeveloped 100 acres that could very easily be a truck stop which we are not. We are would
270 rather not be compared to the truck stops. We have the ability here to fit into a spot where a distribution center might go or
271 a warehousing farm. We're in a position where we can give back a lot of good things, benefits, less intensive development,
272 more green space. You've heard it all but it's true,we are not covering up 2 million square feet of this 100 acres with
273 buildings. We are one quarter of that. That is why we are there,we are there because it is a good opportunity for us and it
274 fits within our strategy of reaching a wide range of folks.There are going to be local folks who shop there but 70%of them
275 are traveling from all over the place and they are going to get to stop in Efland, Orange County for 45 minutes and you
276 never know they might stay. I hope I answered the rural part. I will say that we, I don't get too detailed, but I'm fairly certain
277 that we follow along with all of the comprehensive use plans,the nodes.
278
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279 Beth Trahos: I was going to add briefly that is another attractive element of this site. It is one of your Commercial Industrial
280 Activity nodes so this is among the uses that are recommended by your Future Land Use map for this property. I think that
281 is another reason that it's attractive for this use.
282
283 Stan Beard: As to who owns it, some of the Efland family owns it and then the smaller parcel is owned by Ben Lloyd. Local
284 folks who have been around awhile and I think you will hear from Ben later that he wasn't even going to talk to us until he
285 came and saw it. He saw an operating Buc-ee's and it changed his mind. I hope I answered your questions.
286
287 Carrie Fletcher: I think you did a fine job and I appreciate the time to do all that. Those are my main concerns. I think the
288 project actually looks quite well thought out. I always have concerns about major building in Orange County because I
289 enjoy the rural life style and I'm sure a lot of people that are going to have comments tonight are also going to be
290 concerned about that aspect of your building. We protect our Orange County quite adamantly and vigorously it's very
291 personal for many of us so I hope you appreciate my questions and thank you for your time.
292
293 Stan Beard: We think our positioning in that area is very appropriate for what we are and we do think that if you go to
294 Highway 70 just a mile north and drive that whole stretch,you would never know we were there.
295
296 Carrie Fletcher: I'm not sure about that giant sign though.
297
298 Adam Beeman: I know you can't tell us about current tenants for the Efland Station but maybe you could fill us in on the
299 type of tenants you have at other ones as far as major restaurants. What type of restaurants or brands tend to follow Buc-
300 ee's.
301
302 Stan Beard: Again,we are very particular about who our neighbors are and so who we allow to be our neighbors and who
303 usually want to be our neighbors are fairly well established regional or national sit down type restaurants, Chili's, Olive
304 Garden, Lone Star Steakhouse, it will not be fast food or drive thru. We restrict drive thru. We have pick up windows like
305 Panera or a Qdoba or those types that are in smaller shopping center regional, neighborhood type stuff,you'll see in our
306 other developments. We are extremely protective of our brand and our operating. We are all about creating the safest
307 place on the freeway for you,your family, your wife,your daughters to stop in the middle of the night, alone and go to the
308 restroom and hear a cheery voice and get a nice sandwich.
309
310 Chair Blankfard asked if Planning Board members had additional questions at this time. Hearing none, he suggested
311 opening up the meeting to public comments. Members of the public were required to sign up with staff in advance and
312 were called upon in the order they contacted staff. Perdita Holtz and Brian Carson facilitated the technical aspects of the
313 public comment time.
314
315 Kaye Brown: I'm Kaye Brown and just 49 days ago I heard the Buc-ee's Travel Center was coming to the site 4,000 feet
316 from a small horse farm I've owned since 1988 and less than one week ago today, I learned that Buc-ee's plans for the
317 efficient grab and go needs of the tens of thousands of daily customers will mean that I can no longer travel Ben Johnson
318 Road to either the interstates or US 70 and I have for three decades just to get to my farm. Why this rush to push this
319 negative project through in 49 days? A time when we've had COVID panic and election panic and now we have a Buc-ee's
320 in Efland panic. Why hasn't a project of this size and impact been through the typical developer/community dialogues with
321 advisory panels and focus groups? Well as a licensed general contractor,with a degree in real estate design and
322 development, I think I know why. Efland Station doesn't need focus groups because it doesn't have anything at all to do
323 with Efland. Efland is merely being asked to house the Buc-ee's. How do I know this? Because you just heard Stan Beard
324 speaking for Buc-ee's and he has been asked numerous time why did you choose Efland for this project and he
325 consistently replies, 125,000 cars pass this site every day that's why,this site was made for Buc-ee's. Well, I frankly
326 applaud his straight up honest answer. The company's business model, quite simply to the largest number of these
327 travelers to the stores quickly and efficiently for a pleasant but brief visit. So why are Buc-ee's so big? Well their founder
328 Beaver Aplin said in the Texas monthly interview last year,we like to be spacious,we like to give everybody their own
329 space,their own shopping experience. It's one of the reasons it gets so big because if you try to enhance the place
330 everywhere it grows and grows and the next thing you know,well it might all seem a touch overkill, he said. Yes, it does,
331 overkill, here we are one week after the final road plans were posted in a week filled with many panics and I ask has
332 anybody has time to look at these plans, much less collect their thoughts in time to express them to you. Buc-ee's has built
333 this exact rural prototype elsewhere which is very lucky because it give you a chance to learn from the experiences of many
334 others. It's quite easy to compare the pre-imposed occupancy,travel estimates for a project of this size. Planning
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335 departments have these projects on file. DOTs know current traffic counts, do the two match? Or, are we, in Orange
336 County going to be like Robertsdale,Alabama or Benton or Madisonville,Texas all places that suffered hugely from the
337 costly underestimates of Buc-ee's traffic and as everybody admits Buc-ee's is a heavy traffic generator. They choose their
338 own estimates so I ask you, please get those numbers so you can make the right choice.
339
340 Matt Cartmill: This is a big proposal and will have a big impact on Orange County. (bad connection—audio garbled)we
341 have no say in how this property gets developed. New zoning will give Buc-ee's and the Planning Department mutually
342 agreeable negotiating conditions which neither you nor the community will ever get to review again. Otherwise, Mr. Beard
343 the director of real estate said in a meeting on Thursday, quote: zoning gives the community a say in future development
344 that isn't true as Mr. Beard ought to know. He said,this rezoning is more restrictive than what's there at the moment. But
345 MPD-CZ zoning is carte blanc zoning. Promises about future development which would (bad connection—audio garbled)
346 Whatever Buc-ee's thinks is good for its bottom-line when the time comes. Mr. Beard admitted on Thursday that it was at
347 least 6 to 8 years and whatever then if anything will have to serve Buc-ee's needs. Local needs aren't their concern.
348 They're focused on the thousands of cars moving through their huge parking lot. The surrounding community is a nuisance
349 that Buc-ee's has to barricade the site with a fence on the north boundary. Their proposed roadway change isn't designed
350 for(bad connection—audio garbled)traffic in and out of their acres of grab and go merchandising with little real concern for
351 their effect on Mr. Beeman and other local folks. Buc-ee's spokesman tell all their plans have local needs in mind and that
352 Buc-ee's will anchor wonderful future development, hotels and elegant shops, restaurants that will somehow want to come
353 and locate next to a gas station. This is imaginary(bad connection—audio garbled)a real trap.Tell us that zoning places
354 severe restriction on future development. It'won't. They asked their 120 nozzles each with it's own pump somehow add
355 up to only 60 pumps. They hope that all this misdirect will pay off for them in the short run and they hope to keep that as
356 short as possible by pushing this proposal through on the fastest track they can. Efland and Orange County don't need the
357 world's largest gas station. We need sensible development on a local scale meets local needs and what we need first off is
358 more time for deliberation. I ask to table this proposal. Give more time that way all the results for good and for ill Buc-ee's
359 would bring this town and this county.
360
361 Tim Spruill: My wife and I moved from Chapel Hill 21 years ago to Efland in order to get away from an urban environment.
362 Exit 160 was then and is now the perfect place of Efland. A small peaceful rural town that still has trees,cows and nature.
363 This was exactly what we wanted until now not much has changed. Buc-ee's will change all of that. Most of the current
364 land that Buc-ee's will be located on will be covered in concrete and buildings, about approximately 60 acres. The entire
365 pasture and old field eco system will be destroyed and with it all of the animals and plants that make Efland rural and
366 pleasant and a draw for probably most of the people who live there. The remaining opposed 40 acres of open space will be
367 a lawn, a monoculture with minimal eco system function,very unlike the native soil and trees and vegetation that currently
368 limit carbon releases to the atmosphere at a time when global warming is a primary concern for humanity decreasing
369 carbon sync is not in line with sustainability principles. Buc-ee's will be providing what is already available, lots of gas
370 stations to fuel more carbon emissions and lots of concrete. In addition, it will draw thousands of cars and the associated
371 pollution and present potential contamination of soil, air and water. I strongly oppose this proposed development as it is not
372 in line with the existing zoning designation which should not be changed and in addition it is hardly consistent with
373 maintaining the existing rural character of Efland. The County needs to be serious about supporting sustainable
374 community, maintaining the existing O/RM designation will be the evidence of that.
375
376 Jared Cates: Hello, I live 1000 feet from the proposed site and I am not anti-development but I feel that Buc-ee's will
377 negatively impact our community's quality of life and has the potential to stifle future economic growth in the area due to
378 overwhelming traffic. When we moved to Efland,we researched the development plans for the area and heard rumors of a
379 Target being developed in a portion of this same proposed site. We knew that development was coming and still made a
380 decision to purchase our home because of existing area plans and the 0/RM zoning of the nearby site was seemingly
381 designated with significant community input. Also, I can buy more things at a Target than Chinese-made beaver trinkets.
382 However,we would not have moved to Efland had we known that one of the largest gas stations in the country, a 24/7
383 monstrosity that provides no goods or services that our community actually needs,will be moving in within 1000 feet of our
384 home. What is the point of community planning if residents cannot actually plan their lives and investments appropriately
385 around what the community has planned for? Orange County has proven it can be innovative with economic development
386 and land use planning at critical urban/rural nodes and that it listens to its citizens when making long-term plans, however,
387 this proposal is the opposite of innovative. It does not fit with what this area has planned for in short-and long-term growth
388 particularly when it comes to traffic impacts on surrounding roads. Buc-ee's claims that one of the largest gas stations in
389 the world makes sense to be situated in Efland, a critical transportation node for western and northern Orange County.
390 Even with the proposed road infrastructure improvements that node cannot handle a 25,000 plus daily trips this
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391 development would bring to the immediate area. The at grade rail crossing at Mt.Willing Road is already a debacle for
392 future growth in the area and is quite concerning as not included in the developer's TIA or road improvement plans. It's also
393 quite concerning to me that NCDOT has seemingly changed their stance on exit 160 after telling me in September that they
394 were not concerned that background traffic growth trends or quote/unquote any development would necessitate the closure
395 of Exit 160 Westbound, quite interesting. We already have several locally owned gas stations in Efland,we do not need
396 more. While Buc-ee's may help Orange County's coffers in the short term, it would create long-term infrastructure
397 challenges that will not be paid for by Buc-ee's. The developers have stated that phase 2 may not even be considered for
398 development for 6 to 8 years. The travel center anchor would not serve Efland or Orange County residents or even
399 guarantee infrastructure for the establishment of needed services with its concept plan. We've been told that either Buc-
400 ee's or something similar to RTLP which honestly just feels like a threat. I think it's a threat I'm willing to gamble with. 1
401 believe a warehouse would create less issues for the surrounding community and commuters related to traffic congestion,
402 light and noise pollution and criminal activity than the largest 24/7 gas station in the country has the potential to create.
403 Please read the much more detailed concerns and information that our group of western Orange neighbors have pulled
404 together and our website voices4efland.com and please read the reasons that 975 voices for Efland and Orange petition
405 signers share our same concerns on change.org. I ask you to please vote against this rezoning petition that is not aligned
406 with the years of work done by this county to prepare this site for development with our community's input.
407
408 Jeff Bruett: I have a lot of concerns here, I've just recently found out about this project in early October and I've been doing
409 a little bit of reading and listening to the plans. There is nothing that has to be done to exit 160. Buc-ee's does not have to
410 attach to that road at all. That's not necessary, Buc-ee's can connect to Mt.Willing Road and the 85/70 connector. You're
411 going to start Phase 1 and Phase 1 involves deleting exit 160 completely. Nobody is going to be able to get off at exit 160
412 and get home,thousands of people go up through this way and it connects all the way up to Highway 86 up in Northern
413 Orange County and you are going to completely cut everybody off from that. There is no reason Buc-ee's has to be
414 connected to this road and because it's being connected, now it's being altered and now it has to meet all the latest
415 NCDOT plans when in actuality, south of the interstate you've got the same exact traffic plan as you've got on the north
416 side of the interstate. All Buc-ee's has to do is connect to Mt.Willing Road and the 85/70 connector and then the roads
417 need to be modified on Highway 70 because you cannot go west when you come off 161 onto Highway 70. This whole
418 thing does not take into consideration any accidents that happen on the interstate which happen very often. Now people
419 have no way of getting off of the interstate and getting onto 70. And I don't know how long this thing is going to take to
420 build but this exit is going to be closed the whole entire time. These things need to be done, the interstate/Highway 70
421 needs to be redesigned so people can go west on it and people that are driving east on Highway 70 to avoid Buc-ee's that
422 want to go to work and get on the interstate on exit 161,they need a way to turn south off of 70 onto the connector road.
423 That would be a simple solution to make this problem so people that live in this community and don't need to go to Buc-ee's
424 don't have to drive by Buc-ee's every time we have to go home. You're channeling us all through Buc-ee's and we don't
425 like it,we don't care for it and rezoning this place and then snub our noses in all this has got the whole community upset
426 and we're not happy about it and it needs to be reconsidered.
427
428 Heather Smith: During college, I was forced to move from campus housing because the school decided to bulldoze it for a
429 parking lot,after college my husband and I moved into a Hillsborough rental for$600 a month, an investor flipped it and
430 listed it as a rental for$1900 a month this year. We moved to another rental in 2013 until the landlord gave up 30 days to
431 move out so he could sell it for$375,000 which was above what we could afford as young first time home buyers but we
432 decided it was time to find a home. We were outbid on properties in Orange County until we eventually found our home in
433 Efland. One of the few affordable places remaining in the County. We felt satisfaction and relief knowing we had
434 ownership. For the past 5 years we have diligently tended our acre, planted fruit trees, pollinator plants and bees that
435 forage in nearby fields. I have driven daily down that braided ramp dreading the day that heritage trees and golden rod
436 would be replaced by development. However, I would have never imagined that this would be the development slated for
437 this space or that once again I would feel so utterly powerless against development after having invested in ownership.
438 You see that's the peril of private land. What happens on the land around me and impacts my quality of life that's why we
439 have regulations and government to protect air,water, light, noise, property values and a community that residents have
440 invested in over many years. From negative impacts and predatory developments that are a peril to us all. Preferably, the
441 threats of you could get a warehouse instead, a warehouse that could be built on the current O/RM zoning would not have
442 impacts as lasting or severe as those from a corporation built on the pillars of rampant consumption and fossil fuels. A
443 model that requires drawing people who visit so they can marvel at the sheer spectacle of it. There's a dangling carrot of
444 Phase 2 that would bring additional businesses like banks and dining establishments that people in our community might
445 use but let's not forget that Phase 2 is not promised or that the developer stated it would be at least 6 to 8 years before they
446 consider adding those pieces to the puzzle. There are many unknown, uncalculated costs that we're not considering as the
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447 conversation is centered on logistics. We could easily take Durham as a cautionary tale. More than half the land in
448 Durham is owned by people who do not live there. In fact,they do not even live in the state. That means residents do not
449 have ownership of their community and corporations with no connection other than deep pockets dictate the community's
450 future. I have weighed the potential for tax revenue and jobs, I have pondered alternative developments, based on other
451 Buc-ee's, I continue to conclude that this development will bring a cascade of impacts that will alter my life as a homeowner
452 in Efland for the next 40 years. If my neighborhood even remains residential for that long. Since there is no gas station of
453 this size in North Carolina,we unfortunately don't have a way to place a dollar sign on the negatives but once we degrade
454 the environment,we don't get it back. There is no way to know if my property value will be hurt by the diminished night sky,
455 noise and traffic or if this change will create a wave of land grabs that will gentrify the area causing our property taxes to go
456 up, not down, as some residents seem to think this would do. Both of those outcomes make me feel like my investment in
457 Orange County is being sacrificed. One thing I do know for certain is I did not sign up for this when I bought my home here
458 and I'm opposed to zoning for Efland Station.
459
460 Chris Smith: Hi folks, I am among the residents of Efland who received a letter informing me of the proposal to build Efland
461 Station since I live within 1000 feet of the parcels, it was required. The list of mixed uses sounded attractive though but
462 never having heard of a Buc-ee's, I started my research and it didn't take very long to get past their marketing language
463 and photos to begin reading assessments of their business and to realize the impact they will have on the Efland
464 community. I read how Denton, Texas eagerly accepted their Buc-ee's with incentives and open arms. Denton was locked
465 up in a legal battle over a tax valuation that Buc-ee's declared too high even after they promised many millions and more
466 before construction. I read about the town of Corinth where the local officials challenged Buc-ee's traffic assessments and
467 discovered that the totals to be greatly under-counted. Corinth's mayor wrote that a mixed-use development of similar size
468 made more tax revenue than a single Buc-ee's location. The promises Buc-ee's offered did not hold to scrutiny for the
469 Town of Corinth and they rejected the development. Buc-ee's promises quality jobs and touts their hourly wages and
470 benefits for entry-level workers and it is typical to argue with quarantine for more an hour. Again, it didn't take long to find
471 hundreds of job reviews across multiple platforms detailing why$14 an hour from Buc-ee's isn't worth it. I wondered what
472 the environmental impacts are living close to a gas station built for the informal Texas credo of bigger is better, I read peer
473 review research about the many trade-offs associated with our carbon bound habits. Gasoline and cancer causing
474 benzene in the air and ground water escaping through methods by which corporate environmental engineers are unaware
475 or overlooked. What does Efland get for playing host to 25,000 daily vehicle movements? All of the so called
476 improvements make the travel center work but don't solve any problems or concerns for Efland. We get to endure a host of
477 traffic headaches created so that all roads will lead to Buc-ee's. We'll be the ones looking up every night at a cartoon
478 beaver that's at least 20 feet taller than regulations because it's good for business. Me in my home and on my own
479 property will breathe the stale air of hot gas pumps and car fumes in the summer and listen to the constant drone of
480 engines through their fence called a wall at the last meeting and 30 feet short of regulation buffer in the winter. For these
481 reasons and more detailed at Voices4Efland.com I oppose the request for the Master Plan Conditional Zoning and the
482 effective removal of the Efland community from a decade's long planning process. Development begets development until
483 Efland residents new and old will find themselves run out or bought out. Buc-ee's promises to make good money,traveler's
484 stopping by are sure to marvel at the stuffed beaver toys and clean bathrooms but if they less than a thousand away from
485 the oasis of consumption and disregard for the future they'll find me living less well than I did before Buc-ee's came to
486 Efland, assuming that the future of economic development around me won't impact my ability to live here.
487
488 Patricia O'Connor: Hi, I live in Mebane off West Ten Road approximately 3 miles from the proposed Buc-ee's development.
489 First, I will offer that I am not opposed to development. It's necessary for a community to survive and thrive and I'm not
490 naive enough to think that things will stay the same because I want them to but development should be thoughtful.
491 Something that will enhance and add real value to the lives of the citizens in the community where it resides. Point one,
492 while Buc-ee's could provide about 175 jobs, I believe the overall impact of the project would be negative. From that 175
493 subtract the number of people in the community who might lose their jobs and livelihoods because they can't compete with
494 the giant. The small businesses who could be put out of business. It's hard to predict right now who those will be but there
495 are sure to be causalities. Number 2,the environmental impact will be enormous,you can't add that much impervious
496 surface to an area that borders a watershed without creating conditions for potential contamination. A single gallon of
497 gasoline could contaminate 750 thousand gallons of water. The dribs and drabs dropping onto the concrete surface from
498 refueling or spillage during filling the underground tanks is enough. Never mind the catastrophic breach of one of those
499 tanks. How much would it cost to provide another water source for Hillsborough if the water was contaminated and who
500 would foot the bill. You can bet it won't be Buc-ee's. Other than the 10 EV charging stations mandated by current MPD-CZ
501 standards, there is nothing green about the project. No mention of green building materials or use of solar panels. Does
502 Buc-ee's have a written working environmental policy in place? Does the policy strive to make important improvements in
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503 manufacturing, reducing and reusing first and then recycling? Do they comply with the industry's voluntary testing or is
504 there environmental concern combined to the petroleum storage and possible leakage? Point 4, the 24-hour noise and
505 light pollution would impact the nearby neighbors in a negative way. It's a known fact that constant and incessant noise can
506 lead to increased stress and anxiety which of you would want to live next to Buc-ee's? Are you really ok with telling the
507 concerns homeowners to just suck it up? Additionally, light pollution can wreak havoc across a broad range of animal
508 species often affecting hormone levels, breeding cycles, activity paths and vulnerability to predators. The human need to
509 have beef jerky or a Barbeque sandwich at 2 a.m.shouldn't be more important than caring for our environment. Point 5,
510 the amount of traffic that Buc-ee's hopes to draw will be disruptive to Efland, Hillsborough and perhaps even Mebane.
511 Maintenance of the surrounding roads will be left to our state and offset some of the tax revenue generated. Number 6, the
512 feel of the rural community will be forever lost. Buc-ee's is already insisting on heightened signs and reduced buffers as if
513 their sheer size isn't enough to let everybody know where they are. They are already dictating how business is to be done
514 in our neighborhood which doesn't sound like the cooperative business partner interested in enhancing the community it
515 want so inhabit. I oppose Buc-ee's for all these reasons.
516
517 Aimee Tattersall: Buc-ee's plans for Efland Station include 60 pumps stations and 120 nozzles for pumping gasoline. 1
518 come before you today to make the case that like it or not,gasoline will start being phased out over the next two decades in
519 favor of electricity which can be produced by several renewable resources such as solar,wind and biomass. If approved, it
520 will be two years into this decade before Buc-ee's is opens, at least. On October 23, 2020,the BBC aired this interview
521 entitled, Why BP is Betting Against Oil. BP's chief economist, Spencer Dale,warns that fossil fuel industry against
522 complacency about the speed of the coming transition to renewable energy. I implore you to listen to this 17 minute
523 interview before making any decisions about the wisdom of approving 120 gasoline nozzles in Efland. The link is in my
524 written report. The CEO of BP, Bernard Looney, said in the introduction of the interview that BP's goal is to become net
525 zero by 2050 or sooner and to help the world get to net zero. The carbon budget is finite and time is running out. Quoting
526 from the interview,the fossil fuel industry being too complacent about the speed of which renewable energy will disrupt their
527 business in next three decades, that's the contention of Spence Dale chief economist for BP and the extended interview
528 with BBC, Spencer Dale explains the thinking behind his company's plan to cut its own oil and gas production by 40%
529 before the end of this decade and it's not just about heading off the threat of catastrophic climate change, even in their
530 business as usual scenario,they expect to unprecedentedly fast shift towards solar,wind and biomass energy. Renewable
531 energy will penetrate the energy system more quickly than any fuel ever seen in history. 120 gasoline nozzles have a short
532 future in Efland but have the potential of long-term damage. Thank you listening.
533
534 Andrea Riley: I currently live on Brookhollow Road in Efland and I am definitely opposed to this change of the zoning. 1
535 cannot imagine a worse proposal for the Efland area. The first point I want to make is that under the MPD-CZ the site plan
536 is conceptual only for Buc-ee's. They have not committed to the second phase, it is all conceptual and at this point,there
537 will be no more consultation on future development with the Efland community or with elected officials if this is passed.
538 This will only allow for the change of the zoning and the zoning is conceptual only. There is no consequential proposal to
539 build anything except the 120 pump gas station so if you go ahead and ok this rezoning,you will not have any more input.
540 We will not have any more input and even the County Commissioners will not have any more input into what happens if
541 there is a Phase 2. It's very obvious that the sales people from Buc-ee's, Mr. Beard and the lawyer, Ms. Trahos, are
542 interested in promoting the interest of Buc-ee's.They are here to sell us a bill of goods basically. Do we trust this company
543 to give us straight information. This company has been involved in tax evaluation battles in Texas,their home state.
544 They've been involved in potentially illegal price fixing business practices with Alabama and this increase traffic
545 infrastructure cost due to the unforeseen traffic congestion has affected various communities. Please listen to the people
546 who came before me, do your research, go online, look at Voice4Efland and see all of the this information that is there for
547 you to read. They are not telling the truth about the impact that this development will have on this community. I am glad to
548 see I'm upsetting Mr. Beard because you're upsetting me. I don't want this proposal to go through and I hope that you
549 people vote against it. If it does go forward,there will be a lot of people going to the Orange County Commissioners trying
550 to stop this because this is not something this community wants or needs. One of the most important aspects of this is the
551 discharge that unqualified the underlying aquafer is going to be affected because of the extent of impervious surfaces. This
552 is all going to affect the underground water. It's going to affect the Seven Mile Creek and the Eno and the water that goes
553 to Hillsborough if there is any contamination that occurs, cleanup of the aquifer would be practically impossible and this is in
554 a region that has been required by the state to emulate critically unhealthy air quality resulting mainly from vehicle
555 emissions. We do not need gas stations.
556
557 Erica Cartmill: Hi everyone,when I was a child, I was completely obsessed with horses, animals and nature. In our home
558 in suburban Durham, I read books like Misty of Chincoteague and All Creature Great and Small about the deep relationship
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559 between man and nature. I dreamed of exploring the woods and finding animal friends of my own. When I was very
560 young, my dream was to be grown up, in my mind that meant 8 and live on a farm.When I reached 8 and there was no
561 farm in sight, my dream changed to being 12 with a farm. By the time I was 12, 1 was actually living that dream. My
562 parents had bought a small parcel of land off Ben Johnson Road right down the road from the planned development, and
563 set about building a farm. I remember visiting that land for the first time driving down the rugged dirt road to reach a wild
564 meadow of grasses and brambles at age 9. 1 couldn't quite visualize my mother's description of horse pastures and
565 building placement but I knew it was already a magical place. As the farm took shape,so did my childhood. I spent
566 countless hours climbing trees, catching lizards, building forts and pretending to live off the land. I got to know our
567 neighbors and learned to collect eggs, grow tomatoes and stand my ground when geese charged during my frequent visits
568 to their farm. I learned to drive on our ride on mower. I learned how to make a fishhook, spot poison ivy and get red clay
569 out of jeans. It was a beautiful childhood,one full of nature, neighbors and adventure. As an adult, I've been fortunate to
570 pursue my love of animals professionally. I study animal behavior as a professor at UCLA. I love getting the spark of
571 enthusiasm about animals in my students, many of whom grew up in Los Angeles and have never been for a simple walk in
572 the woods. However, I desperately miss the friendly small energy and the magical wilderness of my childhood. Much of
573 Los Angeles resembles a Buc-ee's station, cars crawl the concrete world and busy people wait at stop lights with eyes
574 glued to their phones on their way to shop for quote unquote cool stuff. Few people make eye contact, no one says good
575 morning. The city is always crowded and yet it is always with people passing by, hurrying somewhere else. It's hard to
576 make a real home for yourself, it's hard to belong when so many are just passing through. I come back to visit our farm in
577 North Carolina several times each year. Every year I record the spring peepers croaking in a puddle right where Ben
578 Johnson Road meets 70. 1 carry those recordings with me every day in L.A. and listen when I want to be carried back
579 home. If this development goes through those frogs will be silenced forever. My hope is to move back to North Carolina
580 one day so that my children can have a childhood where they know their neighbors and where the dirt on their clothes is
581 red clay and not soot from smog. I'm not opposed to development or progress, I know that small towns can't stay small
582 forever and that people need economic development to thrive but a project like Buc-ee's does not have the best interest of
583 our community at heart. It's shortsighted at a time when transportation practices are changing rapidly. It will bring tens of
584 thousands of cars into the small community each day. None of these cars will bring friendly faces of new neighbors just like
585 Los Angeles the cars will be filled with busy people passing through on their way to somewhere else. Buc-ee's isn't
586 investing in this community, it's draining it. Development will pollute the water and air, increase traffic congestion to such a
587 degree that sustainable development projects will be deterred from investing in the area and will fundamentally change the
588 character of a beautiful corner of North Carolina.
589
590 Bobby Cobb: Good Evening, I'm a property owner and business owner in Efland. I'm happy to have land development
591 conversations transpire regarding Efland. We all knew it was coming. Northern Orange is the last growth frontier for this
592 county. Chapel Hill is going straight up, Hillsborough proper has limited room to grow but Efland and Cheeks is truly the
593 promised land. I do mean the word land literally. Efland is the final frontier in our county for land development growth. 1
594 support the Efland Crossing/Efland Station project. However,what concerns me is what the landscape will look like for
595 Phase 2. What type of retailer will come to Efland? What type of dining facilities will come to Efland? What types of
596 businesses will come to Efland? We need a bank in Efland. We need a natural foods grocery store in Efland. I believe
597 that in fact, Phase 2 will be what will sustain Efland over the long haul, not a 60 station 120 handle convenience center. In
598 50 years will we still even have cars that run off gasoline? That's why I challenge the Planning Board to think responsibly
599 and mindfully about the Buc-ee's business model that would initiated for Phase 2. Middle class housing is a huge need in
600 Efland, low-income housing is a huge need in Efland. We will always need good food resources to survive. We will always
601 need good doctor choices and resources. We will always want a nice sit down restaurant to take our families out to eat. 1
602 simply challenge the Planning Board to be mindful about what you recommend to the County Commissioners. Think about
603 what Efland will look like 20, 30, 50 years from now and think about what you're kids and grandkids would be proud of.
604 Let's make Efland a good choice and your suggestions and recommendations should really be thought out.
605
606 Del Ward: I have lived on Ben Johnson Road for most of my life. One of my favorite things about where I live is that there
607 is nature nearly everywhere I turn. Though I may hear the sound of semi-trucks blasting down the highway. I do have the
608 Eno River passing by me where I see many fish and turtles, coyotes and other wildlife live happily. On the other side of the
609 road from me is the beautiful Duke Forest with a rich and fruitful ecosystem. Another thing I quite like about where I live is
610 that there isn't an eyesore of a Texas owned gas station that has 120 gas handles built on a protected watershed. Efland
611 has absolutely no need for a development like this. As of 2018, Efland had a population of roughly 810 people so Stan tell
612 me why we need 120 gas handles. As of today, between exits 150 and 165 there are 20 separate gas stations with over
613 200 gas handles. There are also 104 diesel gas handles so why would we need to add 120 more to that equation in a town
614 that has only a little over 800 people living in it? Besides that,the fact that there is an abundance of gas stations in the
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615 area, I've seen absolutely no evidence of any environmental research done. You're talking about building a 24-hour
616 convenience center on a protected watershed for the Eno River. A river which spans over 40 miles through two separate
617 counties. If there is water pollution which there most certainly will be, it will not only affect the local ecosystem but will have
618 long lasting and damaging effects on the ecosystems in and around the Eno River. I have seen no evidence of research on
619 how light pollution will affect the bird population here or any other local species for that matter. The only research that has
620 been provided is traffic research done by the developers themselves which states that 32 new trips will be added to the
621 traffic pattern per minute. We do not have the infrastructure for this. I have a neighbor on Ben Johnson Road that in the
622 past 15 years has had 10 cars fly off the road into his front yard. Building Buc-ee's will only make my road a more
623 dangerous road than it already is. Now Beth Trahos says that Efland is quote barely rural, I don't need a lawyer from
624 Raleigh to tell me about the area I live in. We most certainly do live in a rural area. She also says that in Phase 1 there will
625 be 175 quote good jobs. Well Beth if you look online you can see that the average Buc-ee's employee rating is lower that
626 Walmart,Amazon, and all the managerial positions will be outside hires. Efland and Hillsborough are gorgeous,fairly
627 untouched gems in this region and they should stay that way. Stan considers his project to be growth, I agree with him it is
628 a growth just like cancer is. My hometown isn't a pit stop Stan Beard. It's where I and tons of other good hard working
629 folks live. People's first impression of Efland or Hillsborough should not be a Texas owned gas station built on protected
630 land with a dumbass beaver for a mascot.
631
632 Jacob Foster: I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley in a rural community like Efland near a small town like Hillsborough.
633 Over the years, I watched as the character of my hometown from fields and forest to friendly neighbors was disfigured and
634 destroyed by ill-considered development. I have seen giant gas stations like this one carelessly planted in a formerly quiet
635 spot which quickly grows into a noisy ruin. I came to North Carolina to attend Duke University where I met my future wife.
636 For the past 20 years, I have been visiting her family farm in Efland. We shared one of our first kisses on a lonely stretch of
637 country road less than a mile from the proposed Buc-ee's site. That farm and this area have taken me back to the
638 landscape of my childhood we have built many wonderful memories there wandering the fields with our human,canine and
639 equine family. Our careers have taken us far away from North Carolina to the concrete desert of Los Angeles yet our
640 families remain and our regular visits to Efland have been a balm to the city sick soul.We have always cherished the hope
641 of settling in Orange County and giving our children the same experience we had growing up of nature, the quiet
642 countryside and small town living where you can spend summer days wandering with friends over fields and down gravel
643 roads. Buc-ee's threatens that future. It threatens your community. Peace, quiet and a clean environment are your most
644 precious assets whether from the perspective of lifelong residents or of those seeking a better life away from urban sprawl
645 like Carrie Fletcher and like me. Those assets will be destroyed. Planning and mitigation cannot restore peace when
646 thousands of cars and strangers pass through your community every day. They cannot block the diesel, the fumes, the
647 light pollution and the noise that Buc-ee's will bring to your quiet home. As an independent environmental assessment
648 would no doubt reveal,they cannot stop runoff and leakage from contaminating the local water, harming wildlife from the
649 humble spring peepers to the endangered residents of the Eno River. I am not an opponent of progress, change happens,
650 it must, but where is the Orange County renowned for its sensible progressive approach to local development? Where is
651 the spirit of care for the environment,the concern for sustainability? Look into your hearts my friends,what is most
652 precious about your community?What is your greatest asset? What will make Orange County a place that you and your
653 children and my future children are proud to call home? Is it the world's largest gas station? Or is it taking a stand for the
654 environment,the planet and for rural America. If you allow this plan to move forward, remember, sooner or later, the day
655 comes when you can't hide from the things that you've done anymore. I fear that when your car is parked amid a hundred
656 others at Buc-ee's,you'll look back on this day and wish you had chosen to a stand for your community. I hope you will
657 take that stand today.
658
659 Caroline Foster: I am a current resident of nearby Durham. My ties to the Efland area are familial. I have spent time with
660 relatives on their farmland and have taken various trips with community friends as well to explore the wildlife in the area and
661 it is substantially meaningful to me and also to my children. One of the things that we love most about the region that we
662 live currently, is that we are not far off from places like Efland and where you can just explore nature. You can come and
663 take a walk,just view wildlife,and you're not constantly bombarded by massive developments such as what is being
664 proposed with this Buc-ee's development. It's been extremely critical to me as a parent to raise my children in an area
665 where they have some access to wild land where they have access to experience nature and respect it and have the
666 opportunity to live in communities that not only recognize and respect the undeveloped land that they have amongst them
667 but actually think about how to, if that land needs to be developed as others have mentioned here before me, I am also not
668 an opponent to progress. However, I think that progress should, if developments need to be built, that the considerations of
669 what the individuals living nearby actually need are taken into account and that we are also looking on down the road and
670 thinking about what our children need and what our needs in the moment are as well. What is being proposed here is not
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671 something that anybody in Efland needs. It's far more massive and far beyond the scope of what any resident of Efland
672 could use and it's clearly a development that is designed to bring in an enormous amount of traffic that will be extremely
673 detrimental both in terms of the environmental impacts as well as the impacted traffic. Back to the idea of really thinking
674 sustainably about what is a development that has the community's best interest at heart on down the road. I don't think a
675 massive fossil fuel structure is in line with that and furthermore,where it's being built,we are going to put a whole bunch of
676 petroleum tanks into the ground on a protected aquifer just doesn't make any sense.
677
678 Ben Lloyd: In the spring of 2019, 1 was contacted and visited by a representative of an organization called Buc-ee's high-
679 end convenience mart and gasoline station. He told me that he was in negotiation with the Efland family on the property
680 that is being considered and known as the Sim Efland property. He proposed and continued to tell me that what they would
681 put here would create 200 jobs and put 2 million dollars a year into the County tax bucket. My concerns were that number
682 one, I own a farm that has been in operation for 98 years. There has never been acre sold as of today. I have lived here
683 myself for 90 of those 98 years. Soon after his visit, I began thinking about what should happen to Efland and what we
684 needed. After the 98 years, there has never been a sale as thus said and I wrote the County Manager a letter telling her
685 that I'd had numerous opportunities to sell property but had always refused to do so. I told her that I would make a
686 commitment that until something came along that was worthwhile and to the benefit of Orange County, I never had any
687 intention of selling any. Then I started thinking with what had been explained to me about Buc-ee's would this be the
688 development that we would need. In relation to that and my concerns, I flew to Houston,Texas to visit a Buc-ee's.The
689 owner and several of his staff met me and gave me a complete tour of the Buc-ee's organization there and I was amazed
690 how immaculate of a facility that I was visiting. I was so impressed that when I returned home, I called this Buc-ee's
691 representative and told him that I would make my property available which was to be utilized as the westbound entrance for
692 the Buc-ee's organization. I have sit here tonight and listened,we have people talking doom and gloom and I question the
693 validity of their opinion on that. As a matter of fact, several of the people that I have listened to tonight, don't live here.
694 Some as far away as California. I spent three years in California in the military. I am highly concerned about the objections
695 that people have. I think Buc-ee's work with DOT and continue everything that will be to the benefit to Orange County. The
696 property will be, in my opinion, it will be a tremendous asset to Orange County. I support them being here.
697
698 Jimmy Holcomb: It's heartbreaking to come after Mr. Lloyd. I know how emotionally difficult this decision probably was for
699 him and his family to sell land that he has cherished and also for the Efland family. About 20 years ago, my husband and 1
700 bought a 60 acre heritage farm about 9 minutes from the proposed Buc-ee's, northwest of the center of Efland. We came
701 here because of the natural environment,the rural environment,the dark night sky,all the reasons that one would move to
702 the country. The bright stars and the quiet. Some level of commercial development is to be expected everywhere, of
703 course, and we've been interested and sort of fascinated that Efland has grown so slowly compared to other places which
704 for us has been a good thing. We don't disagree with development on principle,we understand that it happens. We
705 expected it to happen in Efland much sooner that it has happened. We understand the revenue pressures in the County to
706 some extent but this project does seem to push the limits of common sense and attention to long-term community interests.
707 Without getting into those details, the project just appears to hitch our progressive modern county to a dinosaur technology
708 while the world is scrambling for Teslas and plug in super chargers. Today, on the Testa website, I can reserve an all-
709 electric semi-tractor trailer truck, if I could afford it. Gasoline and oil cannot possibly be what Orange County wants to be
710 known for. My husband and I view this super-scaled gas station as sad and empty and soulless but we do know that these
711 are subjective and emotional responses that County officials can't really put into a spreadsheet. If the County decides to
712 approve this kind of showcase to dead-end fossil fuels,we only urge you,the advisory commission and the full board to
713 give maximum attention to our soil, water and quality of lives. Very important to me and my husband are those dark night
714 skies and the stars so I'm just going to concentrate on that one aspect. For years our place has been known as the place
715 to put down a blanket and watch the meteor showers. Over the last 10 years, we've watched the stars in the southwest sky
716 disappear in the growing glow of Mebane as it rakes in tax revenue. Please make this project model not of enormous
717 leaking underground gas tanks but of sustainable development. I urge you to look up the international dark sky association
718 which has extremely complete data on light pollution and is willing to send consultants.
719
720 Catherine Matthew: I'm an Efland resident and I speak on behalf of the non-human residents in the proposed development
721 area of exit 160. 1 speak specifically tonight for reptiles and amphibians many species of which live on the 104 acres which
722 are currently destined to be destroyed if the land is rezoned and sold to Buc-ee's, a Texas travel center. I am an Eastern
723 Box Turtle,your state reptile; my back wound is modified before my shell on which I will stay forever as long as I am alive.
724 My life span is long, as long as 100 years, longer than most of you will live. I am slow to mature and don't usually lay eggs
725 until I am 20 years old. You've probably seen me or my relatives crossing roads in Orange County. That is one of the most
726 dangerous things a box turtle can do but it is sometime necessary to do so to find food or look for a mate. Many box turtles
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727 are killed by automobiles and crossing an interstate is nearly impossible without some help from humans. Wildlife
728 underpasses work but there are none in Orange County. You may think that box turtles in Orange County are doing fine
729 but we are not. While there are adult turtles around and it is possible to see us crossing county roads, many of us have
730 been killed and our population is in decline. Where will I go if you pave over my home. I am a North Carolina species of
731 concern. I am a Marble Salamander, North Carolina's state salamander one of two state amphibians. I am a member of
732 the Mole Salamander family and our family is called mole because all of the mole salamanders spend most of our lives
733 underground. As fall begins and I move towards what will become a body of water when the fall rains fall, I find a mate and
734 then I lay as many as 100 eggs that are about the size of BBs. I wrap my body and my tail around the eggs as we lay
735 quietly under a log or rock and I stay with my eggs until the rains arrive. I do not live as long as the box turtle but then
736 neither do you. Unless you drive country road carefully and fall rains at night then you may never have seen me but I am
737 there. I am there and other mole salamanders like the spotted salamanders are there too. The spotted salamanders are
738 spring breeders and they spend one month above ground in temporary bodies of water, shallow pools without fish. In just
739 the last few months, scientist realized that we glow in the dark. My brilliant black and silver colors change to orange and
740 green with a blue light and a yellow filter you can see the miracle too. There are so many more things that humans don't
741 know yet about us and may not have a chance to uncover. Where will you go if you pave over our landscape. I speak for
742 the reptiles and amphibians.
743
744 David Blankfard: Does the applicant want to add any response to what the citizens have said?
745
746 Stan Beard: We appreciate the passion and we respect everyone's stance. We get it. I want to make some things clear. 1
747 will say that we've never been compared to BP nor the City of Los Angeles so those are a couple of first for us. I want to
748 reiterate what we are and what we are not. Folks saying they are not opposed to responsible growth. We offer to this 100-
749 acre tract that is alongside Interstate 40/85 an opportunity for the area to experience the Phase 2 which I need to clarify that
750 my answer the other night was that the completion of Phase 2 would take 5 to 8 years. We absolutely will have the uses,
751 the hotels, the sit down restaurants, the banks, the neighborhood retail that we have said we would bring. You can look at
752 other areas where we have developed and you will see those same people. We have done this before. I would implore the
753 folks to actually read the articles that are referred to on the Voices of Efland website. I would argue that that every single
754 one of those articles is actually a pretty good representation of who we are. There is some very misguided ideas out there.
755 1 would also implore you to read the planning documents. There is a traffic study, there is a traffic letter from NCDOT,
756 Chuck Edwards, the man that Mr. Cates spoke to. He wrote the letter, please read that. The environmental report is in
757 there. We are not in a protected watershed we have absolutely every reason in the world to protect everything around us.
758 We do not want to be BP in that arena so we understand the community and we want to be part of it. We have a history of
759 being part of communities and so I just want to thank everybody for showing up.
760
761 David Blankfard: Does anybody have anything to add? I have one in that I would like to add that the hotel would have
762 interior hallways and that the guest rooms don't open to the outside.
763
764 Stan Beard: Agreed.
765
766 Kim Piracci: Have you thought about putting solar panels on the top of your building?
767
768 David Blankfard: It's in the write-up.
769
770 Beth Trahos: We are allowed to do that as a part of our document, also,water reuse is mentioned in the document as well.
771
772 Stan Beard: Actually, Buc-ee's is going to be building its first rainwater reclamation system for our aeration system here.
773 We encourage solar panels,we run into on our buildings because they are pretty highly structurally odd and we don't want
774 to put an extra burden on top of them but we encourage solar panel and solar arrays throughout the rest of the
775 development.
776
777 David Blankfard: Have you looked into whether the building is LEED or well certified?
778
779 Stan Beard: It is in our best interest to have the most efficient building possible. LEED really doesn't work for us in a sense,
780 we incorporate many LEED certified systems within our buildings but we will not be a LEED certified building.
781
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782 Michael Harvey: I want to remind the Board, one of the conditions the applicant has asked for on page 188 is that
783 consideration of LEED certified practices for components of the project where feasible will be incorporated. We've also got
784 standards governing placement of solar, encouraging the placement of solar.
785
786 Adam Beeman: Typically,when big projects like this come in they tend to hire contractors from outside the state. Is there
787 any way we can get a commitment from you guys to hire local contractors?
788
789 Stan Beard: Typically,we have 2 or 3 fairly major general contractors who build our buildings.They've built them for years
790 and they know how to do them. But what they do is they come to every single locale and figure out who their local subs are
791 going to be. I've given data before, I just don't have it at my fingertips, local construction dollars are a big part of our project.
792 A lot of local sizable subcontractor will have opportunity to be part of this project.
793
794 Michael Harvey: I have some additional review of conditions and discussion on stormwater, signage, and traffic
795 management issues.
796
797 Michael Reviewed the Draft Conditions Contained in Attachment 9 from Pg. 166 to Pg. 188 including potential stormwater
798 conditions to address concerns over impacts to the Seven Mile Creek Preserve area south of the Interstate, signage height,
799 and access management for the project. Michael also read into the minutes an email from Steve Ramarge on the closure of
800 westbound Exit 160 and possible modifications to the proposed traffic access management plan for the Project that could
801 preserve the exit as currently configured.
802
803 David Blankfard: Can I get a motion to add the requirement discussed that the hotel have interior hallways.
804
805 MOTION by Melissa Poole to adopt the condition that any hotel is interior accessed. Seconded by Randy Marshall.
806
807 ROLLCALL VOTE:
808 Randy Marshall: Yes
809 Kim Piracci: Yes
810 Adam Beeman: Yes
811 Susan Hunter: Yes
812 Patricia Roberts: Yes
813 Alexandra Allman Yes
814 Melissa Poole: Yes
815 David Blankfard: Yes
816 Carrie Fletcher Yes
817 MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
818
819 Adam Beeman: I would like the applicant to commit to a minimum of 30 spaces for a commuter park and ride so people
820 can park their cars there and hitch a ride with someone else to work and there is no worry about being stuck in a lot getting
821 towed away.
822
823 Beth Trahos: There is an area identified on the master plan to be utilized by the County in some in form or fashion to
824 support transit. If that was the route the County chose to take it could certainly be accommodated given the designation
825 and commitments made as a part of the master plan.
826
827 Adam Beeman: I don't know if their future plan is the bus stop or it's a train station. I know a lot of people travel through
828 there and it would be nice for people to drop their car and catch a ride. It would be nice to have that designation.
829
830 Stan Beard: We have reserved development area 6 for a public transit facility to be determined by all of us. When we hear
831 park and ride we get a little jumpy and so we would definitely work with you on what that looks like as far as security,
832 lighting and rules, etc. In some conversations park and rides weren't that great but that maybe an actual bus stop/drop off
833 would be more in line with what Orange County wanted. If you guys want to figure out a way to manage that development
834 area 6 we're all for it. We would be respectfully careful about what that was but yes we will work with you.
835 Michael Harvey: Would it be sufficient if the Planning Board took the position in its recommendation that the County
836 Commissioners consider as part of development area 6, a park and ride amenity as part of the regional transportation
837 efforts would that address your concern?
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838
839 Adam Beeman: That's fine as long as there is somewhere we have the potential spot.
840
841 Craig Benedict:We are presently working on the Orange County Transportation Plan due to the change of not having light
842 rail so we are looking for other places to augment our bus system and we'll keep this in mind that we now have some
843 property where it could be considered.
844
845 Carrie Fletcher: I'd like to agree with that too. I'd like to have that option.
846
847 David Blankfard: Do we need to add anything to this proposal for that?
848
849 Craig Benedict: I think it's covered by having area 6 be designated, as suggested already,within the document.
850
851 MOTION by Randy Marshall to move the Statement of Consistency of a proposed Unified Development Ordinance Map
852 Amendment with the adopted Orange County 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Board finds the requirements of
853 Section 2.8 of the UDO have been deemed complete and Pursuant to Sections 1.1.5 and 1.1.7 of the UDO and to Section
854 153A-341 of the North Carolina General Statutes,the Board finds sufficient documentation within the record denoting that
855 the amendment is consistent with the adopted 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The amendment is reasonable and in the public
856 interest because it expands economic development prospects within the County,while continuing to provide adjacent and
857 nearby land uses,consistent with the Comprehensive Plan as well as adopted Small Area Plans for the area. Seconded by
858 Melissa Poole.
859
860 ROLLCALL VOTE:
861 Randy Marshall: Yes
862 Kim Piracci: Yes
863 Adam Beeman: Yes
864 Susan Hunter: Yes
865 Patricia Roberts: Yes
866 Alexandra Allman Yes
867 Melissa Poole: Yes
868 Carrie Fletcher Yes
869 David Blankfard: Yes
870 MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
871
872 MOTION by Randy Marshall to move the adoption of an ordinance amending the Orange County Zoning Atlas shown in
873 Attachment 9 on page 166 and the conditions what the Planning Board has reviewed and agreed upon previously.
874 Seconded by Adam Beeman.
875
876 ROLLCALL VOTE:
877 Randy Marshall: Yes
878 Kim Piracci: Yes
879 Adam Beeman: Yes
880 Susan Hunter: Yes
881 Patricia Roberts: Yes
882 Alexandra Allman Yes
883 Melissa Poole: Yes
884 Carrie Fletcher Yes
885 David Blankfard: Yes
886 MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
887
888 AGENDA ITEM 8: ADJOURNMENT
889 Meeting was adjourned by consensus 10:20 p.m.
890
891
892 David Blankfard, Chair