HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 03-11-2025-Work Session Meeting 1
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MINUTES
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
WORK SESSION
March 11, 2025
7:00 p.m.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Work Session on Tuesday, March 11,
2025, at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Human Services Center in Hillsborough, NC.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jamezetta Bedford, Vice-Chair Jean Hamilton
and Commissioners Marilyn Carter, Amy Fowler, Sally Greene, Earl McKee, and Phyllis Portie-
Ascott
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None.
COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts
COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager Caitlin
Fenhagen, and Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen. (All other staff members will be identified
appropriately below)
Chair Bedford called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All commissioners were present,
except Commissioner Greene.
A motion was made by Commissioner Carter, seconded by Vice-Chair Hamilton, to add
discussion of a letter regarding federal budget impacts to the agenda.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
Chair Bedford said they would take that item up at the end of the published agenda.
1. Boards and Commissions —Annual Work Plan Summaries
The Board received brief presentations from representatives from the first group of County boards
and commissions on their annual work plans and provide feedback and/or direction. The first
group of work plan presentations occurred at the February 11, 2025 work session.
BACKGROUND: Each year the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) requests that internal
boards and commissions complete reports on the activities each board has conducted over the
past year and a plan for future activities consistent with the goals and objectives of the BOCC.
The Chairs or other board representatives make presentations to the BOCC to share the
information in their written report. The first group of work plan presentations occurred at the
February 11, 2025 work session.
Boards and commissions presenting at this meeting:
Board Name Presenting Representative(s)
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Judson Williamson
Economic Development Advisory Board Kristen Smith Young
Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau D.R. Bryan
Advisory Board
Arts Commission Denise Duffy
Advisory Board on Aging Ann Bradford
Adult Care Home and Nursing Home Community Jacqulyn Podger
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Advisory Committee
Board of Health Dr. Alison Stuebe
Orange County Board of Adjustment Leon Meyers
Orange County Planning Board Lamar Proctor
Judson Williamson from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board said they distributed $1.35
million back to the community in the last year. He said that the funds went to public safety and
non-profit agencies. He said $840,000 went to the county. He said they will be interviewing new
board members soon and will present a recommendation to the Board.
Commissioner Fowler asked what the current trend is for alcohol sales.
Judson Williamson said that sales have been flat recently, and that February sales were
down across the state. He said they have not gone to pre-COVID sales figures, but they are down
from the peak.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked about the amount of funding for Grow Your World. She
asked how much the non-profit asked for.
Judson Williamson said Grow Your World requested a lower amount of funding, under
$10,000. He said that their proposal also was not focused on alcohol education, which is the ABC
Board's focus.
Chair Bedford asked how the request process works. She asked if the ABC Board
requests proposals, then applicants are invited to speak and are evaluated.
Judson Williamson said yes. He said all the groups come to one of two meetings at the
beginning of the fiscal year to make their requests, then they come back mid-year to report on
how they have used the funds.
Chair Bedford said that they encourage all boards to increase the diversity of their membership.
Commissioner Greene arrived at 7:07 p.m.
Kristen Smith Young from the Economic Development Advisory Board showed the Board
examples of products made by businesses that received small business grants. She thanked the
Commissioners for appointing additional board members. She said highlights of the last year
include the Morenaga expansion, 31 small business grants, and 17 agricultural grants. She said
an ad campaign was run in Chapel Hill Magazine and WCHL. She said it is important to
communicate the need for new product in the community. She said that means maximizing the
opportunities in the three economic development zones. She said that strategically considering
land not currently in an EDD is also a goal. She thanked Paul Slack, Chief Equity and Inclusion
Officer, for providing training at a board meeting. She thanked the Economic Development staff
for their assistance. She thanked the Board for continued funding for economic development
opportunities and small business grants. She invited the Board to meet with an advisory board
member,to tour the economic development districts, and to meet with Crystal Morphis, the person
that is spearheading the economic development strategic plan.
Commissioner McKee reiterated Kristen Smith Young's comments about touring
economic development districts. He shared an example of touring Medline.
Commissioner Carter and Commissioner Portie-Ascott said they recently took a tour with
the Economic Development Director, Steve Brantley.
Chair Bedford thanked the board for administering the grant process.
D.R. Bryan of the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board said that
Laurie Paolicelli is a great representative of the Visitors' Bureau. He said that Commissioner
Greene is on the advisory board, along with elected officials from the municipalities,
representatives from UNC, and representatives the arts, hotels, restaurant, and farming
communities. He said the mission is to develop visitors' services in the county. He said they invite
visitors, enhance their experience, and expand their stay. He said they spend about $100,000 a
3
year in marketing and promotions. He said they will assist visitors with providing transportation
to special events. He said the Visitors Bureau is open 6 days a week, and Saturday is their
busiest day. He said visitors usually come for one or two days, so they try to encourage visitors
to expand their stay a couple more days. He said tourism fills the local economy, supports jobs,
and enhances our quality of life.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott congratulated the advisory board for the fact that Orange
County had the highest increase in visitor spending in all 100 counties in North Carolina for 2023.
Chair Bedford said it was related to the big professional soccer game.
Commissioner Greene asked about the challenge of Al described in the advisory board's
work plan.
Laurie Paolicelli said Al is a helpful tool as well as a challenge. She said that people rely
on it to plan vacations, and it is just not accurate. She said the website is getting positive views
for ADA and sensory assistance. She said one of the areas they are careful about is plagiarism.
She said they write a lot, and they want to make sure they give proper credit when they are
creating materials.
Commissioner McKee thanked the advisory board for their work and the information they
put out.
Laurie Paolicelli said in addition to being offices, they are almost a lighthouse in the
community. She said they provide the human services from the office, and she is proud of that.
She said they provide a lot of services that might not be considered visitors services.
Commissioner McKee thanked them for that.
Chair Bedford thanked them for doing the BIPOC business schedule. She asked about
the impact they are seeing on the work they did toward making sure that African Americans felt
very welcomed in the community.
Laurie Paolicelli said they did a survey just before COVID which alerted them to those
feelings in the community. She said that a lot happened during COVID, and they came back and
made it a priority.
Chair Bedford said that they will be discussing the budget at the next meeting.
Denise Duffy, the vice chair of the Arts Commission, thanked the Board for the chance to
tell them about the items they have worked on. She said this was the third year for the Eno Mill
arts space and they have grown that space into multiple arts. She said the LGBTQ teen arts
collective has 25 teens per session. She said the Juneteenth celebration was a new program they
supported. She said they also participated in a panel discussion with Washington Post contributor,
Steve Petro. She said they had a dance performance in the gallery. She said they also had a
volunteer fair. She said they maintained a minimum of 30% of tenants of an under-represented
community. She said they finished their first year of a grant that helps youth find community
through the arts. She said the number of artists paid for work increased and the cost of work
increased. She said the annual Paint It Orange fundraiser raised over $17,000. She said the
presence of arts brings a vibrant economy. She said the Uproar festival returns in August and is
a family friendly and free festival that occurs through all three towns in Orange County. She said
current concerns center around funding. She said with more funding, they can add more
employees and expand their reach.
Commissioner Carter commended the commission for everything they do to provide arts
in the community. She also commended the commission for covering all their expenses with
revenue. She said she looked forward to attending the Uproar Festival.
Vice-Chair Hamilton thanked them for the work they do. She said that the report mentions
the budget and she appreciate learning about the needs. She said that it will be a tight budget
season.
Commissioner McKee congratulated them on the percentage increases on the listings at
the Eno Mill. He said it is always good to see that.
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Denise Duffy said there was a lot more need in the community and they worked with DSS
to provide scholarships.
Chair Bedford said there will be a budget amendment on a future agenda to provide more
funding for scholarships for summer camps.
Commissioner Greene thanked the commission and staff for their hard work.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott also thanked the commission. She asked when they would
hear about the staffing needs at the Arts Commission.
Chair Bedford said recommendations would come at budget season.
Ann Bradford of the Advisory Board on Aging said they met today and wanted to report
that they have 12 members, and they are very engaging, talented, and eager to learn. She said
they have doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, and the county should be proud of the group
of people they have. She said they focused on the Master Aging Plan. She said at 2 years in on
the current plan, they have made 68% progress. She said that she was a student intern with the
Department on Aging during the first Master Aging Plan the county completed. She said they are
now at the 2022-2027 plan. She said all members of the advisory board are on a work group and
there are over 150 community partners that work along with the Department on Aging. She said
the individual work group leaders give quarterly updates to the advisory board. She said the
master aging plan is known nationally. She said the state is using the Orange County Master
Aging Plan matrix as a plan for their own. She said they have a radio show, and it is hosted by
Heather Altman weekly. She said they are also one year into Our Place and that is a volunteer
respite program for caregivers. She said they are beginning to work with the Jackson Center to
see if there is a way to reproduce this program. She said caregiver burnout is huge so anything
that can be done to provide the caregiver respite and positive engagement is helpful. She said
Project Engage recently graduated a class and they are focusing on end-of-life needs. She said
the Sharp Awards recognize direct care workers of older adults. She said they hope the legislature
will listen to the needs of older people. She said that it is important to keep funding up to complete
the master aging plan.
Chair Bedford said that a previous commissioner, Anna Richards, was very impressed by
the quality of the Master Aging Plan.
Vice-Chair Hamilton thanked the advisory board for their work. She said because of their
work, the legislative issues for the county have included the needs of older adults.
Chair Bedford said in the letter they want to discuss later in the agenda, notes that DSS
shared that 19% of Orange County Medicaid recipients are older adults or disabled individual and
that statewide it is 50%. She said that is why that funding is critical.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked about in-home services.
Ann Bradford said there are funds that help provide limited assistance in homes. She said
it is in-home care, which is different than respite care.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if there is a number of affordable housing units the
advisory board would like to see for older adults.
Ann Bradford said she does not have a number off-hand, but she hopes that there could
be at least 100 homes for people who are unhoused to keep them safe.
Chair Bedford said that there a lot of older adults who live in homes that are dilapidated.
She said they are working with the housing department to try to shift funding to make sure it is
making the highest impact.
Ann Bradford said she is aware of the needs and the repair waitlists are very long. She
said those are extensive repairs.
Commissioner McKee said there are likely hundreds of homes needed.
Ann Bradford said it is a problem.
Commissioner Carter said 9,555 units are needed for homeowners making less than 50%
AM I.
5
Janice Tyler, Director of the Department on Aging, said there is a proposal to build senior
housing on Homestead Road across from the Seymour Center and they are very excited about
that.
Jacqulyn Podger of the Adult Care Home and Nursing Home Community Advisory
Committee said they visited five adult care homes included in the total of 49 visits they made to
assisted living and nursing home facilities. She said that a new adult care home opened on
Yorktown Drive. She said this committee has ten people and they work to advocate for resident
rights, safety, and to promote quality of life with administrators after their visits. She said they
were invited to participate in several angel tree activities during the past holiday season.
Commissioner Fowler thanked them for the work they do and said she is glad to see them
back in action after COVID.
Jacqulyn Podger said their allotment is 14, but if they never meet that number, they will
be fine.
Vice-Chair Hamilton asked if their will be a replacement for the ombudsman.
Jacqulyn Podger said they have not hired anyone yet.
Janice Tyler said there is a hiring freeze.
Vice-Chair Hamilton asked if the rising number of older adults will require additional
members on the commission, especially considering that an ombudsman is not available.
Jacqulyn Podger said recruitment must be on-going. She said that she talked to two
people recently who wanted to apply.
Commissioner Fowler asked who will do the training since the ombudsman position will
do is vacant.
Jacqulyn Podger said that the state does the bulk of the training, and it will still be
available.
Alison Stuebe of the Board of Health reminded the Board of the Board of Health's mission
and the structure of the Board of Health. She said they established three main priority areas, the
first is access to care. She said access to care is key. She said they are seeking individuals that
are eligible to enroll in Medicaid since the state expansion. She said they have considered what
it means to support access to care. She said that a person may not know where to go, how to get
there, or what they need. She said they are recruiting county residents to take pictures that show
what access to care looks like. She said that the second committee is behavioral health. She said
they have been requesting an amendment to the unified development ordinance to prohibit the
location of vape and tobacco shops within 1,000 feet of where youth gather. She said they are
also looking into the effects of social media and screen time on children and teens. She said
Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools are celebrating screen free week May 5-9th. She said that
means for social media and they are encouraging everyone to engage with beautiful Orange
County rather than their screens. She said the third group is connections to community. She said
they see housing as a vital condition for health and well-being. She said that 17% of homeowners
are housing burdened and 47% of renters are cost burdened. She said this affects all of Orange
County. She said they need people that work in Orange County to be able to afford to live there.
She said it is clear they cannot build 10,000 housing units but it is important to think about zoning
principles in place that will allow them to build. She said it is a dynamic policy environment around
public health. She said on May 30th, there will be a NC Measles Symposium and they can learn
about what to do if the measles come to NC. She said they are kicking off the thriving hearts grant
and this is to support mothers in ten counties in NC. She asked the Board to consider a full-time
grant writer.
Commissioner Fowler said it has been a pleasure to serve on the Board of Health and she
looks forward to continuing the work.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how they determined which doors to canvas when
looking for Medicaid recipients.
6
Alison Stuebe said one of their board members has been very involved and that is a group
effort. She said they have been trying to figure out how to get that data from Social Services. She
said they are looking to coordinate across the county.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if the Board of Health has taken a position on cell
phones in schools.
Alison Stuebe said that they will have a retreat soon and they will discuss it.
Commissioner Fowler said the behavioral health subcommittee has been looking at
screen use in schools. She said that the General Assembly is proposing that schools have cell
phone use policies.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she understood and was curious if there had been a
local position stated.
Alison Stuebe asked if it would be helpful if the Board of Health made a statement.
Chair Bedford said yes.
Commissioner Greene said she heard about the public health and housing intersection
years ago. She said that she found a national organization called LISK. She said it is a grant for
affordable housing developments that incorporate health programs. She said that the DHIC
project that was mentioned is one. She said it would be a good place to make that connection
and that she would send the information.
Chair Bedford asked if the Board of Health would be interested in making a proclamation
for Mental Health Awareness month in May regarding screen use. She said that measles will
eventually come to North Carolina and Orange County should be ready to support doctors.
Alison Stuebe said it is real and providing trusted information is important. She said they
will be providing the information that is necessary to vaccinate and educate the public.
Leon Meyers of the Board of Adjustment thanked county staff for keeping the Board of
Adjustment filled and organized. He said they are a board that is quasi-judicial that hears
applications for special use permits, variances of the UDO, and appeals from staff decisions. He
said in the previous year they met five times and heard nine cases. He thanked the other members
of the Board of Adjustment for showing up to meetings prepared to work.
Lamar Proctor of the Orange County Planning Board thanked the Board for allowing the
Planning Board to be part of the legislative process. He said they have a good board that shows
up prepared and asks good questions. He thanked the previous board chair, Adam Beeman, for
his service. He highlighted some of the accomplishments described in their annual work plan.
He said that he is excited about the comprehensive land use plan process and hearing from the
public. He said that Planning Board members have attended all the listening sessions. He
praised staff in the Planning Department for their work. He said that in the next year, the land use
plan and LIDO amendments will take most of their time. He said Perdita Holtz in the Planning
Department provides training for members, so they are prepared to take up new issues for
consideration. He said high speed internet access continues to be a concern across the county.
He said the growth of the City of Mebane is an area that the Planning Board is paying attention
to. He said they may look at clarifications to WASMPBA. He said that the preservation of water
sheds and the natural environment attract people to Orange County. He said they will be looking
at Rural Activity Nodes and development in the county away from water and sewer. He said they
are looking at public transit issues and affordable housing. He said all these things tie into the
watersheds and they want to approach the work in a responsible and intelligent way to keep
Orange County wonderful.
Commissioner Carter thanked the Planning Board and staff for their work. She said she
still goes back to the Planning Board meeting minutes to see what was discussed. She said she
is grateful for their recommendations to commissioners.
Commissioner McKee said he appreciated that the Planning Board is still concerned about
the need for high-speed internet access. He said he hopes they can find the revenue to finish the
project to provide service to everyone in the county.
Lamar Proctor said notification to the public is also very important to the Planning Board
because once ground is broken, it is too late, and residents are concerned. He said that so many
citizens get surprised. He said that the future land use map is changing, and they need to get as
much input as possible.
Chair Bedford said they are trying to schedule a meeting with Mebane, and they would
like the Planning Board to be aware of that so they can watch. She said they also have a meeting
with the Planning Board about the comprehensive plan.
Cy Stober said there is not a joint meeting scheduled but the Planning Board presentation
will be made in the spring and more formal presentations in the fall. He said if there is a desire for
a joint meeting, they can look into that. He said they will be incorporating the Planning Board's
feedback into the rewrite in the summer.
Chair Bedford thanked all of the county's advisory boards and committees for their work.
She encouraged people to apply for boards that might interest them.
2. Consultant Presentation on Draft Orange County Land Use Plan 2050
The Board received a presentation from Clarion Associates, LLC, on the Draft Land Use Plan
2050 for discussion and feedback.
BACKGROUND: At its September 10, 2024 work session, the BOCC received a presentation
with an update on project progress, preliminary outcomes of the second community engagement
window, and initial recommendations for the draft Conservation and Growth Framework.
County Planning staff, Staff Working Group, and Clarion Associates have been coordinating to
prepare the draft Public Review Draft of the Land Use Plan 2050 for BOCC review and feedback.
Feedback received from the Board will be used to edit the Public Review Draft, which will be the
focus of the third community engagement window to be held May— July of this year.
Additional information, including objectives for the March 11 and April 8, 2025 BOCC work
sessions, is provided in Attachment A. A PowerPoint presentation will be provided at the meeting.
Additional information about the project, including e-mail sign-up for project updates, are available
on the project website: https://www.orangecountvlanduseplan.com.
Completed project deliverables, including Fact Book; outreach summaries; and more, are also
available on the project website: https://www.orangecountylanduseplan.com/resources
Tom Altieri, Senior Planner, introduced the item and the speaker from Clarion, Leigh Anne
King.
Leigh Anne King made the following presentation:
7�
1
��� " � g Board of County
`' r " ORANGE COUNTY Commissioners
LAND USE PLAN Work Session
� Guiding Our Future 2050
CLARISlide #1 sr
Slide #2
.� '. 1 . Project • • .
2. Review of Land Use Plan
\� rs
2050: Conservation and
A
Growth Framework
a. Policies and Actions
b conservation and Growth
Framework Map
-
C. Environmert and Habitat Map
�� 5�s
3. Questions/Discussion
r.
9
Slide#3
Project Timeline
-111 K
Phase 1: Phase 2: Phase 5:
Launch Identify New Evaluate Develop the Adopt the
Project Issues and Planning Plan Plan
Opportunities Influences
$;i rani: 2023 taC2W3 " ' 2025
2023 o Wi•ter xaza
2024 2024 - dtJ2s 2626
Community Engagement Window Ml: Community Engagement Window#2:
Confirming Community Aspirations Testing the Conservation and Growth Framework[COMPLETE]
ICOMPLETEI Community Engagement Window a3:
Unveiling of Draft Plan
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Slide #4
6.
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10
Slide #5
Land Use Plan 2050
Public Review Draft
PLAN 2OgO
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a
0
Pll BLIC REVIEW DRAFT
MARCH i 2025
Slide #6
L�
3 Community Engagement Windows
8 Community Meetings and Workshops
9 Tabling, Presentation,or Other Engagement Activities
U Briefings to Planning Board and BOCC
14 Staff Working Group Meetings
57 Stakeholder Interviews
355 Total In Person Attendees
584 Community Surveys Received
11
Slide #7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Land Use Plan 2050 1-11 UCTIUN 4
OwLrb 18-a g—d 5
Abaut LNa Plop
C—ftyVlslon Thomos 10
PLANNING INFLUENCES 12
Need for a New Plea 13
Community Asplretlans 15
GUIDING CONSERVATION B GROWTH IS
Goals 19
Conservation and Grewth Fmmery k Map 21
Land llse Categories ZS
—rort—ml antl WI4tl—Hobltat 40
Policies 42
IMPLEMENTATION 82
Introtlu<Lbn 93
Li9d GomerL g3
Nnkaga is tho Slrotrgir Pion g4
Artlens 95
Updnting 6 AmLmding tho PI,, 01
M.M.Hngand Popolting III
APPENDIX 94
ApperMb[Il GIOSSaIy 95
Appontllr 6'.planning lnfluoncrs 95
Slide#8
VISION TH
HIGHE57 LEVEL OF PLAN FRAMEWORK;
IDEAL ASPIRATIONS OF THE PLAN
GOALS
DESIRED OUTCOMES RELATED TO TH E
1, VISION THEMES
POLICIES
STATEMENTS OF COMMITMENT
AND DIRECTION FOR ACHIEVING
PLAN GOALS
ACTIONS
SPECIFIC
MPLEMENTATION
EFFORTS
12
Slide#9
Continue to Protect Critical
Watershed Areas and Open
Spaces and Preserve
Agricultural Lands
I SUSTAINABLE
Advance DEVELOPMENT
Oppo7 Sustainablertunitle for
L Attainable,Equitable Transportation
Housing and Systems and Economij.—
L Employment Development
Initiatives
AN
Slide #10
1. Agriculture, Working Lands, and Open Spaces
2. Community Equity
3. Economy and Employment
4. Environment, Parks, Recreation
S. Housing Attainability
6. Regional and Local Growth
7. Resiliency
8. Services and Community Facilities
9. Transportation and Mobility m
13
Slide #11
Policies
Agriculture, Preserve working lands for farming and forestry
Working Lands, • Preserve natural heritage
and Open Spaces • Support local agricultural business
Equity lens into land use planning decision-making processes
Provide transparency,communication,and community
Community education about land use planning
Equity • Integrate health considerations into all aspects of planning
Create an environment supportive of older adults
m
Slide #12
• Support commercial and industrial uses in the Economic Development
Economy and Areas(EDA)
Employment Support commercial uses in the Rural Activity Nodes
Ensure(EDAs)are designed using sustainable development principles
Improve recreational opportunities in underserved areas
Support transportation and connectivity goals
Environment, protect,conserve,and restore natural resources
Parks, Recreation,
and Resilience
• Balance development needs with environmental protections and conservation
Promote sustainable and resilient development
• Create resilience hubs for the community
14
Slide#13
Policies
Encourage the development of housing options that are attainable to the local
Housing workforce
Attainability Reduce barriers to the development and construction of housing
• Support development,rehabilitation and preservation of affordable housing
Regional and Support sustainable development and joint planning with municipalities
Local Growth Consider sustainable development in development proposal review
• Continue to develop and use intergovernmental land use planning tools
Slide#14
Orange County Land Use Plan 2050
Policies
Guide infrastructure service Evaluate and develop specific
Services and decision-making policies for the use of private water
Community Strategically support investment in and wastewater systems
Facilities water and sewer infrastructure in key Integrate carbon neutrality goals
Economic Development Areas with economic development
• Invest in green infrastructure
Ensure that land use decisions support bicycle and pedestrian planning
Transportation efforts
and Mobility • Align land use planning with transit investments
Support rural transportation needs while maintaining rural character m
15
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adopted Future Land Use Rural Buffer 54C
Ma FLUM .Rural Conservation
}�l NUghbvrhvod i '• `"r
Rural Residential
• Establishes new policy -a Censdy -.
Neighborhood
direction through future RuralAdwdyNode rr ,. r
land use guidance Economic Development
Area + - ,,iki s[1i., �.,x•"� �r
Additional Flap FeaturNys
• Specific focus on 0ae9^
p County Boundary � '. f
supporting new sustainable Munlupaliry •d°""W rt`
housing and economic Extra Terrrtprial +"!� r s'"
development opportunities OCJCHiCA Joint Planning]uredretion
� . x ri
in strategic locations �"`ea' "' `�� C3
Municipal Transition
Amu
-- Railroad ■'°"a
Surface Water
Chair Bedford asked if the terms in slide #16 referred to zoning.
Leigh Anne King said it is the future land use plan, but they are referring to the
conservation and growth framework map. She said it is a policy guidance document that is used
when development applicants are interested in having a rezoning of their property. She said that
staff will look at the map to see if a project is consistent with the vision of the plan. She said it is
different than zoning because those are the laws. She said this is the guidance. She said there
are unforeseen circumstances where the Board would want to do something different than the
existing zoning and they can but generally you want to be as consistent as possible.
16
Chair Bedford asked if these are the same categories as the current pan.
Leigh Anne King said there are changes and some were merged.
Commissioner Fowler asked if she could point those changes out as they go along and
explain what was changed and why.
Leigh Anne King said they have a cheat sheet that displays the information and is very
clearly laid out. She said she would send that out to the Board rather than try to rely on memory
during the presentation.
Commissioner Carter asked if one of those examples would be merging rural
neighborhood activity nodes and rural community activity nodes into a single entity.
Leigh Anne King said she thinks that is exactly right.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if they could receive a map that could be enlarged.
Cy Stober said that could be provided by GIS technicians.
Slide #17
Rural Residential
E3 E
Description
Rural Residential lands are the predominant land use
} ,
category in unincorporated Orange County.These lands
share borders with every other type of land use.These lands
include different characteristics that vary from undisturbed ;
forests and natural areas to the many historic farms and `=
dairies that have shaped the aesthetics and functions of the
landscape.Developed properties consist of low-density and 1'
large-lot residential subdivisions(>2 acres),agricultural and
horticultural uses,and forestry.Smaller-lot subdivisions t 6 e' r'
(0.92-2 acres)are scattered amongst large-lot subdivisions, J
large fields for conventional farming,and smaller mixed- y ti
intensity homesteads '
Slide #18
Conservation and Preservation
Description _
Lands in this category are permanently protected from
future development by conservation easements;effectively
preserved through the nature of their ownership,type of
stewardship,and current use;or protected fora certain _
timeframe.Conservation easements are voluntarily go
v
established by the landowner through donation to or
payment from a holding entity,which may be Orange y
County,a land trust,or some other conservation-based 7
organization.Preserved lands include either active or eh_�—
passive open aces arks and undeveloped _
P p spaces, ed lands that are p
not expected to develop,although they do not have legal A
protections in place.Examples of Conservation and
Preservation lands include publicly accessible places such as
Eno River State Park,Duke Forest,and local parks,and
others that are not open to the public and are held by g "
organizations such as OWASA(Orange Water and Sewer ® r
Authority), purpose p which owns them for the ur ose of permanent y �°� ■^�-�
water supply protection. i .m
z
17
Slide #19
Rural Conservation Neighborhood
Description
Rural Conservation Neighborhoods are clustered
subdivisions of varying size that allow homes on smaller lots
in exchange for protecting a larger portion of the site as ..o
open space.Open spaces are protected from development, A ' '
controlled by easement,HOAs and/or POAs,and can be -A.
common spaces with limited passive recreational r f�
opportunities,left in a natural state,orfor agricultural } : ,'
production.Open space is sited to prioritize existing high- '
quality habitats,unique landscape elements such as rock
outcroppings or steep slopes,as well as prime farmland
soils,streams,and riparian areas.In the case of lands to be
preserved for agricultural production,the presence of prime
_e
farmland soil is a determining factor.Single-family g
residential homes(attached or detached)are the
predominant land use,but these clustered subdivisions may I
include accessory uses such as common meeting and ',
general-use buildings,community gardens and small-scale
farms,and/or limited commercial operations that primarily
serve the immediately surrounding community.
n
Commissioner Fowler asked how they decided what would be better for rural conservation
rather than rural.
Leigh Anne King said that there were several things they considered. She said the size of
the parcel was important because 50 acres and above would be what would be feasible. She said
they also avoided critical habitat and environmentally sensitive areas. She said there is a lot of
existing development on the ground and that is not shown on the maps. She said they looked at
where the opportunities are. She said the open space areas would be protected space.
Commissioner Carter asked where a proposal like the recent Fiddlehead Corners project
would sit in a rural conservation neighborhood, or would it be suited somewhere else.
Cy Stober said it is important to keep the ordinance and the comprehensive plan in two
separate hands. He said they want to permanently protect the most valuable lands in the county,
while also allowing for development. He gave examples of how they could be developed. He
said a project like Fiddlehead Corner is similar to what types of projects they might be interested
in in these neighborhoods.
Commissioner Fowler asked about the community center proposed in Fiddlehead and said
she thought that it would require different zoning. She asked if the rural conservation
neighborhoods would have to be developed that way rather than rural residential.
Cy Stober said this is not zoning and if that is a decision that the Board would like to make,
then they would initiate a zoning action. He said that would be a major undertaking. He said this
is guidance that would trigger zoning. He said in Orange County, if they want to develop 20 or
more lots, they must go through the rezoning process. He said it is intended to provide for a
mixture of uses, but if they want to take something out staff needs to know now.
Leigh Anne King said that if you look at the actual number of units developed, they are not
recommending that the buildout potential would equate to much more than what is allowed today.
She said the American Farmland Trust report talked about the biggest threat to agriculture is low
density residential development. She said this is an opportunity to protect land, but to also provide
the opportunity for more housing that is needed.
Commissioner Fowler asked if easements would be put on the land.
Leigh Anne King said yes. She said more than half of the site would be protected. She
said that a forested property could have roadway buffer requirements. She said that the actual
number of units may not be more than what is allowed today.
18
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how to address the housing supply gap with a plan like
this.
Leigh Anne King said there would be more net housing, but there might be the potential
to go beyond that if certain objectives are met. She said they may want to do that for affordable
housing, if a certain number of units are included.
Commissioner Carter asked about the economic development districts and if they could
facilitate additional housing opportunities.
Leigh Anne King skipped to slide #25 to review the economic development areas. She
said that there are existing residential within those areas. She said there are secondary uses
included as well. She said that they advise clients to reserve areas for fiscal development. She
said having housing in proximity to those economic development locations can be helpful for
things like reducing air emissions and travelling vehicle miles. She said that is the intention.
Commissioner Carter asked if it is explicit in the proposal that there would be area that
would be focused to help close the housing gap because those are targeted in the proposal for
water and sewer.
Leigh Anne King said the policy is drafted to support those uses as a secondary use.
Cy Stober said that this is the type of feedback they are looking for. He said if they need
to be more explicit, to let them know.
Chair Bedford said yes.
Leigh Anne King said the residential they have listed is focused on the more intensive
housing types and where those would be located.
Slide #20
Conservation Subdivision
C,
_ !
Example of a Conservation Subdivision development(right)versus a typical suburban development(left).
Commissioner McKee asked how this will address the affordability issue. He said by
restricting building to a smaller area, the cost per lot increases. He said he doesn't disagree with
preventing urban sprawl. He said it does not address highest and best use for land.
Leigh Anne King said when they work with communities on housing issues, they try to
focus on housing stock rather than affordability. She said that communities get in trouble when
they try to conflate them. She said that in this state there are not many tools to require affordability
but there are incentive tools for affordability. She said there is not a way to require affordability.
Vice-Chair Hamilton said it is worth thinking about who will be attracted to those smaller
lots with open area around it. She said she would want information about how dense, how
isolated, where those people will go for jobs. She said she would want to know what limited
19
commercial operations would include. She said they need to consider how much agricultural land
to protect to maintain the food economy in Orange County.
Leigh Anne King said there are many tools in the toolbox. She said that being proactive
about protecting land and providing incentives is a method that other counties are looking to
reproduce. She said that Orange County is doing great work to protect land. She said it is an
important point about non-residential uses. She said that Davidson is a good place to look at
being proactive about the zoning. She said that some of the rural conservation neighborhoods
might have a tree buffer already in place. She said that the non-residential uses would be at the
heart of the community and not intended to be road frontage. She said that to some extent, the
county already allows that.
Commissioner Greene said she liked the plan, and it is responsive to what the public
stated. She said she would like more data on the price points, because it seems like smaller
houses on smaller lots would cost less than what the county currently sees. She said she wants
to further explore what the economic development piece might be. She said in terms of where
people will work, people will be commuting to somewhere else just like it currently is. She said
the county is one of the fastest growing regions in the country and there needs to be something
done regarding the housing supply. She said it is a balancing act. She said that municipalities
are partners in creating affordable housing as well.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if Commissioner Greene were saying that the county
would not get affordable housing.
Commissioner Greene said not deeply affordable housing, because it would require a
subsidy.
Commissioner McKee said the county cannot afford to subsidize housing.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she would like housing for teachers. She said that she
is not asking for subsidized housing. She said she would like to see a developer's day where
developers can tell the county what is needed to get affordable housing.
Commissioner McKee asked if there is any non-residential entity that has located within a
20 or 50 lot subdivision.
Leigh Anne King referred to the map on slide #19. She said that they might be able to
create an area of larger assemblages.
Commissioner McKee said 1000 homes would support that but there are not any that size
in Orange County. He said to get that critical mass you will need sewer and water, and it would
be a major hurdle to get the governing bodies to do this. He said the conservation subdivision in
no way saves property because that is a subdivision with open land, not a farm. He said he could
not see the open space in a conservation subdivision being used practically in an agricultural use.
He said the development is coming and they need to be smart about it. He said he is concerned
about creating something that only people with high paying jobs can afford and not addressing
the needs of lower income people in the county.
Leigh Anne King said they are focused on how to use the land and the opportunity for
development in the land use plan. She said the other tools in the toolbox are related to housing
affordability. She said this plan is intended to support affordable housing, but it does not define
the affordability plan. She said what they are recommending is their best way to create the
inventory and affordability.
Commissioner McKee said he agrees with what she is saying but his concern is that this
sets a path to 2050. He said that he is making a decision that will affect folks that will long outlive
him.
Chair Bedford asked for clarification on vehicle miles traveled and how that is defined.
Leigh Anne King said they are trying to create opportunities for daily service needs that
people might have. She said the intention is to reinforce neighborhood support, so people do not
have to drive so far to get to their daily needs. She said that is one way to reduce vehicle miles
traveled.
20
Chair Bedford said the Board liked the Rural Conservation Neighborhood, yet in a recent
board action they voted against a development that would fit in with this kind of neighborhood.
She said she is not sure she would like to see this kind of density all over the county. She asked
about having them closer to the towns rather than scattered about the county. She said it seems
like a different kind of sprawl.
Leigh Anne King said some communities have figured out how to live with working lands
nearby. She said there is a neighborhood conservation district in Chicago that has working prairie,
but she also agrees with Commissioner McKee that it may not be feasible to actively farmland
around a subdivision. She said there is site design and management to have residents near
working lands. She said there is a lot of site design and management that would have to be
worked out in the details. She said that it is an opportunity to do both. She said they can continue
to stay the course with smaller sized lots, or they can do something that is larger to protect a
larger part of land.
Chair Bedford said that there will be an increase in the number of vehicle miles traveled
with more people driving and that impacts the climate. She said she is unsure about the tradeoff.
Leigh Anne King said the yield of units would increase but it is not a huge jump. She said
if the concern is about the yield, then that can be dealt with a density change.
Commissioner Fowler skipped to slide #24. She said that Blackwood was not listed and
asked why. She noticed there are no rural conservation neighborhoods in the rural buffer.
Leigh Anne King said that is intentional because of the rural buffer and the joint planning
agreement. She said they tested that with the land use alternatives to get reactions. She said
there is a small rural node along the 86 corridor and there are not rural conservation
neighborhoods listed. She said in the implementation section of the plan, there is a call out for
specific actions to be considered as any future review of those documents. She said that would
have to happen as part of those interjurisdictional planning efforts.
Commissioner Fowler said it looks like there is a municipal transitional area in the rural
buffer.
Commissioner Greene said that is Carrboro's transitional area and not in the rural buffer.
Cy Stober said they can change the language if necessary but that is basically Carrboro's
ETJ. He said it is important for the commissioner to read objectives because the map is not the
plan. He asked the Board to read the recommendations. He said there are 58 actions and
objectives. He said there are ideas such as revisiting the JPA to address some concerns, mobile
home park standards, single family zoning, and duplex zoning. He said as the Board reviews the
document, they should keep those initiatives in mind because they are proposed actions but are
not ordinance changes. He said they would direct Planning staff to look into these. He said that
they do not envision utility extensions to support the community conservation neighborhood. He
said these communities would be supported by community wells and community septic systems
and to move forward with any other assumption is not realistic.
Commissioner Carter said she appreciates the actions, and she thinks they need to look
at strategic, targeted ways to address the gap they have in housing. She said she supports the
conservation cluster approach on a limited scale. She said she would like to have more
information on community health and utilities. She said she wants to support the conversation
with the development community to give scenarios for how to provide.
Chair Bedford said the School of Government is providing some information on affordable
housing on the Greene Tract and they also have the farm preservation draft coming up in a week
or two as well.
Commissioner McKee said he believes that between now and 2050 water and sewer will
be a necessity.
21
Slide #21
RURAL CONSERVATION NEIGHBORHOOD{RCN1
oeKrpuen
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Slide#22 {
Environmental and Wildlife Habitat
• Map identifies: f.
• "Highest"and"Higher"priority wildlife habitat
Y � !•f " ,r
patches and corridors identified by the Eno-New _
Hope Landscape Conservation Plan M "k _- =
• 100-year floodplain
•r
• Steep slopes �'
• Wetlands
• Resource Protection Areas(identified in 2030 Plan
map)
• Guided higher intensity Land Use
Categories on the Conservation and 0 county Boundary !.
Growth Framework map n�nrpefar , rr
ErtR!Territorial Jurisdiction f ARNRnyi�'L•eern ICY-
Intended
• to guide land protection
and site planning efforts,particularly sufapawat,r ' o--;
for conservation subdivisions that 0 CritKalWit* W '�'
have required open space set-asides . Fnrlmntnetrtel end WiNtik eaML[ - — R�
22
Slide #23
Low-Density Neighborhood
Description
The Low-Density Neighborhood category is largely
°b
developed and limited in extent along the Highway 70 `
corridor between the City of Mebane and Efland,north of
Hillsborough,and near the Durham County Boundary.These x
areas anticipate a transition from rural land uses and s Re
patterns to denser forms,likely due to more recent access to
utility services outside of incorporated municipal limits.
Current uses include low-intensity residential .,„
neighborhoods,small-scale commercial properties,schools, 4~
and faith-based organizations.
Jil
Chair Bedford asked if they have water and sewer in Efland.
Perdita Holtz, Deputy Director for Long Range Planning, said Orange Alamance Water
System serves the area.
Chair Bedford asked why higher density would not be encouraged here.
Leigh Anne King said they are listed as secondary uses.
Cy Stober said these areas are not in the utility service areas in the municipalities. He said
that they would like feedback on this.
Slide #24
Rural Activitv Node
------------
Description
Rural Activity Nodes are key intersections of larger rural
roads and state highways that can or do already serve the + #
surrounding community with commercial retail and service F
uses. Nodes are located at strategic crossroads to provide f
dailycommercial and service needs within a short drive of '`
rural neighborhoods and home sites in the county.Existing
development varies greatly by location but generally
includes single-family homes,neighborhood-scale �.,..,
commercial uses such as service stations and convenience
stores,farms,forestry,and undeveloped parcels. r I
w�, o- 9 [� � `'• r,�
& r
.�epsry
!F �a� ramtor
�aei:eeyti%.a
23
Slide #25
Economic Development Area
Description
Economic Development Areas(EDA)are strategically located .
adjacent and along the interstate corridors that traverse r•.c
Hillsborough,Mebane,and Durham,to be convenient and
accessible places for commerce and job centers of varying +
scale where residential developments are less suitable, ri
Existing developments here include warehouses,small
commercial retail and service operations,warehousing, say
residential subdivisions,undeveloped lands,and farms.They
are located outside of the critical water supply watersheds. °
The Unified Development Ordinance contains regulations for
appropriate impervious surface ratios for Economic .°
Development Areas within protected water supply
watersheds.
Slide #26
24
Slide #27
Project Timeline
APR 2025 MAY JUN JUL I AUG
-April 8 BOCC Community Fn9agernert WindowStaff Working
Briefing F Group meeting
- Revise draft plan - Online survey - In person - Board summer
- Public notification launch meetings recess
begins for CEW#3 Webinar - Board summer
In person recess begins
meetings
SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN 2026
- Final Staff - Planning Board - BOCC Briefing on - Planning Board - BOCC Hearing for
Working Group Briefing Public Hearing Meeting for Plan Adoption
meeting Draft Endorsement
- BOCC Briefing on
CEW#3
Slide#28
Objectives:
• Board to provide initial feedback
during March 11 work session
' Receive comments on Draft Plan by
March 25
Review all comments and summarize
* r' how they will be addressed during
April 8 work session
What comments do you want to
share at the March 11 briefing?
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if they had data on who responded to the surveys.
Leigh Anne King said they have public engagement reports with demographic information
for participants.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if they felt it was representative of the community.
Leigh Anne King said they have improved with each session and learned, but it is never
as good as they want.
Vice-Chair Hamilton asked for examples of Rural Conservation Neighborhoods to be
shared in an email. She said they may need more meetings with commissioners. She said it is
hard to imagine without having examples to look at. She said that it is a significant change, and
she wants to make sure they get the word out and hear from everyone.
25
Chair Bedford asked if they could come back on April 8th. She thinks there will be points
that the Board does not agree on. She asked if in the next public engagement window, the
community could respond to points that the Board might be split on.
Leigh Anne King said that they may have that language in the plan itself as they prepare
materials for engagement. She said once they know the areas that are not in agreement, they
can focus on creating questions on those.
Tom Altieri said they will have a launch of the second engagement window on May 12'h
and everything will need to be prepared prior to that.
Travis Myren said that they could try to set aside some time because a worksession is
likely insufficient.
Chair Bedford said she had some small issues and asked how they are supposed to
convey those.
Leigh Anne King said they can submit that with the other comments.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how the consultant will get feedback from people under
50.
Cy Stober said they will have meetings in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Mebane. He said
the online component also boosted youth participation.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if it is possible to text links to young people.
Cy Stober said he would talk to Community Relations.
Commissioner Fowler asked for clarification on page 140 of the agenda package. She
said it reads that workers are commuting "from" cities, but she thinks it should say commuting
"to."
Leigh Anne King said they would look into it.
Commissioner Fowler referenced the discussion about the vehicle miles traveled and how
they skip the rural buffer for placement. She said she knows that it cannot be in the plan, but she
would like to know everyone's opinions about possible changes to the rural buffer because it
seems to make sense to place these closer to town.
Chair Bedford said they would need to ask about it.
Commissioner Greene said she does not agree with that because if you put it close to
town, it looks like more like sprawl. She said that they are talking about a neighborhood that would
be slightly denser, but not a lot denser that currently allowed.
Chair Bedford said that would be a big point of discussion by the Board and there would
be more discussion.
3. Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool —Appointments Discussion
The Board discussed appointments to the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool.
BACKGROUND: The charge of the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool is to hear appeals
concerning violations of the Orange County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 4 ("Animal Control
Ordinance"), as provided in the Orange County Code of Ordinances, Section 4-53 Appeals, and
also potentially dangerous dog appeals as prescribed by North Carolina General Statute §67-
4.1(c). It is the responsibility of pool members to conduct fair and impartial hearings for these
appeals, and members receive training in both law and proper procedure prior to participating in
a hearing.
The Board of County Commissioners appoints twelve (12) members, with representation from
various fields. There are also two (2) members representing the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill,
and Hillsborough.
26
Since the work of this body is dependent on hearings, it has not historically submitted an Annual
Work Plan.
The Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool does not make recommendations for appointments.
The following individuals and positions are presented for Board consideration:
NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION
DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE
TERM
Michael Town of Chapel Hill First Full Term 03/31/2028
Delafield rea ointment
Lynne DuBose At-Large First Full term 03/31/2028
Unincorporated (reappointment)
Allan Polak Animal Services Second Full Term 03/31/2028
Advisory Board
Member
Deborah Hill Animal Services First Full Term 03/31/2028
Advisory Board (reappointment)
Member
BOCC At-Large First Full Term 03/31/2028
Appointee
If the positions listed above are filled, the following vacancies remain:
POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION
DESIGNATION DATE
Town of Carrboro 03/31/2026 Vacant since 03/31/2023
Town of Chapel 03/31/2026 Vacant since 03/31/2023
Hill
Town of 03/31/2028 Vacant since 03/31/2022
Hillsborough
At-Large 03/31/2026 Vacant since 03/31/2023
Tara May introduced the item.
The Board agreed by consensus to appoint the recommended applicants.
Chair Bedford suggested Cathy Munnier for the vacant at-large position.
The Board agreed by consensus to appoint Cathy Munnier to the vacant at-large position.
4. Board of Equalization and Review —Appointments Discussion
The Board discussed appointments to the Board of Equalization and Review.
BACKGROUND: The Board of Equalization and Review is a quasi-judicial body that hears
appeals from residents concerning various property tax issues, including valuation and exemption
appeals. The Board of Equalization and Review is charged with ensuring that all taxable property
is appraised and assessed according to the standards required by the North Carolina General
Statutes.
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The Board of County Commissioners appoints three (3) members, seven (7) alternates, and
designates the Chair.
Appointees serve two-year terms, but there is no limit to the number of terms an individual may
serve.
Since the work of this body is dependent on hearings, it has not historically submitted an Annual
Work Plan.
The Board of Equalization and Review does not make recommendations for appointments.
The following individuals and positions are presented for Board consideration:
NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION
DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE
TERM
Tony Blake Member Fourth Full Term 03/31/2027
Barbara Levine Member Fourth Full Term 03/31/2027
Leon Meyers Member Third Full Term 03/31/2027
Hunter Beattie Alternate Second Full Term 03/31/2027
Saru Salvi Alternate Second Full Term 03/31/2027
Shannon Julian Alternate Second Full Term 03/31/2027
Vaughn Alternate First Full Term 03/31/2027
Compton
Richal Vanhook Alternate First Full Term 03/31/2027
BOCC Alternate First Full Term 03/31/2027
Appointee
BOCC Alternate First Full Term 03/31/2027
Appointee
If the positions listed above are filled, no vacancies remain.
Chair Designation:
NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION
DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE
TERM
BOCC Appointee Chair Full Term 03/31/2027
Tara May introduced the item.
Chair Bedford asked for information about term limits on the Board of Equalization and
Review.
Tara May said the term limits in the Advisory Board Policy do not apply to the Board of
Equalization and Review. She said there is a resolution that sets the length of the term to two
years, and term limits are not mentioned. She said the state statutes do not set a term limit.
Commissioner Carter asked about members of the Board of Equalization and Review
serving on multiple boards.
Chair Bedford said in the past that the Board has said that serving on the Board of
Equalization and Review does not preclude them from serving on other boards, because the
Board of Equalization and Review does not meet very often.
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Commissioner Carter said that serving on other boards could be factored in when making
decisions.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if alternates can vote.
Tara May said that alternates only attend and vote if a regular member cannot attend.
She said with it being a revaluation year, there will be many opportunities for people to attend and
participate.
Chair Bedford suggested moving Tony Blake and Barbara Levine to alternate positions
and having Leon Meyers as Chair. She suggested having Saru Salvi as a regular member instead
of Tony Blake.
Commissioner Carter suggested Richal Vanhook as a regular member.
Chair Bedford suggested Shereese Alston as an alternate member.
The Board agreed by consensus to appoint Leon Meyers as Chair, Saru Salvi and Richal
Vanhook as regular members, and Tony Blake, Barbara Levine, and Shereese Alston as alternate
members.
5. Historic Preservation Commission —Appointments Discussion
The Board discussed appointments to the Historic Preservation Commission.
BACKGROUND: The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is charged with undertaking an
inventory of properties of historical, prehistorical, architectural, and/or cultural significance. It
recommends areas to be designated or removed as "historic districts" and reviews and acts upon
proposals for alterations, demolition, new construction, etc.
In considering new applicants, the HPC is required to follow the guidelines from the State Historic
Preservation Office (SHPO) in order for the County to remain eligible to participate in the state's
Certified Local Government (CLG) program. Those guidelines include the following language
governing the qualifications of prospective HPC applicants: "All members shall have
demonstrated experience or knowledge in history, architecture or related disciplines that is
supported by resume information sufficient to allow the SHPO to confirm the qualifications of
members, pursuant to 36 CFR Part 61."
The Board of County Commissioners appoints all seven (7)At-Large members.
The following individuals are recommended for Board consideration:
NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION
DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE
TERM
Dr. Anne At-Large Second Full Term 03/31/2028
Whisnant
Art Menius At-Large Second Full Term 03/31/2028
Todd Dickinson At-Large Second Full Term 03/31/2028
If the individuals listed above are appointed, no vacancies remain.
Tara May introduced the item.
Chair Bedford asked about the requirements for the Board.
Tara May said there are specific experience requirements for the Historic Preservation
Commission.
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Commissioner Carter said she is thinking about other people in the community who have
long histories in the community and if they would be interested in the board.
Chair Bedford asked if everyone on the Historic Preservation Commission have to meet
the requirements.
Tara May said every member has to meet the requirements.
Chair Bedford asked if those are county requirements or state requirements.
Tara May said it is by state statute.
The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants.
6. Orange County Housing Authority Board —Appointment Discussion
The Board discussed an appointment to the Orange County Housing Authority Board.
BACKGROUND: The goal of the Orange County Housing Authority Board is to provide decent,
safe, and sanitary housing for the low- and moderate-income families in the County.
The Board of County Commissioners appoints all seven (7) members.
The Orange County Housing Authority Board does not make recommendations for appointments.
The following position is presented for Board consideration:
NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION
DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE
TERM
BOCC At-Large Partial Term 06/30/2027
Appointment
If the position listed above is filled, no vacancies remain.
Tara May introduced the item.
Commissioner McKee suggested Terri Buckner.
Commissioners Greene and Fowler suggested Monica Richard.
The Board agreed by consensus to appoint Monica Richard.
7. Orange County Planning Board —Appointments Discussion
The Board discussed appointments to the Orange County Planning Board.
BACKGROUND: The Planning Board studies Orange County and surrounding areas to
determine objectives in the development of the County. It prepares and recommends plans to
achieve that development, including the suggesting of policies, ordinances, and procedures. It
reviews development applications and makes recommendations to the Board of Commissioners.
The Board of County Commissioners appoints all twelve (12) members.
The Planning Board does not make recommendations for appointments.
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The following individuals and positions are presented for Board consideration:
NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION
DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE
TERM
Statler Gilfillen Eno Township Second Full Term 03/31/2028
WhitneyWatson At-Large Second Full Term 03/31/2028
Elizabeth At-Large Second Full Term 03/31/2028
Bronson
BOCC Cedar Grove First Full Term 03/31/2028
Appointee Township
BOCC At-Large Partial Term 03/31/2026
Appointee
If the positions listed above are filled, no vacancies remain.
Tara May introduced the item.
Commissioner Carter suggested appointing new members who have not already served.
Chair Bedford said they have two applicants for Cedar Grove Township. She said one
applicant is already on two other boards, including the Board of Adjustment. She said they have
talked about avoiding appointing the same people to both the Board of Adjustment and the
Planning Board. She suggested Venkat Yendapalli for the Cedar Grove Township position.
The Board agreed by consensus to appoint Venkat Yendapalli for the Cedar Grove
Township position.
The Board agreed by consensus to reappoint Statler Gilfillen for the Eno Township
position.
The Board agreed by consensus to reappoint Whitney Watson to the at-large position.
Commissioner Carter said that Elizabeth Bronson is currently serving on the Board of
Adjustment. She suggested Jonah Garson for the vacant at-large position.
Commissioners McKee and Portie-Ascott agreed on the suggestion of Jonah Garson for
the vacant at-large position.
Commissioner Fowler suggested Noah Rannells.
Commissioner Greene suggested Felix Ortiz.
The Board agreed by consensus to appoint Jonah Garson to the vacant at-large position.
Chair Bedford asked if the Board should not reappoint Elizabeth Bronson since she serves
on the Board of Adjustment. She said she was supportive of reappointing Elizabeth Bronson.
Commissioner McKee said he did not feel she should be removed.
Commissioner Greene agreed.
Commissioner Carter said there is an opportunity to bring more representation to the
Planning Board.
Commissioner Portie-Ascott said it causes confusion in the community to have people
serve on both.
Chair Bedford asked if they should find out her preferences.
Commissioner McKee said he would want her to continue to serve because he would not
want to penalize her without cause.
Chair Bedford said it would not be for cause, but because of a potential conflict of interest.
The Board agreed by consensus to reappoint Elizabeth Bronson to the at-large position
on the Planning Board.
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8. Parks and Recreation Council —Appointments Discussion
The Board discussed appointments to the Parks and Recreation Council.
BACKGROUND: The Parks and Recreation Council consults with and advises the Department
of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation, and the Board of County Commissioners on
matters affecting parks planning, development and operation; recreation facilities, policies and
programs; and public trails and open space.
The Board of County Commissioners appoints all twelve (12) members with representatives from
each of the county's townships plus its municipalities, as well as two (2) non-voting youth
delegates.
The following individuals are recommended for Board consideration:
NAME POSITION DESCRIPTION TYPE OF EXPIRATION
APPOINTMENT DATE
TERM
Gregory At-Large First Full Term 03/31/2028
Husketh (reappointment)
Trevor At-Large First Full Term 03/31/2028
Robinson (reappointment)
If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancies remain:
POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION
DESIGNATION DATE
Little River 03/31/2026 Vacant since 08/18/2023
Township
Hillsborough 03/31/2028 Vacant since 05/03/2024
Township
NOTE: There are no applicants from the designated townships, but the Board may
consider appointing residents outside of these townships due to the length of vacancies.
All applications that may be considered are attached.
Tara May introduced the item.
The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants, Gregory Husketh and
Trevor Robinson.
Chair Bedford suggested Jody Eimers and Robert Zurek for the two vacant positions.
Commissioner Fowler suggested Kristofer Cason.
The Board agreed by consensus on Robert Zurich and Kristofer Cason for the two vacant
positions.
ITEM ADDED TO AGENDA:
The Board discussed a letter from the county to the county's Senate and House of
Representatives delegation regarding federal funding.
Commissioner Carter introduced the item and reviewed the letter:
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TO: Senator Thom Tillis
Senator Ted Budd
Representative Valerie Foushee
FROM: Orange County NC Board of Commissioners
DATE: March XX, 2025
RE: NC Association of County Commissioners — Common Concerns
Executive Summary
On March 1 —4, 2025, the National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference was
held in Washington, DC. At this conference, NACo, as well as the NC Association of County
Commissioners (NCACC), identified areas where current White House and Congressional
budget reconciliation discussions may have major impact on county government services to our
communities.
These areas included:
1. Medicaid cuts
2. Cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families (TANF) and Child Protective Services
3. Elimination / Reform of FEMA
4. Removal of Federal tax exemption on interest received on municipal bond holdings
There was strong bipartisan concern expressed about cuts in these areas and their impact. We
share this concern.
Below, we share specifics with how these programs support our county's residents, and we are
writing to urge you to avoid these impacts to our counties across North Carolina.
Potential Impacts
1. Medicaid cuts:
As of December 1, 2023, Medicaid was expanded in North Carolina and now also covers
people aged 19 to 64 with incomes up to 138% of the Federal poverty level (about
$20,000/yr for an individual and $34,000/yr for a family of three).
North Carolina statute requires that any cuts that would reduce the Federal Match below
90% will result in termination of expanded Medicaid benefits.
In our county,
o More than 4,600 residents have been enrolled in the expanded Medicaid
program since 12/01/2023. (2)
o Over 21,000 residents were enrolled in "Traditional" Medicaid coverage in 2024.
(2)
o Approximately 3,900 individuals currently receiving Medicaid (19%) are older
adults or adults with disabilities.
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o For reference, statewide, almost 50% of total Medicaid expenditures are for
services geared toward this population and include nursing facilities, personal
care services, home health services, CAP/services for disabled adults, and
hospice. (1)
References:
1. https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/reports/annual-reports-and-tables
2. https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/reports/dashboards/enrollment-dashboard
2. Cuts to SNAP, TANF and Child Protective Services:
The stories of individuals illustrate how these supports enable breadwinners to continue
working and reinforce stability for families in our community:
`7 walked in the front door of[Orange County]Social Services... went through the
application processes and within a couple of weeks 1 received a phone call from
Employment Services asking if 1 wanted to participate in the Employment and
Training (Now More than a Job NC) program. 1 was nervous but excited. 1 started
taking classes offered to me by the program. The opportunity arose to work in a
temporary position. 1 jumped at it!"— Former Client A.S.
"Food Stamps[Food and Nutrition Services] were very beneficial and helped with us
saving money and being able to put our money towards things we very much needed
outside of food (housing, car, etc.)"— Client D.S.
SNAP
0 5.9% of our residents received benefits from 2017-2021 vs. 13.7% NC-wide
(1)
o Program served 10,016 people and 5,368 households in December 2024 (2)
o Direct benefits to recipients just under $22M in 2024; with $2.2M Federal
costs for program administration in 2024 (2)
TAN F
o $1.OM in Federal dollars supports child welfare staff, employment services
staff and employment programs
Child Protective Services
o Provided assessments for over 570 households for abuse or neglect,
placement and support services to 80 children in DSS custody and protective
services to more than 70 families receiving monthly in-home social work
services (2024 budget data; $2.5M in Federal dollars for staff and program
payments).
o Child Care Subsidy; direct benefits to recipients ($6.8M).
References:
1. Orange County 2023 Community Health Assessment
2. https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/social-services/program-statistics-and-
reviews/fns-caseload-statistics-reports
3. 17-Jan 2025 BOCC packet p 84
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3. Elimination / Reform of FEMA
Counties agreed that reform is needed and that adding NACo to the new FEMA
Review Council is crucial for the effectiveness of the reform effort.
Counties also agreed that eliminating or reducing FEMA would cause irreparable
harm at the local level.
Many of the emergency capabilities built in Orange County since 9/11 have been
federally funded or supported:
o The annual Emergency Management Grant Program (EMPG):
Supports upfits to the Emergency Operations Center, training/exercises,
and creation of the Countywide Emergency Operations Plan.
o The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant:
Supported acquisition of the County's new mobile command post.
o FEMA's Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP):
Funds the State's Domestic Preparedness Regions and has supported
the acquisition of generators, prime movers (tow vehicles), hazmat
decontamination capabilities, explosive ordinance disposal capabilities,
and interoperable communications.
o The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program:
Funded the purchase of electric stretchers. These devices have
improved safety for patients and cut our worker's compensation
injuries by nearly 50%.
o The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP):
Enabled acquisition/elevation of flood-prone properties locally.
Regarding disaster recovery:
o The State's capability to support counties is largely funded by administrative
costs associated with Major Disaster Declarations.
North Carolina has not historically funded the positions necessary to
execute recovery.
o Diminishing the Federal or State's ability to administer these programs would
cause recovery to drag out even further.
This will force localities to dip into reserve funds, if they are
available, to finance disaster response.
4. Removal of Federal tax exemption on interest received on municipal bond
holdings
NACo shared that the impact of such a change would equate to an additional 2.1
percentage point increase in bond interest rates.
Orange County has a AAA credit rating and assuming a 2-percentage point impact:
o For the existing bond portfolio, this would introduce an additional cost of$78.2
million over the life of the bonds.
o For Orange County's new school bond program, this would add $50 million in
cost over the life of the bonds.
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Commissioner Fowler said she supported the letter. She said on the first page, she said
she would add stronger language, such as "we oppose these changes." She said she would also
reiterate that on the last page.
Chair Bedford asked if references to NACo and NCACC both should be included.
Commissioner Carter said she had also heard feedback that the letter should be referring
to federal cuts, and that references to NACo and NCACC should be included in the body of the
email.
Commissioner Greene said at the end of section 2, there are three references but she
only saw two references.
Commissioner Carter said that was a typo.
Chair Bedford suggested removing the page break around the child protective services
section.
Vice-Chair Hamilton said she thought they should move the quotes to after the data to be
more consistent.
Chair Bedford said the sentence "This will force localities to dip into reserve funds," was
too weak.
Commissioner Greene suggested the phrase, "This will strain the localities reserve funds."
Commissioner Fowler said she liked that because it made it shorter and easier to read.
Commissioner Greene said she would use the word "summary" instead of "executive
summary."
Chair Bedford said it would come back for approval on the Consent Agenda on March 18.
Adjournment
A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Fowler, to
adjourn the meeting at 10:35 p.m.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
Jamezetta Bedford, Chair
Recorded by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board
Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board.