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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 10-14-2025-Joint Meeting w/Fire Department 1 APPROVED 1116/25 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS JOINT MEETING WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS' ASSOCIATION AND BOCC WORK SESSION October 14, 2025 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Joint Meeting with the Orange County Fire Chiefs' Association, followed by a BOCC Work Session on Tuesday, October 14, 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, Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen, Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders, and Division Chief of Fire and Life Safety Stephen Smith (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) ORANGE COUNTY CHIEFS' ASSOCIATION MEMBERS PRESENT: Chief Matthew Mauzy, Chief Kevin Brooks, Chief Jeff Cabe, Sam Smith (representing Chief Daylon Hayes), Chief William Blankenship, Chief Ricky Baker, Brandon Mullen (representing Chief Jeff Borland), Chief Brad Allison, Chris Wade (representing Chief Phillip Nasseri), Chief Will Potter, Chief Jay Mebane, Chief John Wellons, Interim Chief Matt Ingold Chair Bedford called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All commissioners were present. The Commissioners, Fire Chiefs, and staff introduced themselves. Before proceeding with the agenda, Commissioner Carter read a recognition into the record for Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15th through October 15th. The theme for this year is "Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future." She announced that Orange County Schools will be hosting a celebration the following evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Orange High School in Hillsborough, featuring student dancing, music performances, art, and poetry readings. 1. Discussion Topics/Presentation from Orange County Fire Chiefs' Association Chief Will Potter indicated that Chief Jeff Borland, President of the Orange County Fire Chiefs' Association is under the weather, so he will be presenting to the Board this evening. He began the following presentation: 2 Slide#1 October 14, 2025 Joint Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners and the Fire Chiefs Association Slide #2 Topics for Discussion • Departmental Updates: Administration and Accomplishments • Tropical Storm Chantal: Successes and Challenges • Preparing for the Future • Open Forum: Q&A 2 Slide #3 Departmental Updates 3 Slide #4 South Orange Rescue Squad VV' Chief: Matthew Mauzy Accomplishments • Volunteers completed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)certification and field training to be able to operate independently • Provided free Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)training throughout the community • Provided Emergency Medical Services standby coverage for numerous special events throughout the county • Provided technical rescue response locally and throughout the state, including swiftwater rescue and large-area search and rescue 4 Chief Matthew Mauzey noted South Orange Rescue Squad has 120 members, broken out between EMS, the technical rescue team, CPR instructors, and community member volunteers. Slide #5 Efland Fire 791 Department Fire Chief: Kevin Brooks Insurance District(ISO Rating): West Orange(3) Accomplishments • Completed renovations at Efland Station 2 • Took delivery of a new fire engine and placed it into service • Conducted a fire academy to complete certification requirements for three members • Three members completed North Carolina Emergency Medical Technician certification 5 Chief Potter indicated a mistake on slide #5 and noted that the renovations took place at Station 1. 4 Chief Kevin Brooks reported having 43 volunteers and seven part-time firefighters (with three positions currently vacant). Slide #6 Orange Rural Fire Department Fire Chief: Jeff Cabe Insurance District(ISO Rating): Town of Hillsborough(3) Central Orange(3) Accomplishments • In the process of constructing a training facility near Orange Rural Station 1 • Improved insurance rating in Town of Hillsborough and Central Orange Fire Districts • Conducted two fire academies to complete certification requirements for new personnel e Chair Bedford asked what a fire academy consists of. Chief Jeff Cabe explained that fire academies take firefighters from civilians through Firefighter ll, EMT, and Technical Rescuer certifications, noting that departments like Orange Rural, Efland, and Chapel Hill are state-certified delivery agencies. Chief Jeff Cabe reported that his department has 57 people total, including approximately 20 part-timers, 36 paid 24-hour staff, and one volunteer. Slide #7 Eno Fire Department Fire Chief: Daylon Hayes Insurance District(ISO Rating): East Orange(4) Accomplishments • Placed a new heavy rescue response apparatus in service 7 5 Sam Smith (representing Chief Daylon Hayes) said Eno Fire Department has 60 members, closely split between part-time paid personnel working day and night shifts and volunteers. Slide #8 New Hope Fire :4 Department Fire Chief: William Blankenship Insurance District(ISO Rating): orange New Hope(4) Accomplishments • Ordered a new fire engine • Updated water rescue equipment • Working to update other rescue equipment • Improving static water points • Preparing for an upcoming insurance rating inspection • Actively recruiting for multiple full-and part-time positions • Improving volunteer recruitment and retention efforts 8 Chief Potter noted that static water points are areas that are not near fire hydrants. Chief William Blankenship reported having around 50 personnel, split evenly between volunteers and part-time staff, with four full-time positions that have all recently become vacant. Commissioner Carter asked Chief Blankenship to describe the water rescue equipment upgrades. Chief Blankenship described how they experienced unprecedented flooding during Tropical Storm Chantal that left longtime members saying they had never seen water levels that high. At one point, all boats were committed to calls, leaving none available when two people were stranded on top of their completely submerged vehicle, forcing firefighters to perform a "live rescue" by entering the flowing water themselves. Since then, they've purchased rafts, personal flotation devices, helmets, throw bags, and other equipment to be more resilient in future events. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked what is involved in an insurance rating inspection. Chief Blankenship explained that inspections evaluate communications (performed by the county), water supply, personnel, training hours, number of structure fires, and how many people can be put on scene within certain timeframes. Chief Potter said he would like to point out that many volunteers are full-time firefighters in other districts, so not all volunteers are available at one time. He explained that many volunteers are needed to ensure there is coverage 24/7. 6 Slide #9 Orange Grove Fire Department Fire Chief: Ricky Baker Insurance District(ISO Rating): Cane Creek(5) Accomplishments • Significant(20%+) increase in call volume • Increased part-time firefighter coverage • Began permitting process for expansion of Orange Grove Station 2 • Continued renovations at Orange Grove Station 1 to improve energy efficiency • 6,430 hours provided by members including training classes and incident response s Chief Ricky Baker said he has 32 roster members, three full-time personnel, and about half a dozen part-time workers. He noted the call volume for Orange Grove jumped from about 400 to over 500 annually, largely due to increased medical calls, and doesn't anticipate it decreasing. Slide #10 Cedar Grove Fire ', ' Department -� Fire Chief: Jeff Borland Insurance District(ISO Rating): I Cedar Grove(5) Accomplishments • Added three new volunteer members • Applied for zero percent interest loan through Piedmont Electric for New Engine that was ordered June 2024 (anticipated delivery October 2026) 10 Brandon Mullen (representing Chief Jeff Borland) said Cedar Grove has 32 volunteers, 5 part-time firefighters, and one full-time Chief. Slide #11 Caldwell Fire 7 Department Fla Fire Chief: Brad Allison Insurance District(ISO Rating): Caldwell (4) Accomplishments • Increase in volunteer members • Ordered new brush truck • Completed station renovations at Caldwell Station 1 • Purchased additional rope rescue equipment • Two members graduated from the ACC Fire Academy/EMT Class • Maintained insurance rating for the Caldwell fire district • Received grant to replace tires on Tankers 733 & 743 11 Chief Brad Allison reported 42 volunteers with no paid staff currently, though he foresees adding part-time staff next year. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how a brush truck is different from the new engine Cedar Grove purchased. She also asked why it takes so long to get a truck. Chief Potter said there is no exact answer at this time for why there are such drastic delays and price increases. He said the state and federal government are looking into that. He shared that an engine contract signed in 2021 for about $600,000 would cost over $1 million to replace today. He deferred the Chief Allison about the brush truck. Chief Allison explained that brush trucks are smaller units for wood, fuel, and grass fires, holding 200-300 gallons of water with smaller pumps, carrying chainsaws, backpack blowers, and rakes. They cost about $70,000 compared to over $1 million for engines. He described losing a brush truck during Chantal when it dropped off a road in heavy rain, with water rising to the windows, forcing both firefighters to climb onto the truck's top. He said the replacement should arrive by the month's end. He explained that engines respond to structure fires and vehicle fires, and current wait times are three to five years for delivery of those vehicles. 8 Slide #12 White Cross Fire WHICROSS Department Fire Chief: Phillip Nasseri Insurance District(ISO Rating): I White Cross(4) Accomplishments • Volunteer memberships are up two percent in the last 12 months • New fire engine delivery expected in December • Contuined collaboration with the Chapel Hill High School Firefighter program. • Held an open house, over 300 community members attended • Participated in an event with NC State Extension Master Grader program of Orange County, at Blackwood farms showcasing the departments large animal rescue capabilities and hosted a children's fire safety education area 12 Chris Wade (representing Chief Phillip Nasseri) said White Cross has 39 firefighters on roster with about 15 part-time paid staff. Slide #13 Carrboro Fire-Rescue ' Department Fire Chief: Will Potter Insurance District(ISO Rating): Town of Carrboro(1) South Orange (2) Accomplishments • Improved insurance rating in Carrboro and South Orange Fire District • Hired a new Deputy Chief of Operations • Completed restructuring process and increased staffing to increase efficiency and effectiveness • Executed a contract for aerial ladder truck replacement • Updated the department's annual training plan 13 Chief Jeff Cabe commended Chief Potter and his team and emphasized that Carrboro's Class 1 rating is as good as it gets and represents a huge milestone. 9 Commissioner McKee asked Chief Cabe to explain why that rating is challenging for more rural districts. Chief Cabe explained that rural departments face challenges with water systems not extending beyond municipal areas, requiring them to haul water to fire scenes. He explained that hauling water requires more people on the scene, which is difficult with limited volunteers. He added that an ISO rating of 1 requires six people per truck, which is also difficult for smaller departments. He said that the county's practice of dispatching four departments to structure fires in unincorporated areas helps address water supply needs. Chief Potter added that deployment analysis, examining station locations and response times, significantly helps municipal departments achieve better ratings. He shared that Carrboro Fire-Rescue has 40 staff members total. Slide #14 Chapel Hill Fire `"APE` �k Department FIRE RESCUE Fire Chief: Jay Mebane Insurance District(ISO Rating): Town of Chapel Hill (2) Greater Chapel Hill (2) Aerial and engine on order • Beginning construction documentation for Chapel Hill Station 4 replacement • Beginning site feasibility study for Chapel Hill Station 3 replacement in partnership with Orange County EMS • Call volume on track to increase approximately 15-20% in 2025 • Discussion initiated for relocation of training center currently located beside Chapel Hill Station 4 on Weaver Dairy Road 14 Commissioner Greene asked where stations 3 and 4 are. Chief Potter said Station 4 is on Weaver Dairy Road Extension and Station 3 is on Elliot Road. He said Chief Mebane was unable to attend, but he will ask him to answer any questions after the meeting. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if the increase in these calls is also medically related. Chief Potter said they had across-the-board increases generally. He explained that in the municipal fire department space, 60 to 70%of calls are EMS-related. He said Chapel Hill is seeing an increase in EMS calls, as well as fire alarms and other fires calls. He explained that some of the increase has to do with population density, while some can be attributed to aging populations. Commissioner Greene said she believes the training center on Weaver Dairy Rd. has been an ongoing conversation. Chief Potter explained that there are two training sites: one on Millhouse Road (Orange County Chiefs' Association training site) and the Chapel Hill training center beside Station 4 on Weaver Dairy Road Extension. He said there were discussions some years ago about demolishing the latter training center. He asked Chief Cabe to provide additional context. 10 Chief Cabe said there were complaints from community members that the smoke noise disturbs them. He explained that the training facility was built before the surrounding neighborhoods were built so it was not an issue until then. Commissioner Greene asked if the trouble is finding a new site. Chief Cabe said yes. Chief Potter said they also want to relocate Station 4, which is another reason for the delay. Commissioner Greene asked what the new Orange Rural training center would do. Chief Cabe explained that Orange Rural is building a training facility at Piedmont Minerals (owned by RESCO Products)outside Hillsborough on two acres of leased land. He explained that this will keep their trucks in the district, and will keep their personnel in the district, so they can go from training to response without having to drive all the way from Chapel Hill back to Hillsborough. This addresses ISO requirements for training at designated facilities while keeping trucks and personnel in-district for response. He said the facility will include a burn structure, rappelling capabilities, confined space, and forcible entry training. Chapel Hill's Weaver Dairy facility includes classrooms and a drill tower in addition to burn capabilities. Chief Cave noted the Hillsborough Fire Department is in early construction permitting stages, using shipping containers welded together, which creates permitting challenges. The Piedmont Minerals location offers appropriate setbacks from residences in an already loud, dusty environment. Chair Bedford asked how the new facility would be paid for. Chief Cabe said Orange Rural is self-funding the facility from budget savings, having previously funded Waterstone improvements. Chief Cabe mentioned that Orange Rural ordered an engine 18 months ago for $1.1 million with expected delivery in 2027, compared to $460,000 for the last similar unit. Chair Bedford asked Emergency Services Director, Kirby Saunders, if the pandemic-era delays for ambulances are continuing. Kirby Saunders explained that a congressional hearing recently addressed these issues, with initial pandemic-related labor shortages and inflation now resolved, but prices remaining high. One conglomerate controls about 80% of the market for both fire apparatus and ambulances, with local impacts including delays, cost overruns, and increased maintenance costs. Chair Bedford said it sounds like a national issue, and Congresswoman Foushee and the two state senators should be kept informed. Chief Matthew Mauzy said it is a national issue and is not just fire trucks, but ambulances as well. He said in the last couple of weeks, his department took delivery of an ambulance that had been on order for almost two years. He said they just signed a contract three months ago for an ambulance that won't be delivered until the middle of 2028. He reiterated that what departments were already planning to do now has to back up months and months, and years in many cases, ahead of time,just so they can forecast out and take delivery in a reasonable amount of time to lifecycle the existing apparatus. Kirby Saunders added a point about the station the county is working on with Chapel Hill. He said a site feasibility study is being done, and the ambulance that will go in that station was ordered a year ago,just to try to have an ambulance by the time the brick and mortar is complete. He explained that the county is having to forecast and advance purchase equipment two years ahead to maintain operational fleets. Chief Potter shared that some manufacturers come back after contracts are signed to request additional funds due to the increased cost of manufacturing. 11 Slide #15 Mebane Fire Department 1822 Fire Chief: John Wellons Insurance District(ISO Rating): Town of Mebane(2) East Alamance(3) Accomplishments • Hired new Assistant Chief of Operations • Certified 30 members in Confined Space rescue • Placed new Engine 2 in service • Ordered a new Ladder truck • Added three new Lieutenants 15 Slide #16 North Chatham Fire Department Fire Chief: Matt Ingold (Interim) Insurance District(ISO Rating): North Chatham(3) Damascus (3) Accomplishments • Chief John Strowd retired after 51 years of service • Improved insurance rating in North Chatham and Damascus fire districts • Promoted one captain and two lieutenants • Finished renovations at North Chatham Station 2 • Began a full scope Emergency Medical Technician program • Three new apparatus on order:Two engines and an aerial platform 16 Chief Matt Ingold said they have 8 volunteers and 67 career staff people. He said they are looking to hire 6 additional people. He explained that the department hires EMTs but has been functioning at a First Responder level, and is transitioning into the full scope. Chief Potter said that allows them to perform additional skills and carry additional medications for patient care. 12 Slide #17 Tropical Storm Chantal : Successes and Challenges Slide #18 Calls Received to OC 911 W't Mol lruur 71953 Wd[n WXJ:!•PlNL'!I,P Wdirr ArNur WHrl Pruu! Wel[i A[NY[ Incidents Dispatched WJtrr ArNJr Nw A[Nor W+ttr Aruw 2 054 WJt�a 4r¢ur WJir FrCur y Struamal Lal+p,e ri+tn Arxor '" ri,tn Aruue Related Incidents by Type „dln Prvo Traffic 911 Hangup Tree in Water Crash or Hazard Road Rescue Accident I, S1'41I..Vd(JIJAY 210 474 90 70 75 WJlrr RrNur NYC Ux toI,h Flood • Hfd:��p01�1r 1 Electrical Water in Water in Fire Alarm Structure N Y,,,(0IJP1r ; — Hazard Structure Road Collapse WJ°nAlN WJf,PrNr kan IrNur --- T- 54 53 42 33 8 13 Slide #19 Successes • Emergency protocols were successfully implemented and performed as intended under operational stress. • The exceptional dedication and performance of personnel were instrumental in ensuring the safety of the community. • Effective collaboration with partner agencies proved to be a critical component of the successful response. 19 Slide #20 Challenges • Tropical Storm Chantal formed and made landfall with little to no advance notice, challenging standard preparedness timelines and forcing the immediate execution of emergency protocols. • The storm event resulted in severe and widespread impacts. • Downed trees and flooding blocked roads, created access limitations throughout the county. • Significant challenges were encountered in maintaining communications and situational awareness. • The scale of the incident exceeded local response capabilities, necessitating assistance from state resources. • Some apparatus and equipment was damaged during response to the storm. zo Chief Potter said damaged equipment will take time to get replacements due to the delays in manufacturing. Chair Bedford asked if departments will be involved in the Emergency Operations Plan update. Kirby Saunders said yes. 14 Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if any misinformation was happening during Tropical Storm Chantal that impacted their work. Chief Potter said it didn't necessarily impact their work, but there was a lot of confusion. He said people were scared and they saw a roller coaster of emotions. He said there was some misinformation, but county and town staff did a great job of providing updated and accurate information to residents. Kirby Saunders said there was misinformation, but that is normal in disasters. He said there was no purposeful disinformation that he is aware of. He commended Community Relations and communicators across the county for addressing misinformation and putting out accurate information. Commissioner Fowler said the Board is extremely grateful for the heroic actions of first responders. She shared her experience with the weather returning home that day from the Western part of the state. She asked if they are working more formally to make connections with neighboring counties for aid in case of future emergencies. Chief Potter explained that there is a statewide emergency mutual aid agreement that allows for the assistance received from other jurisdictions across the state. He reiterated the unprecedented impact of Tropical Storm Chantal in this area. Kirby Saunders said there is a lot of opportunity to improve the emergency action planning and invest in technology with better measuring capability, especially of critical infrastructure, but there will always be an unknown. He expressed kudos to the fire department personnel for always being prepared and having a plan B and a plan C and a plan D when plan A doesn't always work out. He shared that of the almost 8,000 9-1-1 calls, 3,000 were received within one hour. In addition to the sheer magnitude of what was happening, he said not only did they risk their lives going into harm's way, they did so with very little support from Emergency Services because they had lost the capability to provide the support that they normally depend on every day. He said their response was an impressive team effort. Commissioner Fowler asked if other counties answer calls when there is an increase like there was that night. Kirby Saunders said yes. He explained that there is a national effort to implement the coordination that allows for this in North Carolina. Chief Potter said they have had extensive conversations about what happened and what they can do with the ultimate understanding that there are some situations they simply can't anticipate. He said with flooding, there are so many different variables. Chief Cabe said in addition to the calls received in the 9-1-1 center, they were coming across others in need while responding to other calls. He said the only way to tell what really happened is to look at all the fire and EMS reports from that night because even the call volume doesn't capture all the responses. Chief Kevin Brooks agreed that responses were higher than the calls. Chief Mauzy said this was not an isolated incident, so all departments were impacted and responding to their maximum capacity. To add to Commissioner Fowler's question, he said they rely heavily on professional weather forecasters, and based their anticipated response on the forecasted 5-7-inch worst-case scenario, when in reality it was much worse and worsened so quickly. He explained that it was difficult to call staff back in and difficult to call for mutual aid quickly because of that. 15 Slide #21 Emergency Communications Slide #22 Completed Projects • Implementation of the Automated Dispatch System • Migration to the Statewide VIPER TDMA Radio Platform • In-Building Communications Enhancement: Bi- Directional Antenna (BDA) Project • Public Safety Radio Fleet Modernization Initiative (ARPA-Funded) 22 Slide #23 Scheduled Projects • Upgrade radio infrastructure and strategically expand VIPER network coverage. • Enhance the performance and reliability of the public safety paging system. • Execute the full replacement of the current Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. 23 16 Slide #24 Preparing for the Future Slide #25 Strategic Planning The Orange County Chiefs Association has initiated a strategic planning process to define the organization's future direction and enhance its service to the community. • Define a unified vision and mission • Setting clear goals and priorities 25 Slide#26 Emergency Operations Planning • Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment • Countywide Comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan 26 17 Chief Potter said he's not aware of another countywide plan like this in our area. Slide #27 Request for Continued Support • Countywide Interoperable Communications Plan Development • Situational Awareness & Coordination Resource Enhancement • Resiliency and Continuity of Operations (COOP) Planning • Technical Rescue Capability Development 27 Slide #28 Questions and Discussion Commissioner Carter commented on the board's admiration for the Chiefs' commitment and heroism during Tropical Storm Chantal, particularly those performing live water rescues. She noted the difficulty in envisioning specific improvements for future events but appreciated the items they presented. She raised a larger conversation about river hazard mitigation planning and addressing risk exposure at the source by removing hazards and relocating people from inherently at-risk structures, specifically mentioning flood-prone properties that generated many swift water rescue calls. She said she hopes the Board can come back to this discussion later. Chief Potter said there are several mitigation strategies identified in the Eno-Haw Hazard Mitigation Plan that will be incorporated into the Emergency Operations Plan. Vice-Chair Hamilton added her thanks and admiration. She noted that when thinking about county growth and land use planning, the Board needs to consider emergency services and fire 18 department needs, including setting aside land for stations, since insurance ratings depend on proximity. Chair Bedford expressed that every commissioner puts resident health and safety as the primary consideration. She noted receiving emails from people out of the county offering help if Director Saunders needed anything, and that the Board's goal was to stay out of the way and let responders do their jobs during the emergency. She mentioned ongoing partnerships post- incident, with departments going to neighborhoods addressing water distribution concerns due to water and sewage plant damage. She said DSS has reduced hotel placements from the storm to six people, with recovery continuing three months later. Chief Potter acknowledged those still displaced and working to recover and responders are keeping them in their thoughts. BRIEF RECESS/Transition to Work Session Chair Bedford made a motion to recess the meeting for 7 minutes, seconded by Commissioner McKee. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Chair Bedford, seconded by Vice-Chair Hamilton, to reconvene the meeting at 8:24 pm. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 2. Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 — Board Request for Additional Information The Board received the second presentation in a series in response to the Board's request for additional background information for the Land Use Plan 2050 process and to provide feedback to staff on two scopes of services for meeting facilitation services, as requested by the BOCC at the September 9, 2025 work session. BACKGROUND: At its April 8, 2025 work session, the Board reviewed a tentative schedule for receiving presentations from County staff and in some cases, guest presenters, to provide additional background information for better informing its direction on the Land Use Plan 2050 process. The Board's calendar preference was for staff to schedule agenda items through mid- November to receive the information. Attachment A is Part A of the BOCC request for additional information grouped into six (6) topic areas by subject. To cover all topic areas, presentations to the Board are scheduled for work sessions on September 9, October 14, and November 11, 2025; and at half-day retreats, scheduled for November 14 and November 21, 2025. The half-day retreats are needed to cover Part B (Attachment B) of the Board's request for information and will include several guest presenters. Due to time constraints at the September 9 work session, Staff was unable to complete the entire planned presentation; therefore, the October 14 work session will include completion of the presentation on the Central Orange Coordinated Area (COCA) and the Water and Sewer Management, Planning, and Boundary Agreement (WASMPBA). Additionally, staff from the Town of Hillsborough will present information on the Towns' utility constraints. Specifically, the BOCC requested the following information from the Town: 19 1. WHY does Hillsborough want to constrict their water/sewer boundary? a) Cost? Of what? Maintenance? Expansion? Other? b) Lack of water supply? c) Or combination of factors? E.g., Choosing to be denser in smaller footprint not related to water supply? d) Seems like density should be near the train station. Additionally, at the September 9, 2025 work session, the Board requested to review scopes of services for potential meeting facilitation services for the November 21, 2025 Board retreat. Attachment C includes two scopes of services from potential consultants. The Board is requested to provide feedback to staff regarding any preferences BOCC members may have. The draft PowerPoint presentation is included in Attachment D. Community Engagement Window#3, to unveil a draft Land Use Plan 2050, is anticipated to occur early next year. Additional information, including robust public notification, will be forthcoming closer to the opening of engagement. Additional information about the project, including e-mail sign-up for project updates, are available on the project website: https://www.orangecountylanduseplan.com. Completed project deliverables, including Fact Book; outreach summaries; and more, are also available on the project website: https://www.orangecountylanduseplan.com/resources Perdita Holtz, Planning & Inspections Deputy Director, Long-Range Planning & Administration, continued the presentation on joint plans and agreements started at the September work session, noting the importance of reaching Tom Altieri's time-sensitive portion: Slide #1 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Item 1 Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 - Board Request for Additional Information 20 Slide#2 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Central Orange Coordinated Area (COCA) Water & Sewer Management, Planning, and Boundary Agreement (WASMPBA) Slide #3 BOCC Request a) Remind us about the rural buffer/joint planning and distinguish that from the WASMPBA (Water and Sewer Management, Planning, and Boundary Agreement). b) What is the rationale for each? c) Where does the WASMPBA interact? d) Who are the Agreement partners? e) Which includes policies and practices that would be implemented if there were failing wells and septic systems and/or a water/sewer emergency? f) If appropriate, please reference other joint agreements with the towns and utility providers. g) What can be built and/or operated in the rural buffer? h) What are the processes to make changes to the agreements? i) If the Board does wish to have an action item to explore expanding water/sewer at some location of the map where it is not currently allowed,then is that in the Land Use Plan 2050?Or is it a separate work petitioned by the Board?What is the order of doing things? Seems like it matters?What would that process look like? j) On the map of Carrboro Transition and/or ETJ area, is that blue dot in the rural buffer? ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA 21 Slide #4 Central Orange Coordinated Area (COCA) ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Slide #5 Town of HNlshoroughlOrange County Central Orange Coordinaled Area Land use Plan Areas Within the Town's Urban Semce Boundary Parties: Town of Hillsborough and Orange 4. County ' • 2006 — Strategic Growth Plan Report (Phase 1) • 2009 — Interlocal Land Management Agreement a (Phase 11) • Called for preparation of a Joint Land Use Plan ,'J • 2013 — Joint Land Use = Plan adopted by both \" jurisdictions -mow wM•o.nu♦rw y�~w w�i.wrrawrYw'uM w ewvwh wrr w wr mom..w https:llwww.orangerountync.gov/3031/Lone •+.+.aw..r.y.oxty.,ebaar ewaa Range-Comprehensive-Planning 22 Perdita Holtz noted that the map pictured on the slide [and enlarged on the next page of the minutes] has been amended a few times since the plan was adopted. She said there have also been several implementation measures over the years, including a swap of jurisdictional lands, basically swapping EJS and non-ETJ areas. Additionally, there was an expansion of the economic development area south of 1-40 in 2020. She added that at some point during the mid- 2010s, Orange County and the Town of Hillsborough adopted a resolution indicating both jurisdictions considered the implementation of the plan to be complete. Perdita Holtz explained that the map shows the boundaries of the Hillsborough urban service area, the area the town anticipated serving with water and sewer. She said the Board will hear more later about the utility capacity study and the sustainability plan that Hillsborough completed approximately two years ago. She explained that eventually, the town will initiate the process to pull back its utility service area due to capacity constraints, which would require amendments to this plan. Commissioner Carter asked if there was anything in place like this before the COCA, or if this was a greenfield-type effort. Perdita Holtz said this was a greenfield-type effort except for a courtesy review agreement for development projects that was in place before, and still is in place, with the Town of Hillsborough. 23 [Enlarged from slide #5] To-.P,-,l of IHillsboroughiOrange County Central Orange Com mated Area Land use Plan Areas Within theTown's Urban Servire Boundary � � ��` l ter'• J ..I\ 3 L ; M, £I4• * - I,J �j •4 I W°�� �''I r{ I ki lwm:FLn5i—cm 1 • 0 Urban servke Eau KLuN mftffFarl R—&—kul I I �Emp wr-!rt =L.@htlndusvIaI I r �niedun'IxrcltrHesatntul ;- ihii.wrm5idaralahw bar ,+e ONe;,h naod _MWetl Use TN Urban se.,rlev 9a0ndary rticdlee Ih$IlnafS p!HJShg ra._Igh x,14gr and 5gv.gr •g rtilCo norril6lerll with an QAftLgH 7hwd Moved Use Ifder4QwlAgreement-lb Orjrye Cvmty.9VVA,SA.Chapel H4.Cwitcr4 and I Wllobw gh Fratur4 tv4:Uwe �wrn—cC%—• 1 .+ SYpA to Used W Hll$Wr4•rph and Orange G44nty d*the W$jrl for dppM4Ing 39nrQ Oaalp-ralleru Qn Wbred NeAllServizes ppvGelG arij llti7rreWffl 1hP t*urrdiry.Gp'rgo$Wt Wo ih@-IrfIar4Q44 Agg4 -VM"W,#4rl 4rinp CaunO+WA "I Ind HIISMrWOh Small laclgsldardlal Araas oulruY the Urban Sj,-,im r.Ekundary rpih a FuILF*Laski use r!er.gnabon Ana"U on%Kmaiy =Suhurber50fhac crossing a]arDal.Araas outmdP iha Lktan 2arvcL6 Boundaryr wlh current uhlty eumcm ftaln Iha Town of Town C—d. Hllstaraigh will relam screice lrppraved by Hllsbucuph 1-11.13 Urban Nckonbofhaod rporaved by M 9OCC 11.5.13 M*ark,rrafarm Arrlended by the BOCC and HilsbarauW 9-f2-16 Amended byi4ilsbaraugh 13.26•191 snd Hx 90CC 11fl•8.201 24 Slide #6 Water & Sewer Management, Planning, and Boundary Agreement (WASMPBA) ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Slide #7 Water & Sewer Management, Planning, and Boundary Agreement (WASMPBA) • 5-Party Interlocal Agreement APPendlaA Water a nd Sewer Management Planning and Boundary Agreement — OC, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, OWASA • Signed in 2001 after several years of work on the topic • The map defines areas where parties to the agreement may and may not provide water �.. ..._w. o- and/or sewer service. m ' https://www.orangecountync.gov/3031/ Long-Range-Comprehensive-Planning =--� 25 Appendix Water and Sewer Management Planning and Boundary Agreement N aharYo- is P� ipp 1: i Legend =HII19horough Lang-Term Interest Area HIII9harough Prknary Service An,a UWASAUrg-TeM N&e9t Rfea Orange County Primary Service Area OWASA Primary Service Area Orange COuMy LOrig-Terlrt lrilere9l Afea a Rurel SuRer Beundary D 1 2 3 4 Miles i inch=3 miles =—t,Nrnry Ntl.—I—P�sevr aµar.=on'rs.r�ry swwc..a•..e•+„v.-mifUiramr [.�ti•.o r4r.Eoss�P'lNn�A"+�n,u lm�Bi.n Ca•.m rO�MP i{�,Y'P�4'/S/n'n+'Y SY v.:�.i�,e•�,Lei nun Adxtl M11.�wc'F.P�x P''.'n;•-I[..ima.Mre C1Ym�1 rfi3•TP Rms.'Gry Corry J11iury'.�n,u Imp Ai•sn CaMIYi.'63'IP Hp!aYa.1yLb xpl n..,�y S�rna Am.M•un Cal.nm!6•}310. I�tl.Y'SYxix M•.m @Ya1s 3PP2 A.o MRnM—mY--Cy.whi' rmwp PYp�r'Nro fYpxe=8r erS.M=af�>t.dH144t Effective data 1V712020 26 Slide#8 Orange County Primary Service Area • Orange County does not operate a water system and no longer operates a sewerage system — (former Efland system was transferred to the City of Mebane in the early/mid 2010s). • Idea for Orange County Primary Service Areas(PSA) was for Orange County to coordinate with providers to operate systems within the County's PSAs. — Former agreements with the Cities of Mebane and Durham • Agreements now defunct ORANGE COUNTY NORTH C.AROLINA Perdita Holtz emphasized that Orange County does not operate a water system and no longer operates a sewer system. She explained that the idea for Orange County's primary service area was for Orange County to coordinate and partner with providers to operate systems within the county's primary service area, so there were former agreements with the cities of Mebane and Durham, but those agreements are now defunct. Commissioner Fowler asked why those agreements are defunct. In Durham's case, Perdita Holtz explained that there was a sewer system study done in the mid-2000s that determined that sewer expansion into the Eno Economic Development District (EDD) was not going to be financially feasible because of capacity constraints further down the line within Durham. In Mebane's case, she said Mebane is currently covering the areas that were included in the service agreement, like the Buckhorn EDD, and took over the former Efland system that was Orange County's. She said it is understood that they will continue to serve those areas, so the service agreement was sunset. Commissioner Carter asked if these agreements timed out or if formal notice of withdrawal from the agreement was required. Perdita Holtz said these agreements had termination dates that went into effect unless the agreements were renewed. Chair Bedford asked if her memory is correct that Orange County Planning staff has recently contacted Durham and confirmed that they still do not have capacity. Perdita Holtz said there were some attempts in 2020 to work with Durham, but efforts fizzled out. On a related note, Cy Stober shared that Mebane has initiated a study with Orange- Alamance's Water System to look into consolidating the two systems. He said the report from that study will be delivered sometime in the next year. Commissioner McKee said he recalls that Durham was not interested in pursuing an agreement. Chair Bedford agreed. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if leadership in Durham has changed since the last attempts. Cy Stober said there were staff changes, and council members have changed as well. He said that Bryant Green was with the City of Durham at the time, so he may be able to share more information. 27 Bryant Green, Engineering Services Manager with the Town of Hillsborough, said that he was assigned to study this topic when he was with the City of Durham. He explained that the very western edge of Durham's water system is very small, barely big enough to serve a trailer park or infill development. He said what was envisioned in the Eno EDD was a very large, potentially industrial-based pump station with a lot of flow. When the study was done, there was a significant amount of downstream gravity sewer upgrades that would've been necessary, which amounted to double or triple the cost of the project. He said some Planning issues would have had to be navigated as well regarding required annexation. He shared that, ultimately, the combined weight of those factors resulted in the project fizzling out. Slide #9 Purpose (paraphrased) • To provide a comprehensive, countywide system of utility service areas. • To complement growth management, land use, and annexation plans. • To resolve in advance and preclude future conflicts about future service areas_ • To provide predictable long-range water/sewer capital planning and financing. • To provide for limitations on water and sewer service in certain areas. ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Slide#10 Some Key Definitions (paraphrased) • Primary Service Area:Areas where water and/or sewer service is provided, or might be provided according to adopted plans and future amendments to adopted plans(see Appendix A map). • Long-Term Interest Areas:Areas where water and/or sewer service is not anticipated, but if provided, OWASA, Hillsborough.or Orange County(depending on the geographic area)will be responsible for coordinating the provision of service(see Appendix A map). • Essential Public Facility: A publicly owned facility such as a school, fire station,or solid waste convenience center that provides a service for the health, safety,and/or general welfare of county residents. • Adverse Public Health Condition: A situation where a wastewater (septic)system is failing and no on-site repair area is available or a well water supply system is contaminated and options to remedy the situation do not exist. ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA 28 Perdita Holtz highlighted the definition of Long-Term Interest Area, emphasizing that it does not mean an area that will have services someday. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if Perdita Holtz is saying that was the intention of the Board members at the time, and cannot be changed. Perdita Holtz said it was the intent of all the parties at the time, but it can be changed, and there have been changes through the years. Commissioner McKee said he anticipates future expansions around Hillsborough, Mebane, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro as available land builds out, and density needs increase. Slide #11 Provision of Service • Within a primary service area(or as needed in a long- term interest area),the designated provider agrees to provide service as system capacity,financial resources, and other reasonable considerations allow. • The designated provider for a primary service area or long-term interest area has the right of first refusal to provide service to an adverse public health condition or essential public facility. Orange County retains the right to address an adverse public health condition of essential public facility need if no other water and sewer provider is available. ORANGE COUNTY \Offl H C AROUNA Commissioner Carter said she recalls former Commissioner Barry Jacobs sharing that this clause is what helped get the WASMPBA agreement started during his recent comments at a meeting. Perdita Holtz confirmed that Piney Mountain, a subdivision with failing septic systems in the mid-1990s, was one of the impetuses for the WASMPBA. She said it's conceivable that new developments on community septic or well could have challenges again, and that's what WASMPBA helps address. Slide #12 Limitations on Service • No extension of public water and sewer lines into a long-term interest area except to address an adverse public health condition or serve an essential public facility. • Public water and sewer lines extended into a long-term interest area shall be sized so as to serve only the intended use and cannot be used for other purposes. ORANGE COUNTY Nowr"CAROUNA 29 Perdita Holtz connected the concepts on this slide to other county regulations, including UDO prohibitions on water/sewer in the rural buffer, the zoning district charts in Article three of the UDO where access or no access to water and sewer systems are mentioned, and the land use and zoning matrix in Appendix F of the Comprehensive Plan, which zoning are considered to be consistent with land use classifications. She explained that all of this ties together to indicate where water and sewer can and cannot be provided. She explained that this impacts development because there cannot be dense development if there are no water and sewer systems. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if there is a termination date for this agreement. Perdita Holtz said this agreement is in effect until one party withdraws or all parties reconvene to renegotiate the terms of the agreement. With that said, she explained that there have been four or five amendments over the years, and while most of them were rather small, there have been expansions and changes to the primary service area. Chair Bedford said she recalls seeing a recommendation or suggestion that the parties re- examine the agreement every 10 years. Cy Stober said a 10-year review and readoption was proposed in the draft CLUP that the Board saw in the spring. Slide #13 Amending the Agreement • Prescribed Process in Section II.D • Any change requires approval of all parties to the agreement • The addition of other parties to the agreement requires the consent of the current parties ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Slide #14 Withdrawal from the Agreement • Prescribed Process in Section ILE • Party wishing to withdraw must hold a public hearing on the proposed withdrawal • Written notices to the other parties after public hearing • Withdrawal effective one year after receipt of written notice by other parties • Withdrawal of one party does not invalidate the Agreement with respect to the remaining parties ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROJJNA 30 Chair Bedford said it seems like there wouldn't be much of an impact if Orange County withdrew from the agreement, but there would be impacts if OWASA or Hillsborough withdrew. Perdita Holtz said it would theoretically depend on the reason Orange County withdrew, but agreed that if one of the utility service providers withdrew, their withdrawal would be more consequential than if Orange County or Chapel Hill withdrew. Cy Stober agreed with Perdita Holtz, explaining that the agreement prevents oversizing utilities to invite development between existing service and new connection points. Slide #15 Order of Amending (County-only Plans/Regulations vs. Joint Plans/Agreements) ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROUNA Commissioner Carter asked for information on the amendments to WASMPBA. Perdita Holtz said there is a list of amendment dates on Appendix A map, the first of which was in 2010 to make changes in the Efland-Mebane Corridor, particularly between HWY 70 and Lebanon Rd. There were also changes in the early 2010s to pull back Hillsborough's primary service area, creating long-term interest areas. She added that there were also two small amendments done for Carrboro off of Smith Level Rd., and one done for Chapel Hill's ETJ. Chair Bedford also recalled an amendment approved a couple of years ago down 15-501 to the Chatham County line. Slide #16 • Ajoint plan and/or agreement should be amended first, but process can run concurrently with the amendment process for a County-only planlregulation. • Rationale: • The County(or Towns)should not adopt something in conflict with a joint plan/agreement — Causes confusion — Possibly violates terms or spirit of a joint plan/agreement — If County adopts something inconsistent with a joint plan/agreement,there would be ambiguity regarding which applies. ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA 31 Perdita Holtz said it is ultimately up to the Board if they would like to pursue amending agreements concurrently, but this is the recommendation from staff. Slide #17 • Draft 2050 Land Use Plan (LUP) contains ~' Topics for Future 44 ' Coordination. r. • The proposed * i �-W— Conservation and "L -•# i Growth Framework map ' �""°'" x�ni xu� in the draft 2050 LUP does NOT change �•. existing policy in the �• o Rural Buffer or Municipal Orange County-Chapel H,II•Carrboro Joint Planning Area Land Use Transition Areas. Plan Topics of Future Coordination — Draft plan includes an O Re-evaluabonofRura18ufber ©Concept of Munco Tnresrbon A ea expansion action item for coordinated O I,Wpservg*Area botx,d,nes and pol,c*s review of Q Concept o'a M aed Uses Center round Blackwood 2 a•on Q Concept of Rural Conservabon Neighborhoods m R,,•al° 4 intergovernmental O Concept o'Rural Act v ry Nodes in Run'Svlor planning agreements on a 10-year cycle Perdita Holtz explained that the plan is suggesting exploring the six ideas on the map [enlarged on the next page of the minutes] with county partners, not that the county is adopting changes to the existing plans or agreements. 32 .ram BI.c oDd 1 - �#6 tiILF - r - Cmwmr%wbr im r r F J -r Fzrm!ii'tii ID or, NmWb3ftcd i L Fiil'tL BILL RJ L � ■� rr'` � Ri 1-I'1nL 1 id L �■'ti .1 A II( I kf IIr Lt II( LQW Dw ` � by R 6 - Fsd rratitj Fksi J L OmL L 3. J � L L ID r , L L ti ti 1 r-i o'" }&-,um _ 1 J r ,+r - J �ji* 1pM Y L L L MINE � L ■ r-J Orange C-DUn h3pel Hil I- Carrhoco ,J-Dint Planning Area land Use Plan Topics of FutUFP Coa-rd inati-Dn Re-evaluation of Dural Buffei Concept D-Municipal Tranr,itian AFea e.xpanSian Wityr Sevice Area bDunclaries and paliciier, Canc;ept a=a M aed Uses Center amund Blaokwaad StatiGn CMDE-pt a=Rural Comefvatkm Neighbod cDc!5 in Rural Bier 0 CDnoept o-Rural amity Nor. in Rural Buffer 33 Slide #18 Questions/ Discussion ORANGECOUNTY nnHrni nkni mn Commissioner Carter explored the idea of the county pursuing concurrent amendments to joint plans and the comprehensive plan, acknowledging that staff recommended joint plans should be amended first. Perdita Holtz said the Board can if they so choose. Commissioner Greene stressed the importance of trust between Orange County and its municipal partners, expressing that changes to intergovernmental agreements without planning with partners would not be perceived well by other elected boards. Commissioner Carter agreed it would be important to maintain transparency with partners throughout the process to ensure alignment and avoid any mistrust or miscommunication. However, she said the Board should align itself first. Commissioner Greene advocated for the Assembly of Governments meeting as a forum for such a discussion. Cy Stober shared that the six concepts on the map on the previous slide were presented as part of a public engagement draft to the Board in March and April. He said staff would have also gathered input from the public and the Planning Board as well as municipal and utility partners. He explained that it was table setting for a discussion with partners on these agreements and would have been struck if there was no interest. Chair Bedford said the Board may want to keep all options open at this point and narrow down specific topics for future coordination as they move through this process. Slide #19 �1 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Town of Hillsborough Utility Constraints 34 Matt Efird, Assistant Town Manager and Director of the Community Services Department with the Town of Hillsborough, continued the presentation: Slide #20 Land Use Planning and Water & Sewer Capacity Update BOCC Presentation on Orange County Draft Land Use Plan October 14,2025 III s TOWN OF HILLSBOROUGH Matt Efird indicated that the information that will be presented is the official position of the Town of Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, as those board members reviewed the information at last night's meeting. He introduced Bryant Green, Engineering Services Manager with the Town of Hillsborough. Slide #21 Topics •Town Water&Sewer Capacity Constraints and Updates •Town and County Land Use Planning Updates and how Hillsborough is planning for sustainability through coordinated land use, utilities, and transportation planning HILLSBOROUGH 35 Bryant Green continued the presentation: Slide #22 Water & Sewer Capacity Status Water treatment capacity remains,sewer treatment plant capacity is constricted by permit limits • Projection through 2040 • Prq] based upon water r,p,ity,preadsheet provided by planning department- ,. committed and potential • River sewer basin is capacity constrained due to wet weather : • Monitor Elizabeth Brady sewer basin •' ��, \ • Other smaller sewer pumping stations projected capacity concerns • Additional developments that are already approved will use more '3 treatment plant capacity t Currently working on water system capacity modeling _ • Given the constraints with pressure and water quality,the Town is — reserving the remaining sewer capacity for projects that can be served with better quality water at higher pressures. _ Bryant Green said a lot of this information was presented to the Board in February or March. He confirmed that the Town of Hillsborough has a significant amount of water treatment capacity remaining and a significant supply of raw water remaining in its system. He said the sewer treatment plant capacity is constrained by a lot of permitting limits, and the town was also driven by some regulatory thresholds they are required to meet in addition to being part of the Falls Lake rules. He shared that the town is fine-tuning its final water system model and will present that to the Town of Hillsborough Board of Commissioners with some CIP recommendations later this year. Connecting this topic back to the joint portion of the evening, Bryant Green said that a lot of fire districts in the county rely on the town's water system to provide adequate fire flow protection, and they are always mindful of that when doing hydraulic modeling in the water system. He said his goal is to make sure the town is a good steward of both water quality and fire flow availability so that they can remain a good partner in the community. He explained that one of the driving factors behind the town's technical desire to reduce the urban service boundary is the desire to provide the best quality and quantity of water to as many people as possible, and the town plans to achieve that by serving a smaller area that has a higher level of density. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if the regulatory constraints are federal requirements. Bryant Green said the regulatory constraints in question are part of the town's NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit that is issued by the state. The state dictates how many pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus the town can discharge into the Eno River each year, and there is a cap to that number. Given the current Falls Lake rules and pending Falls Lake rules, he explained it is unlikely the town would get additional discharge into that reservoir and has been a good steward of the poundage allocated so far. Commissioner Carter said she is the representative on the Neuse River Basic Association board, and there is a lot of discussion happening on the Falls Lake rules. She said it seems they are in flux and is not clear if they will become more or less strict right now. 36 Matt Efird said the Falls Lake rules are the biggest threat to the continued growth of Hillsborough, explaining that the town will hit the limits in those rules faster than any others, and that horizon is not much longer than five years. Slide #23 Water Supply • WFER iao% fi45.91 518.]3 PFu112 •Jordan Lake Allocation (1 MGD) [Enlar ed from slide #23] Estimated Days %Remaining Streamtlow Channel Remaining Remainingwith Mean Total Storage Unusable Usable Storage Useable Current Average Augmentation Loss Lake Orange Days of 20% Condition Depth Elevation al Storage al al Storage al Daily Use d tl Multiplier Supplement(gpell Storage Evaporation Phase 53 543 1,829,157,124 7.692.649 1,821,464.475 100% 1,700,000 650,000 1.2 516,73 Full Bryant Green said in addition to the West Fork of the Eno reservoir, the Lake Orange facility, which is owned and operated by Orange County, is another important source of raw water for the town. He reiterated that the town has a very comfortable supply of raw water that amounts to almost two years' worth. Additionally, the town has an allocation out of Jordan Lake, and can access it through the City of Durham interconnection, which would bring even more water into the town's system. Commissioner Carter asked if Hillsborough depends on Lake Orange for an emergency water supply. Bryant Green said the town relies on Lake Orange, but has a run-of-the-river supply vs. a direct connection that other municipalities may have. He explained that Lake Orange and West Fork discharge into the Eno River, and the town then pulls its water out of the river. Cy Stober described the locations of the intakes and told the Board that there is a relevant text amendment about reservoir setbacks coming forward soon. 37 Slide #24 Water Quality • Water service area reduced to decrease the distance from the Town's water plant �r • The Urban Service Boundary _ was adjusted most significantly on the eastern side of the j_ - system, the water plant is on the western edge of the Town's service area. Bryant Green said the town serves around 70% of the land area that OWASA serves and has about 20% of the customers, so the water is spread very wide and very thin. As a result, it takes a long time to get water from the water treatment plant to the very edges of the service area. He said the town is pulling everything closer to the water plant to reduce the distance from the water plant and the most distant customers, consistent with the town's desire to serve the best, highest quality water possible, given the amount of capacity that's remaining. Commissioner Carter asked if there are currently people being served in the areas the town is pulling back from. Bryant Green said yes, and some schools are outside of the boundaries as well. Commissioner Fowler asked if the town would continue to serve the schools regardless. Bryant Green said yes. He explained the town would not extend new water and sewer mains past those points, but those currently receiving service will still receive service. 38 Slide #25 Water Quality • The further water gets from our water treatment plant,the longer it sits in the O pipes and tanks • Water age affects water quality.Older water has lower chlorine and increase risk O of developing disinfection byproducts JO • Town changes disinfection process and O flushes annually to address water quality, but the volume of water required is significanti�.'�e ,Noa Slide #26 Topography •The Town's water system is divided into three pressure zones. These zones are defined the elevation of the water tank that serves them •The north zone's tank is at an elevation of 814'.There are isolated areas in this zone that are 1 over 700' in elevation.These ) e areas would likely not have ' enough pressure. r 0 V- � a Bryant Green said the combination of water quality concerns and topography concerns explains why there is a planned reduction in the service area. Vice-Chair Hamilton asked if there is any way to increase the pressure in places of higher topography. Bryant Green said the town could create a "new pressure zone", but the pumps that would be required are expensive to operate and maintain. He said domestic booster pumps are another option, but those are part of the private plumbing of a residence and the homeowner would maintain those. 39 Slide #27 Wastewater Plant Wastewater Plant Daily Flows s ; r• 4.5 •.a 4 3.5 s 2019 AVG 3 2024 AVG 2.5 � �• •►••2019 MAX •2024 MAX 1.5 •�. ,�•...,r1 •, Max Hydraulic Capacity 1 0.5 i � a Jar Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec rTVW Bryant Green said the max days are routinely significantly higher than the capacity of the plant to pass sewage through it, while still treating it to an acceptable standard. This is another thing the town monitors, but this is not as big a restriction as some of these nutrient limits. Chair Bedford asked if that is due to rainfall and stormwater. Bryant Green said yes. 40 Slide #28 Future Wastewater Flow Projection Hillsborough Wastewater Average Annual Daily Flow Million Gallons per Day 3 WWTP Rated Capaci nalnry 2.5 i nenaon Past lfi years of alatoncal eats axra8es ual Increeseo12.4%In auarage daily hydraulic llow. 0.5 0 [Chart enlarged below] Hillsborough Wastewater Average Annual Daily Flow 3 Million Gallons per Day WWTP Rated Capa 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 00 Ol O c-1 N rn �* Ln `.D n 00 M O r-1 N rn �* un to n 00 M O r-1 N rn �* Ln `.D n 00 M O 0 0 c-1 c-1 r-1 C-1 c-1 r q r q C-1 C-1 c-1 N N N N N N N N N N CO CO M rn M CO CO Cn rn rn v 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N rV N N N N N N N N Bryant Green explained that the solid blue line is the towns predicted flow based on permitted developments or those under construction, as well as historical trends, while the purple line represents actual data. He said there is a cone of uncertainty at the end of the projection, which basically means that the flow could end up falling anywhere in the shaded blue area. He said the town can treat about 3 million gallons safely per day; however, due to nutrient limits, the town can realistically only treat about 2.2 to 2.5 million gallons a day. 41 Slide #29 Nutrient Limitations • Falls Lake Rules • Town wastewater permit limits pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus discharged annually • No concentration permit limit for these but measured in mg/L and converted to pounds • Nitrogen is of main concern • Found in organic waste(i.e.,mostly human and food sources) • Limited to 10,422 lbs.per year • Used 68%in 2024 • Noticeable increase in 2023 and 2024 Bryant Green reiterated that annual nitrogen limits in the Falls Lake rules have a significant impact on the town's capacity. Commissioner McKee asked if updates to the water treatment plant are still on track despite issues with federal funding. Bryant Green said, unfortunately, the town's FEMA BRICK grant for pump station upgrades was rescinded as part of a nationwide program elimination, so there is no funding source for upgrades to the pump station that pumps into the wastewater treatment plant. Commissioner McKee asked how the town's nutrient level would be impacted if they were able to access funding to upgrade the pump. Matt Efird said, given the already high rates, if the town were forced to choose between growth limitation and putting in a reverse osmosis plant or something similar, the community would be better served by limiting growth. He explained that it is prohibitively expensive to explore those alternative treatments. Commissioner McKee asked what the downside is to limited growth. Matt Efird said costly legal defenses for developers that are denied are one of the downsides. Chair Bedford added that housing costs go up as well. 42 Slide #30 Capacity Ta keaway Utilities Staff Concerns in Priority Order 1. Collection system 2. Distribution system 3. Nutrient wastewater limits 4. Water treatment process limits ' 5. Water storage/fire protection u PPIY WTP IDn COLL WWIP 6. Water supply Bryant Green said this slide summarizes the barriers the town is balancing and shows the order of priority in which they are trying to address them. He said the pump station mentioned earlier that was going to be addressed before the BRICK funding was rescinded is part of the collection system, which is the top priority right now. The second priority is the distribution system, which encompasses the water quality issues as well as the quantity of water and maintaining adequate fire flow. Matt Efird reiterated that there are issues with the system that takes the water from the water treatment plant and provides it to homes, and the town has invested a lot of capital money in that area. He said there is a big problem with the system that takes the sewage from the homes to the water treatment plant, and that's where most of the system capacity restraints are. To summarize, he said it's less of a system treatment capacity issue but more of the constraints between the existing system and homes and moving that sewage to the plants. As a result, there are a lot of planned upgrades to serve development, things like outfalls and the pump stations that move the sewage around wastewater. Chair Bedford asked what outfall is. Matt Efird said it's a collection of smaller pipes that move water to a bigger pipe and out. 43 Slide #31 y.irs6 PolenlY GawAilnn Sewer Capacity Connection to Land Use Plans _. .. The Town's Comprehensive Sustainability Plan , recommendations: • Reduction of the Urban Service Boundary to Prevent/reduce sprawl and encourage consolidated infrastructure and easier system maintenance. This will impact the WASAMPRA agreement and necessitate updates- ' • Adjustingg the LIDO during the rewrite to include j ~. by-right flexibility through zoning for smaller lot sizes, more density,and varied housing types to focus growth within town limits and encourage 1 contiguous annexation • Future allgnment of the FLUM with Fig. 4.4 (Potential Growth Areas)This will impact the COCA agreement and JPA with Hillsborough and Orange County.This may also impact established EDD areas. Matt Efird reiterated that utility capacity was one of the drivers in the reduction of the urban service boundary in the comprehensive sustainability plan, but it wasn't the only one. He said the plan also includes goals similar to the county's draft land use plan, like discouraging sprawl, improving opportunities for mass transit, and improving opportunities for alternative transportation methods. He said those are all better served by dense infill development in municipalities than expanding out into the county. He said that some recommendations in the town's adopted plan require updated to some of the joint plans. He said the town is in the process of updating its unified development ordinance and there is a goal of having a draft completed and out to the public for review by May 2026 and adoption in August 2026. 44 Slide #32 Sewer Capacity Connection to Land Use Plans (cont.) • The Town's Comprehensive Sustainability Plan recommendations: r • Not concentrating density or large development r projects north of US HWY 70 due to transportation impacts on the Churton Street corridor Already congested intersections projected to continue tote congested based on the 2050 regional model include: N Churton Street and US HWY 70/NC 86 N S Churton Street and US HWY 70A • Develop and maintain a safe,efficient,and sustainable multimodal transportation system (including bicycle,pedestrian,and transit options) that offers alternatives to single- y occupancy vehicle trips and promotes health and access to jobs,destinations,and services in town. - Matt Efird said the reality is that neither the town nor the county can improve the major road systems. He said the town is already experiencing peak traffic issues on US 70, Churton Street, 1-85, and both HWY 86s, and providing additional dense growth, particularly to the north of US 70, is just going to exacerbate it. NCDOT does not have a near-term plan to improve this situation, and so again, concentrating growth in the current town limits to try to get away from some of that through traffic of people trying to get to the interstates using Tryon Street was one of the considerations in the recommendations. Commissioner McKee asked how growth will be accomplished in the town limits. Matt Efird described the significant development tracks available in the southern part of town, particularly in the old Daniel Boone property and Waterstone. Commissioner McKee asked how many units that could accommodate. Matt Efird said there are about 2000 permitted units that have already gone through the town's entitlement process and are yet to be constructed, which alone will increase Hillsborough's population by 30%, not including the potential in the areas he mentioned. Commissioner McKee said he thought the problem was infrastructure in sewer. Matt Efird said the town's CIP includes upgrades to conveyance systems that are the constriction for those areas of town to accept growth. In the next 5 years, he expects there should be capacity to move sewage within the system to get to the treatment plant to serve greater density in the southern part of town. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how many units constitute a large development. Matt Efird said he doesn't have a specific definition, but there are some proposed projects around 200-600 units, and those would be considered large. 45 Slide #33 Communicating About New Projects with Developers • There is limited capacity for development projects that will use a large amount of water/sewer,at this time,especially those outside of town limits or non-contiguous to town limits • Utilities will evaluate potential available capacity for projects at the pre- development meeting, but capacity is not guaranteed until a water and Sewer Extension Contract is executed (construction drawings) • There are options for developer cost sharing and/or modifying scheduled water/sewer improvements to keep pace with development demand through conditional zoning and development agreements with developers • Properties that want to develop immediately,located on the edges of town or outside of town may look to evaluate cost/benefit of developing in the County with traditional large lot well/septic vs.annexation into the town Slide #34 Financial Constraints Population v.Employee Orow[ft 2004-2025 Water 8 Sewer Operations • High utility bills,particularly for out-of- q town customers • Tight operating ratios—cost of operations ��� °° °�' - " W" and debt service increasing faster than —F� ••• —�uei1 eix•••• revenues Debt Service Coverage • Significant CIP needs-$50m by FY32— not including any plant upgrades • Adding significant customers may increase m� �, pffi o� p• revenues, but also increases need for system improvements =M•mmox m� ^M°�. *°° '° Chair Bedford asked if Hillsborough is below PFAS limits. Matt Efird said PFAS isn't an issue for Hillsborough because of its location and the nature of development around the upper Eno. Bryant Green agreed and explained that Hillsborough is at the top of the basin and has so far not been close to the threshold for PFAS. 46 Commissioner Carter asked if improvements to the pump station to address the possibility of future catastrophic events like Tropical Storm Chantal are accounted for in the $50 million in the town's CIP now, or if that would be additional funding needed on top of the amount in the CIP. Matt Efird said that it is not factored into the current CIP, which is partially driven by financial restraints. He said the $50 million is not going to grow and will supplant something else. He explained that one of the first things the town did in its after-action report was pause planned renovations to the water and sewer distribution and collection maintenance facility that was impacted by Tropical Storm Chantal and pivot to a redesign. He said that the cost of the project increased and has also delayed completion by several months. Bryant Green added that the town is applying for a FEMA hazard mitigation grant. Slide #35 Orange County Land Use Plan updates & how we can align • In order for the County to align with the Town's growth strategy,areas outside of the Town's new recommended Urban Service Boundary should remain zoned and planned for as agricultural and/or rural residential with a focus on agricultural uses and large lot(1 ac+)subdivisions that can be served with traditional well and septic systems • Density and large development projects should be encouraged within the municipality and not out in the County,where traffic generation and private sewer systems may cause operational issues within the town • Expansion of existing commercial nodes between municipalities,in the County,that can be destinations connected with future greenways and transit stops(example: Blackwood,Calvander) Matt Efird reviewed the information on this slide and ended by saying the Town of Hillsborough Board of Commissioners welcomes any efforts to collaborate. Commissioner McKee expressed concern about language, asking the county to "align" with the town's growth strategy, preferring mutual alignment. Matt Efird agreed that the plans should align mutually. Vice-Chair Hamilton asked what is meant by "private sewer systems may cause operational issues within the town," as seen in the second bullet point. Matt Efird said there are concepts in the draft land use plan about package plants out in the county serving conservation subdivisions. He explained that adding private sewer systems that discharge into the surface waters crowds out the town's ability to utilize the Falls Lake nutrient limits and becomes an issue for growth. Vice-Chair Hamilton asked what package plants are. Cy Stober explained that package plants are privately operated wastewater plants as opposed to a community septic system. He said package plants are in the draft plan as presented to the Board in March, and the feedback from the Board at that time was that they were not interested in including them in the final plan. He reiterated Matt Efird's point about the impact it could have on the town. 47 Commissioner Portie-Ascott seconded Commissioner McKee's concerns about aligning plans. Chair Bedford asked if individual septic or community septic systems would be okay if the county were to approve cluster development. Matt Efird said that is preferable from a utility perspective, but traffic and transportation are still considerations. Commissioner McKee asked if there had been any discussions or interest in a bypass for Hillsborough. Matt Efird said there are no active discussions because there is no identifiable, feasible path since NCDOT doesn't have the funding for such a substantial project. However, it wouldn't be a closed conversation from Hillsborough's perspective. Slide #36 Land Use Planning and Water & Sewer Capacity Update BOCC Presentation on Orange County Draft Land Use Plan October 14,2025 III row or HILLSBOROUGH Tom Altieri, Planning and Inspections Senior Planner, continued the presentation: Slide #37 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Board Feedback on Meeting Facilitation Consultant 48 Slide #38 GroupTrue North Performance Central Pines Introduction,Review,and Research Preparation • Meetings with staff Review key documents • Review key materials Individual meetings with Commissioners • Attend Nov 11 to introduce role and Attend Nov 14 process • Attend Nov 14 Nov 21 Retreat Facilitation Nov 21 Retreat Facilitation • Tailored agenda,facilitation guide,and Structure facilitation tools Facilitate to find consensus and identify • Facilitate to build consensus to advance next steps for Plan development Plan to community engagement Deliverables Wrap-Up • Written summary with key decisions and Written summary report that highlights next steps discussion and action items • Consultation with staff and key Meet with staff to review report stakeholders to align priorities,clarify follow-up actions,and ensure readiness for community engagement Key Staff Key Staff Rebecca Jackson,CEO, Project Lead and Alana Keegan, Local Government Services Facilitator Director, Project Lead and Facilitator;and Chris Lawson,Senior Planner Proposed Cost: $10,000 Proposed Cost: $7,500 Tom Altieri presented the two proposals for facilitation services. Commissioner Carter said she noticed a difference in the deliverables. She asked about the nature of True North's "key stakeholders" consultation and whether or not it would include conversations with partners. Tom Altieri explained that this likely refers to stakeholders within Orange County itself, such as the Planning Board, internal staff, and perhaps various departments that would be impacted by the decision-making process, but there is potentially additional opportunity there to include partners. Commissioner Greene said she has significant experience with Alana Keegan and believes she is well-qualified. She added that Central Pines wants to be a partner, and their services should be taken advantage of. Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she likes Central Pines because of the price but wants to understand the additional services it looks like True North is offering. She asked Tom Altieri to explain what the tools might be that are mentioned under the November 21 Retreat Facilitation section. Tom Altieri said those tools are to be determined. He said both facilitators said they would attend the Board's retreat on November 111" and would have ideas afterward on what tools would be helpful for facilitation at the next retreat. Chair Bedford said the other option is not to have a facilitator. Vice-Chair Hamilton said she is not keen on having a facilitator but prefers Alana Keegan of the two options because she thinks individual meetings with the commissioners are important. She said she is concerned about this process because commissioners have not had a chance to talk at a higher level and then delve in. She said she isn't interested in someone coming in and controlling that process. She added that she is not concerned with bringing in other partners at this point for discussion. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if facilitation must be done by someone outside of the county. 49 Travis Myren said Kelly Guadalupe, Strategic Planning Manager, is a trained facilitator, but would have to rearrange what she is currently working on in order to be the Board's facilitator on this topic. Commissioner Carter added that she would like the facilitator to come back and present to the Board after the retreats. Cy Stober said neither proposal includes a presentation after the retreats. Commissioner Carter said that is another benefit of county staff doing facilitation. Commissioner Fowler said she prefers Central Pines of the two choices but originally thought the Board did not need a facilitator. A motion was made by Vice-Chair Hamilton, seconded by Commissioner McKee to set aside the Board's rules of procedure to allow the Board to vote at this work session. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Vice-Chair Hamilton made a motion to have county staff facilitate the Board's November 21st retreat rather than hiring an outside consultant. The motion was seconded by Commissioner McKee. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 3. Affordable Housing Advisory Board —Appointments Discussion The Board discussed appointments to the Affordable Housing Advisory Board. BACKGROUND: The Affordable Housing Advisory Board advises the Board of County Commissioners on prioritizing affordable housing needs and assessing project proposals. The Board also publicizes the County's housing objectives, monitors the progress of local housing programs, explores new funding opportunities, and works to increase the community's awareness of, understanding of, commitment to, and involvement in producing attractive, affordable housing. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all fifteen (15) At-Large members. This Board has decided not to make recommendations for appointments. The following individuals are recommended for Board consideration: NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Mariela At-Large Second Full Term 09/30/2028 Hernandez Thomas Grasty At-Large First Full Term 09/30/2028 (reappointment) If the individuals listed above are appointed, no vacancies remain. Tara May introduced the item. The Board agreed by consensus to reappoint the listed individuals. 50 4. Opioid Advisory Committee —Appointments Discussion The Board discussed appointments to the Opioid Advisory Committee. BACKGROUND: The Opioid Advisory Committee is charged with discussing opioid-related health concerns and issues impacting the residents of Orange County and advising the Board of Commissioners on options to expend funds to remedy opioid impacts. The committee also plans and hosts an annual meeting open to the public to receive input from municipalities on proposed uses of the settlement funds and to encourage collaboration between local governments. The Board of County Commissioners appoints seven (7) members, and there are thirteen (13) designee positions. This committee does not make recommendations and does not submit an Annual Work Plan. The following positions are presented for Board consideration: NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM BOCC Resident with Lived First Full Term 10/31/2028 Appointee Experience BOCC Resident with Lived First Full Term 10/31/2028 Appointee Experience BOCC Substance Use First Full Term 10/31/2028 Appointee Treatment Provider BOCC At-Large or First Full Term 10/31/2027 Appointee Employment Provider If the positions listed above are filled, no vacancies remain. Tara May introduced the item. She reported recommendations from the Opioid Advisory Committee's meeting the previous evening. The Board discussed the Committee's recommendations. Commissioner Carter and Commissioner Portie-Ascott expressed interest in delaying moving Elisabeth Johnson until the County Attorney could provide an opinion about a potential conflict of interest regarding Freedom Housing (her employer) receiving opioid grant funds. Chair Bedford asked Deputy County Manager Cait Fenhagen to share a bit about the work of this Committee. Cait Fenhagen explained the committee's role in making recommendations for funding allocations, creating and reviewing applications, meeting monthly, and holding annual meetings. The Board agreed by consensus to proceed with the following recommendations from the Opioid Advisory Committee: • Move Elizabeth Johnson from at-large to the substance use treatment provider position • Appoint Richard Cooper (new applicant) to the open at-large position • Appoint Breana Montgomery and Victoria Menz to the resident with lived experience positions 51 5. Parks and Recreation Council —Appointment Discussion The Board discussed an appointment 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, operation, recreation facilities, policies, and programs, and public trails and open space. The Board of County Commissioners appoints twelve (12) members, with representatives from each of the County's townships and municipalities, and two (2) non-voting youth delegates. The following individuals are recommended for Board consideration: NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Alissa Martucci Hillsborough Town First Full Term 09/30/2028 Limits reappointment Chloe Reid Youth Delegate (non- First Full Term 12/31/2028 voting) rea ointment If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancy remains: POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION DESIGNATION DATE Carrboro City 03/31/2027 Vacant since 08/14/2025. Limits Tara May introduced the item. The Board agreed by consensus to reappoint the recommended individuals and to continue recruiting applicants for the remaining vacancy. Adjournment A motion was made by Chair Bedford, seconded by Vice-Chair Hamilton, to adjourn the meeting at 10:22 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Jamezetta Bedford, Chair Recorded by Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board.