HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 04-21-2026; 8-a - Minutes for March 19, 2026, March 21, 2026, and March 23, 2026 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: April 21, 2026
Action Agenda
Item No. 8-a
SUBJECT: Minutes for March 19, 2026, March 21, 2026, and March 23, 2026
DEPARTMENT: Board of County
Commissioners
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Draft Minutes (under separate cover) Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board, 919-
245-2130
PURPOSE: To correct and/or approve the draft minutes as submitted by the Clerk to the Board
as listed below.
BACKGROUND: In accordance with 153A-42 of the General Statutes, the Governing Board
has the legal duty to approve all minutes that are entered into the official journal of the Board's
proceedings.
Attachment 1: March 19, 2026 Joint Meeting with City of Mebane
Attachment 2: March 21, 2026 BOCC Mini-Retreat
Attachment 3: March 23, 2026 Legislative Breakfast
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: This item supports:
• GUIDING PRINCIPLE — COMMUNICATION AND AWARENESS
We provide information and opportunities for engagement in a transparent manner so that
all in our community have knowledge, understanding, and a voice.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve minutes as
presented or as amended.
Attachment 1
1
1 DRAFT MINUTES
2 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
3 MEBANE CITY COUNCIL
4 JOINT MEETING
5 March 19, 2026
6 7:00 p.m.
7
8 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a joint meeting with the Mebane City Council on
9 Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Human Services Center in Hillsborough, NC.
10
11 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jean Hamilton, Vice-Chair Amy Fowler, and Commissioners
12 Jamezetta Bedford, Sally Greene, Earl McKee, and Phyllis Portie-Ascott
13 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioner Marilyn Carter
14 COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts
15 COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager Caitlin Fenhagen, and
16 Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen. (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below)
17 MEBANE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ed Hooks, Mayor Pro Tern Tim Bradley, and Council
18 Members Katie Burkholder, Sean Ewing, Montrena Hadley, and Jonathan White
19 MEBANE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT:
20 CITY OF MEBANE STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Richard White III and Assistant City Manager Preston
21 Mitchell (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below)
22
23 Chair Hamilton and Mayor Hooks called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
24 Chair Hamilton noted that Commissioner Carter would not be in attendance. She invited the
25 Mebane City Council Members, Orange County Board of Commissioners, and staff to introduce
26 themselves.
27 Chair Hamilton and Mayor Hooks welcomed everyone to the meeting. Chair Hamilton
28 emphasized the importance of collaboration given current fiscal challenges.
29 Mayor Hooks said Mebane is honored to meet with the Board and acknowledged that both
30 jurisdictions have a lot going on, but have the right people in the right place to make things happen.
31
32 1. City of Mebane and Orange County Comprehensive Land Use Plan Updates
33
34 The City of Mebane adopted its 2045 Comprehensive Plan in December 2025. Orange County
35 has been engaged in the process of developing its 2050 Land Use Plan since 2023.
36 Approximately 30% of Mebane's incorporated area and just under half of Mebane's "Planning
37 Area" lies in Orange County.
38
39 Much of the City's Planning Area in Orange County is not currently served by utilities and
40 remains in Orange County's planning jurisdiction for zoning, permitting, and environmental
41 regulation. Staff have communicated about identifying similar "Development Activity Centers"
42 or "Activity Nodes" on their respective Future Land Use Maps (FLUMs). Both FLUMs generally
43 share a common vision of the areas around Mebane's incorporated limits in Orange County:
44 lower density residential or agricultural land uses, with the exception of the Buckhorn Economic
45 Development District (BEDD). Orange County is proposing "conservation subdivisions" in
46 proximity to the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction that would allow for smaller lots in exchange
47 for larger dedications of open space surrounding a development. Mebane's adopted FLUM is
2
1 available at this interactive link: https://cityofinebanenc.gov/2045-flum/ and within Attachment
2 1a; Orange County's draft FLUM is shown in Attachment 1b.
3
4 Historically, Mebane and Orange County collaborated on planning for the BEDD, investing in
5 utility extension and joint land use planning for this area. These utilities were originally
6 constructed by Orange County using federal grants and Article 46 tax funds and are now owned
7 and operated by City of Mebane. Mebane's connection policies require that a petition for
8 voluntary annexation be filed with the City in order to receive municipal water and sewer
9 service, often placing newer developments within the City's zoning authority.
10
11 Ashley Ownbey, City of Mebane Development Director, began the following presentation:
12
13 Slide#1
Ell
The Planning Area
r1 " Mebane Corporate Limits
Mebane Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
70 �"
Area of Interest for the Comprehensive Plan
40 8 11 5 - � Full Planning Area for the Comprehensive Plan
Water Bodies
Major Road/Streets in and Around Mebane
J.�
14
15 Ashley Ownbey said that Mebane started the process of adopting a new comprehensive plan in
16 July 2024, updating their previous plan from May 2017. The city established a community advisory
17 committee and involved the public throughout approximately a year of drafting. She said the planning
18 area was based on Mebane's long-range utility plan, which the city council had accepted in July 2024.
19 This represented an expanded area from the 2017 plan, showing where utilities could potentially be
20 extended rather than where they currently existed. Ashley Ownbey noted that the city limits had
21 changed since planning efforts began in September 2024, and she highlighted the extraterritorial
22 jurisdiction shown in green on the map.
23
24
3
1 Slide#2
Goals & Objectives
Goal#1-Vibrant downtown Goal#6:Welcoming and inclusive
4 " community
8 Goal#2:Safe,walkable,and ��I Goal 47:Flourishing and innovative
bikeable streets local businesses
® Goal#3:Protected natural areas Goal#8:Sustainable and dependable
infrastructure
Goal#4. Celebrated cultural history V Goal#9•Range of community services
and community character
Goal#5:Plentiful recreation Goal#10:Abundant and affordable
housing choices
2 _ L
3 Ashley Ownbey shared that Mebane conducted three public forums during the process, with
4 surveys and additional community participation opportunities following each forum. These efforts
5 resulted in ten goals, including creating a vibrant downtown, supporting flourishing innovative local
6 businesses, and providing abundant and affordable housing choices. Each goal included specific
7 objectives and implementation projects envisioned over the plan's 20-year timeframe, which the city
8 council had reviewed in detail during a work session.
9
10 Slide#3
Future Land Use Map �' M
This scenario prioritizes compact growth,connected vibrant centers, J
reuse over sprawl,preservation of natural and rural lands,and
people-focused design.
FUNCTIONRL RESI[IENTIILL MI%E[1-USE 8 EMpLCyMENT
OPEN SpaLf LLMMfgLVIL !/\`
agrlewture Ruml LNlig nmxntown Innlitutwnald lnnovtlion m .l
_7
Open Spnce-Lenaervmlen Suburban NefgM1barbeea m_uae Intlu-t.LlSM1t t ee F •1l �y
Open Spnw-Encnnr Urban NelgM1borM1oed NelgbberM1opa Cemer Intlumriel-HeeW 4a 6$_ O® /` ///1 1��,-^•a
Multllnmily N•aitlenllal R,neLCmeemm/erS
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Cnnmr \1 Ic
Hates:
• The"place types"shaven on the map are described in the subsection that P, �y
foilowsthemap. 111
• The uses associatedwith eachare thepredominant uses.Other uses,though
not listed in the place type description,maybe compatible and appropriate. r
• Some&reason the map reflect what currenrtyexists today,some are more
aspiretionat in nature,end.thers are a mu at what exists todayand whet could ►\aI _ah,
be in the future.
• Anychanges in the current development pattern would be the resultof F«„
individual property owners choosing to make a change,
11MEBANE 2045COMPREHENSIVE
4
1 Ashley Ownbey explained that the 10 goals drove the creation of the future land use map, which
2 was amended on March 9th with a small parcel change in western Alamance County. The place types
3 were categorized as functional, open space, residential, mixed use, and commercial and employment.
4 She explained that three different scenarios had been presented to the public before arriving at the final
5 combination approach.
6 Commissioner Bedford asked what Mebane's primary water source is.
7 Ashley Ownbey said Mebane's water comes from the Graham-Mebane Lake.
8 Ashley Ownbey noted that most of Mebane's downtown was in Alamance County, while the city
9 worked to connect different neighborhoods to downtown and parks, with Lake Michael being the most
10 prominent park in Orange County. The plan was adopted by city council in December 2025 and recently
11 amended in relation to a rezoning case.
12
13 Cy Stober, Orange County Planning and Zoning Director, began the following presentation:
14
15 Slide#1
� , rots
k
-x:
a
16
17 Cy Stober noted his supervision of inspections, planning and zoning, long-range planning, and
18 significantly, the erosion control division, which was delegated by the state to provide erosion control
19 regulations throughout the county, including within Mebane.
20
21
5
1 Slide#2
Project Timeline
K F�
Phase 1 Phase 2: Phase 3: Phase 4:
Launch Identify New Evaluate Develop
Project Issues and Planning Plan
Opportunities
influences
Summer -.i xox3 Fau2oxs
2fl23J1111111111111110 winter
2024 20M
Community Engagement Window#1 Community Engagement Window S2:
Confirming Community Aspirations Testing the Conservation and Growth Framework[COMPLETE]
[COMPLETE] Community Engagement Window 03:
10 Unveiling of Draft Plan
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
2
3 Cy Stober explained that Orange County began its land use plan effort in summer-fall 2023,
4 contracting with Clarion Associates out of Chapel Hill. This represented the county's first land use plan
5 since 2008, nearly 20 years later, reflecting changing county dynamics. He emphasized that Mebane was
6 Orange County's smallest municipality by population but fastest growing, at nearly 10% annually,
7 compared to Chapel Hill's approximately 5%growth rate.
8 Cy Stober noted that the county had completed two public engagement windows, in October
9 2023 and September 2024, which informed a drafted plan presented to commissioners in March 2025.
10 However, the commissioners requested additional information on provocative ideas in the plan,
11 including community septic systems and the county's 13 different water supply watersheds. Phases four
12 and five are paused while staff addressed 17 different topics over the past year.
13
14 Slide#3
Continue to Protect Critical
Watershed Areas and Open
Spaces and Preserve
Agricultural Lands
SUSTAINABLE
,F CULTIVATE
DEVELOPMENT
Advance Implement
Opporturifflestor ableSustain
DevelopmentAttainabte,Equitable Transportation
Housing and Systems and Economi.
k Employment
Initiatives —A
15 Ll,.— __�A
6
1 Slide#4
1. Agriculture, Working Lands, and Open Spaces
2. Community Equity
3. Economy and Employment
4. Environment, Parks, Recreation
5. Housing Attainability
6. Regional and Local Growth
7. Resiliency
8. Services and Community Facilities
9. Transportation and Mobility
2
3 Cy Stober noted that several of these goals are in alignment with Mebane's goals.
4
5 Slide#5
Land Use Plan Status&Purpose Recap Staff
OctoberSeptember& WASMPBA&Joint Planning Agreement Staff
(Rural Buffer)
Watershed Regulations Staff
Hillsborough Utilities Town Management&Utilities
Rural Activity Nodes Staff
November(Retreat) Community Septic&Wastewater Treatment Tony Whitaker,P.E.,Board of Health
Groundwater Resources C-J.Cornefte,PG.Applied Resource
Management,PC
Conservation Subdivisions Randall Arendt
Demographic Update&Housing Gap Staff
Discussion
March Z1(Retreat) Housing Markets&Affordability Yonah freemark,Urban Institute Marc
OWASA Utilities DAWASA Staff
Affordable Housing Roundtable Affordable Housing Partners,Chambers,
and County
r Discussion of Draft Plan Recommended Commissioners&Staff
Actions
6
7
8
7
1 Slide#6
w., Future Land Use MaRr a.
r
.: IHLIsebM..ual_ _
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3
4 Slide#7
6
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rwa rwllw
all
6 The draft future land use map included rural activity nodes, which Cy Stober compared to
7 Mebane's development centers, suggesting areas of potential alignment or shared visions.
8
9
8
1 Slide#8
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3 Cy Stober noted that Orange County currently had more areas identified for economic
4 development than Mebane's map showed, requiring coordination to ensure both jurisdictions are
5 promoting the same sites to businesses.
6
7 Slide#9
----------------
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• I VD-101 • • •E VA V.1• -I,{ �`
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9 Cy Stober described rural conservation neighborhoods, which would allow the same number of
10 housing units on smaller lots with more open space protection. This concept would move from
9
1 traditional one-acre lots to half-acre or smaller lots while doubling or tripling open space and agricultural
2 land protection. Stober acknowledged this was "a tough trade off' and "a tough question" for
3 commissioners and the public, involving the same net stormwater impacts, density, and school demand
4 but with more open space protection.
5 Cy Stober posed the question to the Mebane City Council: is this the type of growth you want to
6 see around the city?
7
8 Slide#10
All
r -
Uses the Highest and ^g
Higher priority areas
identified in the Eno-
New Hope Landscape 19
Conservation Plan
Al
9 �1
10 Katie Burkholder asked if conservation subdivisions are being used in other areas of the state
11 and across the country.
12 Cy Stober offered to share a 150-slide presentation with examples from Randall Arendt, author
13 of "Rural by Design," who spoke to the Board about conservation subdivisions and related wastewater
14 treatment considerations. He noted that the most useful examples came from the Midwest, New
15 England, and Mid-Atlantic regions rather than west of the Mississippi River. He mentioned examples in
16 North Carolina from Chatham and Durham counties, with Hard Scrabble Plantation being a notable
17 Durham example.
18 Councilmember Sean Ewing asked about the municipal transition areas on the map.
19 Cy Stober said those areas are specific to the Joint Planning Agreement (JPA) with Carrboro and
20 Chapel Hill, related to the rural buffer and Carrboro's infill goals.
21 Councilmember Jonathan White asked about countywide growth trends.
22 Cy Stober said Mebane constitutes just under 20%, Chapel Hill 60%, Hillsborough is 15-20%, and
23 Carrboro 2%. He said Mebane represents single-family housing approvals, whereas multifamily housing
24 is dominant in Chapel Hill/Carrboro.
25 Vice-Chair Fowler asked if Mebane City Council has any comments.
26 Mayor Hooks described a recent development that seemed similar to a conservation subdivision
27 that the Mebane City Council denied because the surrounding neighbors wanted larger lots. He asked for
28 clarification on whether the Board would like to see more dense development.
10
1 Cy Stober clarified that yellow areas on the map represented conventional subdivision patterns
2 (one-acre lots) but acknowledged these were areas that could potentially see different development
3 patterns with city services through annexation.
4 Mayor Hooks asked the Mebane City Manager to comment on the industrial goals for Buckhorn.
5 Preston Mitchell, Mebane Assistant City Manager, started by thanking Travis Myren and Orange
6 County's Economic Development staff for their efforts and work in recruiting business. He reported
7 significant activity in the Buckhorn Economic Development Zone, including announced projects and
8 substantial spec industrial building development. Some developers are taking a "paper spec" approach,
9 obtaining approvals but waiting for tenants before construction. Recent expansions included ABB and
10 AKG, while Medline had expanded to use all their facility space, possibly relocating another North
11 Carolina facility there without additional incentives. Over approximately five years, Preston Mitchell
12 reported about 7 million square feet of industrial construction was approved, with the majority currently
13 under construction in the Buckhorn Economic Development District. He said having existing buildings
14 made a real difference on landing an industry that brings jobs and investment.
15 Commissioner Fowler asked about data centers, noting that the county is working on data center
16 moratorium.
17 Preston Mitchell responded that no one has contacted Mebane about data centers in their
18 jurisdiction. He emphasized that Mebane preferred industries that produced jobs and investment
19 without significantly impacting utility infrastructure, noting that the Buckhorn zone, specifically, is
20 geared toward lower utility users.
21 Ashley Ownbey explained that Mebane's Unified Development Ordinance has two industrial
22 zoning districts: light manufacturing (where data centers required special use permits) and heavy
23 manufacturing (where they were permitted by right). Most Buckhorn zoning is light manufacturing, often
24 with conditional zoning requiring public processes and site-specific conditions.
25 Mayor Pro Tern asked about Orange County's perspective on the one-acre versus smaller lots
26 concept, and whether the county supported Chapel Hill's multifamily development approach.
27 Cy Stober said from a county planning perspective, he didn't have strong opinions on municipal
28 matters, but noted the county's affordability concerns. He explained that Orange County faced both
29 price point issues and volume shortages across all price ranges, resulting from design choices like the
30 rural buffer and poor soils in Northern Orange County limiting septic capacity. He noted that multifamily
31 development brought retirees and young adults to the community, adding vibrancy and sales tax base
32 benefits.
33 Councilmember Tim Bradley asked for more information on the activity node on Efland-Cedar
34 Grove Rd.
35 Cy Stober said the activity node is right at McAdams Farm, but that the map is a draft and
36 subject to change as needed. He expressed preference for sharing visions with municipalities on such
37 issues.
38 Commissioner McKee emphasized the importance of detailed conversations between the
39 boards, predicting that Mebane would no longer be Orange County's smallest municipality within a few
40 years as it approached Hillsborough and Carrboro in size and population. He advocated for maintaining
41 diversity in housing types rather than focusing on one or two options. He expressed appreciation for
42 Mebane's assistance with economic development, stating that without Mebane, nothing would be
43 happening on 1-85 in that area.
44 Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked about Mebane's definition of "abundant and affordable
45 housing choices."
46 Preston Mitchell acknowledged that definitions were relative to individual situations and would
47 differ between Mebane and Chapel Hill.
11
1 Ashley Ownbey explained that the comprehensive plan didn't specify income level details but
2 focused on expanding housing types to increase affordability options. A housing consultant study had
3 found that owned homes were generally affordable in Mebane compared to the region, but rental units
4 were lacking, leading to objectives about exploring rental options.
5 Going back to conservation subdivisions, Chair Hamilton asked about conservation subdivisions,
6 wanting to understand whether Mebane's single-family growth included more open space or just
7 smaller, denser units.
8 Mayor Hooks explained that Mebane requires certain percentages of open space and green
9 space, with developers creating R-6 and R-8 developments with multiple houses per acre plus, green
10 space, walking trails, and recreational amenities. He said there is more bang for the buck with housing in
11 Mebane. He again referenced a recent subdivision Mebane denied where neighbors on one- to three-
12 acre lots objected to dense development with greenways, illustrating the challenges they faced in
13 balancing different community preferences.
14 Chair Hamilton said it is interesting to hear about the pushback as well. She said there are
15 people in Orange County that want to maintain rural areas. She asked if the required open space is also
16 accessible to others.
17 Mayor Hooks said staff makes sure that there is connectivity built into the proposed plans.
18 Councilmember Katie Burkholder mentioned the Saddle Club development as an example, which
19 features cluster housing with soccer fields for the city's recreation program, sidewalk access, and entry-
20 level housing options that aligned with their bike and pedestrian master plan and recreation master
21 plan.
22 Commissioner Bedford asked if these developments have water and sewer. She said the cluster
23 subdivisions the county learned about was more of an option when those utilities were not available.
24 She appreciated Mebane's focus on economic development for water and sewer infrastructure, and
25 suggested that the potential elementary school location might provide opportunities for family housing,
26 whereas previously the county had requested focus on economic development due to precious water
27 and sewer resources.
28 Commissioner McKee asked about price escalation in Mebane, referencing his observations of
29 Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough becoming unaffordable for workforce residents over 50 years.
30 Mayor Hooks acknowledged that land prices were rising, citing an 80% average increase in the
31 last tax revaluation in Alamance County. He noted constraints from limited remaining land, multi-
32 generational families selling to developers, and requirements for developers to connect to water and
33 sewer at their expense. Despite rising costs, he maintained that Mebane remained more affordable than
34 Orange and Guilford counties.
35 Commissioner McKee confirmed his concern that Mebane was experiencing the same transition
36 he'd observed in other communities.
37 Mayor Hooks explained that Mebane limited certificates of occupancy to 400-450 houses per
38 year to manage growth,though they could potentially approve twice or three times that number.
39 Commissioner McKee predicted that by 2075, Hillsborough and Mebane might be adjoining
40 communities, prompting Mayor Hooks to joke about annexing Hillsborough.
41 Councilmember Sean Ewing observed the "missing middle" housing at $150,000-$350,000,
42 noting that land prices had increased from $10,000-$15,000 per acre a few years ago to $40,000-
43 $50,000 per acre on town edges.
44 Commissioner McKee provided additional context, noting that land he bought in the early 2000s
45 for$5,000 per acre for residential development had recently sold next door for$28,000 per acre.
46 Commissioner Greene responded to Commissioner McKee's 50-year projection by emphasizing
47 that growth patterns were within their control through planning, which was why they were meeting. She
48 asked about the Saddle Club development's public space arrangement.
12
1 Preston Mitchell explained that through conditional district zoning, the developer proposed
2 donating six acres for a public park instead of traditional private clubhouse amenities. The developer
3 agreed to construct the park at project completion, including soccer field, playground, bathrooms,
4 parking, and pickleball courts. He noted this represented an evolution from past practices of private
5 amenities available only to subdivision residents.
6 Greene clarified the voluntary nature of this arrangement, noting that local government couldn't
7 demand developers turn over land for public use without negotiation.
8 Preston Mitchell confirmed this while adding that Mebane had bike and pedestrian plan
9 requirements for greenways, multi-use paths, and pedestrian networks as allowed by general statutes,
10 though implementation sometimes required adjustments from original paper plans.
11 Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked about the number of units in Saddle Club.
12 Preston Mitchell confirmed there are 110 single-family houses on city water and sewer.
13
14 2. Water and Sewer Capacity Opportunities and Limitations—High Level Overview
15
16 The City of Mebane provides water services to the businesses located at the Buckhorn Economic
17 Development District, and many of the residences to its west. The City provides wastewater
18 services to the BEDD as well as much of the Efland community, a result of previous financial and
19 capital improvement partnerships between Orange County and Mebane.
20
21 As provided in the City of Mebane's Wastewater Collection and Treatment Facility Annual
22 Report(available by clicking on the following link:
23 https://cityofinebanenc.gov/documents/2024-2025-annual-wastewater-collection-treatment-
24 facility-report/):
25
26 Every day in Mebane, nearly 1.9 million gallons of wastewater are collected from our
27 homes, businesses, and industries.This wastewater travels through more than 129 miles
28 of sewer lines and is carefully treated before being safely returned to our waterways.
29 The system is funded almost entirely by the monthly user charges paid by our
30 customers.
31
32 The City's wastewater system includes more than 6,400 service connections and 21
33 pump stations that help move wastewater where gravity alone cannot. To keep the
34 system reliable, crews also perform regular maintenance, such as cleaning over 12 miles
35 of sewer lines during the past year.
36
37 At the wastewater treatment plant, the City can currently treat up to 2.5 million gallons
38 per day using a combination of physical, chemical, and biological processes. The heart of
39 the system is a biological process that uses naturally occurring bacteria to break down
40 waste and protect water quality. Because Mebane discharges into a small local stream,
41 the plant must meet some of the most stringent water quality standards in North
42 Carolina. These high standards apply year-round, even during storms when flows are
43 much harder to manage.
44
45 To meet the needs of our growing community, the City of Mebane is expanding the
46 wastewater treatment plant. This project will increase treatment capacity from 2.5
47 million gallons per day to 4.0 million gallons per day, with construction scheduled for
13
1 completion in 2028. The expansion will ensure that Mebane continues to provide safe,
2 reliable, and environmentally responsible wastewater treatment for years to come.
3
4 John Dodson, City of Mebane Water Resources Director, made the following presentation:
5
6 Slide#1
)sitively Charming
e6aite
8
9 Slide#2
A. ■
ANE WATER RECOURCE AND
RECOVERY FACILITY (WRRF)
CURRENT UPGRADE AND EXPANSION
y,. 1FROM 2.5 MGD TO 4.0 MGD
ESTIMATED PROJECT COST90 MILLION
CURRENT TRIBUTARY FLOW 1.8 MGD
- APROVFD PROJECT FL• r
y f j
w:gi MEETS JORDAN LAKE RULES
5 • V
'f
CROW DER
10
14
1 John Dodson explained that the current capacity was 2.5 million gallons while the new facility
2 would provide 4 million gallons with expansion capability to 6 million. The new facility was scheduled to
3 come online in late 2027 or early 2028 at approximately $90 million cost and would meet Jordan Lake
4 requirements.
5 Reading questions from an Orange County Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) board
6 appointee who couldn't attend, Commissioner Bedford asked about fluctuation between average
7 minimum and maximum flow for current and approved projects, how much flow was attributable to
8 stormwater or infiltration, and the nature of approved projects.
9 John Dodson explained that current flows were at 1.6 million gallons daily, with normal daily
10 maximum flows reaching 2 to 2.5 million gallons during midday, and storm flows increasing to 6-7 million
11 gallons daily. He offered to provide detailed responses via email for technical questions and confirmed
12 that expansion would accommodate both residential and commercial projects.
13
14 Slide#3
B. PUMP STATIONS
"1r
APPROVED FLOW:691 V6
APPROVED FLOW 48,SWGPn
FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS:319.200GPDI AVAILABLE FLOW:34.633 RD
'UMP STATION AND FORCE MAIN REHAB FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS REROUTE FLOW
PROJE7-$5MU-IDNorwTCn8c%S TO SOUTHEAST REGIONAL PUMP STATIONI
ANTICIPATEDTOBE FEDERALLY FUNDED LEAVING 'FOR F MA�N PEROOTE PR�DCT PRI
ADDITIONAL CAPACITY TO GE PUMP
STATION-57
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDING
40
WESTTEN PUMP STATION
TY
OF
ERATIONAL CAPACITY 1 MILLION GALLONS APPROVED FLOW:16,KOGPD
CLERIC NT USE:2%,655GPD FUTIRE IMPROVEMENTS:NONE AT THISTIME
FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS NONE AT EMS TIME
15
16 Kyle Smith, Public Utilities Director for Mebane, presented information about four primary pump
17 stations serving areas tributary to Orange County.
18 The GE Pump Station had operational capacity of roughly 173,000 gallons per day, with only
19 34,000 gallons per day of available capacity remaining after accounting for current and approved flows.
20 Planned improvements included upsizing the station and force main with new pumps, estimated at $5
21 million with anticipated $4 million in federal funding.
22 The Graveley Hill Pump Station, flowing to the GE station, had 115,000 gallons per day
23 operational capacity with roughly 35,000 gallons daily available capacity. Plans involved tying this station
24 into the West Ten Force main connecting to Southeast Regional, which would remove 80,000 gallons per
25 day from GE Pump Station while increasing GE capacity. This project was estimated between $750,000
26 and slightly over$1 million,with federal funding being sought.
27 The West Ten Pump Station had 400,000 gallons per day operational capacity with 338,000
28 gallons daily available capacity, described as "sitting pretty good." The Southeast Regional Pump Station
15
1 was a million gallon per day station with roughly 432,000 gallons daily available flow, pumping directly to
2 the Water Recovery Facility.
3
4
5
6 Slide#4
C. SEWER TO AREA 1
ROCKOORE
• _
-0
ems$
PUMP STATION
PROJECT COST$2M W/NO FUNDING SOURCE IDENTIFIED TO DATE
MIMLE SCHOOL
8 Kyle Smith outlined a proposed improvement: extending the 12-inch gravity line to Graveley Hill
9 pump station across the interstate, which would free up approximately 500 acres north of the 1-40/85
10 corridor east of Buckhorn, south of the railroad, primarily for economic development and industrial
11 facilities.This project was estimated at$2 million with no identified funding yet.
12 Commissioner Bedford asked whether the red line on the map extended gravity feed service
13 area to Graveley Hill or represented a proposed force main.
14 Kyle Smith clarified it was gravity service, extending from an existing gravity line behind the
15 Medline facility toward the former jockey lot location, running under the interstate to serve land on the
16 other side.
17 Commissioner Portie-Ascott noted that freeing up 500 acres might enable residential
18 development near the proposed school, since people liked living near schools.
19 Kyle Smith said that they would still be limited by Graveley Hill pump station capacity despite
20 planned upgrades, restricting development to less dense patterns like warehouse space.
21 Chair Hamilton asked about the goal to build 400-500 homes per year and whether some of that
22 is based on utility capacity.
23 Mayor Hooks confirmed this reflected current capacity, noting they could "open a barn door"
24 and dramatically increase certificates of occupancy once the new wastewater treatment plant was
25 operational.
26 Chair Hamilton asked for estimates of additional housing units possible after expansion
27 completion.
28 Preston Mitchell said Mebane's wastewater capacity policy, designed to prevent "paper flow"
29 situations where fully permitted subdivisions counted against capacity even if construction took years to
16
1 complete.This policy prevented sewer moratoriums experienced by other communities. He said the 400-
2 unit number came from a Stantec study of their 10-year capital improvement program, determining the
3 number needed to help pay debt through system development fees from new development rather than
4 burdening current customers. He noted that plant upgrades would have been required regardless of
5 expansion due to Jordan Lake rules, so current customers would have seen rate increases anyway.
6 Preston Mitchell explained that 400 was manageable and helped with debt service, though the number
7 might increase to 450 due to inflation. Many developers approached them about sites outside their
8 comfortable service area, and they typically provided timeframes for developers to return, with
9 developers usually returning early.
10 Chair Hamilton asked whether the 400 number might increase substantially after consultant
11 discussions.
12 Preston Mitchell said he didn't anticipate substantial increases beyond inflation adjustments,
13 though other necessary projects could affect the number.
14 Chair Hamilton asked about "general services".
15 Preston Mitchell explained that this included garbage collection, police services, and fire
16 services. He noted that infrastructure discussions occurred daily or every other day in Mebane, with GIS
17 analysis determining optimal locations for parks and fire stations, though implementation required
18 willing sellers at reasonable prices.
19
20 3. Proposed New Schools in Mebane-Orange
21
22 a) Proposed School Site(s)
23
24 As part of the 2024 Bond Projects, Orange County Schools is planning to build a new Elementary
25 School facility on County owned property next to the existing Soccer.Com Center. The school
26 district is still in the process of site testing and initial planning for the new elementary school. If
27 there is sufficient space, the school district plans to place the facility on the 37.79-acre parcel to
28 the east of the existing Soccer.com facility. In the development process, the county and the
29 school district will move to have the three continuous parcels of Gravelly Hills Middle School,
30 Soccer.com Center and the expected Elementary School all annexed by the Town of Mebane.
31 The site plan for the Elementary School may also recommend making changes to the existing
32 roads that serve the middle school and the soccer facility to allow for better vehicle stacking
33 during drop off and pick up, improving traffic flow on West Ten Road.
34
35 Kirk Vaughn, Budget Director, reviewed information on the bond, and Orange County Schools'
36 (OCS) plan to open a new elementary school near Mebane. Through the bond passed by Orange County
37 residents, both school districts had submitted bond plans, with Orange County Schools' first priority
38 being a new elementary school facility in the county's western end. The school district selected a
39 location next to Graveley Hill Middle School and the Orange County soccer.com facility on West Ten
40 Road. Monthly meetings between school staff, Mebane town staff, and county staff are spent
41 coordinating design components for the new elementary school.
42 Kirk Vaughn showed initial concept design maps for the elementary school next to the
43 soccer.com facility, including suggestions for carpool and bus lanes for both the elementary school and
44 the existing middle school. He noted they were not far along in the design process, and that this image
45 represented initial concepts.
46
17
ri
xet �
1 w.«w. ...
2 Vice-Chair Fowler asked about concerns regarding roads in riparian buffers or sensitive areas,
3 noting that the design appeared to avoid such areas while showing what appeared to be lakes or
4 artificial retention ponds.
5 Kirk Vaughn acknowledged that while the site was large for an elementary school (needing only
6 about 16 acres), there are considerable constraints, requiring site testing to ensure sufficient space for
7 the elementary school.
8 Councilmember Jonathan White asked what the process is like for a new school construction.
9 Kirk Vaughn said that the county appropriated design and construction money, but all three
10 parcels were planned for annexation into Mebane, making it a Mebane planning conversation.
11 Ashley Ownbey confirmed ongoing annexation discussions, which would require establishing
12 Mebane zoning. Schools and athletic fields both required special use permits, necessitating three public
13 hearings related to the school site,triggered by the request to connect to city utilities.
14 Mayor Hooks emphasized traffic concerns on West Ten Road, stressing the need for turn lanes
15 and proper planning to avoid parking on road shoulders like some Alamance County schools. He hoped
16 the planning process would involve DOT through Traffic Impact Analyses.
17 Mebane City Manager Richard White III pointed out the curvy line on the map's right side,
18 explaining that it provided stacking space to prevent traffic from backing into the roadway by keeping
19 vehicles on campus.
20 Vice-Chair Fowler asked whether elementary school access to the middle school could use back
21 roads to avoid main road congestion.
22 Kirk Vaughn confirmed that bus loops for both schools would connect through the same road,
23 allowing connection through both drop-off zones.
24 Councilmember Jonathan White asked whether Orange County School Board would meet with
25 Mebane's planning department and go through Technical Review Committee (TRC) processes like any
26 other construction
27 Ashley Owenby confirmed this standard procedure, noting their monthly meetings and recent
28 sessions with design teams, engineers for traffic studies, and site design.
18
1 Preston Mitchell credited Orange County and Orange County Schools for reaching out very early
2 in the process, describing their team as "very impressive" and expecting continued quality collaboration.
3 b) Potential Recreation Considerations
4
5 The construction of a new Elementary School at this site will have two impacts on the recreation
6 options in that part of the county. First and most directly, the use of the land for education will
7 permanently set the boundaries of the Soccer.com Center, which was previously set to expand.
8 However, the construction of parking lots for the elementary school will provide additional
9 parking for soccer events during off-school hours. The County already has a use agreement with
10 the school district for use of parking during off-school hours. The second impact for recreation
11 options is still being explored during the school design process. Municipal, County and School
12 District staff are reviewing the possibility of expanding the gymnasium for the new elementary
13 school for community and recreational use. Staff are planning a trip to Rashkis Elementary
14 School to review a prior experience of oversizing an elementary school gymnasium for
15 community uses.
16
17 Travis Myren explained that Orange County's school capital funding policy engaged
18 municipalities regarding recreational facilities and building capacity for recreational facilities in new
19 schools. He asked Preston Mitchell or Richard White to discuss potential use as a recreation center.
20 Richard White confirmed discussions about partnership opportunities with the school district for
21 recreation facilities to expand their programming.They had explored shared gym use, designing facilities
22 to meet both city and school needs, and had ongoing conversations about appropriate gym size for
23 shared use.
24 Sean Ewing said it seems counter-intuitive to him to have a school in the economic development
25 district.
26 Preston Mitchell said one of the unique aspects of this property was that it was owned by
27 Orange County already. He said Mebane staff did encourage the stacking space to give them options,
28 but it doesn't solve all the school traffic and risks from industrial traffic. He noted that NCDOT said West
29 Ten was widened and can handle the additional traffic. A traffic impact analysis will have to be done as
30 part of City's zoning.
31 Commissioner McKee speculated that most future development would likely occur West back
32 toward Buckhorn Rd., and should not impact the proposed school.
33 Tim Bradley asked why the middle school wasn't annexed, the elementary school would be.
34 Preston Mitchell said there is a partnership opportunity for recreation facilities, and it also
35 prevents a donut hole in terms of Mebane's zoning jurisdiction, which would otherwise create an issue.
36 He explained that the benefit to OCS is they get in-city utility rates, and there are density benefits.
37 Commissioner Bedford said from the school board side, a benefit is having the K-8 campus and
38 improving parking at the middle school and soccer facility. She emphasized the opportunities of the
39 shared gym.
40 Chair Hamilton highlighted the importance of the elementary school being in Mebane because
41 that is where the population is growing.
42
43 c) Potential Emergency Management/Sheltering Considerations
44
45 As new public schools and recreational facilities are proposed, the inclusion of features that
46 improve resilience and support community protective actions during disasters should be
47 evaluated. The County maintains agreements with the school systems for the use of facilities as
48 mass care shelters and recommends that all new schools be developed with this in mind. By
19
1 incorporating criteria from the American Red Cross, projects can gain the secondary benefit of
2 increasing mass care shelter readiness alongside their primary function, allowing facilities to
3 double as emergency shelters when needed.
4 Key features that may require intentional consideration are mainly in the electrical and HVAC
5 systems design. A facility must, at a minimum, include a generator interconnect with an
6 automatic transfer switch that services lighting, communications, refrigeration, food
7 preparation, and HVAC servicing the shelter zones. Additionally, Orange County routinely
8 operates co-located pet sheltering in partnership with Animal Services, which requires at least
9 one separate room or zone for pets that has sufficient outdoor air exchange and avoids
10 returning shared air to the other zones.
11
12 Other features, such as ADA accessibility, adjacent rooms for medical isolation, staff use, special
13 populations, and storage, enough restrooms and showers, and a kitchen with cold storage and
14 food prep equipment, are also necessary; however, newly constructed educational and
15 recreational facilities typically meet many of these needs in their core designs.
16
17 Travis Myren noted that on the county's western side,there is no emergency shelter or warming
18 center. They had investigated requirements to make the facility capable of serving as an emergency
19 shelter or warming center for evacuations from either side of the county line.
20 Kirby Saunders, Director of Emergency Services for Orange County, explained their successful
21 experience with similar approaches at Smith Middle School, where separate gym facilities could operate
22 as standalone emergency shelters separate from schools for various reasons, including the importance
23 of standby generators. He emphasized the importance of separate, redundant, independent power grids
24 that could operate with temporary generators if school generators failed or weren't equipped. This
25 separation also prevented interaction with school property, avoiding situations where shelter
26 populations might access student belongings left behind during school year activations. Kirby Saunders
27 strongly recommended the consideration of risk factors in any new facility, particularly critical facilities
28 like schools, especially given the combination of industrial locations with schools. While acknowledging
29 this wasn't impossible, he stressed caution about hazardous materials in nearby industries and their
30 potential risks. The greatest county risk, he noted, typically came not from fixed facilities but from
31 unknown materials transported on interstate highways. While placarded materials were clearly
32 identified, mixed cargo without placards posed the most concern. He noted that the western Orange
33 County corridor, including Mebane, showed the county's highest concentration of hazardous material
34 reports. Regarding shelters, they followed American Red Cross standards for evaluation and design. The
35 key limiting factor for shelters or warming centers was staffing rather than facility capacity. Orange
36 County currently had capacity to shelter roughly 3,600 individuals across all locations but couldn't staff
37 that many shelters simultaneously. Their operations concept relied on Orange County and mass care
38 partners handling the first 72 hours while mobilizing other resources like the Red Cross and volunteer
39 organizations. However, volunteer partners could no longer simply be called to open shelters, requiring
40 county staff to take primary responsibility. Finally, he emphasized that every facility should be equipped
41 and prepared to operate as an emergency center or shelter when possible.
42 Councilmember Katie Burkholder asked whether Orange County had heard about tractor-trailers
43 bypassing weigh stations by using West Ten Road, and whether there were discussions with DOT about
44 weigh station location or operation.
45 Kirby Saunders confirmed staying in contact with State Highway Patrol's motor carrier unit
46 responsible for enforcing DOT regulations, including route enforcement. While not aware of specific
47 incidents resulting from commercial operators bypassing commercial highways, he had personally
48 observed such attempts. He noted that interstate travel was usually faster and correct, but diversions
20
1 occurred case-by-case. They worked with motor carrier units to better understand interstate transport
2 through enforcement operations, stopping vehicles to inventory cargo and using that data to project
3 assumptions about other traffic,though this wasn't an exact science.
4 Jonathan White thanked Kirby Saunders for considering these factors ahead of time.
5 Councilmember Sean Ewing asked if this could also benefit residents in Eastern Alamance.
6 Kirby Saunders said Orange County generally doesn't turn anyone away from shelters or
7 warming centers and doesn't check county residency. The only complexity involved transportation
8 coordination,which could be worked out through collaboration with transportation partners.
9
10 Adjournment
11
12 Councilmember Sean Ewing expressed appreciation for the meeting, noting it had been several
13 years since the last joint session, and hoped such meetings would occur more frequently, thanking
14 Orange County, Mebane staff, and everyone involved.
15 Mayor Hooks asked if there were other questions from Mebane, and Chair Hamilton asked for
16 any questions or comments from the Orange County Board of Commissioners.
17
18 As there were no further items on the agenda to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 8:43
19 p.m.
20
21 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
22
23 Jean Hamilton, Chair
24
25
26 Recorded by Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board
27
28 Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board
Attachment 2
1
1 DRAFT MINUTES
2 ORANGE COUNTY
3 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
4 MINI-RETREAT
5 March 21, 2026
6 1:00 P.M.
7
8 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a retreat on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at
9 1:00 p.m. at Whitted Human Services Center in Hillsborough, NC.
10
11 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jean Hamilton, Vice-Chair Amy Fowler, and
12 Commissioners Jamezetta Bedford, Marilyn Carter, Sally Greene, Earl McKee (arrived at 1:20
13 p.m.), and Phyllis Portie-Ascott
14 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None.
15 COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: None.
16 COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager Caitlin
17 Fenhagen, and Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen. (All other staff members will be identified
18 appropriately below)
19
20 Chair Hamilton called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. All commissioners were in
21 attendance, except for Commissioner McKee. The commissioners introduced themselves.
22
23 Cy Stober, Planning and Inspections Director, introduced the topics for the retreat.
24
25 The Board received presentations and engaged in a roundtable discussion on housing markets
26 and pricing as response to the Board's request for additional background information for the Land
27 Use Plan 2050 process.
28
29 BACKGROUND: At its April 8, 2025, work session, the Board reviewed a tentative schedule for
30 receiving presentations from County staff and in some cases, guest presenters, to provide
31 additional background information for better informing its direction on the Land Use Plan 2050
32 process. The Board's preference was for staff to schedule work session and retreat agenda items
33 to receive the information.
34
35 Attachment A is Part A of the BOCC request for additional information grouped into six (6) topic
36 areas by subject. To cover all topic areas, presentations to the Board were scheduled for work
37 sessions on September 9, October 14, and November 11, 2025; half-day retreats were scheduled
38 for November 14 and November 21, 2025, and March 21, 2026. The half-day retreats were
39 needed to cover Part B (Attachment B) of the Board's request for information, which includes
40 several guest presenters.
41
42 Agenda Item 1— Housing Availability and Affordability
43 Yonah Freemark, a principal research associate in the Housing and Communities Division at the
44 Urban Institute, presented to the Board. Sections of the presentation included:
2
1 • Introduction
2 • Setting the stage: Orange County in the broader housing market
3 • How does land-use policy impact housing construction?
4 • How does housing construction affect housing affordability?
5 • What is the link between urban design, urban expansion, and transportation?
6 • Implications for Orange County
7 • Potential opportunities for Orange County
8
9 Slide#1
Orange County Board of Commissioners/March 2026
Generating Effective Approaches to
Land-Use Policy in Orange County
:::URBAN
... ,,.,..., ,„......,. YonahFreemark
10
11
12 Slide#2
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
About the Urban Institute and Our Research
The Urban Institute is a nonprofit
research organization that believes
decisions shaped by facts have the
power to improve public policy and
practice, strengthen communities, and
transform people's lives for the better.
ALL RESEARCH FINDINGS REFLECT
THE EVIDENCE-INFORMED VIEWS
OF URBAN RESEARCHERS ALONE
AND SHOULD NOT BE ASCRIBED
TO THE URBAN INSTITUTE.
Y R S S N I N S 7 1 7 Y T i
13
3
1 Slide #3
• The housing market today
• Land-use policy's impacts on
construction
• Housing supply's impacts on
Agenda affordability
• Links between urban growth
patterns and transportation
• Implications for Orange County
3
4 Slide#4
HousingOrange County in the Broader
-
5
6
7 Slide #5
Themes of the land use plan:
• Cultivate sustainable development
•A reminder: Key Protect natural resources
aspects of the draft Advance opportunities for
attainable,equitable housing and
2050 plan employment
• Implement sustainable
transportation and economic
development initiatives
8 •AAe• ,N.,,.•,.
4
1 Slide #6
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
Orange Has Added Homes More Slowly Than
Other Counties in the Region
Change in housing units from 2000,by county
tAlamance County +Chatham County +Durham County Orange County has
-*-Orange County -*-Wake County gained about 25%
200% additional housing units
lsor
since 2000, a far lower
rate than the rest of the
160% Triangle.
140%
120%
100%
2000 2010 2020-2024
u R 9 A N - t N s• t T N T c Source:US Census 2000 and 2010;ACS 2020-2024. E
2
3
4 Slide#7
HOUSING IN ORANGF COUNTY
Home Prices in Orange County Have Risen
Rapidly, But Not As Quickly As In Other Counties
Change in median housing value from 2000,by county
tAlamanceCounty -*-Chatham County -*-Durham County Median housing values
+Orange County Wake County
have risen dramatically
350% J' throughout the Triangle
300% since 2010, with
250% / especially high rates of
appreciation in
200% Chatham County.
150%
100%
2000 2010 2020-2024
11■e A N - t N S T t T N T[ - Source:US Census 2000 and 2010;ACS 2020-2024.Data for Chatham County in 2010 is estimated.Not adjusted for inflation.
5
6 Commissioner Carter said Orange County has always had higher valuations than other
7 counties, and asked if it was possible that the county was starting at a higher point and other
8 counties are catching up.
9 Yonah Freemark said that was correct.
5
1 Slide #8
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
But, by Some Measures, Orange Remains Less
Affordable Than Surrounding Counties
Median home value as share of median household income Median annual rent as share of median household income
6 25
5 20%
4
15%
3
10%
2
1 5%
0 0%
Alamance Chatham Durham Orange Wake Alamance Chatham Durham Orange Wake
County County County County County County County County County County
u R 9 A N I N s T I T U T [ Source:US Census ACS 2020-2024.
2
3 Yonah Freemark said it would take 5.7 years for someone to pay off their house in Orange
4 County, if they spent all their salary on housing. He said that the median household income in
5 Orange County was lower than Wake, but higher than Durham.
6 Vice-Chair Fowler asked if this information included students.
7 Yonah Freemark said it includes students.
8 Chair Hamilton said there is no control for composition of the households. She said
9 because the community has a lot of students, it's going to both lower median household income
10 and increase demand for housing.
11 Yonah Freemark said that is correct. He said that the student population in Orange County
12 is declining as a share of the population.
13 Commissioner Greene said UNC Chapel Hill is looking to add 500 students each year to
14 increase their student population to 5,000.
15 Yonah Freemark said something to consider is how well UNC can absorb those students
16 through dormitories.
17 Commissioner Portie-Ascott there are other people in the community who are not able to
18 afford to live in the county.
19 Yonah Freemark said the students are just a portion of the market.
20
21
6
1 Slide #9
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
Unlike in Other Counties in the Region, in Orange,
Apartment Units Are a Declining Share of Total
Share of housing units in buildings with 5 or more units,by county As they have grown,
-0-Alamance County Chatham County Durham County other Triangle counties
�OrangeCounty �WakeCounty have added apartment
30%
units as a share of the
25% _ building stock. But since
1980, Orange has
20%
become more
15% dominated by single-
10°% family homes,
50% potentially limiting
housing options.
0%
1980 1990 2000 2008-12 2020-24
u x e A IN I If s T I T U T [ Source:US Census 1990,1990,2000,2010,and ACS 2020-2024.
2
3
4 Commissioner McKee arrived at 1:20 p.m.
5
6 Commissioner Bedford said that Chapel Hill recently approved several new apartments.
7 She said that there are vacancies in some of the high-end expensive complexes.
8 Yonah Freemark said complexes that were recently opened would not be included in the
9 data. He said he uses 5-year estimates because they have a lesser margin of error. He emphasized
10 that Durham and Wake have also been adding housing.
11 Chair Hamilton said the Board recently received information that county is meeting its
12 needs for apartments and multi-family units, but is falling behind in single-family homes.
13 Yonah Freemark said the Board should consider if Orange County is an island or if the
14 county is part of a metropolitan region. He said it's harder to compile data on that, because there
15 aren't good surveys on people's housing choices from that perspective. He said it raises questions
16 such as are there a number of people in the Triangle who would like to live in Orange County, but
17 can't because there aren't enough apartments.
18
19
7
1 Slide #10
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
Orange County Has Become More Occupied by
Homeowners and One-Person Households
Share of households that are owners Share of households that are one person
-0-Alamance County-0-Chatham County Durham County -0-Alamance County-0-Chatham County Durham County
Orange County Wake County Orange County Wake County
85% 36%
80% 34%
75% 32%
70% 30%
65% 28
26%
60%
24%
55%
22%
50% 20%
1990 2000 2010 2020-24 1990 2000 2010 2020-24
u R 9 A N I N s T I T U T[ - Source:US Census 1990,2000,2010,and ACS 2020-2024. 10
2
3 Yonah Freemark said the share of households that are owners are affected by the type of
4 available housing stock. He said the share of households that are one person may mean that
5 there are more older adults who are living by themselves and staying in their homes.
6 Commissioner Carter asked if the data in share of households that are owners table could
7 show a regional effect.
8 Yonah Freemark said it could be, but they would need to wait 5 years to determine trends.
9 Commissioner McKee asked if the influx of high wealth residents affects the share of
10 households that are owners.
11 Yonah Freemark said yes. He said Orange County may be a more attractive place for higher
12 income people who want to live in single-family homes. He said there may be a great demand
13 among higher net worth and higher wealth individuals to live in the county. He said retiree
14 income may not represent their wealth, but they are able to afford higher expense homes.
15 Commissioner McKee said people in that category also carry less debt. He said 30 to 40
16 years ago there was a belief that Orange County would be the bedroom community for the
17 Triangle, and there was an illusion created that the county was somewhere you could live but
18 work somewhere else.
19 Yonah Freemark said the interpretation of the date is that Orange County made land use
20 decisions that encourage a pattern of growth that's like Chatham County. He said Orange County
21 wants to be the place where people buy large lot single family homes. He said this is a trend that
22 Chatham County is following, while Wake and Durham have focused on broader housing diversity
23 and diversity of individuals that live there.
24 Commissioner McKee said he thought that would continue.
25
26
8
1 Slide #11
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
The County's Greatest-Needs Residents Face
Persistent Housing Challenges
Affordable and available housing units for every 100 extremely low- Share of people living in poverty residing in high-poverty
Income residents neighborhoods
70 _ _ 25%
60 20%
50
40 __ _ 15%
30 10%
20
5%
10
0 0%
Alamance Chatham Durham Orange Wake Alamance Chatham Durham Orange Wake
County County County County County County County County County County
-U N•A N. I N S T I T U T S Source:Urban Institute upward Mobility Dashboard(using 2023 data). 1-
2
3 Yonah Freemark said excluding students, Orange County is second from the bottom in
4 providing affordable housing units to extremely low-income residents. He offered to examine in-
s depth the share of people living in poverty resident in high-poverty neighborhoods.
6 Commissioner Carter asked what the picture looks like outside of these counties.
7 Yonah Freemark did not have that information available.
8 Commissioner Bedford said Chapel Hill has the housing authority, so that is where public
9 housing is located. She said mobile homes are decreasing in the towns and county, and there are
10 historic minority communities through the county as well.
11
12 Slide #12
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
Conditions Imply that Orange County is Not
Providing Homes for Those Who Need Them
• A majority of Orange County workers are commuting in from
elsewhere.They're likely doing so because they can't find the
affordable homes they need.
• The housing market is concentrating a specific demographic of
residents—homeowners in single-family homes—rather than
accommodating the broader market found throughout the Triangle.
U IT A N I N i T I T U T[ 1_
13
9
1 Yonah Freemark said he suspects that there are people who can't afford to live in Orange
2 County but live in Chatham or Wake, which leads to congestion on highways. He said the
3 statement "is housing affordable to people in Orange County," you aren't necessarily capturing
4 people who would live in the county if they could. He said he is also concerned that the land use
5 policy and the housing market in the county is concentrating a specific demographic of residents
6 in the county that is different than the rest of the Triangle. He said that is the trend that county
7 is going on, but questioned if it must be the trend in the future.
8
9 Slide #13
1 ] 1 df
How Does • -Use Policy Impact
Housing Construction?
10
11
12 Slide#14
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
• Local governments use regulations
to constrain what can be built.
• "Deregulation," "zoning reform," or
I`upzoning"typically mean making it
Land-use possible to build more (more units,
regulation and more stories, etc.) on the same lot.
housing investment Common regulations are:
• Minimum lot area per unit
• Minimum parking requirements
• Maximum height(stories or feet)
• Maximum floor area ratio
I N•T I T N T f
13
10
1 Slide #15
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
Restrictive zoning, particularly in the
form of large-lot, single-family-only
zoning, is associated with:
• Less construction
What's wrong 0 Higher housing costs
with current
• Higher economic and racial
zoning policy? segregation
• Higher automobile dependence
Y R B A N - I N S T I T U T L 1S
2
3
4 Slide#16
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
Compared to Much of the Rest of the Triangle,
Orange County is Zoned for Fewer Apartments
Neighborhoods where
0 multifamily apartments can
be built by right { rt
Outside of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, '
and Hillsborough, very little land
is zoned to enable multifamily Cary�fRAL1EIGHq�
housing, minimum lot sizes are
high, and all housing must be
associated with off-street -
parking.
U G 6 A N 1 N s T I T U T[ - Source:National Zoning Atlas.
5
6 Commissioner McKee said that water and sewer affects where apartments can be built.
7 Yonah Freemark said that there's been a policy connection between the provision of water
8 and sewer and zoning policy.
9 Chair Hamilton said the costs of water and sewer and who pays is also a question.
11
1 Commissioner Carter asked how much of the growth in multi-family housing in Wake
2 County occurred in unincorporated areas where they presumably lack water and sewer capacity.
3 Yonah Freemark said most of the growth occurred in municipalities, but it's been made
4 possible by aggressive annexation policies. He said those municipalities associate annexation
5 process with provision of urban services.
6 Commissioner Carter said Chair Hamilton's point of"who pays" is a central question.
7 Yonah Freemark said it's common to impose impact fees if you can justify it.
8 Commissioner Greene said the General Assembly would not be in favor of impact fees.
9 She said that the WASMPBA requires that developers pay. She said she'd like to see the capacity
10 report done by Chapel Hill. She said she had a needs analysis report that said Chapel Hill needs
11 to increase housing production of all types by 35%. She said Hillsborough is doing the same, and
12 Carrboro has two transition areas that are designated for housing. She said this doesn't all have
13 to occur in rural Orange County.
14
15 Slide#17
ltill C I J.^.iFh C.:C.Ci ll J-Y
The Theory Behind the Current "YIMBY"
Movement to Reform Zoning
Zoning as it currently Reform could
exists restricts alter zoning to
housing construction allow more More building
and therefore limits construction
housing affordability
• U R B A N - I N B i 1 7 U 7 B 1/
16
17
18
19
12
1 Slide #18
111-1, IV 2�41 C_=:Ci LJ V-Y
• Over the short-term, upzonings may
or may not increase construction.
What do we know • Over the long term, upzoning likely
expands construction, but the scale
about zoning of upzoning matters: The bigger the
reform's impact on upzoning, the more likely it will have
housing an impact.
construction? • Downzoning reduces construction.
N••A N - I N 5 T I T N T [
2
3 Chair Hamilton said there is a concept called "amenity effects," where upzoning and
4 providing more amenities increases demand and reduces affordability.
5
6 Slide#19
111-IC IV CIJLJV-Y
How Might Zoning Reform Affect...
Neighborhoods Versus a Region Overall?
• Zoning reform's impacts are localized: They impact the neighborhoods
where they are implemented.
• But construction doesn't automatically follow! Construction is only
feasible under the following circumstances:
1. Zoning change produces a large difference between a parcel's current built
("improvement") value and its potential built value.
2. A neighborhood has high enough rents or home values to cover the costs
associated with new construction.
3. The real-estate market overall is profitable to investors at a return equivalent to,
or higher,than other types of investment.
• U R•A N - I N{T I T•T[ 19
7
8
9
13
1 Slide #20
How Might Zoning Reform Affect... Investment in
Different Types of Construction?
• Experience in cities like Los Angeles and Portland shows how cities can
accommodate high levels of new density through accessory dwelling
units(ADUs)and small-scale apartment buildings.
• In cities like Houston and Nashville,reduced minimum lot area
requirements have enabled"tall-skinny"homes:tightly spaced
townhomes.
• In cities like New York and Washington,rezonings have encouraged
the creation of high-density,mixed-use districts.
2 aao IN5TIT•T.
3 Commissioner McKee asked how the information relates to what Orange County can do.
4 Yonah Freemark said it depends on whether you see unincorporated Orange County
5 playing a role in accommodating additional housing growth or not. He said if you think the county
6 should play a role in that, then you must identify the parts of the county that can accommodate
7 housing and can be associated with water and sewer, for example.
8 Commissioner Carter said ADUs could be an option for the county. She said in Portland,
9 ADUs are dispersed throughout neighborhoods.
10 Vice-Chair Fowler said ADU rules were relaxed recently.
11 Commissioner Portie-Ascott said this slide made her think of the Buckhorn EDD.
12 Commissioner McKee said zoning around intersections might be appropriate.
13 Yonah Freemark said there could be a situation where the county wants to preserve low
14 density for most of the county, while also accommodating opportunities for higher density
15 development types.
16
17 Slide#21
How Might Zoning Reform Affect... Direct
Investment in Affordable Housing?
• Affordable housing projects need an accommodating land-use
environment to be feasible, because they typically need to be efficient
in their land utilization.
• Moreover, most feasible subsidized affordable housing projects—like
those supported by the Low Income Housing Tax Credit(LIHTC)
projects—can only be built affordably as multifamily complexes.
u•s.x 1 N•T I T Y T. 21
18
14
1 Slide#22
How Does • Supply Affect
Housing • .
2
3
4 Slide #23
The Theory Behind the Current "YIMBY"
Movement to Reform Zoning: Affordability
There is less
Zoning reforms More housing competition for
enable additional units are built housing units,
housing construction in a place meaning more
affordability
5
6
7 Slide #24
The Ideal Link Between Zoning Changes and
Housing Affordability
Zoning reform designed to increase
housing construction
Ideally...
Increased housing constructionoccurs
Increased supply-sidecompetition •
homes
Lower • costs,both in
neighborhood andinregion
u..ux xar ,rr• .a
8
15
1 Slide #25
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
The Reality of Complicating Factors—Making
Affordability Harder to Achieve
Zoning reform designed to increase
But... housing construction
Increased speculation in local real estate
Increased demand-side competition for
plus demolition of existing
affectedSteady or
her housing costs in the
neighborhood
R R R S N I N 5 T I T Y T E
2
3 Yonah Freemark said regional housing needs affect the availability of affordable housing
4 in Orange County.
5
6 Slide#26
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
• New construction helps
accommodate housing demand,
thus reducing upward pressure in
What do we know highly sought-after areas.
about the effects of The most likely impact of more new
new construction construction over the medium to
on housinglong term is moderation of price
increases in both the affected area
affordability? and the region overall.
• Construction cannot make housing
massively more affordable on
average or investors would not
build.
R R R S N- I N 5 T I T R T 1 - 16
7
8
9
16
1 Slide #27
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
New Housing is Unaffordable to Most Residents,
But Can Allow "Filtering" of Older Units
Estimated share of Orange County households that could afford a median home,by year
housing unit constructed
Less than a third of
50% Orange County
40% households can afford
30% the cost of a recently
20% constructed home
10% ($638,000).
0%
wetti�pw�pc qti q �, qqq qq ot oa t�e t
10p e p 0 p oe op oy co
e totip to
q3
ti
Year housing unit built
u R 9 A N I N 5 T I T U T 5 - Source:US Census ACS 2020-24.Assumes mortgage rate of 5.8%;20%downpayment;0 other debts.
2
3 Yonah Freemark said building more housing can lead to a filtering effect, where older
4 homes become less competitive for people to afford.
5 Chair Hamilton said she's read other research that filtering doesn't work in certain
6 locations because older homes do not become less expensive. She said it's important to her to
7 understand that so the Board focuses on areas where they can make changes.
8 Yonah Freemark said one thing that stands out to him on slide #27 is the higher costs for
9 homes built before 1939, because people see a lot of value in those types of homes.
10 Chair Hamilton said lot size can also affect the value and interest in the home.
11 Commissioner McKee said the cost of lots have gone up considerably in the last 50 years.
12 Commissioner Greene said a study she shared to the Board from the Texas Low Income
13 Housing Information says that housing requires subsidies. She said that there is discussion on
14 filtering that casts some doubt on it. She wanted to talk about filtering with respect to rental
15 properties. She said that they talk about naturally occurring affordable housing, but that refers
16 to housing that has fallen into disrepair. She said trickle-up housing can make a difference, where
17 you build subsidized housing and then people can live in that instead of low market rate housing,
18 freeing up units.
19
20
17
1 Slide #28
Adding Homes Can Keep Costs Down for the
Middle of the Market
Median housing values as a multiple of median incomes,2022 Metropolitan areas that added
.Metroareaswithlowh—mgvalues Metro areas with middle and high housing values more housing units between
io
2000 and 2022 had lower
°sA°le� housing costs by 2022,
8 meaning that the typical
middle-class household was
°'" much more likely to be able to
gam" Mlaml
afford buying a house.
4
2
04 20% 46% 60% 80%
Change in housing units,2000 to 2020
U R B A N I N S 7 1 7 U i B - Source:US Census 2000 and 2022;ACS 2020-24. 2u
2
3
4
5 Slide#29
But Can We Be Sure That Zoning Reforms—and
New Housing Supply—Target All Needs?
The influence of zoning reforms is likely to vary!
• Location: Reforms may enable construction in some neighborhoods,
but not those where people most want to live.As such,those areas
may continue to become more expensive.
• Housing type and tenure: Reforms may intentionally encourage
investment in multifamily, rental projects.That may not reduce costs
for people in the market to buy single-family homes.
• Affordability: If reforms are not associated with more investment in
subsidized affordable housing,they may not help households with low
incomes.
U R B A N I N i i I}U i B
6
7 Commissioner McKee asked how the county can avoid driving out residents due to the
8 taxes required for subsidies.
9 Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if filtering can help address housing needs.
10 Yonah Freemark said filtering is made possible through the construction of substantially
11 more housing units which make the existing market more affordable. He said this helps address
12 the middle-income market. He said there are other policy decisions that should be considered.
13 He said the low-income housing tax credit is key for people in the moderate-income range. He
18
1 said the credit was expanded so it is possible to build subsidized housing for people at 60% of
2 AMI. He said if the zoning doesn't allow those properties to be built then you can have any low-
3 income housing tax credit projects.
4
5 Slide #30
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
Public Subsidies Are Essential to Meet the Low
End of the Market
Share of renters with extremely low incomes and severe cost burdens,
2022 For the lowest-income renters,
•Metro areas with low housing values'- Metro areas with middle and high housing values regions with limited housing
construction but more public
90% Ml s housing subsidies had less
�°° • housing cost burden than those
� •Mieml
UO% Angeles
regions with high housing
• • � Nex Yak •
70% •�' . '�k�°°°' construction and fewer housing
• B_°° subsidies.
60%
50%
20 30 40 50 60 70
HUD-supported housing units per 100 extremely low-income renters,
2022
U Q B A N• 1 N f T 1 T 11 T I • Source:US Census 2000 and 2022;ACS 2020-24;US Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD). 30
6
7
8 Slide#31
What is the Link Between • .
Design, • and
Transportation?
9
10
19
1 Slide #32
HOUSING IN ORANGE COUNTY
The Primary Way By Which US Cities and
Counties Have Accommodated Housing is Sprawl
Sprawling development has the advantage of being cheaper for investors
and households.
"Drive'till you qualify"is a real phenomenon that results in people living further and
further from one another, if land-use policies enable it.
But sprawl has major impacts on natural ecologies, destroying habitats.
It also has substantial effects on transportation use and costs.
- N R N A N- I N f T I T V T
2
3
4
5 Slide #33
HOV5ING IN ORANGE COUNTY
Different Development Patterns Have a Major
Impact on Transportation Choices
Densely developed Node-based development Sprawi El
(e.g.,conservation subdivisions) ■
■ e■ °■ ° ❑ El
o �❑ ° ❑ ❑
Ll
Low transportation costs, Low transportation costs • High transportation costs.
due to limited travel needs. for neighborly needs,but • High transportation-
• Limited transportation- high costs for other needs. produced emissions.
produced emissions. Mid-level transportation- • Virtually all trips must be
Easy ability to travel produced emissions. done by car.
without driving. Walking,biking feasible—
but only for local trips.
•Y Y R o N- I N f T 1 T U T 1 33
6
7
8
9
20
1 Slide #34
People May be Willing to Shift to Non-Car Means
of Transportation—But Only in the Right Contexts
Only a very small share of noncollege Orange County residents get around
by anything other than driving.
Encouraging residents to shift travel patterns is infeasible if land-use policy
isn't coordinated around effective transit.
U R B A N I N b T I T U T T 74
2
3
4 Slide#35
Urban Design Can Make or Break the
Effectiveness of a Transit Corridor
A potentially effective transit An ineffective transit line An ineffective transit line
line
■ ■ ■
El Homes and El Densities of The route is too
El ❑ are located ❑ homes are too ❑ indirect and too
directly along low near the ❑ slow to compete
the route.The route to attract with driving
line runs many riders. options.
frequently and
quickly. ■ ■
U R R A N 1 N s T 1 T U T
5
6
7
8
21
1 Slide #36
HOUSING IN OMNGE COUNTY
How About Urban Growth Boundaries?
Orange County maintains a rural ❑
buffer zone surrounding Chapel ❑
Hill and Carrboro that acts as an
urban growth boundary.
Classically, we would expect: ❑ ❑
■ New development on the
outside edge, increasing EF�F-
transportation times and costs. ❑ ❑
■ Higher housing prices in the ❑ ❑
core,reducing affordability.
U R R A N- I N i T I T Y T 1
2
3 Commissioner Greene referenced research on Portland's urban growth boundary, which
4 found that contrary to common claims, housing price growth in Portland wasn't unusual for a
5 western city experiencing economic expansion. She said that both Denver and Salt Lake City
6 without growth boundaries experienced similar price increases during the 1990s.
7 Yonah Freemark is a great example for preserving agricultural and natural spaces, and
8 reducing segregation. He said that Orange County is not an island and that may be why there is
9 development in Chatham County, because growth is constrained only within Orange County. He
10 said that the county cannot act alone.
11
12 Slide#37
Implications and Opportunities for
Orange County
37
13
14
22
1 Slide #38
1 Ci ll M1C.IV CiAf C=C(i IIV-Y
Challenges in the Market Make Addressing
Orange County's Housing Costs Difficult
• Construction costs have increased rapidly due to inflation in labor
costs, higher materials costs, and tariffs.
• Debt remains expensive for both investors in new buildings and
homebuyers.
• Incomes haven't increased as rapidly as other costs.
• The federal government hasn't increased support for very affordable
housing—though it did expand the LIHTC program in 2025.
U R B A N I N 5 T I T U T R
2
3 Vice-Chair Fowler asked if the county should try to time the market for when things
4 improve, or do you average costs and keep trying, hoping it will get better in the future.
5 Yonah Freemark said ideally the county would act on this plan and make sure it achieves
6 the desired outcomes. He said they should do so in a way that when the housing market
7 improves, development can respond appropriately.
8
9 Slide #39
Orange County Has Conditions That Make it
Somewhat Different than the Rest of the Triangle
• Housing construction in the county is slower than elsewhere, and it's
more focused on single-family homes for sale.
• Housing costs—for rent or sale—are arguably the highest among
Triangle counties, and low-income renters are cost burdened.
• Outside parts of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsboro, zoning for large-
lot single-family homes dominates.
• Current land-use policies may be contributing to higher home prices
and increased transportation costs.
• U R B A N - I N S T I T U T 5
10
11
23
1 Slide #40
Options for Orange County to Help Address
Needs and Ensure Effective Outcomes
• State law limits the county's ability to use inclusionary zoning or
enforce higher levels of environmental protection.
• Even so, the county can:
• Encourage additional construction by zoning for more homes, but in a way that
limits impacts on ecologies and habitats, e.g.,through density, use of public
land,and conservation subdivisions.
• Reduce transportation costs by designating concentrations of homes, especially
near frequent,fast transit.
• Increase funding for affordable housing through direct spending.
• Collaborate to refine the rural buffer zone.
U R B A N I N S T I T U T S 41
2
3
4 Slide#41
Linking Approaches to the Land Use Plan's Stated
Themes
Land use plan themes Approaches
. - . - ..
Protecting . . neargood
transportationAttainable housing Fund affordable housing
Sustainable
U R B A N I N S T I T U T R
5
6
7
24
1 Slide#42
Lead, X0
Thanks! A
Practice Area on Fair Housing,
Land Use,and Transportation
Urban
yfteemark@urbGn.Org
42
3
4
5 Agenda Item 2—OWASA Utility Service Capacity and Limitations
6 Todd Taylor, Orange Water and Sewer Authority Executive Director, provided a
7 presentation to the Board on water and sewer capacities, constraints, ability to serve residential
8 development in the future. He was joined by Board Chair Michael Hughes, Deputy Executive
9 Director Monica Dodson, and Director of Engineering Vishnu Gangadharan.
10
11 Slide#1
Board of Orange
County Commissioners
Housing Retreat
Orange Water and Sewer Authority
12
13
14
25
1 Slide #2
OWASA, Then and Now
• Began Operation in February 1977 +
f.y
• Prior to OWASA,water and sewer system
separately owned and operated by the University
and the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro
• OWASA executed agreements with the Towns of >r
Carrboro and Chapel Hill and the University of t �4
North Carolina at Chapel Hill which define OWASA's y
i
obligations and responsibilities w
NOW
• Provide drinking water,wastewater and reclaimed - A
water services for 86,300 people in the towns of
Chapel Hill and Carrboro and the University
r.
• University is OWASA's largest customer(about 20% -
of drinking water sales)
• About 148 employees(includes three apprentices)
2 Taken In the 1990
3 Todd Taylor explained OWASA's formation 50 years ago when Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and
4 UNC had separate water distribution and sewer collection systems supplied by University Lake.
5 Studies in the late 1960s and early 1970s revealed that University Lake would be insufficient for
6 growing community needs, requiring additional supply development. Simultaneously, the UNC
7 system was exploring divestment from utility operations, leading to the creation of a single entity
8 responsible for all community utilities. He said today OWASA serves approximately 86,000 people
9 in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and at UNC with about 150 employees. He said while UNC was initially
10 over 50 percent of water sales, it now represents about 20 percent as the customer base has
11 diversified. He said UNC is still the largest customer.
12
13 Slide #3
ITU
HiflSborough
Operational Overview
OWASA 8
Water Supply ""`A'e .•
University Lake cane creek n""°n"•"
Cane Creek
4°arry Chapal Hill Durham
• Quarry Reservoir ® es7—r
Jordan Lake(via mutual aid agreements) wa,ershed
Jones Ferry Road Water Treatment Plant a°°ndane 4�„
UnL.k.ly
°rt.naec°wnr Lake 's
Wastewater Management �„„,,, __ � ;°„�e...';
Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant
Reclaimed Water System _
Emergency Interconnections of Drinking Water
System
• City of Durham(Town of Cary)
• Town of Hillsborough
• Chatham County N `•�,<"x1p� a
AMOM
PnbMM11n�F•�F Rant y
14
26
1 Todd Taylor detailed OWASA's water supply system, beginning with rainfall in Cane Creek
2 and University Lake watersheds. He said the Quarry Reservoir resides within the University Lake
3 watershed and functions like a storage tank. He said OWASA also holds water allocation from
4 Jordan Lake, currently accessible through mutual aid agreements with Cary and Durham, though
5 Durham plans to develop a western shore intake that OWASA can benefit from as a part of the
6 Western Intake Partnership with Triangle Rural Water Authority. He said emergency
7 interconnections exist with Hillsborough, Chatham County, and Durham. He said all water flows
8 to OWASA's single treatment plant on Jones Ferry Road in Carrboro.
9
10 Slide #4
Supplies
Water
University Lake Cane Creek Reservoir Quarry Reservoir
TotaL Water THE DRINKING WATER SYSTEM
'3 . 65 Billion
• •
Reservoir Mixing [larif{cation Filtration [)isinfenion Sttorage�Customer
T
Supply Treatment Distribution
11
12 Todd Taylor explained that the three reservoirs store 3.65 billion gallons, equating to
13 approximately 575 days of supply based on average community use. He emphasized extensive
14 planning for water supply since additional sources are difficult to obtain and take a significant
15 amount of time to develop.
16
17
27
1 Slide#5
Our Expanded Quarry Reservoir and Jordan Lake Meet our Long-Term Water
Supply Needs and Address Drought Vulnerability
20
Jordan Lake Allocation Included
78
16
Water
m
E 14 Expanded Quarry Reservoir
D
supply
• v 12
E Yield Ld Also has Uncertainty
i 10 ♦�
Yield 8 ♦♦� ♦�N♦►♦ •
♦� Demands ♦♦�M♦NM♦♦ Baseline,tst and 99th
3 6 ♦♦N Percentile Projections
♦♦N
OC 4
2
0 —
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
FiscalYear
O WASA's Water Supply Yreld and Demands-The estimated yield that includes our allocation of water from
Jordan Lake is oversimplified as our access through the Western Intake Partners has notyet been modeled
with our three local supplies. The projections shown in the figure are from 2019.In addition,there is
uncertainty in the yield which is more drifrcult to quantify Shan the demand projectrons.
2
3 Toddy Taylor said projections showed that current reservoirs plus quarry expansion would
4 provide water supply decades into the future before requiring regular Jordan Lake use.
5 Commissioner Bedford asked about quarry transition timing.
6 Todd Taylor explained mining would cease in 2030, and the following five years will be
7 spent connecting pits and filling them with water. He said that some capacity will be temporarily
8 offline during this period.
9 Commissioner Bedford asked if the 575 days of supply is the current capacity or future.
10 Todd Taylor said that it represents the current capacity of the quarry.
11
12 Slide#6
Jones Ferry
Road
Hit MICRO-III,
Water
Treatment
Pitant
Peak Day
.��_.r�r_ �• �)
_.. � ��rit�nlrrrlrr�
wgE1. -
THE DRINKING WATER SYSTEM
Capacity is
20 Million
Gallons
• - t Reservoir Mining cladilcation Filtration Disinfectiun St—ge�Customer
. T T
Supply Treatment Distribution
13
28
1 Slide#7
Comparison of Peak Day to Plant Capacity
25
v
cn
E 20 Peak Day Water Treatment Capacity
unts
e peakDaV:all�c�o-
a 15 • • , • : r -a�elin le water accounts
.� ~ potable
c i '•�' • • ¢ak 9aY'P
0 10 •� •••�• �"•• Baseline 4
m Actual Peak
0
0 5
0
��h 1°00 1°oy voyo 1oti5 votio �otih voyo tio3y y°oo 1°ey �o�o tiohy 1�,0 �°65 vo,�o
Fiscal Year
2
3 Todd Taylor said the Jones Ferry Road water treatment plant has 20 million gallons per day
4 peak capacity, while the community uses slightly over 6 million gallons daily. Peak demands
5 average 10-12 million gallons, a level maintained for about 15 years. Plant upgrades in the early
6 2000s increased capacity from 15 to 20 million gallons daily, providing sufficient treatment
7 capacity for decades.
8 Commissioner Bedford asked where the Clearwell is on this map
9 Todd Taylor said it is in the top right corner (looks like part of the parking lot) and is
10 underground.
11
12 Slide #8
i'1'" r
Mason Farm
Wastewater
Treatment
Plant
THE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM RIIIJIed
Wat—UNC
----------------
. . L ** —LLJ
Customer Manhole Pumping Headwnrks Primdry ` Aeratid�SeCnntlary Filtration Uisint..— Morgan Creek
Clarification \}1 Basins Clarification
I
�~9losolids aPPlied
. g to farmland Or
dewatered for
• a y P—Irtg
Digesters
13
29
1 Todd Taylor said OWASA's single wastewater treatment plant off Old Mason Farm Road
2 has 14.5 million gallons per day peak month capacity, currently processing 7-8 million gallons
3 daily.
4
5 Slide#9
Mason
Month Flows
OWASA has Sufficient Hydraulic Capacity at its WWTP for the next 35
1s to 40 Years
Z 16
RO
E 14
p 1210
•
`m •
• • • •••
♦•
l7 6 •
c
O 4
2
0
1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
Fiscal Year
Mason Farm WWTP Capacity and Demands.Projected flows are from 2019.
6
7 Todd Taylor said wastewater flows are more volatile than water use due to rainfall and
8 groundwater impacts. The plant was expanded twice - in the late 1990s and 2000s - to reach
9 current capacity, which should serve the community for several decades.
10 Commissioner Carter asked about how current projections of housing in Orange County
11 are considered for these capacity estimates.
12 Todd Taylor said forecasting is not perfect, but it does take those factors into account.
13 Commissioner Carter asked if projections in 2019 considered expanded housing stock in
14 the service area.
15 Todd Taylor said yes, OWASA monitors whether actual growth falls within projected bands
16 and works closely with municipalities and the university to gather projection information.
17
18
30
1 Slide #10
AccountsDemand
�.,9-0 24,000
m
na
W 8.5
22,000
a 8.0
m —6.3 MGD average projected for FY
o 7.5 20,000 � 2026
y a
H 7.0 18,000
0 6.5 '� Water sales are the same as the
n
c 60 or 16,000 c early 1990s
O C
6.5 14,000 w • Almost double the number of
F
m
5.0 customers
12,000
I 4.5
m
4.0 10,000
?i ^9�6^��^990^99`L^g9b�9��990 ry00°ryOp`b�O�b ryOp6�0�0 ryOyO ryO,�`L ryo,�b�O,�b ryO.�6�OryO ryOryrl-�Orlb
Flsc.LYear
Water Sates tCu stomer Accounts
2
3 Todd Taylor highlighted remarkable water conservation achievements, showing that
4 despite doubling customer accounts since the 1990s, OWASA sells the same amount of water
5 today. He said this reflected the community's strong water conservation ethos and partnerships
6 like the reclaimed water system with UNC that significantly reduced university consumption
7 starting in 2009. He said conservation efforts extended water supply capacity well into the future.
8
9 Slide #11
o �OWASA t -Term:nterg Area
A
�., Watera d
Rural BulA,ftuid.ry
-� - OWASA Prenary S—i.A—
• ,
Service Cane Creok
%Wsssh.e
Area
V
Jn..ei'e:g Ld 6 ..
Nei hra
A 1 I /.
1 0.5 0 1
®Mlles
10
31
1 Todd Taylor explained how OWASA's service area has become constrained over time. He
2 said originally, OWASA had no geographic limitations beyond serving the university, Chapel Hill,
3 and Carrboro as its primary responsibility, and growth paying for growth was the only restriction.
4 He said the rural buffer around University Lake watershed protection became the first geographic
5 constraint, visible on maps as the green line, which follows watershed boundaries. He said state
6 water supply watershed rules in the early 1990s added further protection in the hashed out blue
7 areas of the map. He said the 2001 Water and Sewer Management and Boundary Agreement
s established formal geographic service boundaries for the first time, describing boundary change
9 processes and exceptions for health concerns or public facilities like schools. He said the
10 agreement established procedures for working with county entities to determine service
11 provision and created OWASA's long-term interest area, shown in light blue.
12
13 Slide #12
0 owASA Lo nple [ntexse Area
FYI ®wateffi
Q T—Ff]Boundary
�Rural Buffer Boundary
Q pwASA Pnmary Service Area
w -
rsr
. , ► Care Crack
wale v ud
Service
r
v �
Chapel HIN ETJ
Ljnive.bis`d�� •
wa,arznGn
J „
N Garrbem Ei,;
r®Miles ---
14 - �-
15
16
32
1 Slide#13
Support fordevelopment
• Worked collaboratively with the Town of Chapel Hill on a concept plan to provide
sewer service to the recently expanded service area along the 15/501 corridor.
• Have developed a draft reimbursement policy.
• Held several feedback sessions with the development community over the last
year and have an action plan to improve communications, improve the plan
review process, and create opportunities to provide additional feedback going
forward.
• Plan to update our sewer system hydraulic model in coordination with the Towns,
County and UNC.
2
3 Todd Taylor outlined recent efforts to support developers within the service area. OWASA
4 worked collaboratively with Chapel Hill to develop a concept plan for sewer service in the recently
5 expanded service area along Highway 15-501. He said a draft reimbursement policy was under
6 board consideration to address situations where developers extend utilities past multiple
7 properties but bear full costs without reimbursement when others connect later. He said OWASA
8 held feedback sessions with the development community to improve communications and plan
9 review processes, and planned to update the sewer system hydraulic model in coordination with
10 towns, county, and UNC.
11 Commissioner Bedford asked for clarification on the sewer system hydraulic model.
12 Todd Taylor explained the model helps determine pipe capacity and upgrade needs when
13 developers propose projects.
14 Commissioner Carter asked about the model's implications for understanding future
15 system capacity.
16 Todd Taylor explained the updated model would enable quick analysis of proposed
17 developments and identification of needed system upgrades or restrictions.
18
19
33
1 Slide#14
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3 Vice-Chair Fowler posed hypothetical questions about extending services to support
4 transit-oriented development, such as along potential Hillsborough corridor extensions.
5 Todd Taylor responded that it would be difficult to accommodate because planning was
6 done with the current agreements in mind and the future demand models do not include
7 expansion into the rural buffer or changes to WASMPBA. He said that extensions outside current
8 OWASA boundaries would require study and analysis, and any boundary changes would need
9 agreement from Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and the university.
10 Commissioner Carter requested to review the supplementary slides.
11
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2 agreed to provide water and sewer to as an environmental health exception to WASMPBA.
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6 Todd Taylor noted that the WASMPBA boundary runs along this area, but that there is
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2
3 Todd Taylor said the Eubanks area includes the Carrboro transition areas, planned for
4 future housing. He said OWASA has plans for a water main extension to connect the two systems
5 and resolve hydraulic issues.
6 Commissioner Carter acknowledged that changes to WASMPBA would take agreement
7 amongst all parties.She asked which areas had development potential within service boundaries.
8 Todd Taylor explained that the Eubanks Rd. area is in Carrboro's transition zone, and both
9 transition areas have access to water and sewer, but it would be up to developers to make those
10 extensions. He said Erwin Road has developable areas within boundaries, though 1-40 created
11 challenges. He said Rangewood had limited expansion possibilities due to the restrictions of
12 exceptions in the WASMPBA.
13 Commissioner Bedford asked if the concept plan for sewer system is on the OWASA
14 website.
15 Todd Taylor said the OWASA Board of Directors just finished with that plan and plans to
16 provide it to Chapel Hill Town Council for feedback.
17 Commissioner Bedford referred to Todd Taylor's earlier points, acknowledging that the
18 15/501 corridor area wasn't in the plan, but was accommodated. She recognized that OWASA
19 would need to study the possibility of other extensions.
20 Todd Taylor noted that Chapel Hill petitioned the other parties to the WASAMPBA for that
21 extension. He said part of the concept plan for that corridor was the cost of extension and who
22 would pay for it.
23 Commissioner Bedford assumed that's what the draft reimbursement policy will address,
24 a reimbursement to the initial payer.
36
1 Todd Taylor confirmed the intent was to make it fairer for the original developer who
2 initiated the extension to get reimbursed when future connections take place on the lines they
3 paid to install.
4 Commissioner McKee said it sounds like no planning was done that considers a change to
5 WASMPBA.
6 Todd Taylor said that is correct. He clarified that OWASA doesn't plan to serve areas
7 outside of its established boundaries until the boundaries change, and then it would study how
8 to accommodate that growth. He emphasized the growth-pays-for-growth policy, noting that
9 even studies like the 15-501 concept plan were paid for by Chapel Hill rather than OWASA
10 ratepayers.
11 Commissioner McKee said he feels like without a change to WASMPBA and rural buffer,
12 there will be no chance for housing affordability in the county.
13 Commissioner Carter agreed the board would need conversations about policy change.
14 Chair Hamilton reminded the Board that the purpose of these presentations is to
15 understand the landscape, so they have the background while developing the 2050 Land Use
16 Plan.
17 Commissioner McKee said he has heard the same conversation this Board for 15 years,
18 but there has been no change to policy.
19 Commissioner Greene defended existing policies directing growth within urban service
20 boundaries where affordable housing was possible.
21 Chair Hamilton asked about the projected growth within the service boundary and what
22 it means for affordable housing.
23 Todd Taylor said the data OWASA has received comes from the towns and the university,
24 and that is how they determine the need to increase capacity or not. He said he can only speak
25 to the policies in place at the current moment.
26 Chair Hamilton summarized that OWASA has the capacity to accommodate the towns'
27 and university's projected growth.
28 Todd Taylor said yes. He said if they grow faster or slower,that may change the projection.
29 Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked about the Rangewood service restrictions, confirming
30 that policy changes would require agreement among all parties to the WASMPBA.
31 Todd Taylor said that is correct, it is part of WASMPBA restrictions.
32 Commissioner Carter explored capacity expansion implications beyond the current
33 projections. She noted that the full system capacity is much larger than the current projections
34 when considering the quarry upgrade and the Jordan Lake mutual aid.
35 Todd Taylor confirmed additional water supplies, treatment capacity, and infrastructure
36 could accommodate more growth but emphasized significant costs. He said accessing the Jordan
37 Lake allocation around 2050 would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, paid by ratepayers within
38 the service boundary through monthly bills.
39 Commissioner Carter noted the policy that developers pay for extensions.
40 Todd Taylor clarified that major infrastructure, like water treatment plant upgrades, was
41 funded by OWASA ratepayers through system development fees, requiring long-term planning
42 rather than house-by-house upgrades.
43
44 The Board took a break from 3:12 to 3:30 p.m.
37
1
2 Agenda Item 3 — Roundtable Discussion with Affordable Housing Partners, Chambers of
3 Commerce, and Homebuilders Association
4
5 The following organizations attended the Retreat and participated in the discussion: Kimberly
6 Sanchez for Community Home Trust (CHT); Valencia Thompson and Delores Bailey for
7 EMPOWERment; Ansel Pritchard for Habitat for Humanity; Ian Scott for the Homebuilders
8 Association of Durham, Orange, and Chatham Counties and the Chamber for a Greater Chapel
9 Hill-Carrboro; Blake Rosser for the Orange County Housing Department; and Lynn Nilsson for the
10 Orange County Affordable Housing Advisory Board.
11
12 • What do developers suggest for building more housing?
13 • Types of housing?
14 • Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro "big bold ideas" summary:
15 http://www.bigboIdideas.org/
16 • What may be different for non-profit developers?
17 • How can Orange County work collaboratively to better serve the need for attainable
18 housing?
19
20 Chair Hamilton opened by asking participants to describe barriers to affordable and
21 workforce housing from their perspectives.
22 Ansel Pritchard explained that Habitat for Humanity is shifting toward larger communities
23 of scale and higher density for practical reasons to build more homes annually. He said their
24 biggest barriers are cost and utility access-finding developable land with water and sewer access
25 while competing with other developers. He said for the homeowners they serve, which are
26 traditionally 30-80 percent AMI, reaching below 40 percent AMI has become increasingly difficult
27 due to building costs and property taxes.
28 Kimberly Sanchez noted that Community Home Trust (CHT) gets most housing inventory
29 through Chapel Hill's inclusionary zoning requirement, which will bring them over 300 homes this
30 year. She said while other jurisdictions show developer appetite for negotiating affordable
31 housing inclusion, barriers include lack of strong policy or political will. She emphasized that
32 public investment is critical since market supply alone won't provide necessary subsidies for
33 homeowners earning 65 percent AMI like teachers and nurses. She said moderate income
34 homeowners face barriers including conventional mortgage requirements and high closing costs
35 despite down payment assistance.
36 Valencia Thompson explained EMPOWERment focuses on affordable rentals, with
37 inventory being their biggest barrier. She said they receive daily calls from people seeking rentals,
38 but inventory is insufficient. She said finding funding for acquisitions and rehabilitation to keep
39 units affordable is challenging, especially given increasing rents. She said renters also lack
40 assistance for security deposits and other rental requirements, and housing vouchers remain
41 unavailable.
42 Lynn Nilsson from the Affordable Housing Advisory Board identified increasing property
43 taxes and tax burden shifting to local residents as major concerns, particularly with state-level
38
1 reductions in corporate and personal income taxes creating a regressive tax policy. She said as a
2 realtor, she noted significant price differences between Durham and Chapel Hill properties.
3 Blake Rosser said he agreed with the points made in the first presentation during the
4 retreat.
5 Ian Scott said the Chamber discussed that the area needs a variety of housing types and
6 available at price points across the spectrum. He said much of affordable housing has been
7 delivered through partnership with private developers through inclusionary housing policy in
8 Chapel Hill. He said employers struggle to recruit and retain people, and he speculates that there
9 is increased competition from employers outside of the county. He said the number of Town of
10 Chapel Hill employees that live in Chapel Hill could be counted on one hand and within Orange
11 County, maybe on two. He said at the Chamber, maybe one employee lives within the county.
12 Chair Hamilton asked Ian Scott if the Chamber has a breakdown by employer types of who
13 is having the most trouble retaining employees.
14 Ian Scott said it's all the biggest sectors in the economy. He said both the university and
15 hospital have expressed concern that the housing supply creates constraints for their growth and
16 operation. He said food and beverage employers also face difficulties. He said a lot of people
17 commute into Orange County for jobs and a lot of residents commute out of the county for jobs,
18 and this is a consisted pattern that has been exacerbated over time.
19 Commissioner Carter asked Ansel Pritchard for policies in neighboring counties—are there
20 things that other counties are doing the Board should know about.
21 Ansel Pritchard noted Chapel Hill's recent land use management ordinance passage took
22 cues from Durham and Wake counties, removing tedious requirements for rezoning applications
23 and reducing required lot sizes and parking minimums. He said these changes provide access to
24 additional infill lots throughout Chapel Hill that weren't previously available.
25 Chair Hamilton asked for the definition of infill lots.
26 Ansel Pritchard gave an example of infill lots which is to subdivide existing lots to create
27 space for additional homes beyond just ADUs.
28 Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if Ian Scott could share the Chamber's membership
29 survey slides which were presented at a recent economic forecast forum.
30 Ian Scott said yes. He said the Chamber surveys members each January or February with
31 a consistent set of questions. He said it gives the Chamber a sense of what businesses in the area
32 are experiencing.
33 Commissioner Greene requested more detail about precise income levels of employees
34 who can't afford local housing, noting that teachers and nurses at 60 percent AMI and many food
35 service/retail workers likely don't exceed 65 percent AMI, meaning subsidized housing is needed.
36 Ian Scott said he would provide that.
37 Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she thought there was a need for housing at 80-120%
38 AMI.
39 Ian Scott said he thought the earlier presentations accurately represented the state of
40 housing in Orange County. He said while economic development efforts work to attract higher-
41 wage jobs, many Orange County employees simply can't afford housing meeting their needs. He
42 noted significant wage pressure on employers during inflationary periods, particularly affecting
43 locally owned food and beverage businesses.
39
1 Commissioner Carter asked Ian Scott about the Chamber's initiative on workforce housing
2 and opportunities for public private partnerships to address that need.
3 Ian Scott said the Chamber launched a strategic campaign two years ago with three top
4 initiatives based on member priorities: housing supply diversity meeting price points across the
5 income spectrum, workforce development connecting young people to local career pathways,
6 and expanding underrepresented business ownership to address persistent income gaps by race
7 in Orange County. He said the Chamber has been working primarily with Chapel Hill, which has
8 set and met numeric goals for housing units. He noted confidence in recommending policy
9 changes when diverse development community stakeholders agree on barriers and solutions. He
10 emphasized both for-profit and non-profit developers face the same constraints: land cost, labor
11 cost, construction materials cost, and legal costs. He sees partnership between sectors spanning
12 the housing need continuum, though they're still falling short despite progress.
13 Delores Bailey said EMPOWERment has program for assisting minority business owners
14 with sustainability. She said housing challenges got worse after the pandemic. She said the local
15 government housing staff are doing what they can with the resources they have. She said they
16 are opening Peach apartments in April which are directed to those who earn 30%AMI.
17 Commissioner Greene asked Ian Scott to share any success stories regarding the position
18 the county helped fund for minority economic work
19 Ian Scott said he did not have that information today, but it could be provided. He said
20 the three initiatives established by the Chamber are interconnected, but housing is number one.
21 He said Chapel Hill has set and met numerical goals for total housing unites and affordable
22 housing units. He said most of the barriers are just math: land cost, labor cost, and the cost of
23 construction materials. He said the not-for-profit builder faces the same constraints as private
24 developers. He said there's been significant progress in Chapel Hill and Carrboro intends to make
25 strides in affordable housing as well.
26 Chair Hamilton said that the county faces water and sewer issues that are different from
27 municipalities. She said they have challenges in knowing what we can and cannot do to make
28 sure the county is protecting the environment and the headwaters which tend to be in the
29 unincorporated parts of the county. She said because the county works in partnership with the
30 with the municipalities, they will have to lean on the towns to provide more of that denser
31 housing. She said the high cost of building is one of the drivers that the Board cannot control, as
32 well as the demand for housing from people moving from out of the county.
33 Vice-Chair Fowler said regarding changing the comprehensive land use plan, during the
34 discussion of barriers, she heard about decreased lot sizes and parking minimums. She asked
35 what things the county could do in the land use plan to improve access to affordable housing.
36 Kimberly Sanchez said the county could figure out where higher density is appropriate
37 and connecting it to transportation. She said allowing various housing types including multifamily
38 apartments would also help, and providing opportunities for naturally occurring affordable
39 housing acquisition and rehabilitation.She said quick capital access would help nonprofits acquire
40 aging inventory before investors.
41 Ansel Pritchard agreed about preserving naturally occurring affordable housing and
42 emphasized support for critical repairs on non-Habitat homes for seniors who are looking to age
43 in place. He said that Habitat liked the idea of a conservation subdivision. He said access to
44 capital for infrastructure and utilities would help as they build large developments.
40
1 Delores Bailey said housing that is specifically for families earning 50% AMI and below
2 would help. no place to build a four-plex. She said density discussions should include these
3 families and suggested the land use plan specify assistance for this population, including those in
4 manufactured homes and traditionally African American communities facing displacement due
5 to rising property taxes.
6 Blake Rosser said a conversation about the rural buffer is appropriate and its relation to
7 land use planning.
8 Chair Hamilton agreed that there needed to be a diversity of housing for a diversity of
9 incomes. She asked the Board to remember that they can't restrict who comes in. She gave an
10 example of Los Angeles, a place with density but high demand and it's not affordable. She said
11 they need to be realistic about how difficult it may be, and the available methods to protect the
12 homeowners who are here. She liked the ideas for rehabilitating older homes and creating
13 opportunities to help people who want to build ADUs or use their land more flexibly.
14 Vice-Chair Fowler asked if the county could use the land use plan to restrict based on AMI.
15 Commissioner Bedford indicated no.
16 Vice-Chair Fowler said they want to encourage diverse incomes because there is already
17 a problem of concentrating low-income residents.
18 Ian Scott encouraged the Board to look at existing transportation and transit capacity and
19 consider where municipal services could be extended. He said he took a tour of the rural buffer,
20 and it struck him that the county is good at preserving land, but most of it is going into residential
21 use rather than agricultural use. He said by maintaining the boundaries for so long, it pushes
22 demand elsewhere. He said a conservation subdivision may not deliver affordability and he
23 questioned the marketability of that kind of subdivision.
24 Commissioner Greene said there could be interest in conservation subdivisions because
25 of concerns about the environment, and the benefits of smaller lots with land around it
26 conserved.
27 Ian Scott said his main concern is that it may not improve affordability.
28 Ansel Pritchard said conservation subdivisions could have an affordability aspect. He gave
29 the example of Weaver's Grove, which is a mix of 50% market rate and 50% Habitat. He said
30 EMPOWERment is possibly the only organizations serving anything below 40% AMI, and that's
31 because it's too expensive. He said the possibility of doing mixed income homeowners could
32 work.
33 Commissioner Bedford said the county uses HOME funds to help seniors repair homes.
34 She asked Kimberly Sanchez if the Community Home Trust buildings in Carrboro are apartments.
35 Kimberly Sanchez said they are in Chapel Hill, and they are 58-unit apartment buildings.
36 She said low-income tax credits are only for rentals.
37 Commissioner Bedford asked how many units are at the Landings at Winmore operated
38 by CHT and what the waitlist is like.
39 Kimberly Sanchez said 58 and they cut off the waitlist at 25 because they don't have a lot
40 of turnover.
41 Commissioner Bedford asked about balancing rental versus homeownership funding for
42 limited dollars.
41
1 Kimberly Sanchez said it is an impossible question due to great need on both sides, noting
2 renters who stabilize become homeowners and homeowners who stabilize move to private
3 market.
4 Delores Bailey said she disliked pitting rental against ownership and emphasized that for-
5 profit developers offering affordable rentals must maintain permanent affordability rather than
6 temporary commitments. She said some developments like Shelton Station haven't maintained
7 affordable commitments adequately.
8 Ansel Pritchard asked how long they commit to keep the units affordable.
9 Delores Bailey said it's not years.
10 Commissioner Bedford said she was surprised that some units are only kept affordable for
11 30 years. She asked if the non-profits had any statistics on inventory held by hedge funds and
12 investors to use the properties as rentals.
13 Delores Bailey said it is happening, but they don't have the statistics.
14 Commissioner Bedford informed participants about General Assembly committee
15 activities that could limit counties'taxation abilities, potentially reducing available housing funds.
16 She said it's time for nonprofits and housing advocates to engage with the General Assembly.
17 Delores Bailey asked if that reduces the amount of money available to housing non-profits.
18 Commissioner Bedford said it could, and it would force the counties to go to sales tax,
19 which is regressive.
20 Commissioner Carter said one potentially positive change being discussed would close
21 loopholes allowing developers to receive property tax exemptions for affordable housing without
22 adequate ongoing compliance monitoring. She asked about other counties' budget allocations
23 for affordable housing programs.
24 Kimberly Sanchez said Durham and Wake passed bonds to support housing. She said CHT
25 worked with Self-Help to shape the property tax bill.
26 Delores Bailey said Durham offers additional subsidies beyond bond funding through
27 home buyer programs that have helped people purchase homes, while Orange County
28 participants in similar programs haven't resulted in local home sales due to inventory and subsidy
29 limitations.
30 Blake Rosser said he would investigate what other municipalities are doing. He said it may
31 be possible for the Board to allocate portions of the $5 million every three years in bond and CIP
32 funding toward 30%AMI or below housing.
33 Delores Bailey mentioned housing choice voucher homeownership possibilities.
34 Blake Rosser said that it's a possibility, but the required income levels would disqualify
35 people from the program due to high housing costs.
36 Lynn Nilsson said transportation could be put along Old 86 and Hwy 86. She suggested
37 that could be changed in the land use plan.
38 Ansel Pritchard said that's what Habitat was considering as well.
39 Lynn Nilsson said another challenge is septic limitations in the rural areas when looking to
40 add ADUs, and alternative methods of providing septic would be helpful.
41 Chair Hamilton said they'd had separate discussion on water and sewer possibilities in
42 rural areas.
43 Lynn Nilsson added having the workforce so far away from employers makes it difficult for
44 employees to consistently show up for work when there are weather related issues.
42
1 Commissioner Greene said that old Highway 86 from Carrboro included developable areas
2 in Carrboro's transition zone. She said the federal government only requires 30 years for
3 affordability terms. She said Orange County non-profits make a commitment to holding
4 properties for 99 years.
5 Commissioner Carter said community septic and well systems have limitations and
6 drawbacks, and Orange County soils are difficult to combine with septic in many cases.
7 Kimberly Sanchez asked if changing WASMPBA boundaries is a possibility.
8 Chair Hamilton said the land use plan will be created with those policies in mind. She said
9 it will likely need to be a living document to accommodate changes to agreements or policies.
10 Kimberly Sanchez said that made sense. She said this is a very popular place to live, and
11 they can't know now what innovations might come up for soil and water issues.
12 Commissioner Bedford said the land use plan will be created to comply with existing
13 policies. She said the county could simultaneously target changes to those agreements with other
14 partners.
15 Chair Hamilton said that there will need to be a lot of community education and
16 engagement on potential changes to policies or agreements.
17 Commissioner McKee said he doesn't think there's any possibility of changes to urban
18 boundaries.
19 Delores Bailey said there are not enough retirement centers in the county or places for
20 those with disabilities or who have aged out of the adoption program to go. She said that's an
21 important part of the housing conversation.
22 Commissioner Greene said that the county recently expanded WASMPBA.
23 Ian Scott asked if tax increment financing is a possible method for increasing affordable
24 housing opportunities. He gave an example of the area in the recent WASMPBA expansion, which
25 has not developed due to questions of financing. He said that there is a revolving loan fund for
26 the Town of Chapel Hill. He said the Chamber is exploring employer housing assistance programs
27 with larger companies.
28 Chair Hamilton noted the fiscal pressures of the county and the struggle to provide
29 mandatory services. She said innovative partnerships will be key.
30
31 Adjournment
32
33 The Board adjourned the meeting at 5:01 p.m. without a formal motion.
34
35 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
36
37 Jean Hamilton, Chair
38
39
40 Recorded by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board and Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board
41
42 Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board.
Attachment 3
1
1 DRAFT MINUTES
2 ORANGE COUNTY
3 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
4 LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST
5 March 23, 2026
6 8:30 a.m.
7
8 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a breakfast meeting with the Orange County
9 Legislative Delegation on Monday, March 17, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. at the Whitted Human Services Center
10 in Hillsborough, NC.
11
12 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jean Hamilton, Vice-Chair Amy Fowler, and Commissioners
13 Jamezetta Bedford, Marilyn Carter, Sally Greene, and Earl McKee
14 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioner Phyllis Portie-Ascott
15 COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts
16 COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager Caitlin Fenhagen, and
17 Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen. (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below)
18 LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION PRESENT: Representative Renee Price and Representative Allen Buansi
19
20 Chair Hamilton called the meeting to order at 8:37 a.m.
21
22 The Board of County Commissioners, legislative delegation, and staff introduced themselves.
23 Commissioner Carter introduced the legislative issues packet. She thanked staff for their work in
24 preparing the information. She explained how the packet was developed.
25 Commissioner Carter reviewed the items on the Board's list of priority legislative issues:
26
27 AGRICULTURE (NCACC Legislative Advocacy Goal Category)
28
29 - GOAL—Seek legislation to protect and expand farmland preservation programs.
30
31 Commissioner Carter said the county was seeking support from the state to continue to invest in
32 these programs to preserve farmland.
33
34 GENERAL GOVERNMENT(NCACC Legislative Advocacy Goal Category)
35
36 - GOAL — Seek legislation to increase funding for preserving and repairing existing affordable
37 housing.
38
39 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (NCACC Legislative Advocacy Goal Category)
40
41 - GOAL — Seek legislation to expand behavioral health treatment resources and crisis system
42 capacity.
43
44 Commissioner Carter said the county currently lacks the capacity to help people stay out of the
45 judicial system, and live safely in the community. She said the county is constructing a crisis diversion
46 facility with no committed state funding. She said without a facility, there are long waits for treatment
47 and limited options for patients. She said the county's PORT and CARE Teams rely on grant funding which
48 will on June 30, 2026.
2
1 JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY (NCACC Legislative Advocacy Goal Category)
2
3 - GOAL—Seek legislation expanding state funding for essential medical, mental health, substance
4 use, and social services for people incarcerated in local detention facilities.
5
6 Commissioner Carter said this legislation is important because the county bears the full cost of
7 providing these services for medical and behavioral care, and needs continue to rise.
8
9 PUBLIC EDUCATION (NCACC Legislative Advocacy Goal Category)
10
11 - GOAL—Support legislation that invests in school operational and capital needs.
12
13 Commissioner Carter said the lack of adequate funding is putting a major burden on budgets and
14 county tax bills. She said Orange County is committed to covering as much of the gap as possible, but they
15 are trying to be cognizant of property tax bills. She said 55%of resident tax bills are directly attributed to
16 K-12 operational spending. She said due to the special district tax, it is 63% in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City
17 Schools. She said one way to alleviate property tax burdens is for the state to increase funding.
18
19 TAX AND FINANCE (NCACC Legislative Advocacy Goal Category)
20
21 - GOAL—Support legislation that preserves County funding and taxing authority and instead funds
22 potential expanded exemptions through the state budget.
23
24 Commissioner Carter said the Board will discuss this goal further due to the special select
25 committee on property tax reform and recent developments.
26 Chair Hamilton opened the floor for discussion.
27 Representative Buansi said there are some representatives coalescing around the idea of a
28 constitutional amendment to put on the ballot. He said it sounds like it would be a mandate for the general
29 assembly limit property taxes. He said there hasn't been discussion of what that might mean. He asked
30 if the commissioners had heard from other counties on the topic. He said there is a lack of funding for
31 crisis diversion programs and there hasn't been a lot of movement on the other side of the aisle, but it is
32 something that Democrats care about and are still pushing for. He said for farmland preservation,there is
33 some agreement on both sides of the aisle to put in more funding. He said Representative Ray Jeffers
34 signed on to a bill to appropriate more money for the Department of Agriculture to create a grant program
35 for farmland preservation trust fund. He said he hoped it would be part of a state budget. He said not
36 having a state budget creates a lack of predictability and uncertainty for residents, schools, and Medicaid
37 recipients. He said the Medicaid bill imposes more frequent recertifications and creates a huge
38 administrative burden for counties that is not reimbursed due to a lack of a state budget. He also discussed
39 the North Carolina Housing Trust Fund,and that he and other Democrats are pushing for more investments
40 for the repair and construction of affordable housing units. He noted the expiring funding for the
41 workforce loan program, which would require $80 million to continue supporting housing construction
42 and repair, especially in rural counties.
43 Representative Price said everything listed in the priority list relies on funding from a state budget.
44 She expressed appreciation for the development of the legislative goals packet. Regarding the agriculture
45 goal, she said one thing to consider is first time farmers and getting them involved. Regarding affordable
46 housing,she asked if the county is working with Central Pines, because they used to have a weatherization
47 program.
48 Chair Hamilton said it might be something to look into.
3
1 Commissioner Greene said she would bring it up with the organization.
2 Chair Hamilton said even with all the different groups involved, such as Habitat and the
3 Department on Aging, there is not enough funding, especially to do the major repairs required for some
4 of the homes.
5 Representative Price said she thought some funding was funneled through to Central Pines for this
6 purpose.
7 Chair Hamilton said that whenever money is funneled to another entity,there are overhead costs.
8 Commissioner Carter said there is an estimated $2 million in unmet needs for home repairs.
9 Commissioner Bedford said just under $500,000 in HOME funding has been committed to home
10 repairs. She said that they are finding that some of the homes for low-income seniors are more dilapidated
11 than expected.
12 Commissioner McKee gave an example of a home that required more extensive and expensive
13 repairs than providers expected. He said that the availability of funds for any one individual is limited by
14 the total funding.
15 Commissioner Bedford said its overall cheaper to repair a home than to build new.
16 Representative Price said there are ongoing efforts to take power away from municipalities and
17 counties.She encouraged the county to pay attention to regulatory reforms and consider their impacts on
18 local governments.
19 Representative Price asked about the timeline for the crisis diversion facility.
20 Caitlin Fenhagen said the facility will break ground in 2026 and hopefully open in 2027.
21 Representative Price highlighted her collaborative efforts with colleagues such as Zach Hawkins
22 on initiatives concerning individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She also referenced
23 the governor's task force, which is focused on addressing mental health issues within detention centers.
24 Representative Price said opportunity scholarships put a big burden on public education.
25 Regarding tax and finance,she said that many legislators do not understand the tax system and are having
26 to be educated on how it works.
27 Commissioner Carter said they need to get the message to legislators that if property taxes are a
28 prominent concern, public education is a huge part of that. She said they need the support for public
29 education, so counties can allocate dollars for other mandated services. allocated funding for services
30 more effectively. She said a proposed constitutional amendment is low on specifics but is tapping into the
31 energy felt across the state regarding property taxes.
32 Commissioner Bedford said there is a concern that the county could not meet its mandated
33 functions.
34 Commissioner Carter said there were discussions at the National Association of Counties
35 legislative conference, where state association directors from multiple states discussed a national
36 movement to remove taxing authority from municipalities and counties. The association executive
37 directors strongly encouraged counties to band together and go to their delegations to amplify voices on
38 these concerns.
39 Representative Buansi added that if lawmakers are serious about addressing affordability,
40 property tax is only one piece, and there are other tools the state could provide. He noted that counties
41 and towns have very limited ways to raise revenue, and the state could help by restoring abilities like
42 school impact fees that Orange County previously had.
43 Vice-Chair Fowler noted that property taxes and sales taxes are regressive, while income and
44 corporate taxes are progressive. She said that would naturally assist lower income residents.
45 Chair Hamilton said this part of a broader national debate on the role of government and how
46 services are provided. She said it will be important to educate the public on the services provided by
47 counties. She asked the legislative delegation how the county should get those messages across.
4
1 Representative Price said it will be difficult for Orange County or any similar county to speak to
2 legislators and get them to listen. She said the county should focus on working with the state association.
3 She said the state is headed towards a fiscal cliff. She said tax breaks for seniors to help them stay in their
4 homes restrict the revenues for counties with a higher percentage of seniors. She said changes to the
5 Homestead Exemption disproportionately affect Tier 1 counties. She said the state should consider
6 changes to the uniformity clause.
7 Representative Buansi said NCACC has powerful communicators that work with legislators. He
8 said they have advocacy days to educate legislators on county services. He said the school board depends
9 on county funding, and suggested engaging with the educator's association to speak to legislators.
10 Representative Price said it hasn't been done in recent years, but it has happened in the past.
11 Vice-Chair Fowler said education wasn't in the top five originally, but she wanted it included
12 because the if the county is spending on education, it can't spend money on other items. She said in some
13 smaller counties, the largest employer is the school system so more state funding will help them. She
14 noted that private schools don't have to accept every single person. She said they get to choose,and they
15 don't choose folks with disabilities or people who are expensive to educate. She said it is critical to fund
16 public schools.
17 Commissioner Greene said there is a movement to starve government, and one way to do so is to
18 give voucher money, schools suffer, and more parents want to send their kids to private school. She
19 echoed Vice-Chair Fowler's point that if there was more money for schools,the county could spend funds
20 on other things. She said it is also true for housing. She said the Housing Trust Fund is starved. She said
21 Virginia has 10 times the funds for housing than North Carolina. She said local governments there draw
22 on those funds to subsidize housing. She said if there was more access to funding for subsidized housing,
23 then the county would have funding for other items.
24 Commissioner Bedford said the impact fee case is continuing to be appealed, but a recent jury
25 found in favor of Orange County. She asked how changes in majority leadership might change the General
26 Assembly.
27 Representative Buansi said it is not yet clear who will be the next leader of the majority. He hoped
28 a successor would be more collaborative.
29 Commissioner Bedford said the registry of unmet needs for people with IDD has grown with
30 Medicaid innovation waivers. She said due to the way the waivers are allocated, it's difficult for Orange
31 County to get any because of our small size. She said while increases in direct care wages were helpful,
32 inflation outpaces those increases. She said it is difficult to find employees in that field.
33 Representative Price said there are some legislators working on these issues, and she gave
34 examples of how elected officials experienced crises with their own family members which led them to
35 work on mental health. She said people will need to admit what is happening with Medicaid and come to
36 the table to develop legislation.
37 Commissioner McKee he plans to petition the Board to instruct staff to develop a possible
38 amendment to the long-term homeowner's assistance program to provide relief to low-wealth, older
39 homeowners for half of their taxes on their houses. He said he would like to see a constitutional
40 amendment to require a budget within 180 days after the opening of the legislature.
41 Representative Price said there is a bill being drafted to address the budget delay.
42 Chair Hamilton asked what the chance is of having a budget in the current fiscal year, and what
43 happens if there isn't a budget.
44 Representative Buansi said anything that was in the 2023 budget continues. He said that there
45 are a lot of non-recurring expenses that will roll off. He described some of the non-recurring expenses,
46 including funds for people with intellectual disabilities and to assist people with medical transportation
47 needs. He said the chance of not passing a comprehensive state budget is high. He said there is the
48 possibility of passing mini budgets to address specific needs.
5
1 Representative Price said it is going to be very difficult to pass a budget this year.
2 Chair Hamilton asked when the short session ends.
3 Representative Price said the short session begins in April and will end at the end of the calendar
4 year.
5 Representative Buansi said the bulk of the work will be done by the end of the July, but legislators
6 may meet again between then and the end of the year to vote on specific issues.
7 Chair Hamilton asked when the next comprehensive budget cycle will begin.
8 Representative Buansi said January 2027.
9 Commissioner Bedford said SNAP benefits and error rates are affecting DSS funding. She
10 estimated it would be a $680,000 to$900,000 hit to the county budget.
11 Travis Myren said that would be for administrative costs. He said benefit contributions would not
12 be affected until the following fiscal year.
13 Commissioner Bedford said she would like the state to continue participating in SNAP because this
14 directly impacts the economy and people's health. She said she supported increasing the salaries for state
15 legislators to encourage more people to serve.
16 Vice-Chair Fowler highlighted two goals on the larger agenda packet:
17 - Support legislation to establish a Medicaid code to reimburse behavioral health urgent care
18 (BHUC) services at a sustainable rate.
19 She said this will help with funding the new crisis diversion facility.
20 - Seek full funding for public Pre-K education which benefits both students and the general
21 public through improved life-long health/mental health, achievement, and other benefits.
22 She said this would have long-term benefits for the students as well as the public. She said due to lower
23 birth rates and declining school enrollment,there is likely room in schools for younger children if funding
24 is available. She said this would also help with providing childcare and getting more people into the
25 workforce.
26 Commissioner Carter the NCACC is pressing for a delay in changes due to HR 1 so that the impacts
27 to counties are postponed. She thanked Representatives Buansi and Price for their service.
28 Commissioner McKee noted the challenges that legislators face in the General Assembly.
29 Representative Price expressed appreciation for her staff's assistance.
30 Representative Buansi thanked the commissioners for their efforts.
31 Chair Hamilton thanked Representatives Buansi and Price for attending the meeting and listening
32 to the county's concerns.
33 Chair Hamilton thanked Commissioner Carter, Commissioner Portie-Ascott, Greg Wilder, Travis
34 Myren, and Caitlin Fenhagen for their work on the list of legislative priority issues.
35
36 Adjournment
37
38 The Board adjourned the meeting at 9:54 a.m. without a formal motion.
39
40 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
41
42 Jean Hamilton, Chair
43
44
45 Recorded by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board
46
47 Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board.
48