Business Meeting

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The applicant had asked for three things at once: rezoning from agricultural residential to a master plan development conditional district, a comprehensive plan amendment expanding the rural neighbourhood activity node from 18.493 acres to the full 90.133, and an ordinance text amendment governing where that district may be used. All three were denied unanimously, along with a statement of inconsistency citing the plan's objectives on clustering development, protecting prime farmland and forestland, and integrating land use with transportation planning. The board did approve a separate staff-recommended text amendment on family care facilities, unanimously.

The applicant argued the scheme was residential rather than commercial, at 1.1 units per acre, and that clustering was the point: the 2050 draft plan proposes 60 percent open space and this asked for nearly 70. She described housing priced for older residents and said any car wash would be for residents only.

Water is what settled it for at least one commissioner. She said she could not get past how much the development would use, that its effect on neighbours in 30 to 50 years cannot be predicted, and that she does not want water and sewer lines run across southwestern Orange County. Members questioned what would happen if the community well drew down neighbouring private wells, and who would pay to find out the cause. The applicant's hydrogeologist said the proposed well sits more than 1,000 feet from all but one neighbouring well and that a drawdown test is required where a private well is within 1,000 feet.

One person spoke, arriving late after signing up at the February hearing. He opposed the development on the Haw River, said his Occaneechi ancestors settled there, and called it disrespectful to the wildlife, the water and his people.

In board comments, a commissioner reported on the county's Stepping Up initiative, which she had presented at the national counties conference: the average pre-trial jail population is down significantly over ten years and referrals to behavioural health services are up. The vice-chair explained that a federal continuing resolution expiring on 14 March could shut the government down.

How the votes went

All votes were unanimous. The board denied the zoning atlas amendment with a statement of inconsistency, denied the comprehensive plan amendments, and denied the applicant's text amendment to Section 3.8, while approving the staff-recommended family care facilities text amendment.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

1 member of the public spoke.

1. A resident opposed the Fiddlehead Corner development on the Haw River, saying his Occaneechi ancestors settled there and the scheme would kill wildlife and destroy habitat.

Nobody spoke on matters off the agenda. One person spoke at the continued Fiddlehead Corner hearing; the rest of those who signed up in February did not attend.

Read from the records the government published after the meeting. Members of the public are private residents and are not named or indexed.