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HomeMy Public PortalAbout10.23.1990 Agenda & Minutes Planning BoardITEM #1: ITEM #2: ITEM #3: ITEM #4: ITEM #5: 91,16""? 101 E. Orange Street � own of ��tll' horoug4 P.O. Box 429 (919) 732-2104 HILLSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA JOINT PUBLIC HEARING Board of Commissioners and Planning Board October 23, 1990 7:00 PM Town Barn To amend the Hillsborough Thoroughfare Plan by deleting the Davis Road extension and improvements. (attachment 1-6) VISION 2010 - results of the input sessions and survey and to receive public comment regarding the VISION 2010 plan. Rezoning requested by the Planning Board to rezone approx. 25 acres of land at the nottheast and the northwest corners of Eliz. Brady Rd. and Hwy 70A from OI (Office -Institutional) to GI (General Industrial). part of 4.37.C.11 (attachment 7-11) Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to amend pages 100 and 101 to provide for written tree and shrub planting details and guidelines. (attachment 12-15) Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to amend the definition of setback to allow gutters and eaves to project into the setback 24 inches or less. (attachment 16) Please contact Janet Rigsbee at 732-2104 if you cannot attend this Public Hearing. OvTS/Dc �1'7�'r4GE��CK'AP 7'1,eF_5 (,c19.,!�$ taETZ_b ,C-WoH -77_/_/.,E Iqc E�v &4 F:oX .moo yr ,4h 77710 oe;,(/ 4b v&P_7`-/SEA /A; 77-/tb'oc=-A . MINUTES JOINT PUBLIC HEARING HILLSBOROUGH BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND PLANNING BOARD OCTOBER 23, 1990 Members Mayor Horace Johnson, Commissioners Bob Rose, Carol Lorenz, Allen Present: Lloyd, Bobby Riley and Planning Board Members Bill Crowther (Chair), Sam Jones (Vice -Chair), Kenneth Chavious, Wayne Tilley, Ida Louise Evans, Margaret Moore, Leif Deetjen, Wendy Olson (alt.) Members Commissioner Remus Smith, Planning Board Members Cheshire Cole, Absent: Richard Simpson, Stephen Jones, Jim Culbreth (alt.) Others Marvin Collins, Blake Dickinson, Wesley Hyatt, Susan Suggs, Janet Present: Rigsbee, Joff Coe, Phillip Whitaker and approximately 80 citizens. Mayor Johnson called the meeting to order at 7:21 PM and welcomed those present. He read the Public Charge and turned the Chair over to Crowther. Crowther welcomed those present and explained the Public Hearing procedures by pointing out that comments should only be addressed -to the Board members. ITEM #1: The consideration to amend the Hillsborough Thoroughfare Plan by deleting the Davis Road extenstion and improvements was presented by Rigsbee. She explained the Town had adopted the map but not the written report. She showed the area on the map and said the Davis Road extension was a third priority with desired construction in 15 years. She noted the plan was showing a 100' right-of-way now and added Tree Farm Road was a fourth priority (20 years). Beverly .Webb asked about the relationship between the map and the text. Rigsbee said the map had been looked at and adoped but the text had not been adopted. Phillip Wollworth asked about the 100' right-of-way and Rigsbee said in the appendix NCDOT asked for 100' in the road cross section. Kirk Pelland said the text referred to a five lane section and Rigsbee said there were no plans for a five lane road at this time. Linda Galloway questioned the need for the plan. Rolland Wrenn asked why both the Major and Minor Thoroughfares required a 100' right-of-way. Roger Strong asked how Tree Farm Road fit in and where the traffic would go. Rigsbee indicated the area on the map. Richard Kinney said he was confused about how the Town of Hillsborough would be planning a thoroughfare so far out of time. Neil Galloway asked if a 100' would allow a five lane to be built and Rigsbee said said that was possible eventually. Tom Nicholson questioned the need for a 100' right-of-way. JOINT PUBLIC HEARING OCTOBER 23, 1990 PAGE 2 Mike Shannon asked if any financial projections had been completed and Rigsbee said no. Bill Wollford said he was confused about the Town planning for something in the County and Rigsbee pointed out NCDOT did not necessarily adhere to jurisdictional lines but looked at the whole area. There being no further questions of clarification, Crowther asked for a show of hands of those opposed to the Davis Road extension and almost all in attendance indicated they were against it. Rigsbee was the only one wishing to speak in favor of the current plan, speaking for Blake Norwood, NCDOT Thoroughfare Planner. She summarized a telephone converstion she had with Norwood favoring the retension of Davis Road on the Thoroughfare Plan (file). Crowther then opened the floor for those who wished to speak against the inclusion of Davis Road on the Thoroughfare Plan. Caldwell Williams said he planned to build a house on Davis Road and doesn't want to retire on a thoroughfare. He said we have I-85 and I-40 as thoroughfares and could not see a need for the road in the future, adding the area should be kept in a country setting and traffic should be kept to minimum. He said he was for the removal of Davis Road from the Thoroughfare Plan. Rolland Wrenn said she wanted both the Major and Minor Thoroughfare parts of Davis Road deleted from the plan. She said she agreed with Caldwell Williams and is opposed to the entire Davis Road section of the Plan. Ann Nicholson said she was opposed to the Davis Road part of the Plan and said it was hard to believe anyone would want to put a five lane road through such beautiful country. She said she didn't see any advantage in changing the road and pointed out that numerous Davis Road residents would lose some of their property and the tranquility of the neighborhood. She said she felt NCDOT should have looked more at the Town and not waste time and money by planning so far out in the country, adding she felt the 2 Interstates would be sufficient for thoroughfares and this would allow the Davis Road area to retain its rural character. Ted Latta said he had talked to a NCDOT representative who said the plan was for 50 to 100 years from now. Latta said he felt Ode Turner, Tree Farm and Davis Roads should be eliminated from the Hillsborough Thoroughfare Plan. Douglas Brown said he favored the elimination of Davis Road from the Thoroughfare Plan, saying the new road would take much of his front yard and garden spot. Gail Terry read a letter from Barbara Davis that Davis opposed the Davis Road part of the Plan. She said she had moved to Davis Road for the tranquility of the area and that would be lost with the construction of a five lane road. She also said she would lose a JOINT PUBLIC HEARING OCTOBER 23, 1990 PAGE 3 large portion of her front yard if it was built. Terry said she was also opposed to Davis Road being included on the Plan and urged the Boards to consider all of the alternatives. Kirk Pelland said he was opposed to the inclusion of Davis Road on the Plan. He said the residents were caught by NCDOT trying to help Hillsborough but this had hurt the people on Davis Road. He noted the text of the Plan said this was an idealized concept that showed Davis Road as a cross-town facility to expand capacity but pointed out the area was well out in the county and was also a part of the Chapel Hill Rural Buffer. He asked if NCDOT knew this and said the buffer would eliminate the need for a thoroughfare. He said he felt the money should be put elsewhere and said he liked the Hillsborough of the present and not NCDOT's concept of the future. Richard Kinney said he lived on Dimmocks Mill Road and said NCDOT should consider the constraints presented by the Ben Johnston and Rocky Creek watersheds in addition to re-evaluating their position of three years ago. He said he applauded the Public Hearing attendance and comments but said he felt the Boards should look at the watershed and pollution issues as they affect the Plan. Betty Eidener said she was Chair of the Orange County Planning Board and said the Transportation Advisory Subcommittee had unanimously expressed their disapproval of the Hillsborough Thoroughfare Plan and recommended to the Orange County Planning Board that they oppose it, especially the Davis Road area. She said any decision should wait until the Orange County Commissioners had a chance to review it. Marvin Collins, Orange County Planning Director, said over the last year his department had been working on areas not covered by an urban thoroughfare plan. He said one need was for north -south movement and a loop type system. He said Orange County hasn't really taken a position yet but wants to sit down with the Town Board and talk about it before a decision is made. Collins added one alternative was for NCDOT to designate Davis Road as a scenic route and noted all Boards currently oppose the Plan until further discussion. Ken Faucette said he was a fourth generation Davis Road resident and said the people there took pride in the road and the land. He said he wanted to go on record as being opposed to the Davis Road part of the Plan. He said putting a five lane road there would be the same as driving a bulldozer down the middle of Hillsborough. Cathie Falconer said she opposed inclusion of Davis Road on the Plan and commended the people of Davis Road for their attendance at the meeting. Leigh Mahar said she wished to speak on another issue but also commended the Davis Road residents. JOINT PUBLIC HEARING OCTOBER 23, 1990 PAGE 4 Neil Galloway said he lived on Crossroads Church Cemetery Road and was concerned about the lack of notice given to the residents. He said there was a problem with overloaded trucks and that DMV Enforcement often had to ticket trucks in the area. He said the area stood to lose a great deal and there was a need to preserve the road and neighborhood and not to destroy it. John Hartwell said he had been involved in the issue in several respects both as a Orange County Commissioner and a property owner. He said he sat on the Hillsborough Thoroughfare Plan Committee and owned property at the end of Tree Farm Road but was not here to defend any personal interest although he felt they could be damaged. He said the primary objection is specifically against the five lane option and not to improvement of the roads in principle which would increase safety. He said some other places will require improvements also but not necessarily five lane roads and he could perceive in 20 years how improvements would be necessary. Hartwell noted he had said to the State in 1987 they needed to to specify what type of road could be put there. He said if NCDOT is asking for a 100' right-of-way the Town Board should oppose it but if NCDOT goes for a 60' right-of-way he felt the opposition would subside. He pointed out traffic from NC86 to the west was currently restricted and there was a need for improvement, saying the resolution of that problem lay at the I-40 and I-85 Interchange which needed to be a full movement interchange road. He said NCDOT had ignored it and the project still had not been started. Hartwell added he felt truck traffic should stay on the Interstates. Kaye Crawford said she was the pastor of the Hillsborough United Church of Christ and they had acquired property in the area for a new facility. He said although she felt the road would eventually have to be widened for safety purposes, the expansion to a five lane road would not be necessary. Robbie Wright said he lived on Ode Turner Road and was opposed to the inclusion of Davis Road on the Thoroughfare Plan. Rodney Davis said he agreed with Wright and the people in the Davis Road area put a lot of work into maintaining their property to make it look nice. He said expansion of Davis Road would be just like NCDOT going through the Historic District. Linda Galloway said she lived on Crossroads Cemetery Church Road and she likes the area the way it is and felt it should not change. She said it was a beautiful area and she liked her little dirt road and wanted to go on record as opposing the inclusion of Davis Road on the Thoroughfare Plan. Paul Olmsby said he was thinking about moving to the Davis Road area. He said although a loop might be needed, the ratio was wrong and the proposed loop was too close to Hillsborough. JOINT PUBLIC HEARING OCTOBER 23, 19 90 PAGE 5 Bunny Davis said she had been a resident of Davis Road for 43 years and she would lose her front yard if a five lane road came through. She said she felt she wouldn't have anything left and wanted the area to stay like it is. Gerald Scarlett said he lives near Davis Road and Old 86 and said his family had lost 3 acres and the family cemetery to I-40. He said the residents of the area have given over enought land to NCDOT and asked the Boards to please not do it again. Rich Bowdry said the Davis Road area was beautiful and you could hear whispering pines instead of traffic. He said he liked the quietness of the area and felt the Thoroughfare Plan would destroy it. Glenora Rose said the plan would also put more traffic on Orange Grove and Dimmocks Mill Road. She said wildlife fatalities would increase and their habitat would be destroyed. Tim Nicholson said he hoped the Town Board would consider the future and the people of the Davis Road who wanted the the area to remain the same. He said he felt adequate notifications had not been made and he could not see the need to expand the road. ITEM #2: Susan Suggs said she was a planner from the NC Division of Community Assistance and had been working with the Vision 2010 Committee. She said the Committee was fortunate to have members with a lot of expertise and pointed out the Public Input Sessions had been completed and the Committee was beginning to work on a draft of the Comprehensive Plan. Suggs reviewed the results of the Input Sessions and questionnaires noting the areas of repeated interest were, in order; water supply, image of the Town, controlling growth and achieveing a low growth rate, and parks and recreation. She said there was support for maintaing the Historic Distric and downtown area as well as support for better landscaping and clean-up of unattractive parts of town. Don Collins said he was not familiar with the Vision 2010 Committee and Suggs explained it had been formed to develop a long range comprehensive plan for the Town. Bob Rose said the idea was to formalize an orderly growth plan for the town and invited everyone to attend the next meeting on November 13, 1990. Rose added the plan would be a map for the future and he encouraged citizen participation in the project. Rich Bowdry said it sounded like people are interested in the small town character of the area and a no -growth attitude would seem to be in conflict with the Thoroughfare Plan as it applied to the Davis Road area. Leigh Mahar said she had sent a letter concerning multi -family housing to the News of Orange and she hoped to Boards would reconsider locating all multi -family housing in one part of town. She said there were many bad things happening in Hillsborough and the Woods of Oakdale development was one of them. JOINT PUBLIC HEARING OCTOBER 23, 1990 PAGE 6 Don Collins said he was not a resident of Hillsborough but had grown up in the area. He said at a recent Orange County Commissioners meeting they were gloating about their cash reserves. He said he felt they could use some of these reserves to make provision for water and sewer services that would furnish jobs for area residents. ITEM #3: The rezoning requested by the Planning Board to rezone approximately 25 acres at the northeast and northwest corners of Elizabeth Brady Road and Hwy 70A from OI (Office Institutional) to GI (General Industrial) was presented by Rigsbee. Betty Eidener said she was concerned with the impact of a sewer line on Cates Creek. Mayor Johnson said the property owners had allowed the Town to put in lines through an easement on the property and this would eliminate the need for two pump stations. He added it would save the Town $20,000 to be able to put the line along the creek instead of burying it along Elizabeth Brady Road and said he felt the project would not adversely affect the Cates Creek area. ITEM #4: The Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to amend pages 100 and 101 to provide for written tree and shrub planting details and guidelines was presented by Rigsbee. There was no public comment. ITEM #5: The Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to amend the definition of setback to allow gutters and eaves to project into the setback 24 inches or less was presented by Rigsbee. She noted many houses were currently already in the setback making improvements difficult for some property owners. Michael Vaughn said he favored the change pointing out if gutter and eave improvements were not allowed water could cause considerable damage. He said he wanted to improve his residence but currently could not get a permit to protect his property. Vaughn noted county tax assessors don't measure the eaves and asked if this was not passed what would people do to protect their homes. There being no further public comments, Crowther turned the Chair over to Mayor Johnson who adjourned the meeting at 9:01 PM. Joff Coe, Secretary