Waste Collection

[Kent Many]

Dear Members of the Orange County Board of County Commissioners,

 

First I want you to know that you are in your present positions because I am an active voter and have been ever since I became eligible to vote.

 

I am writing to you at this time to inform you of my views regarding the purposed permit to acquire and rezone six acres on Orange Grove Road.  I was informed that this is necessary in order to build a large Solid Waste Collection Facility at that location.  Just because something is purposed by someone in government, who others might consider an expert, does not necessarily mean that the action is the best solution to the problem.

 

According to a notice sent to me at my residence, this facility would backup to within 1,000 feet (or just 33 yards) of my residential property.  I am not the only resident effected.  It is also that close, and maybe even more close to some of my neighbors.  They are none too happy with this possibility.

 

I have been paying Orange County taxes on my property for over forty years, and it will soon be closer to over fifty years.  So you are talking about a location right next to my homestead, that is My Home !

 

This property is zoned R-1, (I believe that equals to Rural Residential), and has been for the over forty years that my family has lived there.  I understand that there are over seventy of my neighbors who, in one way or another, could also be effected by the purposed change of this zoning code on this property. 

 

Your notice also stated that there would be two informational meetings to be held at the new American Legion Complex on Orange Grove Road.  I am an 86 year old Honorable Discharged Veteran of the United States Marine Corps and am confined to a wheelchair, so was unable to attend those meetings.  So if I am not fully informed about something stated here, please excuse my lack of understanding.  If I am mistaken, please have the courtesy of informing me with your explanations or rectifications.

 

I do not understand the logic behind the shutting down of the two existing sites on Ferguson Road as well as the location at Bradshaw Quarry.  You know, of course, that the existing two facilities which you might plan to close are already correctly zoned, with no more administrative action required.

 

So why then do you wish to deprive Orange County of all that Tax Revenue that the County has been receiving from the area around the new purposed dump site?  Would you not deflate Orange County's Tax Base by building still another facility, and especially in that purposed location ?  Has the County got that much spare money in its coffers?  I have been led to believe that is not the case and that is one of the reasons my Orange County taxes increase periodically.

 

Also as I would believe that you must know, property values near the purposed facility would plummet.  This would cause a loss in the current Orange County Tax Base dollars.  Meanwhile, I currently see the real estate market around the purposed site area as prime, and a very inviting place for additional home sites.  This, in fact would have the affect of increasing the Orange County Tax Base, which I think you would look upon as something very favorable.  My son tells me he sees this evidenced by new roads cut to access new home sites in this area.  I would think that you would be working to keep the Orange County Tax Base more stable in this area, not have it in a declining mode.  In summery, building another dump site in that location as purposed would have the tenacity to get Less County Tax Income due to land values decreasing around the purposed new dump site. 

 

And yes, I am aware of all of the other more obvious problems that residents have with dump sites nearby like  increased ground water pollution, more heavy traffic in general, new heavy large truck traffic, odor, noise, and rodents misplaced trash. But I think that this is very important for you to know.  Has it ever been pointed out to you that there are school bus stops on Orange Grove Road nearby the purposed new site?  I am personally aware of this concern because back when I was still able to drive, it seemed as if I never could get on to Orange Grove Road any time of day, when I did not have to stop and wait for a school bus to load children on or off of their school bus.  This area is a bottle neck and adding heavy truck traffic can only be described as "an accident waiting to happen." 

 

I would ask that you consider my concerns as stated above, and consider them as valid views of a member of your  constituency.  Thank you for your thoughtful deliberation and your time.

 

Respectively Submitted,

 

Kent M. Many

 

Kent M. Many

9021 Collins Creek Drive

Chapel Hill, NC  27516

hugehe...@aol.com

 

cc: File