Fwd: Concerns regarding Forestar and D.R. Horton

[Stephanie Waller]

Dear Board of County Commissioners,

In preparation of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting on November 6, 2025, I am forwarding a prior email with attachments that I previously sent to the Orange County Planning Board regarding my concerns about Forestar Group and their parent company, D. R. Horton.

While the proposal for the November 6 meeting is for rezoning (part of the process for the proposed development off of NC-86), I wanted to share my concerns regarding Forestar Group overall. Forestar has made changes to its proposal as a result of concerns voiced by the Planning Board and the community. One of the concerns includes the effects of the community well on surrounding wells. Forestar claimed that the town of Hillsborough stated that surrounding well owners could possibly be connected to public water should the community well affect surrounding wells; however, they have not been able to provide the person's name that supposingly made this statement. Can you ask them to provide the person's name as a form of record? Forestar has since stated that it would submit an application for public water from the town of Hillsborough; however, they still have not provided a contingency plan if they are denied access to public water and the surrounding wells are affected by the community well. Without a contingency plan, this is an empty promise and the well issue is not adequately addressed.

Forestar's failure to provide a contingency plan for the effects of the community well on surrounding wells is just 1 example of a lack of planning. Additionally, they have not adequately addressed traffic concerns, and if they fail to plan at this first stage in the process, what faith should we place in them to properly plan at later and more advanced stages of development?

My request from the BOCC is to reject the rezoning proposal based on the basis of Forestar's lack of planning and inability to address real concerns like the surrounding wells and traffic. We teach people how to treat us, and what would we be teaching Forestar if we accepted their proposal without real accountability and answered questions? Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Best regards,

Stephanie Waller

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Stephanie Waller <swall...@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Sep 12, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Subject: Concerns regarding Forestar and D.R. Horton
To: <planni...@orangecountync.gov>
Cc: Stephanie Waller <swall...@gmail.com>

Dear Orange County Planning Board,

As a resident of Hillsborough, NC this communication serves to express my concern regarding Forestar and their parent company, D.R. Horton. Also, attached are a list of questions posed to Forestar and their answers to those questions (this is referenced in the letter to you) and a copy of the email Forestar sent to deliver the answers to the questions posed.

Please contact me should you have any questions or concerns. Can you please confirm receipt of my email and that it will be shared with all of the members of the Orange County Planning Board? Thank you in advance.

Best regards,

Stephanie Waller

[Jamezetta Bedford]

Ms. Waller,

On behalf of the Board, thank you for sending your comments and attachments. The Nov 6 meeting begins at 7 and will be held at the Whitted Building in Hillsborough. 

Sincerely,

Jamezetta Bedford, Chair

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From: Stephanie Waller <swall...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 9:48 PM
To: Jamezetta Bedford <jbed...@orangecountync.gov>; Jean Hamilton <jham...@orangecountync.gov>; Marilyn Carter <mca...@orangecountync.gov>; Amy Fowler <afo...@orangecountync.gov>; Sally Greene <sgr...@orangecountync.gov>; Earl McKee <emc...@orangecountync.gov>; Phyllis Portie-Ascott <pportie...@orangecountync.gov>
Cc: ALL_BOCC_MANAGER_CLERK <OCB...@orangecountync.gov>
Subject: Fwd: Concerns regarding Forestar and D.R. Horton

 

CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless verified. Report suspicious emails with the Phish Alert Button located on your Outlook menu bar on the Home tab.

[Stephanie Waller]

Hi Ms. Bedford,

I hope all is well.

Thank you very much for confirming receipt of my email and for including the meeting information. I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow.

Best regards,

Stephanie Waller

[Stephanie Waller]

Dear Board of County Commissioners,

In preparation for this evening's BOCC meeting, I wanted to reiterate my desire to receive a contingency plan from Forestar to protect me and the surrounding neighbors should the community well affect the surrounding wells should you approve Forestar's proposal. I am aware that they have been denied access to public water, and I do not have confidence that they will provide a contingency plan unless made to do so. While I will not be present at tonight's meeting, my thoughts and prayers will be with you all. Thank you in advance for representing and protecting the culture of Hillsborough, NC. 

Best regards,

Stephanie Waller

[Jamezetta Bedford]

I did not have  time to read your email prior to the meeting last night. The rezoning application was denied in a 6:1 vote. 

Jamezetta Bedford, Chair

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From: Stephanie Waller <swall...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 4:34 PM

To: Jamezetta Bedford <jbed...@orangecountync.gov>; Jean Hamilton <jham...@orangecountync.gov>; Marilyn Carter <mca...@orangecountync.gov>; Amy Fowler <afo...@orangecountync.gov>; Sally Greene <sgr...@orangecountync.gov>; Earl McKee <emc...@orangecountync.gov>; Phyllis Portie-Ascott <pportie...@orangecountync.gov>
Cc: ALL_BOCC_MANAGER_CLERK <OCB...@orangecountync.gov>

Subject: Re: Concerns regarding Forestar and D.R. Horton

 

CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless verified. Report suspicious emails with the Phish Alert Button located on your Outlook menu bar on the Home tab.

Dear Board of County Commissioners,

[Stephanie Waller]

Dear Commissioner Bedford,

My apologies; I did not allow much time for you to read it before the meeting. Thank you very much for this update. 

Best regards,

Stephanie Waller

[Stephanie Waller]

Dear Commissioner Bedford,

I hope you are well.

As a follow-up to my previous email, what are the next steps regarding the Forestar proposal now that the rezoning application was denied? Thank you in advance.

Best regards,

Stephanie Waller 

[Jamezetta Bedford]

I don't understand your question?  If the developer wants to propose a different site plan or a different rezoning, they have to start the process over again with a Neighborhood Information Meeting. I do not know, but assume they had an option to buy the land that was contingent on the rezoning being approved. In that case they could bow out and walk away or continue to pay a revised option fee. 

(We changed Leadership last Monday and our new Chair is Jean Hamilton so she will respond to any All BOCC emails moving forward. Please let us know if I did not answer your question.) 

Best,

Jamezetta

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From: Stephanie Waller <swall...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 4, 2025 11:04 PM
To: Jamezetta Bedford <jbed...@orangecountync.gov>
Cc: Jean Hamilton <jham...@orangecountync.gov>; Marilyn Carter <mca...@orangecountync.gov>; Amy Fowler <afo...@orangecountync.gov>; Sally Greene <sgr...@orangecountync.gov>; Earl McKee <emc...@orangecountync.gov>; Phyllis Portie-Ascott <pportie...@orangecountync.gov>; ALL_BOCC_MANAGER_CLERK <OCB...@orangecountync.gov>

[Stephanie Waller]

Dear Commissioner Bedford,

Thank you very much, you answered my question perfectly.

Thank you, also, for the update regarding leadership. Thank you for your leadership!

Best regards,

Stephanie Waller