Statement written and presented by CCEC President Loyse Hurley before the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on September 18, 2006.
Re: Re-Zoning Request - Lee Moore Oil Company
Gentlemen:
Good evening. My name is Loyse Hurley and I live at 16 Matchwood in Pittsboro. Tonight, I am speaking as the President of Chatham Citizens for Effective Communities. Thank you for your attention.
This request for rezoning is incomplete on several grounds:
It does not specify which B1 uses would be proposed. Since our zoning ordinance includes such uses as bowling alleys, boat trailer sales and services, day care centers, passenger bus stations, inert debris landfills, etc. this application for re-zoning should exclude the undesirable B1 activities and specify exactly what B1 uses are requested.
Now, the developer will tell you that in effect they only plan to ask for a re-zoning of only 10 acres. However, what they are not telling you is that they also plan to use 33 acres, not re-zoned, as part of their wastewater treatment.
It is alleged that this application meets the conditions of the Land Use Plan. This re-zoning would add to all the other commercial enterprises along 15/501. The Land Use Plan promotes “clusters” of commercial development with rural areas in between them, not wall-to-wall strip shopping centers along this roadway.
Re-zoning this section of the property in order to accommodate a large shopping center is basically unfair to the current residents of the surrounding properties. These are citizens who have purchased and invested in property based upon the inherent promise of this County to maintain a residential/agricultural property around them. The 43 acres around these properties were expected to remain as currently zoned and this proposal interferes with the basic property rights of these citizens. These are residents who have a concern about the environment, as evidenced by the covenants they have signed. These are residents, who are tolerant and have not objected to 20 acres already zoned B1. To re-zone any additional acreage in order to accommodate a bigger (not necessarily better) shopping center, is a slap in the face to these residents. You need to consider them first.
All these exceptions to our zoning ordinance are, in effect negating our ordinance requirements and rapidly turning the zoned portions of this county into un-zoned areas. The constant acceding to developer’s wishes and total blind faith in whatever any developer wants or says is heresy. It does not provide any protections to our environment, our property values or our future. Zoning Ordinances have been enacted. They should be followed. These citizens made life-investiment decisions based upon them.
Thank you,
Loyse Hurley - President
