Monday’s BOC meeting rode in on the wake of a week that found three crew members abandoning their posts on the sinking battleship EDC (economic development corporation) because of the handwriting on the wall, and the perceptible change in the direction of the prevailing winds.
The “in-with-the-new-out-with-the-old” transitioning point had clearly been established even before the gavel fell on Monday night’s BOC meeting, and is soon to be completed with the December 4 swearing in ceremony of three new Commissioners.
Lee-Moore Oil development
This long awaited terminal meeting was “business as usual” in many respects with Mr.’s Morgan, Outz and Emerson dropping in their final 3 pointer of the season over the outstretched arms of Mr.’s Cross and Barnes to give Lee-Moore Oil the victory in a last gasp buzzer beater. It was a battle of old zoning maps vs. new zoning maps vs. modified rezoning requests that concluded with and end run that put Lee-Moore in the end zone, led by the down-the-field blocking of the Planning Board and Planning Department. (Lee-Moore oil will be constructing a Home Improvement Center and other retail shops on 15/501 near Smith Level Road on the Orange/Chatham border.)
But it was also the final play in the predictable old playbook. It was a night for retiring the jerseys and giving the honorary game balls to the three blocks of granite that formed the impenetrable stone wall that enabled developers to rack up a perfect winning record over the past four seasons. On those blocks of granite many a frustrated citizen will see the epitaph written in stone for all time: “They never saw a development they didn’t like.”
County Attorney resigns
It was only fitting after 33 years of wearing the referee’s black and white stripes that County Attorney, Bob Gunn, would choose this night to read an emotion filled letter of resignation recounting his legacy of service. Thirty three years is a long, long time, and perhaps more than anyone else walking off the field, Mr. Gunn is deserving of a standing O and a long, hot shower.
CCEC has been in the trenches leading the fight along with other citizen action groups to get us to the place we now are. We’ve learned a lot along the way about how to fight the good fight, and in that respect we owe a measure of thanks to those who have opposed our efforts. With this in mind and a national day of Thanksgiving before us, we leave you with the satirical words of gratitude uttered by one of our citizen heroes to our departing Commissioners:
Parting words from Chatham County citizen
“My name is Susan Keesee and I live at 360 Luna Lane in Chatham County.
Most Tuesday and Thursday nights and Saturday mornings I attend a fitness class at Millenium behind Cole Park Plaza here in Chatham County. At the end of every class we pause to remember all that we have to be thankful for. This evening I would like to express my thanks to you three, the outgoing County commissioners, for three decisions for which I am exceptionally thankful.
At the time I did not agree with the decisions, but now I believe they were appropriate for the legacy you chose to leave with us as citizens of Chatham County and the activism you inspired.
First, there was the decision in October 2004 to grant a Conditional Use Permit for a <quote> Land reclamation project <unquote> on property adjacent to me off of Old Lystra Road. Of course I wasn’t happy with the prospect of this 5-year project and neither were my neighbors, but I have accepted that when Conditions are not followed, and I learned how to do as my neighbor (and landowner who applied for the CUP), Step Edwards instructed, “Call Pittsboro.” I can report violations to the County Zoning Enforcement Officer, Angela Birchett, and leave a voice mail message when violations occur after the <quote>approximate<unquote> permitted hours of operation. Or if rock grinding occurs, as it did in January 2006, which was clearly out of compliance, I know I can count on her to ensure that it is stopped – that is as soon as the contractor completes the job. If the operation runs on Sunday, I can call the Sheriff’s department, but I have learned that they do not have Conditional Use Permits available to them. This was excellent training for compliance issues to come in my future.
The “land reclamation” project decision also trained me to pay close attention to notices that arrive in the mail from the County. They are not always tax bills. If I don’t take the opportunity to speak at a Public Hearing, then I have essentially voted in support of the all the trucks bringing dirt and shod rock to the “storage yard.” I think of this as I wait for the Chatham bus to take me home and watch the trucks moving dirt from the UNC campus to 983 Old Lystra Road. (Let me remind you, the Chatham lot is NOT “public transportation” as you must have a UNC permit to use the park and ride service.)
I’ve also learned that it really doesn’t matter whether I attend a planning board meeting. I learned that those folks were appointed by you and are NOT there to serve me the taxpaying citizen.
Best of all, your decision allowed me to meet the adjacent neighbors to learn how we could voice our concern when something clearly does not meet the FIVE FINDINGS to reduce the chance of such Conditional Use Permits from being approved in the future.
Only 2 years, 10 months and 25 days on that project. Better get ready – the next proposed CUP has no time limit!
The second decision I am thankful for is that you support our County staff and particularly your planner, Keith Megginson. He showed he could literally “think outside the box.” Who needs maps, surveys, or commissioner minutes when you can turn 20 acres into 30 with such ease? Because of his creativity, I wanted to learn more, so I consulted UNC’s GIS librarian who referred me to the Planning Library at UNC-Chapel Hill to check out this book to learn more about the complexities of surveying. (Hold up book titled Land development handbook: planning engineering, and surveying, 2nd edition (2006) by The Dewberry Companies.*) As a librarian myself, this provided me another opportunity to learn something new.
The third decision I want to give thanks for is putting the District Voting initiative on the Ballot four our “once in a Blue Moon election.” Elections that have no candidates for president, governor, or senator generally experience a pretty low turnout. This was a great way to mobilize our citizens. It also gave me the opportunity to meet Chatham County neighbors who do not live within a two mile radius. I even got a high five from my boss at UNC when we maintained that we are ONE COUNTY – indivisible with the hope for liberty and justice for ALL citizens. And I am thankful for your prayer to make decisions that will maintain the beauty of this county. May you live by those hopes tonight and forever.
Thank you and best wishes to you in your new ventures. “
CCEC Notes on parting words:
I struck the comment shown with strikeout line because it would have violated the agreement not to speak about anything on the agenda.
* I was prepared to read the 2nd paragraph on page 230 from Chapter 13 on Boundary surveys for land development, under the subheading: Importance of the Survey in Land Development: (In the interest of time, I chose not to)
Definite procedures, including such quality control tools as check-off lists, are invaluable in helping ensure consistency. No procedure or checklist, however, can substitute for common sense, intimate knowledge of survey law, and diligent fieldwork. (1) Both the client and the surveyor must recognize that the results of any boundary survey can be challenged, as it is in the province of the judiciary ultimately to determine the boundary location. The surveyor supplies much of the evidence upon which the court decision will be based.
(1) “It must not be assumed that a boundary is missing because it is not at once visible” (Breed and Hosmer, 1908).
Reference list at end of chapter, page 244:
Breed, Charles B., and George L. Hosmer. 1908. The principles and practice of surveying, 3d ed. John Wiley & Sons, New York.]
While many a rebuffed and ruffled citizen can look back over the past four years and recount the endless times in which county government felt like totalitarianism in the guise of democracy, this was a night in which the gracious and orderly wheels of democracy turned like the hands of a well oiled clock. As we approach the midnight hour and the changing of the guard, every citizen in every part of this vast and varied county is now challenged to put the past to sleep and awaken to the possibilities that a new day provides. The refrain from Chet Powers’ old song from the ‘60’s, “Get Together,” needs to get stuck in our heads like a needle in the groove of an old 78 rpm record:
C'mon people, now
smile on your brother,
ev'ry-body get together,
try to love one another right now.
And while you are at it, right now circle December 4 on your calendar, and plan on joining the celebration as Commissioners Lucier, Thompson and Vanderbeck take their positions alongside Commissioners Cross and Barnes to put a new team behind the table.
