[CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:04] IT IS SIX O'CLOCK ON MONDAY, AUGUST 17TH, AND WE WILL CALL THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONER MEETING TO ORDER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. PLEASE RISE FOR INVOCATION. LET US PRAY. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TONIGHT, LORD. AND JUST WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS, LORD, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE. SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY, LORD, IN THE BEST COUNTRY THERE IS IN THIS WORLD. FATHER, WE DO THANK YOU FOR THAT. NOW, LORD, IF WE COME TO YOU TONIGHT WITH DECISION-MAKING FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, THE COUNTY OF LEE, LORD, WOULD YOU GIVE US THE WISDOM, THE KNOWLEDGE, LORD, TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS, LORD, FIRST OF ALL, IN YOUR BEHALF, AND THEN FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY. WE DO PRAISE AND GLORIFY YOU TONIGHT, FATHER, AS AGAIN WE ASK FOR THE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. WE PRAISE YOU IN YOUR SON'S NAME, JESUS, WE PRAY. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. WE HAVE OUR AGENDAS IN FRONT OF US. IS THERE ANY CHANGE TO THE AGENDA? [I) ADDITIONAL AGENDA] IF WE WISH TO ADD ON UNDER NEW BUSINESS, THE NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION, WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION TO DO THAT AND A VOTE TO MOVE THAT ON TO THE AGENDA. SO MOVED. SO MOVED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU. LOOKING [II) APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA] AT THE CONSENT AGENDA, I NEED AN APPROVAL FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. MADAM CHAIR, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AND A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS ADJUSTED. I'LL MOVE, MADAM CHAIR. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THANK YOU. DO ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY RECOGNITIONS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS AT THIS TIME UNDER RECOGNITIONS? [IV.A) Zoning Map Amendment Request] WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING. A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT REQUEST BY MS. MCNEIL. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? HELLO? HELLO? AH, NOW? THAT'S BETTER. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THIS INFORMATION STARTS ON PAGE 286 OF THE COMMISSIONERS PACKET AND ON PAGE 14 OF THE PLANNING BOARD AGENDA PACKET. AS A REZONING REQUEST, THIS IS A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE LEE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE LEE COUNTY PLANNING BOARD WHO ARE PRESENT TO MY LEFT. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS THE GENERAL LOCATION. WE'LL ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT AND THEN I'LL GO TO THE AERIAL IMAGE BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S EASIER FOR MOST PEOPLE TO READ. LEMON SPRINGS MEADOWS LLC WOULD LIKE TO SECURE APPROVAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION ON LAND OFF OF LEMON SPRINGS ROAD AS ILLUSTRATED ON THE SCREEN. THEREFORE, THEY, ALONG WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS, HAVE SUBMITTED A REZONING APPLICATION ALONG WITH A PLAN ILLUSTRATING THE LAYOUT OF THE PROPOSED LOTS AND ROADWAYS FOR CONSIDERATION. AND I'M GOING TO FLIP TO THE PLAN AT THIS TIME. SPECIFICALLY, THE REQUEST IS TO REZONE TWO ADJOINING TRACKS OF LAND TOTALING 52.42 ACRES ADDRESSED AS 4506 LEMON SPRINGS ROAD AND 644 EDWARDS ROAD FROM RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURAL RA TO THE LEMON SPRINGS MEADOWS CONDITIONAL ZONING DISTRICT TO ALLOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 46-LOT SINGLE-FAMILY HOME SUBDIVISION WITH A MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF 20,000 SQUARE FEET TO BE SERVED BY PUBLIC STREETS, PUBLIC WATER, AND INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE SEPTIC SYSTEMS ALONG WITH AN ENTRANCE OFF OF LEMON SPRINGS ROAD AND A 20-FOOT WIDE UNDISTURBED GREEN BELT ALONG THE PERIMETER. THIS IS A CONDITIONAL REZONING REQUEST. THEREFORE, A SITE PLAN SUBDIVISION PLAN IS REQUIRED AS PART OF THIS REZONING REQUEST, AND THAT'S THE IMAGE THAT'S ON THE SCREEN. IF THE REZONING IS APPROVED, THE SUBDIVISION DESIGN AND ANY WRITTEN CONDITIONS WOULD BE LEGALLY BINDING ON THE LAND. [00:05:01] THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS NOT WITHIN A WATERSHED CONSERVATION OVERLAY DISTRICT OR A MAPPED FLOOD HAZARD AREA. IT IS, HOWEVER, WITHIN THE HALF-MILE NOTIFICATION RADIUS FOR A BONA FIDE FARM BECAUSE THE PROPERTY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF LEMON SPRINGS ROAD ADJOINS A BONA FIDE FARM THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE LEE COUNTY VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT. OUR ADOPTED LAND USE PLAN DESIGNATES THIS PARCEL AS COUNTRYSIDE. AND SINCE THIS IS A CONDITIONAL ZONING DISTRICT, WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF THIS REQUEST BEFORE I GET TO THE PLAN SAN LEE. PRIOR TO THE MEETING, THE APPLICANTS HANDED ME SOME CONCEPTUAL ARCHITECTURAL ELEVATIONS OF WHAT THE HOMES ARE PROPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. WE ONLY HAVE ONE COPY, SO IF IT PLEASES THE BOARD, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO PASS THIS AROUND WHILE I'M GIVING MY PRESENTATION SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THESE IMAGES. THE LAND USE WOULD BE SINGLE FAMILY HOME RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION WITH A MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF 20,000 SQUARE FEET OR 0.46 OF AN ACRE. THE SETBACKS WILL BE 30 FROM THE FRONT, 30 FROM THE REAR, 15 FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE. THERE WOULD BE A 100-FOOT LOT WIDTH WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A 40-FOOT LOT WIDTH FOR THE CUL-DE-SAC LOTS, AND IT IS NORMAL FOR A CUL-DE-SAC LOT TO HAVE A DIFFERENT REQUIRED FRONT WIDTH. THERE ARE 46 TOTAL LOTS WITH 0.88 DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE ILLUSTRATED. THE VEHICULAR ACCESS ENTRANCE IS OFF OF LEMON SPRINGS ROAD. THERE IS A STUB STREET TO THE EASTERN PERIMETER PROPERTY LINE TO ALLOW FOR FUTURE CONNECTIVITY. ALL STREETS ARE TO BE DESIGNED TO NCDOT PUBLIC ROADWAY STANDARDS AND WILL BE PROPOSED FOR NCDOT ACCEPTANCE INTO THEIR ROADWAY SYSTEM FOR FUTURE ONGOING MAINTENANCE. AND IT IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE UDO SUBDIVISION STANDARDS AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEVELOPER TO HAVE ALL INTERNAL ROADS ACCEPTED FOR MAINTENANCE BY NCDOT. REGARDING LANDSCAPING, A 20-FOOT WIDE GREEN BELT WILL BE PROVIDED ALONG THE ENTIRE PERIMETER EXCEPT FOR THE INGRESS EGRESS AT LEMON SPRINGS ROAD. THERE IS A TOTAL OF 22.57 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE PROPOSED, AND THAT IS THE AREA THAT YOU SEE HATCHED IN THE MIDDLE. REGARDING ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STANDARDS, FOR THE REZONING APPLICATION, HOMES ARE PROPOSED TO BE SIMILAR TO RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED LOCAL SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES BY BUILDERS SUCH AS DREAMFINDER HOMES, AND YOU HAVE THE ARCHITECTURAL ELEVATIONS, THE CONCEPTUALS THAT ARE BEING PASSED AROUND. I ALSO HAVE A BULLET POINT LIST OF ARCHITECTURAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT THE APPLICANT PROVIDED TO ME PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING. IT INCLUDES NO SINGLE-FAMILY HOME CAN BE CONSTRUCTED WITH EITHER AN EXTERIOR ELEVATION FRONT FACADE OR COLOR PALETTE THAT IS IDENTICAL TO THE HOME ON EITHER SIDE OR DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET. ALL SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES WILL INCLUDE A TWO-CAR GARAGE. ALL SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES WILL INCLUDE EITHER A FRONT-FACING ROOF GABLE, A DORMER, OR COVERED FRONT PORCH. NO LESS THAN ONE-THIRD OF ALL SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES WILL HAVE A MINIMUM OF 24 INCH STONE OR BRICK VENEER WATER TABLE ON THE FRONT FACADE. ALL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WILL HAVE A SODDED FRONT AND SIDE YARDS. REAR YARDS MAY BE SEATED AND STRAWED. ALL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WILL HAVE CONCRETE DRIVEWAYS. ALL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WILL HAVE CONCRETE WALKS FROM THE DRIVEWAY OR FRONT SIDEWALK TO THE FRONT ENTRANCE. THERE WILL BE NO ACCESSORY DWELLINGS ALLOWED, MEANING YOU CAN JUST HAVE ONE MAIN HOME ON THE LOT. NO LITTLE HOUSE OUT BACK. OPEN SPACE WILL BE OWNED AND MAINTAINED BY HOA AND THE HOMES WILL BE RANGED FROM 01,850 SQUARE FEET TO 2,500 SQUARE FEET AND THAT SHOULD BE IN LINE WITH THE IMAGES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT ARE BEING PASSED AROUND FOR YOU. REGARDING PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE NCDOT RIBBON PAVEMENT DESIGN WITH NO SIDEWALKS PROPOSED. DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSED TO BE BUILT IN ONE PHASE WITH A BUILD OUT IN 12 MONTHS. HOWEVER, ULTIMATELY THIS IS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE MARKET AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A LEGALLY BINDING CONDITION. JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THEY THINK THE MARKET IS THERE TO BUILD IT ALL IN ONE PHASE, BUT THIS IS NOT A LEGALLY BINDING CONDITION. IT'S POSSIBLE IT COULD BE TWO OR THREE PHASES. REGARDING OTHER DESIGN FEATURES AND CONDITIONS, A ROADWAY TURNOUT AND MEL KIOSK WILL BE PROVIDED PER NCDOT STANDARDS NEAR THE FIRST INTERSECTION WITHIN THE DEVELOPER AS SHOWN ON THE SUBDIVISION PLAN AND STORMWATER CONTROL MEASURES WHICH ARE LABELED SEMS ON THE PLAN HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE DESIGN. WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK A BIT TO THE ZONING MAP. THE ADJACENT ZONING IN THE SURROUNDING AREA IS RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURAL AND THEN THE LIGHTER YELLOW IS RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURAL WITH A MOBILE HOME PARK OVERLAY DISTRICT. ADJOINING LAND USES TO THE NORTH ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, FARMS AND AGRICULTURAL FIELDS AND TO THE SOUTH IS ONCE [00:10:02] AGAIN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, EAST SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. AND TO THE WEST WE HAVE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN THE FARMSTEAD SUBDIVISION AND DEERFIELD SUBDIVISION DIVISION AND THE BODY OF CHRIST OUTREACH MINISTRY CHURCH AT 6081 LEMON SPRINGS ROAD. NOW, REGARDING THE PLANS AND LEE LONG RANGE PLAN, OUR ADOPTED PLANS AND LEE DESIGNATES THIS PARCEL AS COUNTRYSIDE WHICH ENCOURAGES PRESERVATION OF THE COUNTY'S AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE AND SUPPORTS CONSERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A RURAL LIFESTYLE. WITH LIMITED RESIDENTIAL DENSITY OF ONE DWELLING UNIT PER TWO ACRES. THE PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION WOULD HAVE SMALLER LOTS THAN ALLOWED IN THE CURRENT RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURAL RA ZONING DISTRICT, BUT THE OVERALL DENSITY WOULD BE SLIGHTLY LESS. AND THAT IS BECAUSE INSTEAD OF SIMPLY GOING IN AND CREATING 40,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PARCEL DUE TO THE SOILS NOT ALL BEING SUITABLE FOR SEPTIC SYSTEMS, WHICH IS THE HATCHED AREA ILLUSTRATED ON THE PLAT, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO GROUP THE HOMES IN AREAS WITH SUITABLE SOILS AND MAKE THEM 20,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS WITH A LARGE AREA OF COMMON OPEN SPACE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THE APPLICANT CHOSE TO REQUEST CONDITIONAL ZONING SO THAT THE BOARDS COULD SEE THE PROPOSED SUBDIVISION DESIGN IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SUITABLE AND UNSUITABLE SOIL INFORMATION, WHICH IS THE RATIONALE FOR THE SMALLER LOT SIZE. IF THE REZONING IS APPROVED, THE INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN THE APPLICATION AND THE PLANS WILL BE LEGALLY BINDING ON THE LAND AND EVEN IN THE EVENT OF A PROPERTY TRANSFER. ULTIMATELY, IT'S UP TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TO DETERMINE HOW THE COUNTY SHOULD GROW AND IF THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS PARTICULAR DESIGN AT THIS LOCATION. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PRESENTED AT THE PUBLIC HEARING SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED IN THE RECOMMENDATION AND THE FINAL REQUESTED ZONING MAP AMENDMENT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? AMY, DID I UNDERSTAND IT WILL BE HOA? YES, SIR. THE COMMON OPEN SPACE AREAS, AND THAT INCLUDES THE AREA WITH THE BUS STOP, WOULD HAVE AN HOA HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION THAT MAINTAINS THAT. THANK YOU. AND WHEN YOU OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, I DO HAVE A LETTER FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT I'VE BEEN ASKED TO READ. PLEASE STAY RIGHT THERE. WE WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. THIS IS A LETTER FROM BARRY H. THOMAS, 4506 LEMON SPRINGS ROAD, SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA, DATED AUGUST 7, 2026. DEAR MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING BOARD, AND I'M GOING TO PRESUME COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS WELL, I'M WRITING AS THE OWNER OF 4506 LEMON SPRINGS ROAD TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF MY LAND. THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN IN AGRICULTURAL USE IN THE PAST, BUT I NO LONGER FARM THE LAND BECAUSE I'VE MOVED AWAY FROM THE AREA. GIVEN MY RELOCATION AND THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY, CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN IT FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES IS NO LONGER PRACTICAL. IN PARTICULAR, THE LAND ON THE NORTH SIDE OF LEMON SPRINGS ROAD HAS POOR SOIL AND VERY LIMITED AGRICULTURAL VALUE. IN RECENT YEARS, MUCH OF THIS LAND HAS PRIMARILY GROWN WEEDS RATHER THAN PRODUCTIVE CROPS. THE SEVERAL OF THE FORMER FIELDS HAVE ALSO BECOME OVERGROWN WITH TREES AND OTHER VEGETATION, MAKING THEM INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT, IF NOT UNTENABLE, TO USE FOR FARMING. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING PRODUCTIVE FARMLAND, I ALSO BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE WHEN LAND IS NO LONGER WELL SUITED FOR AGRICULTURAL USE. BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE OWNING AND FARMING THIS PROPERTY, PORTIONS OF THIS LAND, PARTICULARLY THOSE NORTH OF LEMON SPRINGS ROAD, FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY. FOR THESE REASONS, I FULLY SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF MY PROPERTY. I BELIEVE ALLOWING THE LAND TO BE PUT TO A PRODUCTIVE NEW USE IS REASONABLE AND APPROPRIATE GIVEN ITS CURRENT CONDITION, ITS LIMITED AGRICULTURAL POTENTIAL, AND THE FACT THAT I'M NO LONGER ABLE TO ACTIVELY FARM AND MAINTAIN IT. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT MY PERSPECTIVE AS A LANDOWNER AND SOMEONE FAMILIAR WITH THE AGRICULTURAL HISTORY AND CONDITION OF THIS PROPERTY BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN EVALUATING THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT. SINCERELY, BARRY H. THOMAS. THANK YOU. I WILL CALL THE TWO WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT REQUEST. WHEN YOU COME TO THE FRONT, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. RONNIE TURNER WILL BE FOLLOWED BY KATHY MCNEIL. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. I'M RONNIE TURNER AND ME AND MY BROTHER ROBERT, WE OWN LEMON SPRINGS MEADOWS LLC AND THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE OWNER SINCE BACK IN JANUARY ON PURCHASING AND WITH THE INTENTION OF DEVELOPING IT. AND WE HAD OF COURSE, HOW OWENS AND ASSOCIATES CAME AND DONE ALL THE SOIL, THE SOIL WORK ON IT AND YOU KNOW, [00:15:02] THE MORE SOIL WORK THEY'VE DONE, IT SEEMED LIKE THAT. IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS A PAC MAN THAT KEPT EATING PROPERTY. AND IF ALL OF THIS PROPERTY, IF ALL OF THIS PROPERTY WOULD PERK, WE COULD PUT MORE HOUSES ON IT THAN WE WERE ASKING TO PUT ON IT. HOWEVER, SOME OF THE LAND JUST IS NOT FEASIBLE. IT WON'T PERK. SO, THEN WE WENT BACK AND WE ASKED FOR CONDITIONAL ZONING. IF ALL OF IT WOULD PERK, WE COULD PUT 50 PLUS HOUSES ON IT. SO, WE WERE ASKING TO PUT 46 ON IT. ALL THE LAND THAT WON'T PERK THERE WILL BE GOING INTO HOA AND MOST OF THAT LAND NOW, RIGHT THERE IS ACTUALLY TIMBERLAND, SO IT HAS SOME VALUE TO IT. BUT WE WILL GO IN AND DO ALL THE CONSTRUCTION ON IT, DEVELOPMENT ON IT. DREAM FINDERS IS A PERSON THAT WE SELL LOTS TO. THEY'LL COME IN AND BUILD IT OUT AND. AND LIKE AMY SAID, THEY'LL BUILD. THAT PROJECT WILL BUILD OUT IN LESS THAN A YEAR IF THE ECONOMY STAYS GOOD. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON LEMON SPRINGS ROAD MY WHOLE LIFE. I WAS RAISED ON LEMON SPRINGS ROAD, AND I'VE SEEN IT. I'VE SEEN LEMON SPRINGS ROAD CHANGE. I'VE SEEN THIS WHOLE AREA CHANGE DRASTICALLY. BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS SITTING THERE TONIGHT AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING. I WANT TO POINT THIS OUT. YOU KNOW, GROWTH'S COMING WHERE WE WANT IT OR NOT. OUR CHILDREN'S GOT TO HAVE SOMEWHERE TO STAY. OUR GRANDCHILDREN'S GOT TO HAVE SOMEWHERE TO STAY. SO, THINGS LIKE THIS IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY. THEY'RE. THEY'RE COMING. AND THIS IS A NICE PROJECT HERE. THE WAY WE HAVE IT LAID OUT, IT'S. IT'S GOING TO BE A. IT'LL BE ACTUALLY A NICE COMMUNITY THERE. AND I THINK JUST WITH THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY THE WAY IT IS, I THINK IT'S THE MOST REASONABLE SOURCE FOR IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. KATHY MCNEIL. I'M KATHY MCNEIL, 1621 KENTYREWOOD FARM ROAD. COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS KATHY MCNEIL AND MY HUSBAND AND I OWN MCNEIL FARMS, WHICH BACKS UP TO THE THREE ACRES. IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR MAP, YOU CAN SEE THE THREE ACRES ABOVE THAT, AND OUR FARM IS BEHIND THAT. THE FARM WAS MY HUSBAND'S GREAT GRANDFATHER. WE SOLD PRODUCE, ESPECIALLY STRAWBERRIES, TO THE COMMUNITY AND FARMERS MARKET FOR OVER 30 YEARS. MY HUSBAND HAS FARMED THIS LAND, DESIGNATED FOR LEMON SPRINGS MEADOWS, SINCE 1983, HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE TRIED TO BUY THESE THREE ACRES FROM MR. THOMAS, WITH NO SUCCESS. IF THESE THREE ACRES ARE REZONED, THIS WOULD DRASTICALLY AFFECT OUR AGRIBUSINESS. NOT ONLY WOULD OUR AGRIBUSINESS BE AFFECTED, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND THE NEW HOMEOWNERS THAT WILL BUILD ON THOSE THREE ACRES. THE REZONING WOULD HAVE OUR CUSTOMERS ENTERING FROM FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD, WHICH IS ON A BLIND CURVE. THEY WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW HOMES AND THE TYING UP OF TRAFFIC ON LEMON SPRINGS ROAD, WHICH ALSO SERVES GREENWOOD SCHOOL. MORE THAN THE SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS IS THE POTENTIAL SAFETY OF THE SIX HOMEOWNERS ON THESE THREE ACRES. THEY WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DAILY STANDARD FARMING PRACTICES. THESE PRACTICES GENERATE CONDITIONS THAT RESIDENTS WOULD FIND DISRUPTIVE, INCLUDING FERTILIZER APPLICATIONS WHICH COULD RESULT IN STRONG SMELLS AND AIRBORNE DRIFT. HEAVY DUST TILLING, PLANTING AND HARVESTING CREATE SIGNIFICANT AIR DUST AIRBORNE LONG WORK HOURS STARTING EARLY IN THE MORNING AND LATE AT NIGHT. ODORS DEPENDING ON THE SEASON AND FERTILIZER SCHEDULE, THE FARM WOULD EMIT STRONG SMELLS. PEST WORKING FIELDS NATURALLY ATTRACT INSECTS, RODENTS, WILDLIFE WHICH MAY MIGRATE TOWARDS THE NEARBY HOMES. SINCE WE ARE DEDICATED TO SERVING THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE SCHOOL GROUPS AND DAYCARES VISIT SO THAT THE KIDS CAN LEARN ABOUT FARMING AND LEARN FROM OUR BEEKEEPER HOW BEES POLLINATE. THEY ALSO GET TO PICK STRAWBERRIES. EXPERIENCING WHAT FRESH FRUIT TASTES LIKE NOT GROCERY STORE. WE ALSO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY BY HELPING CUOC, THE BREAD BASKET AND THE HOMELESS SHELTER WITH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. WE ALLOW GREENWOOD SCHOOL TO USE OUR DRIVEWAY TO TURN THEIR BUSES AROUND. HELPING OUT LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS WITH MONEY AND TIME. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT, JUST THE THREE ACRES ACROSS THE ROAD. NOT EVEN INSIDE THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT ACROSS THE ROAD. AND WE NEED YOUR HELP BY NOT REZONING THESE THREE ACRES ALLOWING AGRIBUSINESS TO CONTINUE. YES, GROWTH IS IMPORTANT AND YES IT WILL CONTINUE, BUT SO ARE FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. [00:20:03] THE RIGHT TO FARM LAW WILL PROTECT US, BUT WHO WILL PROTECT THE HOMEOWNERS, CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITY? I HOPE IT WILL BE YOU TO OFFER THAT PROTECTION. I HOPE IT WILL BE YOU THINKING OF OUR COMMUNITY, THINKING OF OUR KIDS TRAVELING UP AND DOWN THAT ROAD. I HOPE IT WILL BE YOU. AND VOTE NOT TO REZONE THESE ACRES. I HOPE IT WILL BE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. WE HAVE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING. PLANNING BOARD, YOU CAN BE DISMISSED TO DO YOUR MAGIC. THANK YOU. [V.A) Lee County Planning Board recommendation for proposed UDO Text Amendment] WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO AGENDA NUMBER FIVE, THE PLANNING ITEMS. ITEM A IS THE LEE COUNTING PLANNING BOARD RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PROPOSED UDO TEXT AMENDMENT. MS. MCNEIL. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD ON JULY 13 REGARDING A STAFF INITIATED TEXT AMENDMENT TO MODIFY THE UDO'S PERMITTED USE MATRIX TO ALLOW THE LAND USE OF FIRE, SHERIFF AND EMERGENCY SERVICES TO BE PERMITTED BY WRIGHT IN ALL ZONING DISTRICTS RATHER THAN BE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR ANY FIRE STATION, EMS BASE OR OTHER EMERGENCY SERVICES FACILITY WITHIN ANY RESIDENTIALLY ZONED AREA AS WELL AS WITH ANY PROPERTY ZONED NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL. THE TEXT AMENDMENT PROPOSAL WAS SPURRED BY SEVERAL RURAL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS SUBMITTING FOR PERMITS TO EXPAND THEIR EXISTING FIRE STATIONS WHICH HAPPEN TO BE LOCATED IN RESIDENTIALLY ZONED AREAS AND THEREFORE WOULD NEED TO EITHER AMEND AN EXISTING SPECIAL USE PERMIT OR OBTAIN A NEW ONE ENTIRELY. IN REVIEWING OTHER JURISDICTIONS APPROACHES TO EMERGENCY SERVICES, IT WAS DETERMINED BY PLANNING STAFF THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO ALLOW PUBLIC SAFETY LAND USES BY RIGHT IN ALL ZONING DISTRICTS AND THUS THIS TEXT AMENDMENT. THE PLANNING BOARD MET AFTER THE JULY 13 PUBLIC HEARING AND RECOMMENDED BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE THAT THE COMMISSIONERS APPROVE THE PROPOSED UDO TEXT AMENDMENT. TOPICS OF DISCUSSION INCLUDED THAT A SPECIAL USE PERMIT HEARING WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEIGHBORS TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT NOISE FROM SIRENS AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATED WITH EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS. BUT IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT FIRE AND EMS SERVICES WERE A CRUCIAL MATTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT A SPECIAL USE PERMIT WOULD EVER BE DENIED BY THE BOARD. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE... IF WE CAN RECUSE. IF YOU CAN RECUSE COMMISSIONER SHARP. OH, I'M SORRY. SO MOVE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CHANGES TO THE UDO REGARDING FIRE DEPARTMENTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT. THANK YOU. YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE [V.B) Planning Board recommendation on a Major Subdivision Preliminary Plat] PLANNING BOARD RECOMMENDATION ON A MAJOR SUBDIVISION POLICE PRELIMINARY PLAT. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGES 290 THROUGH 310 OF YOUR AGENDA PACKETS. MORGAN DEVELOPMENT CO. LLC IS SEEKING APPROVAL OF A PRELIMINARY PLAT TO CREATE A 46 LOT MAJOR RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION FOR SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOME HOMES. THE DEVELOPMENT CURRENTLY KNOWN AS MORGAN FIELDS SUBDIVISION IS LOCATED OFF OF CLIFTON LANE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF STEEL BRIDGE ROAD AND BLACKSTONE ROAD. THE CURRENT ZONING DISTRICT FOR THE SITE OF THIS PROJECT IS RA OR RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURAL, WHICH IS INTENDED FOR LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND LOW INTENSITY AGRICULTURAL USES AND HAS A MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF 40,000 SQUARE FEET AND A MINIMUM LOT WIDTH OF 100FT. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LARGELY SURROUNDED BY SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, VACANT LAND AND SOME AGRICULTURAL FIELDS. THE DEVELOPMENT ALSO FEATURES AN INTERNAL MAIL KIOSK LOCATION FOR USPS DELIVERY AND PICKUP. THE SITE IS NOT MAPPED IN A WATERSHED CONSERVATION OVERLAY DISTRICT OR A FLOOD HAZARD AREA PER OUR GIS MAPPING SYSTEM. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS NOT LOCATED WITHIN A VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT OR A VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT HALF MILE NOTIFICATION RADIUS. THIS PROJECT IS INTENDED TO BE SERVED BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL WELLS AND INDIVIDUAL [00:25:01] PRIVATE SEPTIC SYSTEMS. THERE IS A SOIL REPORT AND MAP INCLUDED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKETS FOR YOUR REFERENCE. INTERNAL PUBLIC STREETS ARE ALSO TO BE MAINTAINED BY NCDOT WHEN THEY BECOME ELIGIBLE. STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE PRELIMINARY PLAT AND DETERMINED THAT THE PROPOSED SUBDIVISION DOES COMPLY WITH THE UDO STANDARDS FOR THE RA ZONING DISTRICT. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 12 LOTS EXCEEDING THE MAXIMUM WIDTH TO DEPTH RATIO OF 1 TO 4, THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED A SUBDIVISION EXCEPTION APPLICATION TO REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL OF THAT DEVIATION. ADDITIONALLY, THE APPLICANT ALSO MUST OBTAIN DRIVEWAY PERMITS FROM NCDOT AND A SEDIMENTATION AND INVERSION CONTROL PERMIT FROM NCDEQ BEFORE RECORDING THE FINAL PLAT, THE PLANNING BOARD MET ON JULY 13 AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMMISSIONERS APPROVE THE MORGAN FIELD SUBDIVISION PRELIMINARY PLATFORM ALONG WITH THE REQUESTED SUBDIVISION EXCEPTION TO ALLOW THE 12 LOTS TO EXCEED THE UDO MAXIMUM LOT WIDTH TO DEPTH RATIO OF 1 TO 4. DUE TO THE UNIQUE SITE CONSTRAINTS THAT CREATE PRACTICAL HARDSHIP. I AM ALSO. I AM AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY. AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS. MADAM CHAIR, THERE WERE QUESTIONS THAT I RECEIVED REGARDING WHAT IS THE HYDROLOGY THAT SAYS THAT THERE'S ENOUGH LAND OR, EXCUSE ME, ENOUGH WATER TO SERVE WATER WELLS? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IN MY TIME ON THIS BOARD, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD A SITE PLAN JUST WHERE THEY'RE RELYING ON WATER WELLS. THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE KNOW THE HYDROLOGY UNDERNEATH THIS PROPERTY? IT'S A QUESTION I ALSO FIELD TODAY FROM A RESIDENT ON THE STREET, CONCERN ABOUT THE WATER. AND I READ THROUGH THE UTILITIES SECTION OF THIS. BUT I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN SOME QUESTIONS RAISED AS THE COMMISSIONER. YEAH. SO, BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LEE COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE NO PRELIMINARY TESTS THAT WILL BE DONE PRIOR TO THE FINAL PATH BEING RECORDED TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS WATER AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WELLS. BUT THERE WAS ALSO REASSURANCE THAT IT'S LESS OF AN IF AND MORE OF A WHEN AND AT WHAT DEPTH THE WATER WILL BE FOUND ONCE THEY START THE DRILLING STAGE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? NOT TO ME. IS YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED? I GUESS THAT'S HOW WE KNOW IT. THE QUESTION IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, WHO'S GOING TO BE PAYING FOR THE WELLS? THE DEVELOPER OR THE HOMEOWNER? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WOULD BE THE DEVELOPER. IT COULD GO EITHER WAY. WE REALLY DON'T GET INTO WHO PAYS FOR WHAT. THEY ARE PROPOSED INDIVIDUAL WELLS ON EACH LOT AS THE WATER SOURCE. THE UDO DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY TYPE OF HYDROLOGY REPORT. AND KATHERINE CONFERRED WITH THE SUPERVISOR OF LEE COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS ANY KIND OF HYDROLOGY REPORT THAT CAN GIVE YOU AN ASSURANCE THAT ALL THE LOTS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AND OR THAT THEY WILL NOT IMPACT THE ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS. IT IS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL THAT WE HAVE A MAJOR SUBDIVISION THAT PROPOSES INDIVIDUAL WELLS ON THE PROPERTY. THAT IS NOT THE NORM. THEY TYPICALLY PROPOSE TO EXTEND PUBLIC WATER. BUT AS RECENT AS THIS AFTERNOON, KATHERINE AND I REACHED OUT TO TRI RIVER WATER, FORMERLY CITY OF SANFORD ENGINEERING PUBLIC WATER, TO VERIFY THAT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION IS MORE THAN 1,000FT FROM THE EXISTING PUBLIC WATER MAIN. SO, THEREFORE THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO EXTEND PUBLIC WATER. IT IS AN OPTION. THE DEVELOPER HAS THE OPTION OR NOT. IT'S ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ON STEEL BRIDGE ROAD, THE WATER PRESSURE RIGHT NOW IS NOT GREAT IS THE WAY IT WAS PUT. SO, THERE'S ALREADY LOW WATER PRESSURE OUT THERE THAT POSSIBLY THE EXTENSION OF PUBLIC WATER COULD AND MORE CONNECTIONS WOULD CAUSE THE EXISTING LOW PRESSURE TO BE EVEN LOWER. BUT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF THE POLICY THAT'S IN PLACE, AND THIS IS IN THE CITY OF SANFORD ORDINANCE, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO EXTEND PUBLIC WATER. THEY HAVE THE OPTION AND HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO. THERE IS NO DOCUMENT GIVING ANYONE REASSURANCE THAT ALL THE WELLS WILL HAVE A GOOD WELL, THE LOTS WILL HAVE A GOOD WELL, OR THAT IT WILL NOT IMPACT THE ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS. THERE'S NOTHING IN THE UDO THAT REQUIRES THAT, AND I'M NOT SURE THERE'S AN ACTUAL DOCUMENT THAT ANYONE COULD PROVIDE TO ASSURE YOU OF THAT. BUT THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE, CIVIL ENGINEER, IS HERE AND CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THAT MORE THIS EVENING IF YOU'D LIKE FOR HER TO DO SO. THANK YOU. THAT WAS. THAT WAS CLEAR. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR, MAY I SAY SOMETHING? PLEASE. I TEND TO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER SMITH. I RECEIVE. I TALK TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY OUT THERE AND MOVE HERE. I'VE TALKED TO THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY OUT THERE, AND THEY'RE HAVING SOME HEARTACHE [00:30:01] ABOUT DRILLING 42 WHEELS RIGHT NEXT TO THEIR PROPERTY AND DRYING UP THEIR WELL. SO, THIS IS SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO. I AGREE. I HAD CALLS OF CONCERNS TODAY OF IT AFFECTING, AS MS. MCNEIL SAID, AS POSSIBLE THE OTHERS AROUND. SO, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS? IS THIS PROPOSED TO BE UNDER HOA OR POA? THAT WOULD BE. I DON'T BELIEVE SO, NO, SIR. OF COURSE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, THE APPLICANT IS HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE HER TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM TO SPEAK. DO THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE APPLICANTS? I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEM IF THEY... YEAH. PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. BETH BLACKMAN WITH TIMMONS GROUP, 5410 TRINITY ROAD, SUITE 102, RALEIGH. I ALSO HAVE GREG MORGAN WITH MORGAN DEVELOPMENT WITH ME AS WELL. WELL, I TRY TO TOUCH ON JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. SO, THERE IS NO TEST FOR WATER WELLS. YOU JUST PRETTY MUCH DRILL THE WELL, KEEP DRILLING THE WELL UNTIL YOU HIT WATER. IF YOU TEST THE WELL AND IT IS BAD, THEN YOU GO DRILL A NEW WELL. WE DRILL WELLS. WE DO WELL SUBDIVISION, INDIVIDUAL WELL SUBDIVISIONS ALL OVER THE STATE. SO, IT IS A VERY, VERY COMMON THING. WE ARE FORTUNATE IN NORTH CAROLINA TO GENERALLY NOT HAVE ISSUES WITH OUR WATER WELLS. WE AS STAFF POINTED OUT, WE DID TALK TO TRI RIVER WATER ABOUT EXTENDING WATER LINE. WE WOULD HAVE EXTENDED THE WATER LINE EXCEPT FOR THE WATER PRESSURE. SO, WE CANNOT EXTEND THE WATER LINE AND MEET FIRE FLOW OUT OF THE FIRE HYDRANTS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THE FIRE MARSHAL DID NOT WANT US TO INSTALL PUBLIC WATER WITHOUT FIRE HYDRANTS. BUT THE FIRE HYDRANTS WOULD NOT HAVE MET THE REQUIRED FIRE FLOW OF 01,000 GALLONS PER MINUTE. SO, THAT LEFT US WITH NO CHOICE BUT INDIVIDUAL WELLS BECAUSE THE WATER PRESSURE IN THE AREA IS NOT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE FIRE HYDRANTS. SO, THAT'S WHY WE OPTED FOR THE INDIVIDUAL WELLS. IT IS A RISK THAT WOULD BE ONLY BUILDER. THE LOTS WOULD BE RECORDED. THE BUILDER WOULD THEN SUBMIT HIS PLAN FOR A HOUSE PLAN, A SEPTIC PLAN, AND WHERE THEY WOULD DRILL THE WELL. SO, ALL THOSE WOULD BE TAKEN LATER. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH WOULD SIGN OFF ON THE LOTS, SEPTIC AND WELL PERMITS. SO, THEY HAVE TO GET A PERMIT. THAT'S A PROCESS THAT WOULD GO THROUGH AFTER THE FINAL PLAT. IF FOR SOME REASON IT DIDN'T WORK, THEN THAT LOT WOULD NOT BE BUILDABLE. YOU ASKED ABOUT AN HOA OR POA, SO THERE WILL HAVE TO BE SOME SORT OF HOA JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A MAIL KIOSK THAT WILL NEED SOME MAINTENANCE. BUT WE INTENTIONALLY DID NOT HAVE OPEN SPACE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THIS IS A LARGER LOT NEIGHBORHOOD, MORE IN KEEPING WITH THE AREA THAT EVERYBODY WOULD OWN THEIR ACRE AND A HALF TO. SOME OF THEM ARE MUCH LARGER THAN THAT. BUT WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A MAIL KIOSK BASED ON NEW U.S. POSTAL SERVICE RULES. SO, THAT BOX IS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE POSTAL SERVICE. SO, THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD. IF IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OR PAINTED OR WHATEVER. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING. DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MYSELF OR MR. MORGAN? QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? LISTENING FOR PROTECTION FOR THE BUYER. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IF IT DOES FAIL? IF. IF THE WELL FAILS? NO, SIR, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE WHATEVER QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. SO, ON THE 46 WATTS, BECAUSE THE EXISTING PUBLIC WATER LINE WOULD NOT SERVE THE TOWN'S END REQUIREMENTS, INDIVIDUAL WELLS IS THE ONLY OTHER OPTION I'VE BEEN ASKED, WHY DON'T YOU DO A COMMUNITY WELL? THAT'S NOT AN OPTION THAT'S AVAILABLE UNDER THE RULES. SO, TO YOUR QUESTION OF WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU PUT A HOLE IN THE GROUND AND THERE'S NO WATER? THE ANSWER IS, BASICALLY I WOULD. YOU KNOW, I DO NOT HAVE ANY OF THESE LOTS UNDER CONTRACT YET. BUT THE ONLY REASON THAT A HOME BUILDER WOULD BUILD IS IF THERE'S WATER THERE. SO, I WOULD REPURCHASE THE LOTS. IF IN FACT THEY DIDN'T. IF, YOU [00:35:04] KNOW, IF THEY DIDN'T HIT WATER. ACTUALLY LET ME ADD TO. AND I THINK YOUR QUESTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN LIKE LATER DOWN THE ROAD IF THINGS FAIL. I MEAN THAT IS A. YOUR SEPTIC SYSTEM HAS A REPAIR AREA THAT IS REQUIRED FOR FUTURE BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE A LIFESPAN WELLS. GENERALLY, IT'S NEED A NEW PUMP AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. BUT THE WAY THAT WE DRILL WELLS NOW, YOU HAVE LESS OF A LIKE FAILURE OR COLLAPSE RATE. BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN GO BACK IN AND EXTEND THEM AND DIFFERENT THINGS IF FOR SOME REASON THAT IT WENT DRY LATER. YEAH, BUT YEAH, JUST FOR YOU KNOW, JUST FOR INFORMATION LIKE THAT. MY HOME HAS A 500 FOOT WELL AT 3 GALLONS A MINUTE AND THAT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO SERVICE ONE SINGLE FAMILY HOME. YOU KNOW, SO THE FLOW REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT SUPER HIGH. IN ORDER TO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WELL SERVING ONE INDIVIDUAL HOME. THAT'S WHEN IT'S WORKING GOOD. WELL, I MEAN IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS, THREE GALLONS A MINUTE IS VERY LOW ACTUALLY, BUT IT IS ENOUGH FOR ONE HOME, SO. WELL, I THINK WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW IS WELL, I LIVED IN LEMON SPRINGS, MY WELL WENT DRY, I HAD TO DRILL ANOTHER 100, 200 FOOT. WE HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW. I MEAN, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE HOMEOWNER BUYER WOULD KNOW WHEN THEY WERE BUYING THE HOUSE. THAT YES, THERE IS A WELL. IT WOULD REQUIRE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP AND YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL IN THE FUTURE. AND IF THE WATER SYSTEM CHANGES IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, WATER SYSTEMS CAN BE EXTENDED AS WELL. BUT RIGHT NOW EXTENDING IT WOULD NOT BE GOOD FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE EXISTING RESIDENTS ON THE PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM OR THE NEW RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. OTHER QUESTIONS? SO, WHAT'S CONSIDERED A GOOD WELL FOR YOU TO FEEL CONFIDENT TO SELL THE LOT IN THE PROPERTY? HALF A GALLON A MINUTE. A GALLON A MINUTE, TWO GALLONS, THREE GALLONS. I MEAN IS THERE A STANDARD THAT Y'ALL TRY TO GET TO FOR YOUR WELL DRILLING COMPANY TO PROVIDE? THERE IS A STANDARD FOR YOU KNOW, Y'ALL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT Y' ALL HAVE DOWN HERE, IF YOU HAVE AQUA OR ANYTHING. THERE IS STANDARD FOR COMMUNITY WELL THAT IS SERVING MORE THAN ONE HOUSE. BUT THERE IS NOT A STANDARD FOR AN INDIVIDUAL. SO, IT IS HOWEVER THE BUILDER, ONCE HE FILL, THEY'RE MEASURING IT AS THEY GO. SO, AS THEY DRILL. I ACTUALLY WE JUST RECENTLY DRILLED A WELL ON OUR MY PROPERTY AND MY FATHER IN LAW WAS IN CHARGE OF IT AND HE WAS LIKE, YEAH, JUST GO DOWN A LITTLE FURTHER. SO, HE WENT DOWN A LITTLE FURTHER JUST BECAUSE HE WANTED TO BE EXTRA SURE THAT THEY HAD GONE DOWN FAR ENOUGH. WHEN THE DRILLER AND THE BUILDER REACH A FLOW VELOCITY THAT THEY'RE HAPPY WITH, THEN THAT'S WHEN THEY WOULD STOP. BUT GENERALLY, FOR AN INDIVIDUAL HOUSE, IT'S VERY LOW. SO ARE THEY DRILLED OR BORED WELLS? THEY'RE DRILLED. DRILLED AND SIX INCH. YEAH. AND THEY HAVE A. AND THEY'LL HAVE A CASING AND PIPE AND ALL THAT. YEAH. AND THE ABILITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL WELL TO SERVE A HOME IS DEPENDENT ON TWO FACTORS. NUMBER ONE IS GALLONS PER MINUTE THAT THE WELD WILL PUT OUT. AND THEN THE SECOND FACTOR IS STORAGE. YES. FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BOARD, YOU HAVE HEARD THE PRESENTATION AND THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. IS THERE A MOTION? FOR WHAT? ON HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS? WOULD THE BOARD CONSIDER A MOTION TO TABLE AND HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION? THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE FOR US TO TABLE AND HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU. I HAVE A REQUEST I'D LIKE TO MAKE FROM. YES. FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING WE'RE DOING HERE TONIGHT. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION, FOR EXAMPLE, ON HOAS. HOW INVOLVED AS A PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND [00:40:02] ENSURING THAT PEOPLE THAT BUY INTO HOAS FULLY UNDERSTAND. IS THERE ANY GUIDANCE OR ANY INVOLVEMENT THERE FROM THE COUNTY? NO, SIR, WE DO NOT GET INVOLVED IN THAT. THAT'S A PRIVATE CIVIL MATTER. SO, THAT'S UP TO THE PERSON, THE PERSON INTERESTED IN BUYING THE PROPERTY, TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES. THAT'S UP TO THE REALTOR TO DISCLOSE, AND THAT'S UP TO THE DEVELOPER AS WELL AS THE ATTORNEY THAT THE PERSON WHO'S USING TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY SHOULD DO A GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING THAT TO THEM. BUT THAT IS NOTHING THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT GETS INTO. NOW, YOU GET THAT FROM YOUR ATTORNEY. SHE'D GIVE YOU ALL THAT INFORMATION. I DON'T DISAGREE. BUT SOMETIMES A REMINDER OF LOOKING INTO THAT HOAS CAN BE VERY, VERY POWERFUL AND QUITE CONFUSING AT IF YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN THE TIME TO STUDY THE ISSUE. THE OTHER ONE IS. CAN YOU TELL ME. NOT TONIGHT. I'M JUST ASKING ABOUT THE CONCEPT PLAN. HOW YOU ALL DEFINE THE CONCEPT PLAN AND WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY MEAN? GOING THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS. FOR CONDITIONAL ZONING? OR. YES, SIR, ANY ZONING THAT REQUIRES A CONCEPT. OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO TELL YOU SOMETHING IN GENERAL OR DO YOU WANT ME TO RESEARCH THIS AND BRING YOU TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS? LET'S DO IT THAT WAY. OKAY. RESEARCH THIS AND BRING YOU TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMISSIONERS MEETING. THAT'LL BE FINE. HOW IT WORKS IN OUR. SURE. AND THAT THAT'S A VERY VALID POINT BECAUSE LEE COUNTY GETS VERY FEW CONDITIONAL REZONING REQUESTS, SO. YES, SIR, I'LL DO THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR. YES, SIR. WE WILL MOVE [VI) PUBLIC COMMENTS] INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF OUR AGENDA TODAY. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE SIGN UP FOR THAT. AS A REMINDER, THIS IS A THREE MINUTE TIME THAT YOU HAVE TO SHARE WHAT YOU'D LIKE US TO HEAR. WHEN YOU COME UP, PLEASE SHARE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AND YOUR TIME AVAILABLE WILL BE ON THE SCREEN AND YOU WILL HEAR A REMINDER THAT IT IS UP WHEN IT IS DRAWING TO AN END. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS TOPIC ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD BEFORE WE BEGIN PUBLIC COMMENT TIME. THE BOARD WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'VE HEARD YOUR CONCERNS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. WE WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY ADDRESS THE DATA CENTER STANDARDS. THE JOINT PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED A TEXT AMENDMENT FOR DATA CENTERS WITH SPECIFIC STANDARDS TO BE ALLOWED IN LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND HEAVY INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS AND THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND LEE COUNTY PLANNING BOARD APPROVED THAT TEXT AMENDMENT ALONG WITH THE CITY OF SANFORD AND THE TOWN OF BROADWAY. DATA CENTER APPLICATION THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED WILL BE APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY BY THE PLANNING STAFF. THE BOARD WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE UDO AND ALSO ENCOURAGES CITIZENS TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION WITH YOUR CONCERNS. AT THIS TIME, THE COMMISSIONS WOULD LIKE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION TO REGULATE DATA CENTERS IN NORTH CAROLINA AND TO SEND THIS RESOLUTION TO THE COUNTY'S LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION. SO, I'D LIKE TO READ THIS RESOLUTION TO YOU. RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION TO REGULATE DATA CENTERS TO PROTECT NORTH CAROLINA CITIZENS. WHEREAS, THE IMMENSE GROWTH AND USE OF TECHNOLOGICAL AND DIGITAL ADVANCES INCLUDING CLOUD COMPUTING, DATA STORAGE, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, STREAMING, DIGITAL PAYMENTS, REMOTE WORK, BUSINESS SOFTWARE AND CYBERSECURITY IN EVERYDAY LIFE HAS LED TO AN INCREASED FOR THE NEED FOR DATA CENTERS. AND WHEREAS, THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF DATA CENTERS TO THE TAX BASE OF A LOCAL ECONOMY CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH AN INCREASED TAX BASE. AND WHEREAS, THE BOARD RECOGNIZES THAT NORTH CAROLINA CITIZENS HAVE VOICED LEGITIMATE CONCERNS REGARDING DATA CENTERS. AND WHEREAS, THE LOCAL GOVERNING BOARD FOR COUNTIES LACK AUTHORITY TO ENACT STATUTES TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND ARE LIMITED TO ZONING PROVISIONS. AND WHEREAS, THE CONCERNS VOICED BY THE CITIZENS OF LEE COUNTY ARE SERIOUS ISSUES THAT AFFECT CITIZENS IN ALL OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES. AND WHEREAS, THE PENDING RATEPAYER PROTECTION ACT ONLY PROVIDES INSTRUCTION FOR DATA CENTERS WITH A 100 MEGAWATT USAGE AND SMALLER DATA CENTERS MAY ALSO PRESENT THE SAME ISSUES. AND WHEREAS, THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE GOVERNMENT HAS THE ABILITY AND RESOURCES TO RESEARCH, ENACT LEGISLATION AND CREATE OR USE EXISTING STATE AGENCY FOR ENFORCEMENT TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT AND PROTECTIVE GUIDANCE FOR DATA CENTER CONSTRUCTION AND USE THROUGHOUT NORTH CAROLINA. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE LEE [00:45:01] COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS URGES THAT THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO REACH RESEARCH AND ENACT LEGISLATION FOR DATA CENTERS OF ALL SIZES IN NORTH CAROLINA TO ADDRESS THE CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF THE CENTERS WHILE FULLY ADDRESSING CITIZEN CONCERNS. THE CLERK TO THE BOARD IS DIRECTED TO PROVIDE A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO LEE COUNTY'S LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION. THAT IS THE RESOLUTION THAT IS BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS THIS EVENING. IF THERE IS A MOTION. MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE TO APPROVE. MOTION ON THE TABLE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. WE WILL NOT HAVE DISORDER IN THE ROOM. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT NOW AND WE INVITE YOU TO COME UP AND SHARE YOUR. YOUR THOUGHTS, WHICH IS WHY I READ THIS AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. SO, I'M GOING TO PASS. I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE. WE'RE ALL SET WITH THIS RESOLUTION. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IS THERE ANY IN OPPOSITION TO THIS RESOLUTION ON THE BOARD? THANK YOU. SO, AGAIN, I'M GOING TO CALL THREE NAMES IN THAT ORDER. AND PLEASE COME UP AND HAVE A SEAT IN THE FRONT. AGAIN, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS WHEN YOU COME FORWARD AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES ON THE CLOCK. WE'RE EAGER TO HEAR FROM YOU. KEVIN OLSTON, RON HEWITT AND SHEILA SHERRY. I MIGHT HAVE THAT NAME WRONG, BUT I THINK YOU KNOW. THANK YOU. I WILL START WITH KEVIN. RON WILL BE NEXT AND SHEILA. OKAY. KEVIN AUSTIN, 2585 PICKARD ROAD, SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA. KEVIN, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TO PULL THAT MICROPHONE? YES. THANK YOU. IS THIS BETTER? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. KEVIN AUSTIN, 2585 PICKARD ROAD, SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA. I'M ALSO AN EDUCATOR HERE AT LEE SENIOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. I SPOKE. I FOCUS ON COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS IN WHICH PERTAINING TO THIS DATA CENTER. WE DO NOT KNOW THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF THE DATA CENTER. AND FROM MY FINDINGS, WE HAVE ONE THAT IS GOING TO BE STARTING CONSTRUCTION THIS FALL AND SHOULD BE OPERATING AROUND 2028. AND GOING BACK TO THE COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS, WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS ON OUR ENVIRONMENT AS FAR AS NOISE, WILDLIFE, WATER, ELECTRICITY AND OUR COMMUNITY? AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN STATED THAT OUR POWER GRID IS WEAK. AND ADDING THIS DATA CENTER IN AND POTENTIALLY OTHER DATA CENTERS. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE'S LIGHTS ARE BLINKING ALREADY, BUT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO BE IN THE DARK. OKAY. THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN. LEE COUNTY CITIZENS HAVE SPOKEN SEVERAL TIMES. AND AS YOU SEE, WE'RE HERE NOW SPEAKING IN WHICH WE WANT TO AT LEAST HAVE SOME TYPE OF PAUSE FOR ANY OTHER MORE, FOR ANY OTHER DATA CENTER SO WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT THE REPERCUSSIONS ARE, AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS NOT GOOD. OKAY. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST AND WHAT I'VE RESEARCHED, THE DATA CENTERS HAS A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE PEOPLE, ALL RIGHT? AND I DON'T WANT THAT. I KNOW SANFORD IS GROWING AND THEY'RE GETTING BIGGER AND WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF INDUSTRY. HOWEVER, AT WHAT COST? AND THAT'S WHAT I READ. I'VE ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH MY STUDENTS THIS MORNING. THAT'S SOME OF THE SAME QUESTIONS THEY HAVE. AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THE ENVIRONMENT? WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO US? WHAT'S OUR FUTURE GOING TO BE LIKE? SO I IMPLORE UPON YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS AND PUSH FORWARD TO PUT A PAUSE ON ANY MORE DATA CENTERS UNTIL WE FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION. THANK YOU, KEVIN. NANCY, IF YOU WOULD COME TO THE FRONT AND HAVE A SEAT. MR. HEWITT. NANCY ZWERIN. I'M RON HEWITT. 117 ROSEMONT LANE, SANFORD. I DECIDED TO MOVE TO LEE COUNTY 50 YEARS AGO BECAUSE I LIKE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IT OFFERED. TO ME QUALITY OF LIFE IS VISIBLE AND MEASURABLE. I THINK MOST OF US WANT TO FEEL SAFE WALKING DOWN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS DAY OR NIGHT, GOOD AND UNCROWDED SCHOOLS FOR OUR KIDS TO ATTEND, ROADS THAT ARE WELL MAINTAINED AND NOT CLOGGED WITH TRAFFIC, CLEAN DRINKING WATER, ACCESSIBLE PARKS AND RECREATION, SOCIAL HANGOUTS AND RESTAURANTS, RETAIL VARIETY, AND A COMMUNITY THAT HAS PERSONAL VALUES. LATELY, I'M [00:50:01] CONCERNED THAT THE FUTURE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. NOWHERE IN PUBLISHED ACCOUNTS OF BUDGETS AND PLANNING DO I HEAR ANY LOCAL OFFICIALS SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING QUALITY OF LIFE, NOR IN THE FUTURE. I ONLY HEAR DISCUSSIONS OF ROOFTOPS, HOUSING DENSITY PRODUCT, MORE INDUSTRIAL SITES, MORE EMPLOYERS, AND VAGUE PROMISES OF TAX REVENUES. I HAVEN'T HEARD QUALITY OF LIFE EVEN MENTIONED HERE TONIGHT. I AM NOT AGAINST MORE AND BETTER JOBS FOR OUR CITIZENS. BUT IT APPEARS OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS NOW TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES AND BUILD MORE HOMES, WHICH HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. CLOGGED ROADS AND CROWDED SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES. A COUPLE OF DECADES AGO, OUR BUSINESSES CAME TO LEE COUNTY. BUSINESSES CAME TO LEE COUNTY. AND THE PEOPLE THAT OWNED AND RAN THE BUSINESSES LIVED IN LEE COUNTY AND SUPPORTED OUR COMMUNITY. THEY FELT OBLIGATED TO IMPROVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. NO LONGER IS THAT THE CASE. BUSINESSES NOW COME HERE AND ASK OUR COMMUNITY TO GIVE THEM INCENTIVES TO SHOW THEM OUR COMMITMENT. LIKE WE SAW HERE TONIGHT. HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF GROWTH AT ALL COSTS. A PUBLISHED REPORT SAYS THAT WITH THE BUILDING BOOM PRESENTLY UNDERWAY IN THIS COUNTY, WE WILL DOUBLE OUR POPULATION BY 2050 OR SOON AFTER. THIS IS ONLY 25 YEARS AWAY. TO SUPPORT THE DOUBLING OF OUR POPULATION, WE WILL NEED TO DOUBLE THE SIZE OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WHICH IS CURRENTLY 13 SCHOOLS. WE HAVE ONE NEW SCHOOL IN THE PLANNING PHASE. THE LAST SCHOOL WE BUILT TOOK 10 YEARS TO PLAN AND BUILD. YOU DO THE MATH. THESE NUMBERS POINT TO A DETERIORATING QUALITY OF LIFE BROUGHT ON BY A RAMPANT GRADUATION. ALL ASPECTS OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE WILL BE SIMILAR IN SIMILAR DISTRESS. AS CAPTAIN OF A NAVY SHIP, I COACH MY OFFICERS TO THINK OF THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN AND THEN PREPARE FOR IT. WE NEED TO PLAN FOR THESE WORST CASE SCENARIOS THAT ARE NOW ON OUR HORIZON. I SUGGEST THE FIRST STEP IS WELCOME BUSINESSES, HOME BUILDERS AND REALTORS RUSHING TO OUR COMMUNITY BY TELLING THEM. WE WELCOME YOU TO LEE COUNTY AND WE WILL LISTEN TO YOUR PROPOSAL AND HOW YOU WILL PARTNER WITH US TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE WILL BE SHARED WITH OUR YOUR EMPLOYEES AND OWNERS. IT MUST BE A PARTNERSHIP. AS A CORPORATE EXECUTIVE WE STARTED MEETING SAFETY MOMENT. FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS YOU COULD I ASK YOU TO SOMETHING SIMILAR AS THE BEGINNING OF EVERY COUNTY COMMISSIONER MEETING. WE WOULD YOU PLEASE ASK WHAT ARE WE DOING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN LEE COUNTY? IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HEWITT. THE NEXT PERSON... NEXT. OKAY, FROM THIS POINT ON, WOULD YOU START THE CLOCK WHEN I'VE CALLED THE NAME WHETHER OR NOT THE PERSON IS ABLE TO SPEAK BECAUSE OF THE NOISE, PLEASE START THE CLOCK. WHAT I DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN HERE IS THE INTERRUPTIONS IN BETWEEN TO TAKE UP THE TIME THAT I'D LIKE TO ALLOCATE FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK. WOULD MARK MANSFIELD, JEFF KIDD AND AMY HALL PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT AND SHEILA, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE PODIUM. MY NAME IS SHEILA SHERRICK. I LIVE AT 30 LAZY WATERS LANE IN SANFORD. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT OR ASK FOR YOU TO LISTEN AND HEAR US. WE DO NOT NEED A DATA CENTER IN OUR COUNTY. PERSONALLY, I CAN LIVE WITHOUT A DATA CENTER. I CAN LIVE WITHOUT INCREASED ELECTRIC BILLS. I CAN LIVE WITHOUT CHILDREN GETTING CANCER DUE TO THE POLLUTANTS FROM A DATA CENTER. HOWEVER, I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT CLEAN AVAILABLE WATER. I CAN'T LIVE WITH POLLUTED AIR. I CAN'T LIVE WITH ANOTHER INCREASE OF MY ELECTRIC BILL WITH WHICH HAS ALREADY MORE THAN DOUBLED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. COUNTIES AND STATES ALL AROUND US ARE VOTING NO ABOUT DATA CENTERS. IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING THEY DON'T KNOW, THEN PLEASE SHARE IT WITH US. WE THE PEOPLE OF LEE COUNTY PUT YOU IN THE SEAT YOU ARE IN BECAUSE WE TRUSTED YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THIS COUNTY. PLEASE SHOW US WE WEREN'T WRONG. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SHEILA. NANCY ZWERIN. NANCY ZWERIN, 515 APPLE LANE, SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA. YOU KNOW, I'M OLD. I'M OLD. I'M EVEN OLDER THAN MR. SMITH HERE. AND WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, WHEN THERE WAS A BIG DECISION TO BE MADE, I WAS TAUGHT THAT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS DO A LOT OF RESEARCH AND TAKE YOUR TIME. ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS WHY ARE WE RUSHING INTO THIS? WHY CAN'T WE PUT A PAUSE ON THINGS, TAKE SOME TIME, LIKE SOME REAL TIME TO ACTUALLY STUDY? I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE CURRENT UDO [00:55:01] GOVERNING DATA CENTERS DOES NOT ADEQUATELY PROTECT THE CITIZENS, THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT OR THE TAXPAYERS OF LEE COUNTY. WHEN THIS ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED, IT WAS DESCRIBED AS A LIVING DOCUMENT. A LIVING DOCUMENT SHOULD BE AMENDED WHEN WEAKNESSES BECOME APPARENT. WE NOW KNOW THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT WEAKNESSES AND I AM ASKING THIS BOARD TO ADDRESS THOSE BEFORE THOSE WEAKNESSES BECOME PROBLEMS THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE FORCED TO LIVE WITH FOR DECADES. FIRST, A $100 PER DAY FINE FOR VIOLATING THE ORDINANCE IS SIMPLY NOT A MEANINGFUL DETERRENT FOR A CORPORATION OPERATING A MULTIMILLION OR BILLION DOLLAR DATA CENTER. IT CAN BECOME NOTHING MORE THAN A COST OF DOING BUSINESS. I AM ASKING YOU TO INCREASE THE PENALTY FOR SERIOUS OR CONTINUING VIOLATIONS TO AT LEAST $10,000 PER DAY WITH THE ABILITY TO IMPOSE ADDITIONAL PENALTIES FOR REPEATED OR UNRESOLVED VIOLATIONS. COMPLIANCE SHOULD BE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN NON COMPLIANCE, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. SECOND, THE ORDINANCE NEEDS STRONGER PROTECTIONS CONCERNING NOISE AND LOW FREQUENCY SOUND AND VIBRATION. TRADITIONAL NOISE MEASUREMENTS MAY NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE PERSISTENT LOW FREQUENCY IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES. THE COUNTY SHOULD REQUIRE INDEPENDENT BASELINE TESTING BEFORE OPERATIONS BEGIN, ONGOING MONITORING AFTER OPERATIONS BEGAN, AND ENFORCEABLE LIMITS MEASURED AT SURROUNDING PROPERTIES, NOT SIMPLY AT THE FACILITY ITSELF. THIRD, I ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER WHETHER A 500 FOOT BUFFER PROVIDES ADEQUATE PROTECTION FOR NEIGHBORING HOMES AND PROPERTY OWNERS. SETBACKS AND BUFFERS SHOULD BE BASED UPON CREDIBLE EVIDENCE CONCERNING NOISE, VIBRATION, LIGHTING SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND QUALITY OF LIFE, NOT MERELY UPON WHAT IS MOST CONVENIENT FOR THE DEVELOPER. AND FINALLY, WE NEED TO PROTECT LEE COUNTY LONG AFTER THESE COMPANIES HAVE FINISHED DOING BUSINESS HERE. EVERY DATA CENTER ORDINANCE SHOULD CONTAIN A STRONG DECOMMISSIONING AND SITE RESTORATION REQUIREMENT. BEFORE OPERATIONS BEGIN. THE OWNER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE FINANCIAL ASSURANCE, A BOND, LETTER OF CREDIT OR SIMILAR MECHANISM TO GUARANTEE THAT TAXPAYERS WILL NEVER BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING UP AN ABANDONED FACILITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MS. THURMAN. SHAWNA JOHNSTONE, EVELYN MCLEAN AND PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT. MARK MANSFIELD. THANK YOU. NO, NO. COULD I HAVE YOUR NAME, PLEASE? JEFF. JEFF KIDD. THANK YOU. HELLO, I'M JEFF KIDD. I LIVE AT 4217 LAURA MONCURE ROAD. I'M A FARMER. I HAVE A BONA FIDE FARM. I HAVE A USDA FARM. THE HELIX PROPERTY THAT WILL BE THE DATA CENTER WRAPS AROUND OUR PROPERTY. THE NEW SUBSTATION. IT BACKS UP TO MY BACKYARD AND THEN THE PROPERTY IS RIGHT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT. THE BUILDINGS WILL BE LESS THAN 500 YARD OR 500FT FROM MY BARN FOR MY ANIMALS. WE MEASURE THE DECIBELS DAILY. WE RECORD WHAT IT IS AT OUR PROPERTY TWICE A DAY AND RECORD IT WITH A VIDEO SO YOU KNOW WHAT THE METER IS READING. OUR AVERAGES IS BETWEEN 40 AND 45 DECIBELS. WHEN THE BUGS ARE LOUD, IT'S 45. WHEN THE BUGS ARE NOT LOUD, IT'S 40. SOMETIMES IT'S SLOWER. WE GET DOWN INTO 32 DECIBELS AT NIGHT. A YEAR AGO THIS MONTH, WE LISTENED TO TRUSSWELL TELL US HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL PARK. THEY ASKED FOR THE REZONING ON A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL PARK. SIX MONTHS LATER WE FIND OUT THEY WANT IT TO BE A DATA CENTER. THEY CHANGED IT AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY KIND OF. THERE'S NO MECHANISM IN THERE TO STOP THAT FROM BEING CHANGED. RIGHT. BASED OFF OF WHAT THE APPLICATION FOR REZONING WAS, THE UDO NEEDS TO BE UPDATED AND MOVE DATA CENTERS FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO HEAVY INDUSTRIAL. AS THE SOUND GENERATED FROM A DATA CENTER IS ON THE SCALE OF HEAVY INDUSTRIAL PART PARKS, IT'S NOT ON THE SOUND OF A BUSINESS PARK. THE UDO ALSO NEEDS TO INCREASE THE FINES TO SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT. ON BUSINESSES THAT BREAK THE MAXIMUM DECIBELS REQUIRED, $100 A DAY IS A SLAP ON THE WRIST. THEY WILL JUST WRITE A $36,000 CHECK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND CALL IT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS. THEY'LL DO THAT EVERY YEAR. WHEN YOU'RE TALKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THAT'S A SMALL FEE TO PAY. AND IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING MORE SIGNIFICANT. $10,000 A DAY OR MAYBE MAKE IT GO UP. EVERY TIME IT GOES UP EXPONENTIALLY. MAKE IT SO THEY WILL FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT WON'T BE THERE FOREVER. THE FULL BUILD OUT OF THE CIRRUS 1 DATA CENTER, WHICH WAS PLANNED FOR 11 BUILDINGS, WILL USE MORE [01:00:03] ELECTRICITY THAN WHAT THE HARRIS LAKE NUCLEAR PLANT PRODUCES EVERY DAY. THAT'S ONE GIGAWATT THAT WE'LL USE. HARRIS LAKE DOES NOT PRODUCE THAT MUCH ELECTRICITY TODAY. WHO IS GOING TO PAY FOR ALL THE UPGRADES? TO THE POWER SYSTEM, THE NEW POWER PLANTS, THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. IT GETS SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF THE RATE PAYERS. THAT INCLUDES US. OUR POWER BILL IS GOING TO INCREASE IF YOU ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE. WE NEED THE DATA CENTER MORATORIUM TO BE PUT IN PLACE UNTIL THE RULES CAN BE LOOKED AT MORE IN DEPTH AND THEY CAN BE BROUGHT UP TO MODERN LEVELS OF RULES OF RULES AROUND THE UDO BEFORE A DATA CENTER CAN BE APPROVED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. KIDD. AMY HALL. AMY HALL, 4217 LOWER MONCURE ROAD. WAS ACTUALLY MY HUSBAND THAT WAS JUST SPEAKING. I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE SOUND LEVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR DATA CENTERS AS PROPOSED OR CURRENTLY WRITTEN IN THE UDO. I KNOW MANY OF MY FELLOW ATTENDEES ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WITH HUMAN AND WHAT WE CAN ACCEPT FOR SOUND. BUT I'M GOING TO SHIFT THE FOCUS TO THOSE THAT CAN'T ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES. I KNOW MANY OF US HAVE DOGS, ANIMALS, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THEM JUMP UP AND RUN TO THE DOOR BEFORE YOU EVEN HEAR THE CARPOOL IN THE DRIVE DRIVEWAY. SO, IF THEY CAN HEAR THAT, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE DEER, THE COYOTES? THERE'S A BOBCAT THAT CROSSES OUR PROPERTY NOT TOO FAR FROM WHERE THIS THING IS GOING TO BE. I FOUND A PSYCHOLOGY TODAY ARTICLE THAT REFERENCED A STUDY THAT WAS DONE IN HONG KONG THAT SAYS THAT THE SAFE DECIBEL LEVEL FOR DOGS IS 20 DECIBELS LESS THAN IT IS FOR HUMANS. SO, THEY'RE TALKING 45 TO 55 OR IT STARTS DAMAGING THEIR HEARING. WHAT'S THAT GOING TO DO TO THE LOCAL WILDLIFE POPULATIONS? WHAT'S THAT GOING TO DO TO OUR GOATS THAT ARE LITERALLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS THING? OUR NEIGHBOR HAS HORSES, THE NEILS. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE HERE TONIGHT, HAVE CATTLE AGAIN JUST ON THE BACKSIDE OF THIS THING. IS THE BOARD PREPARED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSSES, LOSSES OF INCOME TO THE FAMILIES IN THIS COUNTY BECAUSE THE STRESS THAT THE SOUND IS GOING TO CAUSE OUR ANIMALS? I KNOW WE KEEP DETAILED BIRTH RECORDS. YOU KNOW, WE KNOW HOW MANY GOATS WE HAVE, HOW THEY THRIVE, HOW THEY GROW. WE ARE GOING TO KNOW IF THERE'S A CHANGE THAT HAPPENS. MY HUSBAND WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN MEASURING THE DECIBEL LEVELS. I'VE SEEN IT AS LOW AS 32. THE HIGHEST I'VE SEEN IT IS 66. AND THAT'S WHEN THERE'S A PLANE DIRECTLY OVERHEAD. SO, LET THAT SINK IN. IF YOU'RE TALKING 65 DECIBELS AT THE PROPERTY LINE, THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF A PLANE GOING OVERHEAD CONSTANTLY, EVERY DAY. 24/7. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS PARK THAT HAS HOURS NINE TO FIVE. THERE'S A CUTOFF. IT'S NOT 24/7. AND THAT'S IF CIRRUS 1 KEEPS TO THE DECIBEL LEVEL. THERE'S A VIDEO OF ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT WENT TO THE ONE IN DURHAM, MEASURED IT AT 71 DECIBELS. SOMEBODY AT THE AURORA, ILLINOIS 69 AT HIS PROPERTY. OUTSIDE OF THE BUFFER ZONE, WE KNOW THAT THEY'VE NOT BEEN HONEST WITH US THUS FAR. SO, CAN WE TRUST THEM TO STICK WITHIN THAT. AND THEY'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED THE $100 A DAY FINE. SO, THAT'S NOT GOING TO, I'M NOT GOING TO CONTINUE GOING INTO THAT. SO, IN CLOSING, PLEASE RECONSIDER THE CURRENT UDO OR PUT A PAUSE ON IT, A WHOLE MORATORIUM, UNTIL WE CAN UNDERSTAND BETTER THE EFFECTS IT'S GOING TO HAVE ON THE HUMANS, THE ANIMALS. EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. AMY, THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO, MARK MANSFIELD. IS THAT... THANK YOU. WOULD YOU COME TO... THANK YOU. MARK MANSFIELD. 3521 LOWER MONCURE ROAD. I HAD THIS SPEECH HERE. I WAS GOING TO READ, BUT Y' ALL JUST BLOWED MY MIND. WHAT Y' ALL JUST COME UP WITH THIS LEGISLATED BULL? NOW, YOU COULD PUT A MORATORIUM ON THIS THING AND. LET'S END IT NOW. JUST STOP IT. LOOK, I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE FOR 47 YEARS. I'M THIRD GENERATION ON THIS FARM. I THINK ABOUT SELLING EVERY DAMN THING I GOT BECAUSE OF Y'ALL. CAUSE YOU INTERRUPTED MY LIFE. I'M RETIRED NOW. I'VE WORKED OUT ALL MY LIFE. ALL MY LIFE TRYING TO CARRY ON THE FAMILY TRADITION. AND YOU SOME GUNS COME IN HERE. ESPECIALLY YOU, KIRK. I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU. WE'RE GETTING READY TO BOAT YOUR ASS OUT OF HERE. SIR, SIR, WOULD YOU ADDRESS THE [01:05:02] BOARD AS A WHOLE, PLEASE? FREEDOM OF SPEAK. YOU MAY SPEAK, BUT ADDRESS THE BOARD, NOT INDIVIDUALS ON THE BOARD. I'VE LOST ENOUGH SLEEP OVER THIS. I UNDERSTAND. AND Y' ALL CAN STOP IT. IT'S NOT FUNNY. THIS STUFF IS NOT FUNNY, I'M TELLING YOU. CAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GO UP HERE AND YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP PUSHING PEOPLE IN LEE COUNTY. AND YOU BETTER WATCH WHAT'S IN YOUR FOOD WHEN YOU EAT. CAUSE PEOPLE'S TIRED OF IT. SHAWNA JOHNSON. HALEY, CAN YOU SEE WHAT SHE HAS? YES, MA'AM. YES, MA'AM. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM. CORRECT. OKAY. HELLO, I'M SHAWNA JOHNSTONE. I LIVE AT 958 BREEZEWOOD ROAD. MAYBE I ACTUALLY NEED YOU TO PULL THAT DOWN A LITTLE CLOSER. OH, THANK YOU. OKAY, LIKE THAT. YES. OKAY. CAN YOU START THAT AGAIN PLEASE. THE TIMER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M SHAWNA JOHNSTONE. I LIVE ON BREEZEWOOD ROAD IN LEE COUNTY. WITH 35 YEARS IN ACCOUNTING AND CORPORATE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING THREE YEARS AS A TOWN MANAGER, I'VE ANALYZED FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS. FIRST, THIS IS NOT WHAT THE BOARD APPROVED. IN 2025, THE PUBLIC WAS TOLD 430 ACRES ON LOWER MONCURE ROAD WERE BEING REZONED FOR A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS PARK. AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S OWN HEARING, THE DEVELOPER'S REPRESENTATIVE SAID ON THE RECORD THAT THE INTERESTED COMPANIES WERE IN AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING, BATTERY OR TIMBER TECHNOLOGY, SOLAR INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT IS THE PROJECT THAT THIS COMPANY WAS SOLD, THIS COMMUNITY WAS SOLD. IT WAS NOT A 90 MEGAWATT HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER WITH A 300,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING, PHASE ONE OF AN ADDITIONAL 11, 2.5 MILLION SQUARE FOOT COMPLEX. SECOND, NOTHING LEGALLY BINDS THESE PROMISES TO THIS LAND. THIS WAS A GENERAL USE, NOT A CONDITIONAL REZONING. AT THAT SAME HEARING, THE CHAIR ASKED STAFF DIRECTLY WHETHER THE DEVELOPER'S VOLUNTARY COMMITMENTS ON THE BUFFERS, LIMITS AND ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS COULD BE ENFORCED. STAFF'S ANSWER, IN THE MINUTES, NO BINDING CONDITIONS CAN ATTACH TO A GENERAL USE REZONING. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED DENYING THIS REQUEST. THE COMMISSIONERS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED IT. EVERY REASSURANCE BECAME VOLUNTARY AND UNENFORCEABLE THE MOMENT YOU VOTED, YOUR VOTES WERE CAST. THIRD, THE COMMUNITY'S CONSENT WAS OBTAINED ON A DIFFERENT PROJECT. MANY NEIGHBORS WHO OPPOSED REZONING ULTIMATELY SUPPORTED THE INDUSTRIAL PARK. NOT BECAUSE THEY WANTED IT, BUT BECAUSE THEY FEARED ANNEXATION INTO SANFORD AND 430 NEW HOMES. THIS WAS NOT A DECISION TO ENDURE A DATA CENTER CAMPUS. NO ONE WAS EVER INFORMED THAT THIS WAS WHAT THEY WERE AGREEING TO. MEANWHILE, DUBIOUSLY ATTRACTIVE CLAIMS ARE CIRCULATING, INCLUDING OVER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN TAX REVENUE FROM PHASE ONE UP TO EIGHT AT FULL BUILD OUT, LOW WATER USE, MINIMAL NOISE, NO BURDEN ON RATE PAYERS. THESE MAY PROVE TO BE TRUE, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY ARE ONLY PROJECTIONS MADE BY PARTIES WHO WILL PROFIT, NOT VERIFIED FACTS. CYRUS ONE ITSELF CALLS THE TAX FIGURES PROJECTIONS. TONIGHT, WE THE PEOPLE ARE ASKING OUR COMMISSIONERS TO INSIST ON ACCURATE EVIDENCE AND TO DO THREE THINGS. REQUIRE INDEPENDENT DOCUMENTATION OF THE MAJOR TAX ORDER NOISE POWER AND INFRASTRUCTURE CLAIMS. I HAVE TWO SHORT SENTENCES. I SEE IT. GO AHEAD. GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY REVIEW THE PROJECT THAT'S PROPOSED, NOT THE ONE PROPOSED FOR ENTIRELY DIFFERENT TENANTS, AND MAKE SURE THE IRREVERSIBLE APPROVALS ALIGN WITH VERIFIED TRUTH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. EVELYN IS NEXT AND THEN MISS GLADYS, FOLLOWED BY SUSAN. GLADYS AND SUSAN BAR TOKYO. [01:10:05] HI, MY NAME IS EVELYN MCLEAN. I LIVE AT 95 KIRK STREET COURT AND I'M A NEW STUDENT AT CENTRAL CAROLINA COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THREE GENERATIONS OF MY FAMILY HAVE LIVED AND WORKED IN THE GREATER LEE COUNTY COMMUNITY AND I'M AGAINST THE PROPOSED CYRUS ONE DATA CENTER. THIS DATA CENTER DOES NOT SUPPORT LEE COUNTY'S VALUES AND BEST INTERESTS, NOR DOES IT EMBODY LEE COUNTY'S MOTTO, WE ARE COMMITTED TODAY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW. FOR MY NEIGHBORS AND I, THIS MODEL REPRESENTS LEE COUNTY'S VALUES, PEACE, INTEGRITY AND DEEP RESPECT FOR THE LAND WE LIVE ON. CYRUS ONE STATES ONE MILLION IN TAX REVENUE. ACCORDING TO THE JULY 1, 2026 CENSUS, ABOUT 70,000 PEOPLE LIVE IN LEE COUNTY. THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT $14.23 PER PERSON. THAT WON'T COVER EVEN ONE MONTH OF BOTTLED WATER FOR A FAMILY WHO WILL EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE CONTAMINATED WELL AND GROUNDWATER. IT WON'T COVER MEDICAL CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY EXPERIENCING SIDE EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION AND INCREASED SURROUNDING TEMPERATURES. THE LAND USE FOR THIS PROJECT WAS ORIGINALLY PROTECTED FROM THINGS LIKE THIS UNDER THE STANLEY LAND USE PLAN, WHICH AIMED TO KEEP OUR COUNTRYSIDE SAFE. CYRUS ONE HAS MADE STRONG CLAIMS IN ITS 2026 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT ABOUT USING SUSTAINABLE METHODS TO IMPACT AND MINIMIZE IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, EVEN HIGHLIGHTING SUSTAINABLE WATER USAGE AND MANY OF ITS LOCATIONS. WHAT IT DOESN'T EXPLAIN, AFTER 107 PAGES, DESPITE CLAIMING TO MEET MINIMUM SOUND REQUIREMENTS, ONE OF ITS LOCATIONS IN ILLINOIS CONSISTENTLY PUTS OUT 80 DECIBELS OF SOUND 24 HOURS A DAY INTO THE BACKYARDS OF ITS NEIGHBOR. WE ARE UNINTERESTED IN CYRUS ONE'S DECEPTIVE PRACTICES. WE DESERVE FULL TRANSPARENCY AND CANDOR. CYRUS ONE'S DATA CENTER IN CHARLES CITY SHOWS REPORTS OF 35 GAS-POWERED TURBINES RUNNING 24-7 DESPITE ALL THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC SHOWING PRIMARILY EFFICIENT RENEWABLE ENERGY. FURTHERMORE, CLAIMS MADE BY THE LEE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE AND POINT ONE SHOW THAT NO ENERGY COSTS WILL BE SHIFTED TO THE CITIZENS OF LEE COUNTY. THIS HOLDS LITTLE POWER WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ENERGY PROVIDER DUKE ENERGY HISTORICALLY SHIFTS COSTS TO CUSTOMERS WHEN LARGE ENERGY CONSUMERS COME INTO THE PICTURE. ADDITIONALLY, DUKE ENERGY STILL RELIES HEAVILY ON FRACKING AS A BACKUP ENERGY SOURCE WHEN THEY CAN'T KEEP UP WITH DEMAND. HOW CAN CYRUS ONE AND ASSOCIATE COMPANIES PROMISE MINIMAL IMPACT WHEN BEING THE ONE OF THE LARGEST USES OF ENERGY? HOW CAN THEY PROMISE LEE COUNTY DATA CENTER WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM THE 40 THEY'VE ALREADY BUILT? FINALLY, THE PROPOSED JOB OUTLOOK IS ONLY 40 JOBS. NOT ONLY IS THIS A LOW NUMBER FOR THE VAST SPACE BEING USED, BUT WE CANNOT BE ASSURED THAT THE STAFF WILL EVEN BE HIRED LOCALLY IN LEE COUNTY. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE, IT'S NOT HARD TO SEE THAT CYRUS ONE DATA CENTERS WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF LEE COUNTY CITIZENS WHO VALUE PEACE EVENTUALLY TO BE DISRUPTED BY CONSTANT NOISE, INTEGRIST COMPANIES AND NEIGHBORS, WHICH CYRUS ONE DOES NOT EXEMPLIFY, AND SELF-SUSTAINING LAND, WHICH WOULD BE COMPLETELY DEPLETED BY UNSUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. I'M COMMITTED TODAY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW. MY QUESTION IS, ARE YOU? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ASK THAT SUSAN IS UP FRONT. I BELIEVE SUSAN BARTOKIAN, IF JONATHAN BOYCE AND MR. ERIC EVANS WOULD COME FORWARD, BUT MISS GLADYS MCCAULEY, PLEASE COME FORWARD. GLADYS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. I'M GLADYS MCCAULEY. I RESIDE AT 2100 EFTON LANE, SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA. I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SUNDAY VOTING. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR COMMUNITY'S HISTORY, LEE COUNTY'S BIPARTISAN BOARD OF ELECTIONS COULD NOT AGREE ON AN EARLY VOTING SCHEDULE. THIS OCCURRED AFTER DALLAS WOODHOUSE, A STATE ELECTIONS OFFICIAL BASED OUTSIDE OF LEE COUNTY, CONTACTED TWO MEMBERS OF OUR LOCAL BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND RECOMMENDED ELIMINATING SUNDAY VOTING. OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS, ARE BEING DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE. MANY OF OUR ELDERS DEPEND ON MEMBERS OF THEIR CHURCHES, FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO TAKE THEM TO THE POLLS TO CAST THEIR VOTES AFTER SUNDAY SERVICES. I HAVE WORKED THE POLLS. I HAVE SEEN CHILDREN BRINGING THEIR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS TO VOTE ON SUNDAYS. SUNDAY VOTING HAS BECOME A FAMILY TRADITION. IT IS SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT THEY CAN DO TOGETHER. IT IS PATRIOTIC. SO WHO ARE THESE CITIZENS WHO ARE BEING TREATED AS THOUGH THEY ARE DISPOSABLE NOW THAT THEY ARE OLDER AND NOT ABLE TO DRIVE OR GET A RIDE TO VOTE DURING THE WEEKDAYS? THEY ARE OUR PARENTS, OUR [01:15:01] GRANDPARENTS, OUR AUNTS AND OUR UNCLES. THEY ARE OUR VIETNAM VETERANS, THEIR SPOUSES, THEIR SIBLINGS, THOSE WHO ARE NOW IN THEIR 70S AND 80S AND NEED HELP GETTING TO THE POLLS. THESE SAME INDIVIDUALS BUILT AND MADE THIS COUNTY WHAT IT IS TODAY. THEY PAID THEIR DUES. THEY SAT ON CITY AND COUNTY BOARDS. THEY EDUCATED OUR CHILDREN. THEY LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE LEE COUNTY THAT WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF LIVING IN AND WORKING IN. THEY HAVE PAID THEIR TAXES. THEY SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES. BUT THEY ARE NOW OLDER AND LABELED DISPOSABLE BECAUSE OF THEIR AGES. WHETHER LEE COUNTY OFFERS SUNDAY VOTING SHOULD NOT BE DECIDED BY AN UNELECTED OFFICIAL IN WAKE COUNTY OR BY THE AGENDA OF ANY POLITICAL PARTY. IT SHOULD BE DECIDED LOCALLY WITH MEANINGFUL INPUT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS COUNTY. THEY ARE ALLOWING STRANGERS FROM OUTSIDE OF LEE COUNTY TO TELL THEM HOW TO TREAT OUR SENIOR CITIZENS. INSTEAD OF PAYING THEM, OUR SENIORS, THE RESPECT THAT THEY HAVE EARNED FOR ALL THEY'VE DONE FOR THIS COUNTY. PLEASE DO NOT DISMISS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR SENIORS BY TAKING AWAY THE DAY, SUNDAY, THAT THEY HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM TO CAST THEIR VOTE AND CONTINUE SUPPORT OF LEE COUNTY IN THE TIME THEY HAVE LEFT. OUR SENIOR CITIZENS ARE THE HEART OF LEE COUNTY. PLEASE RESPECT THEM. THANK YOU. SUSAN. GOOD EVENING. HOW ARE YOU? MY NAME IS SUSAN VARTUKIAN. I LIVE AT 101 WENDY LANE IN SANFORD. I'M COMING LATE TO THIS PARTY OF THE DATA CENTER. I'D JUST LIKE TO MENTION ANYTHING WITH LEE COUNTY, SANFORD. IT ALL INCLUDES OUR SURROUNDING AREAS BECAUSE IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY. WE ARE HERE AND WE WANT TO ASK YOU WHY. WHY YOUR DATA CENTER? WHY SUCH A RUSH? WE'RE NOT HERE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO WELCOME THE DATA CENTER. IT IS NOT A POSITIVE OR A GOOD REASON WHY WE WOULD BENEFIT FROM A DATA CENTER. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE? WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR COMMUNITY? WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PEOPLE AND THE ANIMALS? YOU HAVE NOT BEEN HONEST WITH US AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF SECRECY GOING ON. THERE IS A LOT OF CLOSED DOOR MEETINGS, BASEMENT, DIRTY BASEMENT AND CAVE MEETINGS THAT WE ARE NOT TRANSPARENT TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON BEHIND THEM. WE THE PEOPLE, WE ARE SMART AND WE ARE DETERMINED AND THE COMMUNITY TO HELP FIGHT THAT THERE IS NO DATA CENTER. WE ARE GROWING INTO A LARGE NUMBER AS MORE PEOPLE FIND OUT ABOUT THIS DATA CENTER AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS. YOU WANT TO TAKE OVER 130 ACRES OF GOD'S BEAUTIFUL LAND AND DESTROY IT AND CLEAR THE FOREST AND DESTROY OUR WILDLIFE. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH ALREADY. THERE IS ENOUGH BEING DONE TO OUR LAND. IT WAS SAID THAT THE REZONING WAS FOR A RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURE AND A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL PARK. YOU FORGOT TO MENTION THE DATA CENTER. JUST TO INFORM YOU THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THE INDUSTRIAL PARK HERE IN LEE COUNTY OFF OF ROUTE 1 AND COLON ROAD. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, NOW IT IS GOING TO BE AN 11 BUILDING COMPLEX OF A DATA CENTER. ELECTRICITY, NOISE, WATER, PROPERTY VALUE, TAXES, OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. WHAT DOES THAT ALL MEAN? OUR ELECTRICITY IS GOING TO GO SKY HIGH. THEY SAY NO, BUT WE REALLY KNOW THE TRUTH. THE AMOUNT OF POWER THAT IS TAKEN FROM THE PLANT IS OVER 90 MEGAWATTS. THAT IS A POWER THAT CAN LIGHT UP 30,000 TO 90,000 HOMES AT ONE TIME. THAT ENERGY COULD RUN THE PLANT FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR. THAT IS A LOT OF ENERGY BEING WASTED. AGAIN, ELECTRICITY BILLS ARE GOING TO SKYROCKET. ANOTHER THING IS, IT IS SO HOT DOWN HERE. OH, MY TIME IS UP. THANK YOU FOR SHARING. [01:20:04] BEFORE OUR NEXT SPEAKER COMES UP, WOULD VICKY GOLDSTAR, JENNIFER DEVITO AND JENNIFER GARNER PLEASE COME HAVE A SEAT IN THE FRONT. AND MR. JONATHAN BOYCE, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME SPEAK. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JONATHAN BOYCE. I LIVE AT 1432 LEES CHAPEL ROAD IN LEE COUNTY. TONIGHT, LEE COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE PROPOSING A FEW NEEDED CHANGES TO OUR DEVELOPMENT UDO. THESE CHANGES ARE BASED ON BASIC SCIENCE, PHYSICS AND PROVEN RULES FROM ACROSS THE WORLD. THEY PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH WHILE STILL ALLOWING INDUSTRY TO GROW. YOU WERE SENT THIS PROPOSAL ON JULY 29TH. I WANT TO EXPLAIN A FEW POINTS THAT MIGHT SOUND TECHNICAL BUT ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR DAILY LIVES. RECENTLY, I MET WITH THE EXECUTIVES FROM POINT ONE DATA CENTERS AND CYRUS ONE. THEY PROMISE TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS. HOWEVER, OUR CONVERSATIONS SHOW THAT THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR MACHINERY ACTUALLY AFFECTS REAL PEOPLE. WHEN ASKED, WE LEARNED THAT NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THESE EXECUTIVES LIVES NEAR A DATA CENTER. NONE OF THEM. THAT IS EXACTLY HOW MANY LEE COUNTY RESIDENTS SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER FROM INDUSTRIAL NOISE. NONE. THEIR PROMISES HIDE THE REAL DAMAGE. IT IS JUST LIKE THE MATHEMATICAL TRICK USED TO MEASURE NOISE. THE STANDARD IS CALLED A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVELS. THIS SPECIFIC MEASUREMENT IS A TRICK BECAUSE IT INTENTIONALLY FILTERS OUT DEEP, LOW-PITCHED NOISES FROM C-WEIGHTED DECIBELS. THE HEAVY THUMPING SOUND IS PHYSICALLY THERE, SHAKING HOUSES, BUT IT IS MATHEMATICALLY ERASED FROM THE REPORTS. THE DAMAGE IS HIDDEN BY SMOOTH WORDS LIKE JOBS AND TAX MONEY. TO FIX THIS, WE PROPOSE USING A LINEAR MEASUREMENT. THIS SIMPLY MEANS COUNTING NOISE EXACTLY AS IT HAPPENS. IT DOES NOT IGNORE ANYTHING. IT MEASURES EVERY SINGLE PUSH OF AIR FROM MASSIVE COOLING FANS EQUALLY WITHOUT PLAYING MATHEMATICAL TRICKS. RIGHT NOW, OUR UDO HAS A MASSIVE LOOPHOLE. BECAUSE THE RULES ONLY LOOK AT FILTERED NOISE, A DATA CENTER COULD LEGALLY MAKE A DEEP HOUSE SHAKING HUM AS LOUD AS A VACUUM CLEANER RUNNING RIGHT OUTSIDE A BEDROOM WINDOW 24 HOURS A DAY. MEANWHILE, INTERNATIONAL HEALTH STANDARDS SAY NIGHTTIME NOISE MUST BE KEPT LOWER TO PREVENT SLEEP LOSS AND HEART STRESS. OUR COUNTY TOOK A GOOD FIRST STEP, BUT RESIDENTS NEED REAL PROTECTION. WE CANNOT JUST MONITOR THE NOISE WHILE OUR WALLS SHAKE. WE NEED STRICT, UNTRICKABLE LIMITS ON DEEP, LOW-FREQUENCY SOUND ENERGY. SADLY, YOU WERE NOT ADEQUATELY INFORMED WHEN YOU WERE ASKED TO APPROVE OUR UDO. NOW THE CITIZENS HAVE DONE THEIR RESEARCH. MUCH HAS BEEN LEARNED SINCE THAT TIME. PLEASE HEAR US. OUR REQUEST IS REASONABLE AND NEEDED. GOING FORWARD, WE CAN FIX THIS PROCESS. I ASK THE BOARD TO STAND WITH THE RESIDENTS, REVIEW THE PROTECTIVE AMENDMENTS, REFER THEM TO THE JOINT PLANNING COMMISSION FOR ADOPTION, AND ADOPT A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM UNTIL OUR COMMUNITY IS LEGALLY PROTECTED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BOYD. MR. EVANSON. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS ERIC EVANSON, LOWER MONCURE ROAD. WE FACE A CRISIS OF COMMUNITY TRUST. BUT TONIGHT, I THANK THE NEW LEADERSHIP OF THIS COUNTY. I PUBLICLY THANK CHAIRMAN MARTIN AND COMMISSIONER REEVES FOR ACTIVELY REACHING OUT AND LISTENING. CHAIRMAN MARTIN, YOU INHERITED A MONUMENTAL CHALLENGE. WE RESPECT YOUR DEDICATION TO A FAIR SOLUTION. COMMISSIONER REEVES, THANK YOU, SIR. IT TAKES A LEADER OF TRUE INTEGRITY TO ADMIT THE PUBLIC DESERVES A BETTER PROCESS. UNFORTUNATELY, WHILE WE WERE KEPT BUSY FIGHTING DATA CENTER RUMORS IN CUMKNOCK, SAGA AND COMMISSIONER SMITH WERE SECRETLY COORDINATING A 90 MEGAWATT DATA CENTER FOR OUR RURAL COUNTRYSIDE. MR. SMITH, YOU SERVED ON SAGA. MR. EVANSON, WOULD YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD AS A WHOLE RATHER THAN INDIVIDUALS ON THE BOARD? I'LL DO THAT FOR YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN MARTIN, THE JOINT PLANNING COMMITTEE AND CHAIRMAN OF THIS BOARD ALL AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. BUT MY QUESTION IS, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WHY WEREN'T THESE POOR PEOPLE TOLD? WHY WEREN'T THEY TOLD? IS THERE A SECRET GOVERNMENT GOING ON IN LEE COUNTY? A LEADER IS CHOSEN TO BE A WATCHMAN ON THE WALL. INSTEAD, SAGA AND OUR PREVIOUS CHAIRMAN ALLOWED A TROJAN HORSE INTO OUR VILLAGE WHILE LOCKING THE GATES TO THE PUBLIC. THE PAINFUL REALITY IS THAT OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS CHOSE TO PROTECT CORPORATE SECRETS AND CHOSE TAX REVENUE, INTENTIONALLY HIDING A MASSIVE INDUSTRIAL FOOTPRINT THAT THREATENS THE HEALTH, PEACE AND PROPERTY OF THE VERY CITIZENS THEY SWORE TO PROTECT. WHAT DO WE DO WHEN THE WATCHMAN STAYS SILENT WHILE THE VILLAGE BURNS? AT THE MARCH AND APRIL MEETINGS, [01:25:01] GO AND WATCH THESE VIDEOS. CITIZEN AFTER CITIZEN SPOKE AGAINST THE CUMNOCK RUMOR, YET YOU SAT SILENTLY KNOWING THE WHOLE TIME THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT, THAT THERE WAS A MASSIVE DATA CENTER BEING COORDINATED ON LOWER MONCURE ROAD. WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW? WHY WEREN'T WE TOLD? WHERE IS THE GOVERNMENT HERE? WHO IS WATCHING FOR THESE PEOPLE? FURTHERMORE, WHILE PLANNING STAFF WORK DILIGENTLY, THE UDO CONTAINS A DANGEROUS LOW FREQUENCY NOISE LOOPHOLE. IT HAS TO BE FILLED. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. THESE VIBRATIONS WILL PENETRATE HOMES GOING FOR MILES, FOR MILES. THEY'LL GO FOREVER, REALLY. I MEAN, IT'S A 20 SQUARE MILE AREA OF OUR COUNTY IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE EXPOSED. I WOULD ASK, WE WOULD ASK YOU TO DIRECT THE PLANNING STAFF TO SIMPLY AMEND THE ORDINANCE TO REGULATE LOW FREQUENCY C WEIGHTED DECIBELS. HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON. WE CAN FIX THIS FLAWED PROCESS. I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO SAY AND I'LL QUIT. COMMISSIONERS. WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOOD PEOPLE. WE KNOW THAT. AND WE KNOW THAT YOU WERE NOT CORRECTLY INFORMED. BUT WE CAN FIX THIS. I BELIEVE THAT THE PUBLIC TRUST CAN BE RESTORED WITH JUST A FEW WISE DECISIONS. THANK YOU, MR. EVANSON. NEXT, WE INVITE VICKY GOLDSTAR TO SPEAK AND IF ANDY LANIER WOULD COME HAVE A SEAT IN THE FRONT ROW. IS VICKY GOLDSTAR IN ATTENDANCE? WE WILL MOVE TO JENNIFER DEVITO. AND THEN IF LINDA HOOVER WOULD ALSO COME HAVE A SEAT UP FRONT. JENNIFER. HI, MY NAME IS JENNIFER DEVITO. I LIVE AT 1014 NORTHVIEW DRIVE IN SANFORD. I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW AND ASKING FOR A MORATORIUM. AND AT ONE POINT I THOUGHT IT WAS VOTED ON WITH SIX TO ONE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE VOTE. AND THEN I CAME ACROSS A NEWS ARTICLE THAT DISPLAYED A SCREENSHOT FROM A COMMISSIONER. IT WAS A TEXT MESSAGE REFERRING TO THE CROWD THAT CAME OUT ASKING FOR THE MORATORIUM THAT NIGHT AS THE MOB AND GROVELING ABOUT HAVING TO WRITE TWO MORATORIUMS. WE ASKED FOR A MORATORIUM AND WE GOT A UDO INSTEAD, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, WITH WEAK PROTECTIONS, WHICH LEFT US WITH A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. AND THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY HAS CREATED A LOT OF MISTRUST. GOING FULL STEAM AHEAD AND IGNORING THE WARNINGS IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. REALLY, WHAT'S THE RUSH? WE'RE COUNTING ON YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING, PLEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LINDA. SORRY, JENNIFER. JENNIFER GARNER. I'M GONNA KEEP THIS SHORT. WOULD YOU JUST GIVE US YOUR ADDRESS REAL QUICK? JENNIFER GARNER, 621 FAIRWAY DRIVE. THANK YOU. I'M KEEPING IT SHORT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN BEFORE YOU MULTIPLE TIMES ASKING THE SAME THING FOR MORATORIUM FOR A PAUSE, A SIMPLE PAUSE, A REVIEW. OK, SO KEEPING IT SHORT. BUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY AND WHAT HURTS ME TO MY CORE TO KNOW IS THAT FOLKS ON LOWER MONCURE ROAD ARE LOSING SLEEP. THEY ARE LOSING SLEEP BECAUSE THEIR OWN LOCAL GOVERNMENT DENIED A BASIC REQUEST FOR A REVIEW AT THIS MEETING. AND WE'RE COUNTING ON YOU. I WENT BACK AND WATCHED EVERY MEETING. I READ ALL THE, I MEAN, THIS IS A LOT OF CONTENT BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE INFORMED. I JUST, SIX MONTHS ON THE SCENE. BUT WHAT I'VE LEARNED COMING TO THE CITY MEETINGS AND THEN TO THE COUNTY MEETINGS IS WE'RE NOT BEING TOLD WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON. AND THAT'S A DISGRACE. AND SO WHILE THE PEOPLE ON LOWER MONTURE ROAD, WHILE THEY CAN'T SLEEP, WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT THIS, THIS UDO IS WOEFULLY DEFICIENT AND THE WHOLE PROCESS HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT FLAWED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JENNIFER. WOULD DONNA EVANSON AND JAN TOAST COME TO THE FRONT AND [01:30:01] HAVE A SEAT AND WOULD PLEASE, RANDY. THANK YOU. RANDY LANIER, LEEDS CHAPEL ROAD. MY FAMILY'S HAD FARMLAND ON LEEDS CHAPEL FOR OVER 81 YEARS NOW AND THERE'S PEOPLE IN HERE THAT HAS FARMLAND LONGER THAN THAT ALSO. I DON'T MEAN TO STEP ON YOUR TOES TONIGHT, BUT IF I DO, IT WON'T HURT LONG BECAUSE THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD. I THINK IT'S TIME FOR LEE COUNTY TO SLOW DOWN. EVERYTHING THAT COMES ACROSS YOUR DESK SEEMS TO GET A BIG OLD GREEN LIGHT OF APPROVAL. IT'S BEEN EYE-OPENING TO WATCH HOW QUICKLY THE COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED. WHAT WAS ONCE A SMALL TOWN FILLED WITH FARMLAND, SOME DIRT ROADS AND OPEN SPACES WHERE CHILDREN COULD GROW UP AND EXPLORE HAS STEADILY BECOME RETAIL CENTERS, APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, NOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET A DATA CENTER CRAMMED DOWN OUR THROATS. GROWTH IS INEVITABLE. I KNOW THAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THERE COMES A POINT TO WHERE YOU HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, WHERE ARE WE WILLING TO LOSE? WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO LOSE IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS? EVEN MORE CONCERNING WAS HEARING ONE COMMISSIONER THAT WILL NOT MAKE THE STATEMENT ABOUT THE DATA CENTER. IT ISN'T MY PROBLEM BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE THERE. I CHOOSE TO LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD. CHOOSING TO RAISE YOUR FAMILY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD IS ABSOLUTELY YOUR RIGHT AS AN AMERICAN. BUT CHOOSING TO RAISE THE FAMILY IN THE RURAL PARTS OF THE COUNTY IS EQUALLY OUR RIGHT. FAMILIES WHO CALL THESE COMMUNITIES HOME HAVE LIVED HERE FOR GENERATIONS. THEY BUILT BUSINESSES, STORED THE LAND AND INVESTED IN THIS COUNTY LONG BEFORE ANY OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS WERE EVER IMAGINED. TO DISMISS THEIR CONCERNS BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY LIVE IS DEEPLY DISRESPECTFUL. SEEMS LIKE ALL OF US LIVING DOWN THERE IN THAT END OF THE CAR AND OUR COMMUNITIES SEEM TO BE LOOKED AT AS DUMB FOLKS DOWN THAT WAY. WE GET NOTHING DOWN THE WAY FROM THE COUNTY. WE'VE ASKED FOR WATER FOR YEARS. WE HAVE WELLS DOWN THERE THAT ARE NO GOOD. WE HAVE LIMESTONE WATER IN THE CHURCH WHERE I GREW UP. WE'VE BEEN PASSED OFF TO THIS, TO THIS, TO THIS. BUT IF THIS DATA CENTER PASSES, GUESS WHAT? THEY'LL GET WATER. THEY'LL GET WATER. WE DON'T HAVE WATER. WE DON'T HAVE COUNTY WATER. I DON'T BELIEVE, AS FAR AS THE CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM GOES, A LOT OF THE WATER USED ON THESE SYSTEMS IS COMMON SENSE. IT'S GOING TO BE EVAPORATION. IT'S GOING TO BE GONE. IT'S GOING TO BE MORE WATER USED THAN YOU THINK IT IS. THE SYSTEM HAS GOT TO BE FLUSHED EVERY TWO YEARS TO GET THE CHEMICALS BECAUSE IT'S GOT CHEMICALS IN THERE TO KEEP THEM RUSTING. THOSE CHEMICALS HAVE GOT TO BE FLUSHED. WHERE ARE THEY GOING? I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT DATA CENTERS AND NEITHER DO ALL OF YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT DATA CENTERS WITH NO DISRESPECT. BUT I KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOOD, AND MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ACROSS THIS COUNTRY ARE STANDING UP AGAINST THESE DATA CENTERS. THESE BIG COMPANIES AND DEVELOPERS ARE COMING IN, FILLING EVERYBODY WITH FOOLS. I'VE GOT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE. THESE COMPANIES ARE COMING IN, FILLING UP PEOPLE WITH WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR. THEY CAN PROMISE YOU THE WORLD AND GIVE YOU AN APPLE WITH A WORM IN IT. YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT US, THE TAXPAYING PEOPLE, NOT THE BIG TECH COMPANIES AND DEVELOPERS. I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT TO DO THE RIGHT THING. STOP THIS DATA CENTER BEFORE IT COMES TO DISASTER. YOU'VE SEEN THE BRACELETS AROUND WWJD FROM CHURCHES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, AND I KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS. WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? WELL, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU. I THINK IF HE LOOKED DOWN, HE'D PROBABLY SAY, NO, QUIT DESTROYING MY LAND THAT I'VE CREATED. QUIT DESTROYING THE WILDLIFE I SENT FOR YOU TO ENJOY. QUIT DESTROYING THE LIVESTOCK I SENT TO FEED YOU, AND QUIT DESTROYING THE WATER I'VE GIVEN YOU TO DRINK. WE THE PEOPLE TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO ASK, WHO HAS THE BACKBONE TO STAND UP WITH US AGAINST THIS THING? THANK YOU, RANDY. LINDA HOOVER. LINDA HOOVER, 211 PETTY ROAD, SANFORD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY POSITION. WHEN I HELP ELECT SOMEONE, I TRUST THEM TO ACT IN A BIPARTISAN MANNER AND WORK ACROSS THE AISLE. I TRUST THEM TO BE TRANSPARENT AND DO THEIR OWN THINKING THAT MAY ASK THEM TO BE A LONE WOLF. I EXPECT THEM TO LISTEN TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS, THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED THEM. WHEN THE TRUST IS BROKEN, WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS WHAT HAPPENS. AM I AGAINST PROGRESS? NO. I'M A HORSE TRAINER. IF I WAS AGAINST PROGRESS, I WOULD WANT ALL OF US TO GO BACK TO USING HORSES AND NOT AUTOMOBILES. THAT WOULD BE BETTER FOR MY BUSINESS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DATA CENTER ISSUE HAS BROKEN OUR TRUST IN THE PROCESS OF BRINGING NEW BUSINESS TO OUR COMMUNITY. I DON'T LIVE IN MONCURE, BUT AS A LEE COUNTY CITIZEN, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS WHAT HAPPENS THE NEXT TIME A BIG [01:35:01] PROJECT IS BROUGHT BEFORE YOU. WILL YOU BE EMBOLDENED BY WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE TO CONTINUE ACTING IN THIS MANNER? I WANT BETTER QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED. THE DARK SIDE OF CAPITALISM ASKS, CAN WE MAKE A PROFIT? AND ENLIGHTENED CAPITALISM ASKS, CAN WE MAKE A PROFIT, MINIMIZE THE DOWNSIDE, AND TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE? BEING AN OPTIMIST, I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT A COMPROMISE CAN BE REACHED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LINDA. WOULD MICHELLE, EVE, AND KEELY PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT ROW AND HAVE A SEAT. WE'LL BE CALLED. THANK YOU. DONNA. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM. DONNA EVANSON, LOWER MONCURE ROAD. JUNE 8TH. TWO MONTHS SINCE THE NEWS BROKE THAT A DATA CENTER WAS COMING TO LOWER MONCURE ROAD. JUNE 8TH. MY FAMILY HAS NOT HAD A FULL NIGHT'S SLEEP SINCE JUNE 8TH. THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE NOT HAD A FULL NIGHT'S SLEEP SINCE JUNE 8TH. WE HAVE BEGGED YOU TO DO SOMETHING AND YOU HAVE DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. NOTHING TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WERE ELECTED TO LOOK OUT FOR. WE HAVE BEGGED YOU TO APPROVE A MORATORIUM TO ADD A FEW SIMPLE AMENDMENTS TO PROTECT US FROM LOW FREQUENCY VIBRATIONS AND YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING AND SAID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO US. THE LEADERS OF THE FOLLOWING NORTH CAROLINA TOWNS HAVE PROTECTED THEIR CITIZENS BY APPROVING 60 TO 150-DAY MORATORIUMS. DURHAM, MOUNT AIRY, HILLSBOROUGH, MAIDAN, BOONE, BREVARD CITY, FEDERAL, CHARLOTTE, AND STATESVILLE. THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES HAVE PROTECTED THEIR CITIZENS WITH SIX-MONTH MORATORIUMS. CUMBERLAND COUNTY, MADISON COUNTY, BERTIE COUNTY, CAMDEN COUNTY, ONSLOW COUNTY, AND CHEROKEE COUNTY IS VOTING TOMORROW TO EXTEND THEIR 30-DAY MORATORIUM TO SIX MONTHS. THE LEADERS IN WENDELL HAVE PROTECTED THEIR CITIZENS WITH A SEVEN-MONTH MORATORIUM. THE TOWN COUNCILS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN THE FOLLOWING HAVE ALREADY VOTED TO PROTECT THEIR CITIZENS BY APPROVING A ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM. APETZ, ASHEVILLE, BREVARD, CANTON, BOONE, SPRING HOPE, FRANKLIN, BOILING SPRINGS, HOT SPRINGS, CLYDE, HOLLY SPRINGS, WAPSAW, LAKELAND, WOODFIN, HILLSBOROUGH, FARMVILLE, BOILING SPRINGS, LAKES, DURHAM COUNTY, CHATHAM COUNTY, ROWAN COUNTY, SWAIN COUNTY, DAVIE COUNTY, ORANGE COUNTY, CLAY COUNTY, HARNETT COUNTY, DAVIE COUNTY, WATAUGA COUNTY, JACKSON COUNTY, MADISON COUNTY, WILKES COUNTY, GRANVILLE COUNTY, FRANKLIN COUNTY, WARREN COUNTY, CRAVEN COUNTY, TERRELL COUNTY, WASHINGTON COUNTY, GATES COUNTY, PASQUOTANK COUNTY. YADKIN, ALAMANCE, AND POLK COUNTIES HAVE HEARINGS TONIGHT ON APPROVING THEIR ONE-YEAR MORATORIUMS. BLACK MOUNTAIN AND PROQUEMINES COUNTY ARE DRAFTING ONE-YEAR MORATORIUMS. THE TOWN OF SOUTHPORT IS DRAFTING A 15-MONTH MORATORIUM. THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY HAVE ALREADY PROTECTED THEIR CITIZENS WITH A ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM AND NOW THEY HAVE EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER YEAR RESULTING IN A TWO-YEAR MORATORIUM. THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN MOORE, SURREY, AND EDGECOMB COUNTIES HAVE ALREADY PROTECTED THEIR CITIZENS WITH A TWO-YEAR MORATORIUM. THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF NORTHAMPTON COUNTY HAVE PROTECTED THEIR CITIZENS WITH A 32-MONTH MORATORIUM. THE LEADERS OF KINGS MOUNTAIN HAVE PROTECTED THEIR CITIZENS WITH A 60-MONTH MORATORIUM. THE LEADERS OF THE EASTERN BANK OF CHEROKEE INDIANS HAVE PROTECTED THEIR CITIZENS WITH AN INDEFINITE MORATORIUM. AND THAT BRINGS ME TO THE QUESTION FOR YOU. WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF LEE COUNTY AND APPROVE A MORATORIUM SO WE CAN ADD A FEW SIMPLE AMENDMENTS TO OUR UDO? AND I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO SAY. YOUR RESOLUTION FOR TONIGHT IS BULLCRAP. I HAVE FOUR GRANDCHILDREN SITTING RIGHT THERE AND THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD ME SAY THAT WORD. BUT IT IS BULLCRAP. YOU KNOW THAT IT COULD BE YEARS BEFORE STATE GOVERNMENT DOES ANYTHING. THAT STATE GOVERNMENT MOVES SO SLOW. IN THE MEANTIME, IF YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING, MORE DATA CENTERS ARE GOING TO JUST TAKE IN HERE AND GO, OH, WE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE HERE AND WE WILL HAVE NOTHING, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE Y'ALL HAVEN'T DO ANYTHING. IT'S BULLCRAP. Y'ALL NEED TO DO SOMETHING NOW. THANK YOU, MS. EVANSON. WOULD RONE REESE, AND DEBBIE HALL COME TO THE FRONT AND PLEASE, JAN, COME TO THE PODIUM. JAN CASHENTART, 1406 WINTERLOCK AND DRIVE. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ABOLISHMENT OF SUNDAY VOTING. GOOD EVENING. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR COMMUNITY'S HISTORY, LEE COUNTY'S BIPARTISAN BOARD OF ELECTIONS COULD NOT AGREE ON AN EARLY VOTING SCHEDULE. SOME MEMBERS WANTED TO ABOLISH SUNDAY VOTING. THE VOTE TOOK PLACE AFTER AN UNELECTED OFFICIAL OUTSIDE OF [01:40:01] LEE COUNTY COMMUNICATED WITH TWO OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS. BECAUSE OUR LOCAL BOARD COULD NOT REACH AN AGREEMENT, THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS NOW GETS TO DECIDE HOW LEE COUNTY WILL HANDLE ITS VOTING CALENDAR. THAT MEANS EVEN MORE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF LEE COUNTY WILL MAKE A DECISION THAT SHOULD BE MADE HERE AT HOME. LEE COUNTY TAXPAYERS FUND OUR LOCAL ELECTIONS. WE UNDERSTAND OUR COMMUNITY'S WORK SCHEDULES, OUR RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS, TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES, AND VOTING NEEDS. DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, EVERY PERSON WHO SPOKE ASKED THE LOCAL BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO KEEP SUNDAY VOTING. THESE LOCAL VOICES SHOULD CARRY MORE WEIGHT THAN THE PREFERENCES OF SOME OUTSIDE OF OUR COUNTY. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS WORKED THE POLLS EVERY ELECTION IN THE PAST 15 YEARS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT SUNDAY VOTING IS POPULAR. I WATCH FAMILIES COME DIRECTLY FROM CHURCH AND EXERCISE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO VOTE TOGETHER AS A FAMILY. I CANNOT THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE MORE PATRIOTIC THAN THAT. SO WHY WOULD WE TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY AWAY? THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD RUNS FROM OCTOBER 15TH TO OCTOBER 31ST. THAT INCLUDES THREE THURSDAYS, THREE FRIDAYS, AND THREE SATURDAYS. EVERY OTHER DAY OF THE WEEK IS REPRESENTED IN THE EARLY VOTING CALENDAR EXCEPT FOR SUNDAY. THERE'S NO JUSTIFICATION FOR INTENTIONALLY EXCLUDING SUNDAY. I'M ASKING THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TWO THINGS. FIRST, I ASK YOU TO ASK THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO MEET AGAIN AND DEVELOP AN EARLY LOCAL VOTING PLAN THAT INCLUDES SUNDAY VOTING AND TO ASK THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO APPROVE THAT LOCAL DEVELOPED PLAN. IT'S OUR COUNTY, IT'S OUR TAX MONEY, AND IT'S OUR ELECTION. THIS WEEKEND, I CREATED A JUST IMPROMPTU ONLINE PETITION FOR PEOPLE TO SUPPORT EARLY VOTING AND I'M CLOSING IN ON 100 PEOPLE SIGNING THAT PETITION IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MICHELLE E. I HAVE HANDOUTS FOR YOU GUYS IF I CAN BRING THEM UP. COULD YOU, MICHELLE, WOULD YOU PULL THE MICROPHONE DOWN? THANK YOU. SORRY, I HAVE A COUPLE OF HANDOUTS FOR YOU GUYS IF I CAN. OKAY. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MICHELLE EAVES AND I LIVE AT 725 ST. ANDREWS CHURCH ROAD. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS, AND FELLOW CITIZENS OF LEE COUNTY. MY NAME IS MICHELLE EAVES AND MY POSITION HAS NOT CHANGED. I DO NOT WANT A HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER IN LEE COUNTY. BUT TONIGHT, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU STAND ON THIS PROJECT, I AM ASKING YOU TO DO ONE REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE THING. PUT AN IMMEDIATE MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT IN LEE COUNTY. STOP THIS PROCESS LONG ENOUGH TO GET THE ANSWERS RIGHT. WE ARE DISCUSSING A PROPOSED 90 MEGAWATT PHASE 1 DATA CENTER ON A SITE TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 430 ACRES WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL PHASES. THAT IS NOT SMALL DEVELOPMENT AND IT DESERVES MORE THAN SMALL SCRUTINY. THE DEVELOPER HAS MADE REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT WATER USE, CLOSED-LOOP COOLING, ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, JOBS, AND TAX REVENUE. MAYBE THOSE REPRESENTATIONS WILL PROVE ACCURATE, BUT LEE COUNTY SHOULD INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THEM BEFORE, NOT AFTER, THE DECISIONS ARE MADE THAT CANNOT BE EASILY REVERSED. AND I STILL HAVE SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE. THIS PROPERTY WAS PRESENTED TO OUR COMMUNITY AS A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS PARK. SO WHEN DID A HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER ENTER THE CONVERSATION? WHO KNEW? WHEN DID THEY KNOW? AND WHAT INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE WHEN THIS PROPERTY WAS REZONED? I ALSO CONTINUE TO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY AND ANY NDAS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT. I AM NOT ACCUSING ANYONE OF BREAKING THE LAW. I AM JUST ASKING YOU TO SHOW US THE RECORDS. TELL US WHO SIGNED CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS. TELL US WHEN. TELL US WHAT INFORMATION WAS WITHHELD. AND TELL US THE LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR KEEPING IT CONFIDENTIAL. THAT IS NOT AN UNREASONABLE REQUEST. THAT IS CALLED TRANSPARENCY. COMMISSIONERS, I HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH TWO DOCUMENTS TONIGHT. 12 QUESTIONS I BELIEVE MUST BE ANSWERED AND A SOURCE SHEET SEPARATING WHAT WE KNOW. WHAT THE DEVELOPERS SAY AND WHAT STILL REQUIRES INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION. PLEASE READ THEM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THESE QUESTIONS YOURSELVES. A MORATORIUM IS NOT A PERMANENT BAN. IT IS NOT ANTI-BUSINESS AND IS [01:45:02] NOT ANTI-TECHNOLOGY. IT IS RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT. IT MEANS TO STOP, STUDY, DISCLOSE, LISTEN, THEN DECIDE. IF THIS PROJECT IS TRULY AS BENEFICIAL TO LEE COUNTY AS WE ARE BEING TOLD, IT WILL STILL BE BENEFICIAL AFTER THESE QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED. SO WHY THE RUSH? WHAT DOES LEE COUNTY LOSE BY TAKING TIME TO VERIFY THE FACTS? COMPARE THAT WITH WHAT WE COULD LOSE BY GETTING THIS WRONG. OUR LAND, OUR RESOURCES, OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, AND THE PUBLIC'S TRUST. COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE ONE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS RIGHT. PLEASE DO NOT ASK THE CITIZENS OF LEE COUNTY TO ACCEPT PROMISES TODAY AND DISCOVER THE CONSEQUENCES OF TOMORROW. PUT AN IMMEDIATE MORATORIUM ON THE DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT. GIVE US THE ANSWERS. GIVE US TRANSPARENCY. GIVE THE CITIZENS YOU REPRESENT A MEANINGFUL VOICE AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THE COMMUNITY WE ALL CALL HOME. PLEASE DON'T GAMBLE WITH THE FUTURE OF LEE COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MICHELLE. KEELY. KEELY PORICH, 363 ANGEL ROAD. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS, FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME TO SPEAK, COMING SINCE OCTOBER. WE KNOW THE SAGA RECRUITMENT STYLE TO PARTNER WITH DATA CENTERS IS FLAWED. SAGA KNEW THAT INTERESTED DEVELOPERS WERE INQUIRING ABOUT OUR COUNTY YEARS AGO. MR. RANDOLPH TOLD ME HE EVEN BRAGGED HOW HE WAS A GATEKEEPER AND ONLY TALKED TO GOOD COMPANIES. HE EVEN EXPLAINED HOW IT WAS A SINGLE END USER, HOW IT WOULD SUPPORT LOCAL HOSPITALS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS AND GAVE A VERY COLORFUL PICTURE. WHEN IN ACTUALITY IT WAS CYRUS ONE, A LARGER HYPERSCALE PROJECT WHO CURRENTLY HAS A LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM, LAST MONTH CITING ZONING ERRORS, NOISE CONCERNS, PROCEDURE FLAWS. THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FUND GROUP IS ALSO NAMED IN THAT LAWSUIT. THERE'S THAT WORD AGAIN, FLAWED. YEARS AGO WHEN SAGA WAS MEETING WITH VARIOUS DEVELOPERS, DID A PHONE CALL GO OUT TO OUR ZONING DEPARTMENT AND CHAIRS AND SAY, HEY, WE KNOW DATA CENTERS ARE MAKING INQUIRIES. WE NEED TO REVIEW AND PUT UP SOME GUARDRAILS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY. NO, THESE DATA CENTER UDOS ARE GATHERED IN RECORD TIME IN A QUICKLY CHANGING INDUSTRY. WE NEED TO HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS FLAWED AND EVERYBODY KNOWS IT. CLASS ACTION SUITS ARE REFLECTING ACTIONABLE NEGLIGENCE FOR NOISE CREATED BY DATA CENTERS WITH WEAK REGULATIONS. OUR LEE COUNTY RESIDENTS WERE NOT DETERRED WHEN DUKE AND CHAR WANTED TO DUMP COAL ASH. IT TOOK FIVE YEARS IN COURT ALL THE WAY TO THE NORTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT. I STILL REMEMBER ONE OF YOUR COMMISSIONERS HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THAT DUMP. IN CHATHAM, IT'S A TEAM OF RESIDENTS. IT'S A PLANNING BOARD, THE CLIMATE ACTION ADVISORY BOARD, ENVIRONMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, THE AGRICULTURE BOARD. THEY ALL HAVE, AS THEY SAY, SKIN IN THE GAME. THEY WILL BE PUBLISHING THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE DATA CENTER, INCLUDING SOME THAT SAY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT ON DATA CENTERS ON VARYING SIZES, ENVELOPING DATA RACKS WITH FOAM AND SOUND DEADENING MATS, COMPRESSOR SOUND BLANKETS. I WILL FORWARD YOU THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. HAS OUR COUNTY CITIZEN BOARDS EVEN BEEN INVITED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION? HOW WILL HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS AFFECT THE LOSS OF FARMLANDS AND THE QUALITY OF OUR LIVES? ONCE AGAIN, I ASK FOR A MORATORIUM, AN EMERGENCY MORATORIUM, WHILE THIS APPLICATION IS STILL IN REVIEW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, KEELY. ROWAN REESE. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. WELCOME, COMMISSIONER DAVIS. MY QUESTION TO THE BOARD THIS EVENING IS SIMPLE. WHAT KIND OF GROWTH ARE YOU CHOOSING FOR LEE COUNTY? I SAY YOU DELIBERATELY BECAUSE I HAVE ATTENDED AND PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS MEETINGS ABOUT THIS PROJECT, BUT HAVE YET TO HEAR A SINGLE RESIDENT STAND BEFORE YOU AND ASK FOR THE DATA CENTER. WHAT I HAVE SEEN ARE HARDWORKING CITIZENS REPEATEDLY SHOWING UP AND ASKING THIS BOARD FOR ONE THING, AN ACTIVE TEMPORARY WORKING MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS. I KNOW WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO ADDRESS INDIVIDUALLY, BUT YOUR LETTER EARLIER THAT YOU READ STATED THAT THIS IS NOT APPROVED, [01:50:01] BUT WILL BE APPROVED. SO THAT BEGS THE QUESTION TO ME, ARE THE NOISE STUDIES PURELY JUST NOT RELEVANT? AND WITHOUT A PERMIT, NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTE 160D-107 EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO ADOPT TEMPORARY DEVELOPMENTAL OR EXCUSE ME, DEVELOPMENT MORATORIA. THE CITIZENS OF LEE COUNTY HAVE SHOWN UP. WE'VE SPOKEN. WE HAVE BEEN REMARKABLY CONSISTENT. WE ARE MISSING DINNER, HOMEWORK, TIME WITH OUR FAMILIES BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO SHOW UP AND ASK YOU TO PLEASE STOP MOVING FORWARD WITH A HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER WITHOUT FURTHER STUDY. WHAT I HAVE NOT SEEN IS THAT UNIFIED OPPOSITION REFLECTED IN THE ACTIONS OF THE BOARD. SO I HAVE TO WONDER WHETHER YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND THE SCALE OF THE DECISIONS YOU'RE MAKING. PEOPLE KEEP THROWING AROUND 90 MEGAWATTS. THAT IS FOR ONE BUILDING. THE PROPOSED PLAN COULD INCLUDE 11. CURRENTLY, LEE COUNTY HAS FEWER THAN 28,000 HOUSING UNITS. 90 MEGAWATTS RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY, WHICH THIS WILL, IS ROUGHLY THE ELECTRICITY DEMAND OF 75,000 HOMES THAT MORE THAN TRIPLES OUR NEED FOR ELECTRICITY IN LEE COUNTY. SIT WITH THAT FOR ONE MOMENT. THAT IS ONE BUILDING. IF IT IS BUILT OUT TO SCALE USING THE SAME MATH, YOU'RE LOOKING AT CLOSER TO 825,000 HOMES ON OUR GRID. PEOPLE HERE WORRY THAT TARGET IS GOING TO MAKE LEE COUNTY TOO MUCH LIKE CARY. DO YOU THINK TARGET IS GOING TO CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF LEE COUNTY? IMAGINE THE IMPACT YOUR DECISIONS ARE HAVING WHEN YOU ADD A HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER CAMPUS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING A LETTER TO THE LEGISLATURE, I SUPPOSE, ON OUR BEHALF. BUT I THINK THE MORE IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO TONIGHT IS VOTE TO ENACT A MORATORIUM TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF LEE COUNTY. THANK YOU, MS. REED. THERE ARE FIVE PEOPLE WHO WOULD STILL LIKE TO SPEAK, SO IF THESE FIVE WOULD COME TO THE FRONT. AND DEBBIE HALL, IF YOU WOULD COME TO THE PODIUM. SO DEBBIE HALL, TERRY MCINTURFF, LUCILLE ZANE, THOMAS DAVIS, AND JULIE DAVIS. PLEASE COME HAVE A SEAT. MS. HALL. THANK YOU. DEBBIE HALL, 957 CUMNOCK ROAD, SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. I'M HERE TO ASK FOR A TEMPORARY EMERGENCY MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTER APPROVALS. I'M ASKING THAT THE UDO BE AMENDED AS STATED IN THE CITIZEN POSITION PETITION. I'VE DONE MY BEST TO BECOME MORE EDUCATED ABOUT DATA CENTERS. I KNOW SO MUCH OF WHAT YOU'RE HEARING. YOU'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER BECAUSE I READ IT OVER AND OVER ABOUT WHAT THEY COULD MEAN IN OUR COMMUNITY. I'VE READ WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN OTHER PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY, OTHER COMMUNITIES. BOTH VIRGINIA AND GEORGIA HAVE EXPERIENCED A WATER CRISIS ALREADY. ONE COUNTY IN GEORGIA SEEING WATER RATES INCREASE BY 33% IN TWO YEARS. ELECTRICITY RATES INCREASING FOR COMMUNITIES AT AN ALARMING RATE. THERE IS NOTHING THAT MAKES ME THINK THESE THINGS COULD NOT HAPPEN HERE. I HAVE A NEW NEIGHBOR IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT MOVED HERE FROM VIRGINIA, AND THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO USE BOTTLED WATER TO TAKE A BATH FOR A WHILE. I'VE BEEN ATTENDING SOME OF THE ENBRIDGE GAS PIPELINE MEETINGS IN CHATHAM COUNTY. I LIVE ALMOST IN CHATHAM COUNTY, AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT HAPPENING. ENBRIDGE PROPOSES TO BRING A FRACKED GAS PIPELINE ACROSS CHATHAM COUNTY TO POWER THE DATA CENTER AT MONCURE. IN THAT PROCESS, THEY WILL DISTURB AND DESTROY FARMS THAT HAVE BEEN IN OWNERSHIP OF FAMILIES SINCE THE EARLY 1700S. THEY PLAN TO ACTUALLY RUN THE PIPELINE UNDER OUR DEEP RIVER. THAT WILL DISRUPT THE LIVES OF ALL WHO LIVE IN THE PATH OF THE PROPOSED PIPELINE. IN READING THE INFORMATION THAT ENBRIDGE PROVIDED, THE TECH STATED, WORD FOR WORD, WE WANT TO SUPPLY GAS TO CHATHAM AND LEE COUNTY. SO IT IS LIKELY THAT WE WILL BE NEXT ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK, ALLOWING DATA CENTERS HERE IN [01:55:01] LEE COUNTY NOT DOING THIS MORATORIUM MAKES THAT SO MUCH MORE LIKELY THAT WE WILL BE LIKE THE PEOPLE IN CHATHAM COUNTY STANDING UP AND ASKING THAT YOU DON'T ALLOW ENBRIDGE TO COME ACROSS OUR PROPERTY. PLEASE LISTEN TO THE PLEAS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND STOP THIS PLOY FOR PROFITS ONLY. THAT'S WHAT IT IS THAT WILL HARM ALL OF US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. HALL. I NEGLECTED TO CALL SEAN WILLIAMS TO COME UP, PLEASE. SO WE'LL HAVE TERRY, THEN SEAN, LUCILLE, THOMAS, AND JULIE. TERRY, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. I'M TERRY MCINTURFF. I LIVE ON COLON ROAD. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS PAST APRIL THE CITY OF SANFORD ADAPTED THEIR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY REQUIRING DATA CENTERS TO NOT EXCEED 65 DB ON THE PERIMETER OF THEIR PROPERTY. IS THAT CORRECT? ANYONE? OKAY. LET'S ASSUME IT'S CORRECT. ON THE WAY OVER HERE, I TOOK THIS DECIBEL METER, WHICH IS A CALIBRATED PART OF MY PRO-RECORDING STUDIO GEAR. I STOOD ON THE PERIMETER OF THE PROPERTY, LOWER MONTCURE ROAD. I MEASURED A BACKGROUND NOISE LEVEL, BACKGROUND BEING SOUND OF NATURAL NATURE, THE SOUND OF THE ENVIRONMENT AT 57 DECIBELS. SO IF THEY WERE TO BE HELD AT 65 DB ANYWHERE ON THEIR PERIMETER, THAT LEAVES A PALTRY NINE DECIBELS BEFORE THEY ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE. THAT IS THE NOISE LEVEL OF TYPICAL HUMAN BREATHING. SO LET'S ASSUME THAT THE ORDINANCE MEANS 65, THEY'RE LIMITED TO 65 DB ABOVE AMBIENT CONDITIONS. THAT MAY BE THE PROPER INTERPRETATION. THAT BRINGS US UP TO 122 DECIBELS, WHICH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WAS WHAT THE WHO WAS MEASURED AT IN A LARGE ROCK CONCERT IN ENGLAND. AND I DON'T THINK WE WANT THAT NEAR US, DO WE? WE'RE TALKING REAL NUMBERS HERE. WE ALL KNOW THAT THE SOUND EFFECTS, THE MEDICAL EFFECTS OF HIGH PRESSURE SOUND LEVELS IN YOUR DAILY ENVIRONMENT HAS HORRIFIC MEDICAL RAMIFICATIONS. YET I'M NOT SEEING OR HEARING OF ANY, AND EXCUSE ME, CORRECT ME, IF THERE HAS BEEN A FIRM COMMITMENT MADE TO KEEPING THE AMBIENT DECIBEL LEVEL DOWN. WHAT'S THE DECIBEL NUMBER? WHAT'S THE FINE? HOW IS THIS ORDINANCE GOING TO BE ENFORCED? ANYONE? HOW ARE WE ENFORCING A NOISE ORDINANCE ON THE DAVISON? SIR, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A RHETORICAL QUESTION OR IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER, BUT THE SETUP IS THAT YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK TO US AND WE HEAR YOU, BUT IT IS NOT... VERY WELL. OKAY. SO I THINK I'VE SAID MY PIECE THAT WE'RE SETTING A LOW BAR FOR THEM, OKAY? A LOW BAR. YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO FIND THE BEJESUS OUT OF THESE PEOPLE IF THEY BREAK THE ORDINANCE, AM I RIGHT? AM I RIGHT? YOU'RE GOING TO SHUT THEM DOWN UNTIL THEY'RE COMPLIANT. YOU ARE GOING TO DO THAT, AM I RIGHT? I THINK WE IN THIS ROOM HAVE EVERY RESPECT, EVERY EXPECTATION THAT ANY NOISE ORDINANCE WILL BE PUT IN PLACE AND VIGOROUSLY, YOU KNOW, UPHELD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M COUNTING ON YOU. THANK YOU. SEAN WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING. I'M SEAN WILLIAMS. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF OUR LOCAL NAACP HERE IN SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ADDRESS TWO ISSUES. THE PROPOSED CYRUS DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT AND THE REMOVAL OF SUNDAY VOTING. FIRST, THE DATA CENTER. I RECOGNIZE THAT THE BOARD HAS ALREADY AMENDED THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR DATA CENTERS. A PASSING AN ORDINANCE SHOULD NOT END THE CONVERSATION. IT SHOULD BEGIN THE ACCOUNTABILITY. WE NOW KNOW HOW MUCH... WE NOW KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED. PHASE ONE IS APPROXIMATELY 300,000 SQUARE FEET ON 56 ACRES [02:00:02] WITH A 90 MEGAWATT IT LOAD. AND SIZE ONE SAYS THE ENTIRE CAMPUS COULD EVENTUALLY REPRESENT APPROXIMATELY SEVEN BILLION IN INVESTMENT. THIS IS NOT A SMALL PROJECT. THAT IS POTENTIALLY A MAJOR TRANSFORMATION OF LEE COUNTY. SIZE ONE SAYS IT WILL USE CLOSED LOOP COOLING TO MINIMIZE WATER CONSUMPTION, PAY THE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS NECESSARY TO DELIVER ITS ELECTRICITY, AND CREATE APPROXIMATELY 40 PERMANENT JOBS PER BUILDING. THOSE ARE IMPORTANT COMMITMENTS. BUT COMMISSIONERS, WITH AN INVESTMENT POTENTIALLY REACHING SEVEN BILLION, WE SHOULD MAKE CERTAIN THAT EVERY ONE OF THOSE COMMITMENTS IS ENFORCEABLE AND NOT SIMPLY PROMOTIONAL. WE SHOULD KNOW THE LONG-TERM IMPACT ON OUR ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, THE NOISE, THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS, ENVIRONMENT, AND FUTURE LAND USE. AND IF THE UDO WE PASSED IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT THE LEE COUNTY CITIZENS AS THIS PROJECT GROWS, THEN WE SHOULD STRENGTHEN IT OR PAUSE IT. I AM NOT AGAINST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND FOR RESPONSIBLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. LEE COUNTY SHOULD NEVER BE AFRAID OF PROGRESS, BUT NEITHER SHOULD WE BE SO IMPRESSED BY THE SIZE OF THE INVESTMENT THAT WE STOP ASKING HARD QUESTIONS. SECOND, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE REMOVAL OF SUNDAY VOTING FROM OUR EARLY VOTING SCHEDULE. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, DO NOT ESTABLISH OR MAKE THE RULES. BUT SUNDAY VOTING PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK DURING THE WEEK, WORK SATURDAYS, AND HAVE TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES OR DEPEND UPON CHURCHES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP THEM REACH THE POLLS. THIS ISN'T A REPUBLICAN VERSUS DEMOCRAT. THIS SHOULD BE ABOUT VOTERS. IF SUNDAY VOTING IS BEING ELIMINATED, THEN SHOW THE CITIZENS THE DATA. HOW MANY PEOPLE USED IT? WHAT DID IT COST? AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT PROBLEM DOES ELIMINATING SUNDAY VOTING SOLVE? THESE MAY APPEAR TO BE TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES, BUT THEY SHARE ONE PRINCIPLE. THE PEOPLE OF LEE COUNTY DESERVE A VOICE IN THE DECISIONS THAT SHAPED LEE COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. LUCILLE ZANE. IN CASE I RUN OUT OF TIME, I'M LUCILLE ZANE, 240 MEADOWVIEW DRIVE, MEADOWVIEW. AND I HAVE NOT MADE ALL MY STATEMENTS WITHOUT RESEARCH, SO I HAVE THIS FOR THE BOARD, MY WEBSITE RESEARCH. MY NAME IS LUCILLE ZANE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IS WHERE I LIVE. I LIVE IN MONCURE. OTHERS FROM MY COMMUNITY COULD NOT COME TONIGHT BECAUSE THEY'RE AT THE CHATHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FIGHTING, FRACKING, AND PIPELINE THAT IS TO SUPPLY WHAT IS GOING TO DESTROY OUR LIVES. MONCURE BEGINS WHERE LOWER MONCURE ROAD ENDS. WE MAY NOT LIVE IN LEE COUNTY, BUT THIS AFFECTS OUR LIVES MORE THAN THOSE OF MOST CITIZENS OF LEE COUNTY. I DO NOT NEED TO RESTATE WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PUT BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. WHAT I WILL STATE ARE MY BELIEFS ON THIS MATTER. PERSONALLY, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS WILL NOT ESCALATE TO A MUCH LARGER FACILITY. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE NEARBY POWER PLANT WILL NOT COMPACT OUR RATES FOR ELECTRICITY FROM CENTRAL ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP. NOTE, THIS WILL NOT BE POWERED BY DUKE, WHICH POWERS THE REST OF LEE COUNTY, BUT BY CENTRAL ELECTRIC, WHICH DOES POWER MONCURE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE WATER COOLING WILL BE SELF-CONTAINED, AS MANY TIMES THEY HAVE REFERRED TO ACCESSING THE OLD GAS MINES IN THAT AREA FOR POWER AND WATER. THAT'S GROUNDWATER. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS COMPANY WILL PAY A FAIR SHARE OF TAXES AS PROVED BY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE. I'LL REFER TO MY NOTES. THAT IS A LOT OF NOTS. EVEN IF NONE OF THE USE OF OUR UNDERGROUND WATER, WE STILL HAVE WELLS IN MONCURE, AND OUR ELECTRIC AND WATER BILLS DON'T SKYROCKET, AS HAPPENED TO MY SON'S COMMUNITY IN MARYLAND, THEY DOUBLED. COMES TO PASS, THE NOISE WILL BE HORRIFIC. NONE OF US MOVE TO MONCURE OR LEE COUNTY FOR THE SOUND OF A HELICOPTER LANDING ON OUR HOUSE 24 HOURS A DAY. THAT'S 80 DECIBELS. REFER BELOW. I LIKE SEEING AT LEAST SOME STARS AT NIGHT AS WE IN OUR AREA MINIMIZE OUR NIGHT LIGHTING. BUT THE 24-HOUR LIGHT POLLUTION SO CLOSE WILL ELIMINATE STARS. I DON'T MIND SHARING MY GARDEN PLANTS WITH DEER AND RABBITS AND SQUIRRELS AND BIRDS AND INSECTS, BECAUSE I GET TO SEE ALL THOSE ANIMALS RIGHT IN MY YARD. THE VOLES CAN GO. BUT THEY WILL SURELY NEED TO ESCAPE THIS POLLUTION. WHAT ARE THE FARMS NEAR THERE WHERE ANIMALS CANNOT ESCAPE THIS NOISE AND LIGHT? [02:05:01] THE FARMERS' LIVES, THAT OF THEIR LIVESTOCK, AND THEIR LIVELIHOOD CANNOT BE DISREGARDED. THE PROMISE OF JOBS IS LUDICROUS, AS THE TECH JOBS NUMBER ONLY 30 TO 40, AND THESE WILL BE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED. REFER BELOW. THE CONSTRUCTION JOBS WILL ALSO BE SPECIALIZED AND FILLED BY OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS. AT LEAST THE TEMPORARY TRAILER HOUSING LOTS WILL MAKE MONEY. EVEN GUARD DOGS USED ARE $200,000 TO $300,000 COMPUTERIZED AI ROBOT MODELS. REFER BELOW. REALLY, THERE IS NO PLUS SIGN HERE FOR RESIDENTS OF LEE COUNTY OR MONCURE. AS WE ARE NOT RESIDENTS OF LEE COUNTY AND CANNOT VOTE OUT THIS BOARD, THERE REALLY IS ONLY ONE METHOD FOR US TO SHOW OUR REACTION TO THIS VERY UNPOPULAR, VERY DETRIMENTAL FACILITY. THAT IS THE AGE-OLD BOYCOTT. THE RESIDENTS OF CHATHAM COUNTY HAVE ACHIEVED A MORATORIUM ON THE DATA CENTER PROPOSED THERE. WE HAVE PROVED OUR OPPOSITION AND OUR NUMBERS. I ONLY HAVE A MOMENT. YOU HAVE ALREADY GONE OVER. HOW LONG WOULD YOU? TWO SENTENCES. GO AHEAD. I WILL STOP USING LOWER MONCURE ROAD AND USE PITTSBORO MONCURE ROAD INSTEAD. ANYTHING I NEED CAN BE PURCHASED IN PITTSBORO OR ON THE WAY OUT ON 15501 AND IS JUST AS CLOSE TO SANFORD. I DOUBT I WILL BE THE ONLY ONE. THESE ARE MY WEBSITES. THANK YOU. THOMAS DAVIS. HELLO. MY NAME IS THOMAS DAVIS. I LIVE ON DAVID HILL DRIVE IN SANFORD. I THINK WE HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THIS DATA CENTER AND ITS NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES. IT IS CLEAR THAT AT THE MOST GENEROUS, IT WAS APPROVED WITH A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF THOUGHT TO THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. MY HOUSE LIGHTS ALREADY FLICKER NEARLY EVERY DAY. I DON'T THINK THE GRID CAN HANDLE ANOTHER DATA CENTER. I ALSO REMEMBER SOMEONE ELSE WHO SPOKE HERE TODAY MENTIONING THREE LETTERS, NDA. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT THESE COMPANIES THAT BUILD DATA CENTERS HAVE BEEN GOING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND OFFERING THEM DEALS AND IN EXCHANGE GETTING YEARS OF TAX EXEMPTION AMONGST OTHER ABSURD BENEFITS FOR NO GUARANTEE OF ANY SORT OF ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE COMPANY IN QUESTION. IF ONE OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD HAS SIGNED AN NDA, I DON'T KNOW FOR CERTAIN IF ANYONE DID, I CAN ONLY CALL THAT A COMPLETE ABDICATION OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT. AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T AND SIGNED ON TO THIS, I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT YOU HAVE BEEN GROSSLY NEGLIGENT TO THE IMPACTS THAT DATA CENTERS HAVE HAD AROUND THE COUNTRY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THOMAS. JULIE DAVIS. JULIE DAVIS, BUCK ROAD DRIVE, SANFORD. I SPOKE LAST MEETING REGARDING THE WELL-DOCUMENTED TEMPERATURE INCREASES FOR SURFACE TEMPERATURE WITHIN A 6.5-MILE RADIUS OF DATA CENTERS ACROSS THE WORLD. THAT WAS A STUDY OF OVER 06,000 DATA CENTERS. AND MUST I REMIND YOU, THE HOTTEST ONE WAS 16.5 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT ABOVE THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES' SURFACE TEMPERATURES WITH A 6.5-MILE RADIUS. BY THE WAY, THAT IS PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING NORTH OF THE 421 BYPASS AND WELL INTO MONCURE. THAT IS A MASSIVE AREA. WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE SOUND THAT IS NOT ONLY GOING TO AFFECT THE ANIMALS AND THE REPRODUCTION AND BASICALLY RUN OFF EVERY POLLINATOR WITHIN A SIZABLE MILEAGE DISTANCE, IT IS ALSO GOING TO AFFECT THE HUMANS. NOT ONLY ARE WE GOING TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO SLEEP, AS A SIDE NOTE WITH MY PERSONAL LIFE, MY FATHER DIED IN 22. MY MOTHER HAS BLANKETLY STATED THAT SHE WILL NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE THAT SHE IS IN. SHE WILL DIE IN THAT HOUSE. AND FRANKLY, I WOULD RATHER NOT SEE MY MOTHER END UP WITH CHRONIC MIGRAINES, SLEEP DEPRIVATION, AND OTHER MEDICAL ISSUES TO INCLUDE EVEN HIGHER BLOOD PRESSURE AND RISK OF STROKE THAN SHE ALREADY HAS IN HER UPPER 70S, THANKS TO A DATA CENTER AND ALL THE NOISE. SHE IS LESS THAN FIVE MILES FROM THE PROPOSED DATA CENTER SITE. I'M SORRY, THE GUARANTEED DATA CENTER SITE AT THIS POINT. I POLITELY AND WITH AS MUCH RESTRAINT AS POSSIBLE REQUEST THAT YOU ALL NOT SELL YOUR SOULS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND PAY FOR IT WITH OUR LIVES. THANK YOU. [02:10:03] THAT IS THE PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. I REALLY WANT TO ADDRESS YOU AND SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO BOTH DISCUSS SUNDAY VOTING AND TO DISCUSS THE DATA CENTER. THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK AND THEN ADJOURN. OUR, OUR, OUR 10 MINUTE BREAK IS OVER AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE EITHER HAVE A SEAT OR MOVE YOUR CONVERSATION OUTSIDE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WE CONDUCT BUSINESS. [VII.A) Resolution Related to the Financing for the Lee County School Bus Garage Facility] WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO OLD BUSINESS, SPECIFICALLY TO AGENDA 7A, THE RESOLUTION RELATED TO FINANCING FOR THE LEE COUNTY SCHOOL BUS GARAGE FACILITY. THERE IT IS. SORRY. AND GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL AND SELL THE ISSUANCE FOR THE LIMITED OBLIGATION BONDS, BUT THAT 2026 I'M SORRY IT'S FOR THE SCHOOL BUS GARAGE. I WANTED TO KIND OF BRING SOME CONTEXT FOR COMMISSIONER DAVIDSON TO KIND OF BRING YOU UP TO SPEED ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR SO IN FY 26 THE CIP WAS APPROVED FOR THIS BUS GARAGE. SINCE THEN, THE BOARD HAS HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON JULY 13, AND YOU, THE BOARD HAS APPROVED THE RESOLUTION MAKING THE CERTAIN FINDINGS FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD. AT THIS POINT WE ARE, YOU HAD IT IN THE AGENDA TO REVIEW EIGHT DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS. AND I JUST WANTED TO ALSO MENTION THAT THIS WOULD NOT TO EXCEED $13.1 MILLION. AT THIS TIME I CAN GO BRIEFLY THROUGH THE DOCUMENTS IF YOU WOULD LIKE, OR I WILL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS. HAS THE BOARD HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER AND REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS OR DO YOU PREFER TO HAVE JENNIFER GO THROUGH THEM INDIVIDUALLY WITH US. I THINK WE REVIEWED THEM AND YOU DO NOT NEED TO GO THROUGH THEM. THANK YOU. SO WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE. MADAM CHAIR, SEEING THAT COMMISSIONER CARVER AND I WERE THE ONES THAT WENT TO THE TOURING OF THE BUS GARAGE AND IT WAS IN HORRIBLE CONDITION AND I WOULD MOVE TO APPROVE THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE SALE AND ISSUANCE OF LIMITED OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2026. TRUST AGREEMENT FOR THE SCHOOL BUS GARAGE. THANK YOU. THE MOTION IS IN FRONT OF US. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. ANY OPPOSED. THANK YOU. [VIII.A) Early Voting Update] WE WILL MOVE TO NEW BUSINESS. FIRST ITEM IN FRONT OF US IS AN UPDATE ON EARLY VOTING. MISS FAWCETT. GOOD AFTERNOON OR EVENING TO YOU ALL. MY NAME IS JANE RAY FAWCETT I'M DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS. I TOLD SOME OF YOU AND I THINK ALL OF YOU WILL BE PLEASED I'VE WRITTEN DOWN WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY SO IT SHOULDN'T TAKE AS LONG AS NORMAL. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. MR. REEVES. AND TALKING ABOUT THE EARLY VOTING PLANS. THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS DID NOT COME TO AN AGREEMENT THIS TIME. MY JOB AS DIRECTOR IS JUST A RESOURCE AND I'M GOING TO BE A RESOURCE FOR YOU AND READ FOR SHORT PARAGRAPHS ABOUT DEVELOPING AN EARLY VOTING PLAN SO YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS THAT WE HAVE. EACH COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS HOLDS A PUBLIC MEETING PRIOR TO EACH ELECTION TO DISCUSS ITS COUNTY EARLY VOTING PLAN. THE COUNTY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO CREATE AND ADOPT A PLAN FOR THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY ELECTIONS DIRECTOR WILL OFTEN SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR THE COUNTY BOARD IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS EARLY PLAN. I'M A TOOL DOESN'T OFFEND ME. I AM A TOOL AND I PROVIDE THREE OR FOUR POSSIBLE PLANS BASED ON WHAT WE'VE DONE PREVIOUS PREVIOUSLY BASED ON THE LAW AND THEN THEY CAN TAKE THOSE DESTROY THEM ADD TO DELETE WHATEVER THEY WANT. IT'S JUST ENTIRELY A SUGGESTION FROM THE DIRECTOR. THE STATE BOARD DOES NOT PROVIDE DIRECT INPUT TO THE COUNTIES ON WHAT SITE DAYS OR TIMES SHOULD BE IN THEIR EARLY VOTING PLANS DURING THE COUNTY PLANNING STAGE. BUT THE STATE BOARD STAFF MAY PROVIDE GENERAL GUIDANCE AND THEY DO ON LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OR HISTORICAL DATA TO ASSIST THE COUNTY BOARDS. WE DO HAVE A SHEET THAT I WON'T BORE YOU WITH BUT IF YOU WANT [02:15:01] TO BE BORED WITH I DIDN'T MAKE COPIES. IT'S COMPARISON OF EARLY VOTING SCHEDULES AND THEY SEPARATE THEM BY EVEN YEARS AND THEN ODD YEARS MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. THEY'RE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS. AND THEY SAY A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF HOURS THAT WE CAN HAVE IN A MINIMUM DATE NUMBER OF DAYS WE CAN HAVE AND IF THE APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE A PLAN. THEN IT GOES TO THE STATE BOARD FOR A FINAL REVIEW TO ENSURE IT COMPLIES WITH ALL LAWS AND GOVERNING EARLY VOTING PLANS OF A COUNTY DOES NOT UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE A PLAN WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE. THEN A MEMBER OR MEMBERS OF THAT COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS MAY PETITION THE STATE BOARD TO ADOPT A PLAN FOR THE COUNTY. THE STATE BOARD WILL THEN ADOPT A PLAN FOR THE COUNTY AT A PUBLIC MEETING AND THIS IS TO BE HELD THIS THURSDAY 9AM FOR LEE COUNTY AT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN RALEIGH AND MYSELF AND THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS MEMBERS WILL ATTEND. AND THEN AT THAT TIME THE STATE BOARD WILL CHOOSE FROM THE PLANS WE PRESENTED. THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS VOTED ON THREE OF THE FOUR PROPOSED PLANS I HAVE. ONE WAS THE MINIMUM HOURS AND MINIMUM HOURS FOR THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DOES INCLUDE ONE SATURDAY THE LAST SATURDAY BEFORE THE ELECTION FROM EIGHT TO THREE. ALL OTHER SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS ARE LEFT UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNTY BECAUSE THE COUNTY KNOWS THEIR CITIZENS BETTER. AND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR EARLY VOTING PLANS COME FROM NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTE 163-16635 AND 166.40 THE MINIMUM THAT A COUNTY BOARD MAY CHOOSE TO OFFER IN EARLY VOTING IS ONLY AT THE BOARD OFFICE OR THE NEARBY IN LIEU OF SITE DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS ON WEEKDAYS AND FROM EIGHT TO THREE PM ON THE FINAL SATURDAY. THE COUNTY BOARD MAY HAVE TO CHOOSE TO HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EARLY VOTING BY OPENING ADDITIONAL SITES OR BY BEING OPEN LONGER HOURS OR AN ADDITIONAL WEEKENDS DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD IF THE BOARD SO CHOOSES. SO SHORT STORY WE HAVE A MEETING WE POST THAT MEETING WE NOTICE THAT MEETING WILL ALLOW EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE CONDUCTING OUR MEETING WHERE WE MAKE THE EARLY VOTING PLANS. WE GATHER TOGETHER A VOTE WAS MADE WE HAVE THREE PLANS NONE OF WHICH WERE UNANIMOUS. SO NOW I HAVE REFERRED THAT TO THE STATE ALONG WITH 19 OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA THIS TIME AND THE STATE BOARD WILL MAKE A DECISION ON THURSDAY. I DO HAVE MY BOARD MEMBERS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AS I SAY I AM JUST A TOOL I HAVE NO OPINION WHATSOEVER AS TO WHY ANYTHING WAS DONE THAT'S UP TO MY BOARD. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU STAY WITH US FOR A MOMENT IN CASE WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD OR QUESTIONS FOR MISS FAWCETT. I ASKED FOR YOUR PRESENCE, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY GET A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING. SUNDAY VOTING IS STILL AVAILABLE. IS THAT INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES DECISION. OKAY, THE INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES DEADLINE TO HAVE THEIR DECISIONS WAS FRIDAY, JULY 24. THAT DATE HAS PASSED FOR THE LOCAL BOARD TO MAKE THAT DECISION SUNDAY IS AVAILABLE. IT IS DECIDED BY THE STATE BOARD, MR. REEVES AND THEY'LL MAKE THAT DECISION ON THURSDAY. I DID SEND ALL THREE PLANS, ONE, WHICH INCLUDED JUST MINIMUM. ANOTHER PLAN THAT INCLUDED MINIMUM PLUS ONE SUNDAY, AND ANOTHER PLAN THAT INCLUDED ONE SATURDAY, AN EXTRA SATURDAY. SO NOT JUST THE ONE AT THE END BUT AN EXTRA SATURDAY AND A SUNDAY. WE HAVE THE THREE MEETING PLANS AC AND D THAT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS VOTED ON AND WE HAVE NOW SUBMITTED TO THE STATE, AND THEY HAVE THOSE PLANS IN THEIR HANDS. AND WE WILL GO AND SPEAK IN FRONT OF THEM, LIKE I SAY NINE O'CLOCK THURSDAY MORNING IN RALEIGH, OR THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL. I GUESS I'M STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. WE'RE PAYING FOR IT. AND SOMEBODY ELSE IS MAKING OUR DECISION. CORRECT, SIR. YOU DO UNDERSTAND. YES, SIR. AND I CAN'T MAKE THAT WORK IN MY HEAD. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY DO YOU WANT TO PICK SUNDAY. WHY DID WHY DID WHY DID THEY PICK SUNDAY TO ELIMINATE TO ELIMINATE. THAT'S IN THEIR HEAD, [02:20:01] MR. COUNTY COMMISSIONER, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TALK WITH THEM. I'M JUST ASKING IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK UP. THEY FOLLOWED THE LAW I CAN TELL YOU THAT NOBODY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT NOBODY WAS FOLLOWING THE LAW. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHY THEY PICK SUNDAY. MONDAY, OR WHY NOT A TUESDAY. OKAY, I HEAR YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWER. I THINK THERE'S MORE TO IT. BUT GO AHEAD. WERE YOU INFLUENCED BY ANYONE. GENTLEMEN, WOULD YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO INVITE ANYONE TO THE PODIUM. WOULD YOU LIKE TO INVITE ANYONE TO THE PODIUM. I THOUGHT THEY WOULD VOLUNTARILY COME UP, BUT I GUESS NOT. THEY CERTAINLY WELCOME. COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION. I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU WERE INFLUENCED BY ANYONE, SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS THE NON SUNDAY VOTING. I BEG YOUR PARDON. I DIDN'T SEE WHAT I'M ASKING FOR. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THE QUESTION. SO, WHEN WE SPOKE TO YOU BEFORE. SO YOU ASKED ME AND THE DIRECTOR TO COME TO YOU KNOW I ASKED YOU TO... CALL YOU. YOU ASKED US TO CALL YOU FROM THE DIRECTOR. YOU GOT INVOLVED ON YOUR OWN. YOU HAD IN YOUR MESSAGE THAT SHE SHOULD TALK TO YOU, AND I SHOULD COME WITH. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID. WE GOT THE MESSAGE. WELL, LET ME CONTINUE. SO, AS WE WENT FROM THERE. IT WAS, THEN YOU CALLED ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, AND YOU ASKED HER TO CHANGE YOUR VOTE. WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. COULD I INTERRUPT MR. REEVES COULD KNOW LET ME. YEAH, I TALKED TO MISS JONES THERE. OF COURSE I ASKED YOU TO CONSIDER. FOR THE RECORD I'M HOPING THAT FOR THE RECORD WE COULD HAVE PEOPLE'S NAMES OF WHO WE'RE SPEAKING TO JUST SO THAT WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT THIS THAT'S. SO, IF THIS IS, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. I'M SORRY I'M TOM DUNCAN I'M THE CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. SO, BUT WE HAVE OUR STATEMENT ANYHOW. SO, AND AS TO WHAT THE CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT. AND THEN, AT THAT POINT. YOU SENT ME AN EMAIL. AND YOU WANTED TO KNOW I CAN READ YOUR EMAIL TO YOU IF YOU LIKE THE. YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR IT. I KNOW WHAT EMAIL, AND I CAN SEND YOU MY RESPONSE. I GOT YOUR RESPONSE TO TELL ME WHAT I'M ASKING. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY I GAVE YOU, YOU SENT ME YOUR EMAIL. I'LL READ IT TO THE, TO THE GROUP. FINE, I'LL READ THE RESPONSE. WHEN IT'S SUNDAY, COME ABOUT ELIMINATING SUNDAY. WELL I CERTAINLY YOU HEARD ME ASK THAT QUESTION. YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE SPEAKING FOR YOURSELF OR THE ENTIRE BOARD. IS THERE AN ARTICLE ABOUT MR WOODHOUSE OR SOMETHING, TALKING TO ONE OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS. BECAUSE THE NEWS REPORTS ARE SO TRUSTWORTHY, YOU KNOW, SO BUT WHATEVER. SO, I'LL READ YOU MY STATEMENT FOR ONE. SPEAK TO THE STATE BOARD ON THURSDAY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT. AND IT'LL GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHY WE MADE DECISIONS WELL. FOR THE MOST PART, IT HAD TO DO WITH OUR POLL WORKERS BUT NOW I JUST GO AHEAD AND READ IT. SO, THANK YOU, MR DUNCAN. IN LEE COUNTY ON JULY 13 MAJORITY VOTES BUT NOT UNANIMOUS VOTES WERE RECEIVED FOR PART FOR PLAN A AND PLAN B. CHIEF JUDGES, JUDGES AND POLL WORKERS ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF ELECTIONS DURING EARLY VOTING. IN LEE COUNTY, WE HAVE SEASONED PROFESSIONAL AND DEDICATED CHIEF JUDGES WHO PREFER TO WORK THE ENTIRETY OF THE 17 DAY EARLY VOTING SCHEDULE WITHOUT RELIEF OR SUBSTITUTION. [02:25:02] REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY BOARDS, OF HOW OUR BOARD RANGES THE DAYS WITHIN THE TIME FRAME. SO THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO THIS APPROACH. THERE ARE SOME COMPELLING REASONS TO ADOPT IT AS RELYING ON DAILY TURNOVER AND ASSOCIATED ACTIONS CAN BE PROBLEMATIC WHEN ESTABLISHING CONSISTENT EXPECTATIONS AMONG ELECTION WORKERS. FOR CHIEF JUDGES SET UP TIME FOR EACH PRECINCT TAKES ONE TO TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE DAY ONE OF EARLY VOTING. THEY ARE SCHEDULED FOR 11 AND A HALF HOUR DAYS EACH WEEKDAY AND ARRIVE EARLY TO INSPECT AND MANAGE THEIR INDIVIDUAL PRECINCTS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY STOLE THEIR EQUIPMENT, SECURE THE BUILDING. TYPICALLY THEY'RE AWAY FROM THEIR HOMES APPROXIMATELY 14 HOURS A DAY IF ALL GOES WELL. OUR EARLY VOTING PRECINCTS ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO BE OPEN 12 WEEKDAYS AND THE LAST SATURDAY 13 DAYS TOTAL OF THE 17 DAY TIMELINE. BETWEEN THE WEEKDAYS WE DECIDE WHICH WEEKEND DAYS, IF ANY, TO SELECT IN ADDITION TO THE MANDATORY DAYS. FATIGUE IS MEASURED OVER TIME. THE FACTORS WITH THE GREATEST IMPACT ARE AS FOLLOWS. THE NUMBER OF HOURS WORK PER DAY AND AVAILABLE HOURS REMAINING FOR REST AND RECOVERY. THE NUMBER OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITHOUT A DAY OFF TO RECOVER TO TAKE CARE OF PERSONAL BUSINESS AND OBLIGATIONS. THERE IS NO RELIEF FOR THE HOURS FOR OUR CHIEF JUDGES TO WORK. HOWEVER, WE CAN CONTROL THE SCHEDULING OF THE DAYS OFF. LEE COUNTY'S PLAN D REQUIRES NINE CONSECUTIVE DAYS ON, TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS OFF, SIX CONSECUTIVE DAYS ON FOR A TOTAL OF 15 OUT OF 17 DAYS. WHAT IS NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IS ONE OF THE TWO DAYS, ONE OR EXCUSE ME, ONE OR TWO DAYS, CHIEF JUDGES SET UP THEIR PRECINCTS TO ENSURE THE PLETHORA OF ELECTION LAWS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AND ADDRESSED. IN REALITY, CHIEF JUDGES WORK 10 TO 11 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OR MORE WHEN THEIR PREPARATION AND OPERATION OF EACH EARLY VOTING PRECINCTS ARE INCLUDED. PLAN A REQUIRES TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS ON, TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS OFF, FIVE CONSECUTIVE DAYS ON, TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS OFF, AND SIX CONSECUTIVE DAYS ON FOR A TOTAL OF 13 OUT OF 17 DAYS. THE LONGEST STRETCH OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS IS SIX IN THIS PLAN, UNLIKE THE 11 OR 12 IN THE OTHER ONE. IF OUR CHIEF JUDGES HAVE THE DESIRE TO SEE EARLY VOTING THROUGH FROM BEGINNING TO END, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD PROVIDE THEM WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF MINIMIZING FATIGUE AND THE NEGATIVE BYPRODUCTS THAT COME WITH IT. IN ADDITION, THIS PLAN CONSIDERS OUR OBLIGATION TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYERS' MONEY. I BELIEVE THAT SAVES ABOUT $20,000. WITH REGARD TO VOTING ON WEEKDAYS, LEE COUNTY HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY SIGNIFICANT DELAYS OR LONG LINES AT OUR EARLY VOTING SITES, AND THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE WE CANNOT EFFECTIVELY HANDLE THE 2026 GENERAL ELECTION UNDER THIS PLAN. THAT'S THE END OF MY STATEMENT. SO NONE OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS SUPPORTED SUNDAY VOTING? WE HAD THREE PLANS. OUT OF THE THREE PLANS, TWO OF THEM HAD SUNDAYS IN THEM. SO THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNANIMOUS AND MAJORITY. SO WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY UNANIMOUS PLANS THAT PASSED. SO WE HAD ONE THAT WAS A SATURDAY AND A SUNDAY. IT WAS A MAJORITY VOTE AND ONE WITH NO WEEKENDS, WHICH WAS THE ONE THAT WE WERE PUSHING FOR THE MOST TIME OFF FOR THE POLL WORKERS. SO THAT THAT PARTICULAR PLAN WAS, THERE WAS NO, THERE WAS ONLY ONE SATURDAY IN IT, BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE LAW. SO TWO OUT OF THE THREE HAD SUNDAYS IN THEM, BUT WE NEVER GOT TO UNANIMOUS. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. IT'S IN THE STATE'S HANDS. WILL YOU SHARE WHAT THE VOTE WAS? I UNDERSTAND YOU SAID IT WAS NOT UNANIMOUS AND IT WAS A MAJORITY VOTE. WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION? WHO VOTED WHAT WAY? SO, FOR PLAN A. SO WE HAD, ALL RIGHT. THIS IS PLAN A. THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S MINIMUM ONLY. I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HELP IF YOU COULD COME BY. SO PLAN A, IT WAS MYSELF. IT WAS MS. JONES AND MR. DELANCEY. SO FOR PLAN C, THAT WAS BY [02:30:02] MS. PEACE AND MS. WHITAKER. SO THAT ONE ACTUALLY FAILED. THE FIRST ONE I SPOKE TO YOU WAS A MAJORITY VOTE, BUT IT WAS NOT UNANIMOUS. AND THEN FOR PLAN D, WHICH WAS, IT WAS A MAJORITY VOTE, THERE WAS MS. PEACE, MS. JONES, AND MS. WHITAKER. AND THAT, WITH HOW MANY DAYS, WHICH DAYS? OKAY, SO FOR PLAN A WAS MINIMUM AMOUNT OF DAYS. SO NO WEEKENDS. SO EXCEPT FOR THE ONE SATURDAY BY LAW. PLAN C WAS THE SAME THING PLUS A SUNDAY. AND PLAN D WAS ONE WITH THE VERY FIRST WEEKEND. SO A SATURDAY AND A SUNDAY. AND THEN THE NEXT WEEKEND IS OFF AND THEN THEY DO THE REST OF THE DAYS. SO THAT WAS 15, 15 OUT OF THE 17 DAYS. SO THREE OF YOU COULD NOT SUPPORT SUNDAY. I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T HEAR YOU. I UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS. I'M ASKING WHAT HAPPENED. THREE OF YOU COULD NOT SUPPORT SUNDAY? NO. HOW DID THEY GET ELIMINATED? WELL, I THINK I PRETTY WELL EXPLAINED IT WAS WE DIDN'T WANT TO WORK THE WEEKENDS. AND WE WERE WORKING ON A FATIGUE FACTOR FOR THE POLL WORKERS. AND THAT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT WAS... WHO MADE THAT DECISION? WELL, THAT WAS A DECISION THAT I BROUGHT TO THE BOARD AND IT WAS VOTED ON. I'M NOT BEING DIFFICULT. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT YOU DECIDED FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY WORKED THE POLLS? NO. I'M SAYING I ADOPTED THIS PLAN BECAUSE IT WAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF FATIGUE ON POLL WORKERS. THAT WAS MY INTENT. WELL, I'M ASKING HOW DO YOU GAUGE HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH FOR THE POLL WORKERS? WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. SO THERE ARE FATIGUE FACTORS THAT ARE INVOLVED HERE, HUMAN FACTORS. SO YOU CAN GO AND YOU CAN LOOK IT UP AND THEY'LL TELL YOU THE MOST AMOUNT OF TIME OFF IN BETWEEN DAYS, THE MOST DAYS OFF IN BETWEEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS IS WHAT THE GOAL SHOULD BE IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FATIGUE. AND FOR THE ELECTIONS AND FOR OUR POLL WORKERS, THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG ELECTION. AND TO SAY THE LEAST, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THIS ONE. THEY ALWAYS DO. THINGS COME UP AT THE LAST MINUTE, THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THE STATE WITH THE LAWS CHANGING ON US AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. AT THE LAST MINUTE IT'S GOING TO BE A SCRAMBLE JUST TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. AND WE NEED OUR POLL WORKERS RESTED AND READY TO GO. OKAY. SO I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW SUNDAY GOT OMITTED. IT WASN'T PURPOSELY REMOVED. I THINK BECKY WANTS TO BE RECOGNIZED. GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD, BECKY. COME UP. THANK YOU, MR. DUNCAN. I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT. COULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF? YEAH, SORRY. BECKY WHITAKER, MEMBER OF THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS. I WAS ONE OF THE MEMBERS THAT SUPPORTED SUNDAY VOTING. MY POSITION IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN FOR THE EVERY TIME I'VE BEEN ON A BOARD OF ELECTIONS IS THAT I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE DAY OF THE WEEK AVAILABLE FOR EARLY VOTING BECAUSE FOLKS HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF SCHEDULES. AND THERE MAY BE SOME FOLKS THAT WORK SIX DAYS A WEEKEND. SUNDAY MIGHT WORK FOR THEM, MIGHT BE SOME FOLKS TUESDAY IS THE ONLY DAY THEY CAN GO. AND THAT'S HISTORICALLY, IN MY EXPERIENCE, WHAT WE HAVE APPROVED AS A BOARD. THIS YEAR, AS MR. DUNCAN SHARED, HE HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE FATIGUE AND HUMAN FACTOR THAT WAS EXPERIENCED BY THE POLL WORKERS. AND AGAIN, JUST TO, ALL OF THIS IS IN THE MINUTES OF OUR MEETING. IT WAS A PUBLIC MEETING, SO I DON'T. I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM SHARING IT. I DO WISH THAT MR. DELANCEY COULD HAVE BEEN HERE TONIGHT, AND I UNDERSTAND HE HAD A FAMILY SITUATION THAT CAUSED HIM NOT TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND. BUT I WILL SAY THAT HE, YOU KNOW, MR. DUNCAN JUST SAID HE, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T INTENTIONAL, THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS THE DAY OF THE WEEK THAT WAS REMOVED FROM THE SCHEDULE. MR. DELANCEY SHARED WITH US THAT HE WAS VERY MOTIVATED IN HIS POSITION BY HIS FAITH, AND THAT HE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO HAVE SUNDAY VOTING BECAUSE HE DIDN'T THINK THAT IT HONORED THE LORD OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING [02:35:01] LIKE THAT. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT FULL CONTEXT. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I THINK. AND I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK FOR MS. PEACE, BECAUSE SHE'S HERE AND SHE CAN SPEAK FOR HERSELF IF SHE WANTS TO. BUT THAT WAS MY POSITION, IS THAT I LIKE FOR EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK TO BE AVAILABLE AT LEAST ONCE DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD. AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE WERE NOT ABLE TO AGREE ON THIS TIME, WHICH IS WHY IT'S GOING TO THE STATE BOARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? STILL WAITING ON THE ANSWER. WOULD YOU LIKE TO CALL ON SOMEONE FOR THAT ANSWER, OR DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION LATER? OR HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HANDLE THIS? I DON'T WANT TO HOLD UP THE BOARD, BUT WE'RE PAYING FOR THIS. LEE COUNTY PAYS FOR IT. AND IT CERTAINLY SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE ELSE IS MAKING THE DECISION, AND I'D LIKE TO GET TO KNOW WHO THAT IS. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE GOOD COMMON SENSE FOR US TO HAVE TO SPONSOR IT AND THEN BE TOLD WHICH DAYS WE CAN SPONSOR. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION TO MS. FAWCETT AS SHE'S THE LEAD PERSON? JANE? I MEAN, WE'VE ASKED THE QUESTION TO THE BOARD. THEY'VE TOLD US. COME ON, JANE, GIVE US THE ANSWER. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I DO NOT KNOW BECAUSE I DO NOT READ MINDS. I DO NOT MAKE ANY DECISIONS. I AM A NONPARTISAN TOOL FOR THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS. THANK YOU. I THINK WE HAVE OUR ANSWER. THEY'VE SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT IN. HAD NOT BEEN INFLUENCED. SO. BUT IF MIGHT BE AN ANSWER FOR YOU, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE ANSWER I'M LOOKING FOR. I KNOW THAT SOMETHING HAS TAKEN PLACE. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. LET'S JUST BE STRAIGHTFORWARD ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. IT HAS BEEN WORKING. BUT IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ANSWER, SO BE IT. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO. AND THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS [VIII.B) San-Lee Park Master Plan] FOR BEING HERE SO LATE WITH US. THANK YOU FOR COMING. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO ITEM NUMBER 8B. BRAVO. SAN LE PARK MASTER PLAN. DID YOU GRAB COFFEE ON YOUR WAY UP? I HAD AN ENERGY DRINK. WE'RE GOOD. GOOD. MADAM CHAIR BOARD. FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS JACK CLELLAND, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR LEE COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION. YOU GUYS HEAR ME? NO. YEAH. HOW ABOUT NOW? THANK YOU. A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO WE STARTED WORK WITH BLACK DIAMOND DESIGN. WE HAD SOME FUNDS BUDGETED IN THE. IN OUR BUDGET TO DO A MASTER PLAN OF SAN LEE PARK. SO, BLACK DIAMOND DESIGN AND THE BACK TO DIRT CONSERVANCY WORKED WITH US TO CONDUCT THIS PLAN AND IT WAS COMPLETED IN DECEMBER OF 2025. TONIGHT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH A QUICK SNIPPET OF THAT PLAN. BUT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR TONIGHT IS APPROVAL FROM THE BOARD OF THE PLAN. WE DO NOT SEEK ANY FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TONIGHT. BY APPROVING THE PLAN TONIGHT, WE ARE ABLE TO SEEK GRANT FUNDING AND TRY TO SECURE THAT TO HELP PROMOTE THIS PROJECT. I WANTED TO PREFACE THAT BEFORE WE GET IN IT IN YOUR DOCUMENT TONIGHT. YOU DO HAVE THE FULL PLAN TONIGHT? I HAVE A VERY SHORT PRESENTATION ON IT. SO, THROUGH THIS PLAN WE RESEARCHED AND WE REACHED OUT TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, RECEIVED OVER 400 SURVEY RESPONSES ABOUT THE NEEDS WANTS OF SAN LE PARK AND WHAT THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUT THERE. SO, THROUGH THE PROCESS WE FOUND SEVERAL AREAS THAT WERE IMPORTANT. AS YOU CAN ALL IMAGINE. BIKE TRAILS, HIKING. THOSE WERE HIGH PRIORITIES. I KNOW IT'S SMALL WRITING, I APOLOGIZE. IT IS IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET TONIGHT IF YOU NEED TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT CLOSER. BUT WE ALSO FOUND SOME OTHER INTERESTING ASPECTS FROM THIS PLAN. SO, WHAT WE DID IS WE ACTUALLY HAD THEM PHASE OUT THIS PROJECT AS A WHOLE. WE HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT PHASES. PHASE NUMBER ONE WOULD BE THE UPPER PARKING LOT SECTION AT SAN LEE PARK. THIS WOULD BE A NEW PARKING LOT THAT BE WOULD. WOULD ALLOW ACCESS TO SAN LEE PARK OFF OF. AND I'M GOING TO GET THE ROAD WRONG. I THINK IT'S KELLY DRIVE. THAT'S IT THERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF KELLY DRIVE AND PUMPING STATION. AND WOULD INCLUDE A PAVED PUMP TRACK. A SKILLS TRACK WOULD ALSO INCLUDE A BEGINNER'S TRACK FOR CHILDREN AND NEW RIDERS. SOMETHING THAT WE ARE MISSING IN THE MAIN PART OF OUR CURRENT TRAIL SYSTEM. WE WOULD ALSO INCLUDE A NEW RESTROOM FACILITY AND POSSIBLY SHOWER PORTION OF THAT. THIS IS ALL CONCEPTUAL AT THIS POINT. IT CAN BE CHANGED AND ADJUSTED. BUT THIS IS THE BASIC GOAL OF WHAT WE WERE SHOOTING [02:40:01] FOR HERE TONIGHT. PHASE TWO WOULD ACTUALLY BE. THIS IS ACTUALLY PHASE FOUR, I APOLOGIZE WOULD BE THE LOWER LOT WHERE OUR CURRENT PLAYGROUND IS. WHAT WE NOTICED WAS THE COMMUNITY REALLY WAS INTERESTED IN A TWO TO FIVE YEAR OLD PLAYGROUND STRUCTURE. OUR CURRENT STRUCTURE IS GREAT, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. BUT WE DON'T HAVE A DEDICATED PLAYSTATION FOR YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS. WE ALSO FOUND THAT SHADE STRUCTURES OR SHELTERS WERE VERY IMPORTANT ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME DOG PARK AREA. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, OUR PARKS ARE LEASH ONLY. EXCEPT OVER AT OT SLOAN WHERE WE HAVE A DOG PARK. WE WOULD HAVE A SECOND LOCATION HERE. THIS WOULD BE PHASE TWO, WHAT WE CALL THE MULTI USE GRAVEL TRAIL. THIS, THIS WOULD BE AN ACCESSIBLE TRAIL THAT ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE POND. SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE RIGHT NOW. THIS WOULD BE 6 TO 8FT WIDE GRAVEL SO THAT WHEELCHAIRS OR THOSE WITH LIMITED MOBILITY CAN ACCESS. IT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE UPDATED FISHING ACCESS POINTS AS YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM LEFT. AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE CUTOUTS THAT WE HAVE NOW. AGAIN, WE WOULD HAVE SOME TRAILHEAD SIGNAGE AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD BE ADDED. PHASE THREE, I BELIEVE IT WAS, WOULD BE THE BIG ONE. THIS IS OUR GRAVITY PARK AND TRAILHEAD OR TRAILS ADDITION. THIS WOULD INCLUDE REMOVING SOME LINES, ADJUSTING LINES, CREATING NEW LINES AND SHIFTING LINES AROUND THE PARK TO MAKE THEM MORE ACCESSIBLE AND A BETTER CHALLENGE FOR INDIVIDUALS. SO, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THOSE BEGINNER TRAILS, THOSE INTERMEDIATE, THOSE ADVANCED AND GIVE THAT OPTION TO OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE COMING OUT. AS I SAID, IT WAS SHORT. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT, BUT I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS BACK TO DIRT CONSERVANCY IS HERE. IF YOU HAVE ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE ME TO GET INTO ANYTHING ELSE, I'D BE HAPPY TO DO SO WITH YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS. I HEARD YOU MENTION FINANCING. SO, TONIGHT WE ARE NOT ASKING THE BOARD TO APPROVE ANY FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT TONIGHT. WE SIMPLY SEEK APPROVAL OF THE MASTER PLAN SO THAT WE CAN GO OUT AND SEEK GRANT FUNDING. OF COURSE, IF WE FIND ANY GRANTS OR BELIEVE THERE ARE GRANTS THAT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO US, WE WILL, OF COURSE, BRING THOSE BACK TO THE BOARD. THIS ALLOW APPROVING THE PLAN ALLOWS US TO SEEK THOSE FUNDING. THAT FUNDING. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? THOSE BIKE TRAILS STILL PRETTY POPULAR. VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY WELL CALLS ALL THE TIME. THEY ARE HEAVILY USED, AND THAT'S PART OF THIS PLAN, TOO, TO HELP KEEP THINGS FRESH, BUILD NEW TRAILS AND ADJUST WHAT WE DID. A GOOD CHOICE WITH UPGRADING THAT AND BRINGING IT TO COMPLIANCE. ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DISCOVERED ALL THE FUN STUFF THAT WAS GOING ON. I'M SORRY. ESPECIALLY WHEN WE FOUND OUT ALL THE FUN STUFF THAT WAS GOING ON. YEAH. IN THOSE WOODS. THANK YOU. MOVE TO APPROVE. THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS MASTER PLAN. IS THIS PART OF YOUR MEMORANDUM? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OH, YES. OKAY. THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO. IT IS SEPARATE FROM THE NEXT ITEM? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION TO APPROVE THE MASTER PLAN IS BEFORE US. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU. AND. AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE GRANTS. THANK YOU. WE'RE ACTUALLY REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THOSE BIKE PATHS. SO, WE HAVE A LOT OF VISITORS COMING BECAUSE OF THOSE. YEAH. THANK YOU. THE NEXT IS THE TRAIL AROUND THE LAKE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING IN FOR, LIKE, WHEELCHAIRS AND EVERYTHING. IT'LL PROBABLY END UP BEING AROUND THREE MILES. OKAY. IT WAS STILL NFL. IT'S WALKING, RUNNING, WHEELCHAIR, WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE. YES, SIR. WHAT ABOUT BIKING? IS [VIII.C) ADD ON - NC Wildlife Resources Commission MOU Regarding Boating Access Area near 630 Carbonton Road ] THAT. WE STILL REMEMBER THAT. TO THE TRAILS ON OUT OF MY TREE. CORRECT. KEEP US UPDATED. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS AN ADD ON. IT IS THE NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION MOU REGARDING BOATING ACCESS. AN AREA NEAR CARPENTON ROAD. AND I BELIEVE YOU ARE HERE FOR US AGAIN. YES, MA'AM, I AM. SO, YOU'RE CORRECT. THIS IS THE THIRD BOATING ACCESS THE PARKS AND RECREATION HAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD. WE HAVE ONE AT 15, 501 AND 421. THIS WOULD COMPLETE THAT PROCESS AT CARVINGTON ROAD JUST LIKE THE OTHER TWO. WE HAVE AN MOA IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TONIGHT FOR APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. I BELIEVE IT'S THE SEEKING OF THE GRANT FROM THE STATE AND WHITNEY KNOWS MORE ON THE LEGAL SIDE OF THAT. I DO APOLOGIZE. SHE CAN SPEAK MORE TO THAT. BUT IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO OUR [02:45:02] RECENT OTHER 2 MO AGREEMENTS WITH THE STATE FOR THIS TYPE OF ACCESS. THEY ARE ASKING FOR US TO MAINTAIN THAT PROPERTY. AND I BELIEVE THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER CAVEATS IN IT THAT I THINK WHITNEY IS WORKING THROUGH WITH THE MOA AS WELL. BUT I'M HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS I CAN. WHITNEY IS HERE TO DISCUSS ANYTHING ON THE LEGAL SIDE OF IT. AND I ALSO HAVE MARY PUGH AND CHAD HERE IF THERE'S ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACCESS. THANK YOU. FLOOR IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THIS PROJECT. I'M, WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS PROJECT AND WE'VE DISCUSSED IT AT LENGTH WITH THE TEAM AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF CONCERNS WHEN IT WAS FIRST BROUGHT TO US ABOUT SAFETY, ABOUT FUNDING, ABOUT MAINTENANCE. AND SOME OF THOSE WE HAVE WORKED THROUGH. AND I THINK WE DO HAVE A PROCESS ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS FOR THE FUTURE. HOW THINGS COME BEFORE OUR BOARD FROM THE PARKS BOARD. BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE AND THIS IS BEING ADDRESSED TO BOTH WHITNEY AND YOURSELF. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION SAYING THAT THIS SITE IS REASONABLY SAFE FOR A LAUNCH. COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT? SURE. AND AT THE COMMISSIONER SEATS YOU'LL HAVE THE EMAILS THAT I RECEIVED FRIDAY FROM THE WILDLIFE COMMISSION EARLIER IN THE PROCESS. IN THE EMAILS THERE WAS DISCUSSION THIS SITE WAS ORIGINALLY SET FOR A DIFFERENT LOCATION IN THIS AREA, BUT THERE WAS SOME LANGUAGE THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE STATE OR FROM THE STATE TO THE COUNTY ABOUT MOVING THAT SITE TO WHERE IT WILL BE LOCATED AND HAVING SOME UNSAFE LOADING CONDITIONS AT RIVER WITH THE RIVER AT LOW FLOW. SO, FRIDAY AFTERNOON EMAILED THE WILDLIFE COMMISSION TO ASK IF THEY'RE STILL WILLING TO TO CONSTRUCT THE ACCESS AT THE RIGHT OF WAY LOCATION. AND THEY INDICATED THEY WOULD TAKE ALL MEASURES POSSIBLE IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION TO ALLEVIATE AND ADDRESS SAFETY AND LONG TERM MAINTENANCE CONCERNS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY POINTED OUT. AND THEN ASKED IF IT WAS REASONABLY SAFE. AND THEY SAID THAT IT'S NOT IDEAL BUT SHOULD BE REASONABLY REASONABLE AND SHOULD BE REASONABLY SAFE FOR ACCESS TO THE RIVER. SO, I DO HAVE THESE EMAILS AT THE SEAT FOR THE COMMISSIONERS TO REVIEW AND THAT'S WHAT I CAN PROVIDE ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE. MADAM CHAIR, A QUESTION I HAVE IS ARE WE REQUIRED TO HAVE ANY ACCESS OR, EXCUSE ME, TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND? SO THE LAND IS GOING TO BE IS OWNED BY THE DOT. IT'S IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. THE AGREEMENT WILL BE FOR 25 YEARS. WHAT THEY WILL DO IS ONCE THEY CONSTRUCT IT LIKE THE OTHER TWO THAT WE PREVIOUSLY HAVE. WE'RE RESPONSIBLE, WE BEING THE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOATING ACCESS AREA, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REPAIRS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE DESIGN CONSULTATION, SEDIMENT REMOVAL, RESTRIPPING, BOARD REPLACEMENT OR MINOR SHORELINE STABILIZATION REPAIRS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE A PERMIT MODIFICATION AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE GROUNDS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING CURRENTLY AT THE OTHER TWO SITES. SO, IT'S. AND THEN LIKE I SAID, IT'S FOR 25 YEARS. SO, THAT'S, THAT'S, IT'S IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. SO, THE LAND IS OWNED BY DOT. IF YOU COULD JUST SIMPLIFY WHAT YOU JUST READ. WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY IS REPAIRS THAT REQUIRE PERMITS, WHICH WOULD LIKELY BE VERY COSTLY, WOULD BE COVERED BY THE STATE. IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OTHER LIKE MINOR REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE, TRASH, LITTER. HOW HAS THAT WORKED SO FAR WITH THE OTHER TWO PROPERTIES? LIKE WHAT'S BEEN THE COST TO THE COUNTY? IS THERE AN ACTUAL COST TIME? HOW ARE WE TRACKING THAT? IF I COULD HAVE RYAN COME UP. THANK YOU. YOUR CHANCE TO COME SPEAK. HE'S GIVEN US A SUMMARY OF KIND OF WHAT'S BEEN DONE THE LAST FEW YEARS. GOOD EVENING OR GOOD NIGHT, I GUESS. THANK YOU. WHAT? SO DO YOU WANT ME JUST SUMMARIZE WHAT WE'VE DONE SINCE 2023? SENT THE EMAIL EARLIER? I THINK WOULD BE GOOD TO BE DO A RUNDOWN. SO EVERY OTHER WEEK DURING THE GRASS MOWING SEASON, MADE THROUGH OCTOBER, WE MOW BOTH 501 AND 421. RYAN, CAN YOU PULL THAT TOWARD YOU PLEASE? SURE. THANK YOU. [02:50:02] CAN YOU HEAR ME BETTER NOW? THANK YOU. SO, BETWEEN MAY AND OCTOBER WE MOW THE GRASS ABOUT EVERY OTHER WEEK AT EACH RAMP. WE DO LITTER CONTROL. EVERY OTHER WEEK WE DO HERBICIDE APPLICATIONS IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE GRASS GRAVEL AREA WHEN WE GO AND DO THE MOWING. BACK IN 2023 WE DID. WE ADDED GRAVEL TO THE RAMPS. WE HAVE ON ONE OCCASION WE PAID AN OUTSIDE CONTRACTOR 1500 DOLLARS TO COME IN AND EVERY TIME THE RIVER FLOODS, IT DEPOSITS MUD ON THE RAMP. SO, BACK IN, I THINK IT WAS 2023 OR 2022, WE PAID A CONTRACTOR TO COME IN, SCRAPE THE MUD OFF, DO THE PRESSURE WASHING, CLEAN IT. SINCE THEN WE'VE DONE THAT IN HOUSE THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. GENERAL SERVICES STAFF, WE HAVE OUR OWN PRESSURE WASHER, NURSE TANK THAT WE CAN GO AND CLEAN IT. AS FAR AS HOW MUCH EXPENSE, I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS. I CAN JUST TELL YOU WHAT WE HAVE DONE. SO, DO YOU, AS YOU LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL OF. OF US CONSIDERING THIS AS AN ADD IN TO WHAT WE ARE OFFERING TO LEE COUNTY CITIZENS. WHAT, WHAT ARE YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR FEEDBACK ON, ON WHAT YOU WOULD TAKE ON FOR THAT? YOU KNOW, WE'RE PREPARED TO DO WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD WOULD, WOULD ASK OF US TO DO. AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PARKS AND REC, THE ROTARY CLUB, MR. SPIVEY, THEY'VE BEEN VERY INTEGRAL AND IN ALSO HELPING US TAKE CARE OF THESE RAMPS BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'VE DONE WORK OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE NOT BEEN AWARE OF TO HELP MAINTAIN THEM. SO, IT IS A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF THE CARVINGTON ROAD ONE IS KIND OF OUTSIDE OF WHERE WE NORMALLY MOW AND TAKE CARE OF ON OUR GROUND SIDE. SO, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TRAVEL DISTANCE. BUT THESE AREN'T BIG SQUARE FOOTAGE AREAS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN EITHER. SO, YOU DON'T SEE YOURSELF NEEDING ANOTHER STAFF PERSON TO DO THIS OR IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE ME ONE, YOU KNOW. BUT, BUT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S THE BOARD'S DESIRE, WE CAN, WE'LL MAKE YOU. SO, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. QUESTIONS FOR. SO, THE RAMPS, ARE THEY FOR KAYAK CANOEING TYPES ONLY OR IS IT SMALL FISHING BOATS WHAT CAN LAUNCH THERE? MOSTLY KAYAKS, RIGHT? IT IS KAYAKS, CANOES. I BELIEVE SMALL JOHN BOATS CAN GET IN AS WELL. I CAN ACTUALLY ASK CHAD. I THINK THAT'S THE THREE. ONE REASON I'M ASKING. WHEN YOU START PEOPLE GETTING ACCESS, THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A RESCUE SOMETIME OR ANOTHER. AND FAR AS GETTING A REAL BOAT IN THERE TO. I, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. OR RIVER. YEAH, I, I WOULD HAVE TO LEAN ON MARY AND CHAD'S EXPERTISE OF THE RIVER SYSTEM OF WHERE SUCH A RESCUE PUT IN COULD BE OR IS. I'M NOT FAMILIAR. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? THANK YOU. SO, THIS IS BEFORE US TONIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MO... INTEREST IN A MOTION ON THIS? MADAM CHAIR, I'LL MOVE TO CONSIDER THE MOU WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE RESOURCE COMMISSION REGARDING BOATING ACCESS AREA NEAR 630 CARMINTON ROAD. THANK YOU. NOW, CAN I ADD SOME CAVEAT. PLEASE. YES. FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. WHEN THIS WAS FIRST BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, THERE WAS SOME QUESTION AROUND HOW THE FUNDING WAS GOING TO WORK. ORIGINALLY THIS WAS GOING TO BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN OUR LAST TWO PROJECTS WHERE WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE COUNTY WOULD BE SEEKING THE FUNDING FOR THE ACCESS SITE. AND SO WE ORIGINALLY DRAFTED THE MOA WORKING WITH THE STATE WHERE WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR SEEKING THE FUNDS. AND I HAD GOTTEN THE STATE TO AGREE THAT WE WOULD ONLY. THEY WOULD ONLY BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ONCE WE GAVE THEM A NOTICE TO PROCEED BECAUSE THERE WAS GRANT FUNDING COMING FROM TWO SEPARATE SOURCES. HOWEVER, AS OF END OF LAST WEEK, LEARNED THAT IN FACT, IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THIS, THE COUNTY IS NOT GOING TO BE OVERSEEING THOSE GRANTS. IT'S GOING TO BE TWO OTHER ENTITIES, THE TRIANGLE LAND CONSERVANCY AND THE PIEDMONT LAND CONSERVANCY. SO, I HAVE GONE BACK TO THE STATE TO ASK THEM IF. AND WHAT IS AT YOUR SEATS AND IN THE AGENDA IS AN UPDATED VERSION THAT SAYS ESSENTIALLY THE COUNTY ISN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR FUNDING THE DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION, THAT THE STATE WILDLIFE COMMISSION WILL BE AND THAT THEY'LL. THEY'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO [02:55:01] BUILD THE ACCESS AREA AND PROVIDE ALL CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THE MAJOR REPAIRS. AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SMALLER REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE. I SENT THAT TO THE STATE ON FRIDAY. THEY WILL NOT HAVE AN ANSWER. THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO ME BY THIS EVENING. OBVIOUSLY THEY HOPE TO HAVE SOMETHING BY MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. SO, THEREFORE, IF THE BOARD DOES DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD, I WOULD JUST ASK TWO THINGS. THE FIRST BEING THAT THE MOU IS APPROVED SUBJECT TO THE WILDLIFE COMMISSION CONSENT AND APPROVAL OF THE FINAL TERMS. AND THEN AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR TO SIGN THE APPROVAL ONCE IT'S BEEN THE MOU FOLLOWING APPROVAL BY THE WILDLIFE COMMISSION. BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T AGREE TO THESE TERMS AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY AGREEMENT. OKAY, I'LL MODIFY MY MOTION TO THAT. MODIFY THE MOTION AS YOU STATED. DID YOU GET THAT? I. I HAVE IT IN THE AGENDA. SO, YES, WE CAN. THERE IS. GO AHEAD. NO, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE FOR US TO. TO IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS. IF THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE THAT IF THE MOU IS SIGNED BY THE WILDLIFE FEDERATION AND THEREFORE COVERING THE COSTS OF THE PROJECT THAT DO NOT THEN FALL TO LEE COUNTY FOR THE BUILDING OF THIS PROPERTY, THAT WE WOULD THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. THAT IS THE MOTION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS FROM YOU OR YOUR BOARD? NO, SIR. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU. AND THEN I THINK THE SECOND. SECOND REQUEST IS. THERE IS A LETTER OF SUPPORT THAT IS IN THE AGENDA PACKET THAT WAS. I'M NOT. ANYWAYS. SOMEONE HAS DRAFTED FOR THE NC TRAILS FOR THE TRIANGLE LAND CONSERVANCY TO. IN ORDER TO SEEK THAT GRANT FUNDING. THAT LETTER OF SUPPORT DOES INDICATE THAT THE COUNTY HAS AN AGREEMENT WITH THE WILDLIFE COMMISSION. SO, IF THE BOARD WISHES TO APPROVE THAT. AGAIN, THAT'S ONLY CONTINGENT UPON THE MOU BEING FULLY EXECUTED BY THE COUNTY AND THE WILDLIFE COMMITTEE. SO MOVED, MADAM CHAIR. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [IX.A) Monthly Sales Tax Distribution Report] THANK YOU. SO, IN NEW BUSINESS WE WILL MOVE TO MANAGER'S REPORT. THE MONTHLY SALES TAX DISTRIBUTION REPORT. I'LL MAKE THIS VERY QUICK SO IN FRONT OF YOU HAVE THE MAY 2026 SALES TAX DISTRIBUTION REPORT. SALES TAX COLLECTIONS EXCEEDED THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR WITH A GROWTH OF 9.39%. JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS REPORT DOES LAG BY THREE MONTHS. SO, WE WON'T KNOW JUNE UNTIL NEXT MONTH. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? WE MISS TAYLOR RIGHT NOW AND [IX.B) County Manager's Monthly Report] HER QUESTIONS THAT SHE WOULD ALWAYS ASK TO YOU. THANK YOU. AND NEXT, THE COUNTY MANAGER'S MONTHLY REPORT. I'LL TRY TO MOVE THROUGH THIS QUICKLY. LIBRARY BUILDING PROJECT STAFF ARE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THE PUNCH LIST TO CLOSE OUT THIS PROJECT. THE TWO MAJOR OPEN ITEMS ARE THE LANDSCAPE AND THE HVAC. THE LANDSCAPING SUBCONTRACTOR IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON PLANTING A SIDE REPLACEMENTS. THE TREE REPLACEMENTS WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE FALL WHICH IS PLANNING SEASON. THE SUBCONTRACTOR IS WORKING TO OPTIMIZE CONTROLS AND SET UP BEFORE FINAL TURNOVER ON THE HVAC. ALSO, THE PARKING LOT WILL BE RESTRIP TO OPTIMIZE TRAFFIC, EXCUSE ME, TRAFFIC FLOW AND BETTER UTILIZE THE BOOK DROP OFF WINDOW. YOU SEE THE LIST OF POTENTIAL CHANGE ORDERS? WE ARE STILL WITHIN OUR ORIGINAL SCOPE ON THAT. ON THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE PROJECT, THE FOUNDATION BROWNSTONE IS SHOWING A WHITE FILM WHICH IS A REACTION FROM A STONE STRENGTHENER THAT WAS APPLIED DURING THE GRANT PROJECT. AT THE DECISION OF THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, A HISTORIC CONSERVATION COMPANY VISITED THE SITE AND SPOT TESTED A FEW TREATMENT SOLUTIONS ON JULY 27. A COUPLE OF OPTIONS APPEAR SATISFACTORY. WE WILL BE RECEIVING A FINAL REPORT FROM THEM SOON. THE NEXT WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND THE REMAINING BUDGETED FUNDS FOR THE PROJECT. THE GENERAL SERVICES EXPANSION THE APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT FOR GENERAL CONSTRUCTION WITH STANFORD CONTRACTORS WAS INCLUDED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. YOU KNOW PRETTY MUCH WHAT THAT PROJECT IS COVERING. THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE TO SCHEDULE A KICKOFF FOR CONSTRUCTION. CONSTRUCTION IS ESTIMATED TO BE COMPLETED SEPTEMBER OF 2027. THE KOCH WAREHOUSE RENOVATION ASIDE FROM SERVING THE NEEDS OF PUBLIC SAFETY STORAGE FOR THE SHERIFF, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO RENOVATE OFFICE SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE COLTS AND VETERANS SERVICES OPERATIONS. SUMMIT DESIGN WAS HIRED [03:00:01] FOLLOWING A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PROCESS TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO IDENTIFY THE BEST APPROACH FOR RENOVATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF FUTURE POTENTIAL USAGE OPTIONS. FOLLOWING THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, THE OFFICE PORTION OF THE LARGE BUILDING WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE BEST OPTION FOR PHASE ONE OF THIS PROJECT. THE NEXT STAGE IS TO NEGOTIATE THE TERMS OF AN AGREEMENT FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL WORK FOR THE RENOVATION OF THE COLTS AND VETERANS OPERATIONS SPACE ALONG WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SITE PLAN FOR COEXISTENCE OF MULTIPLE OPERATIONS AND USAGE. FIRE SPRINKLER INSTALLATION IS REQUIRED BY CODE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY STORAGE NEEDS, WHICH WAS BID JANUARY 22 THROUGH JULY 14, 2026 AND NO BIDS WERE RECEIVED. STAFF ARE CONTACTING FIRE PROTECTION SUBCONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERING FIRMS TO OUTLINE AND FINALIZE THE FULL SCOPE OF WORK REQUIRED FOR THE SITE PRIOR TO REBIDDING. THE SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION FACILITY, THE LEE COUNTY SCHOOL GARAGE PROJECT IS BEING RUN BY LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS. WE ARE ASSISTING THEM OR SUPPORTING THEM WITH THAT. THE PROJECT HAS BEEN PUBLICLY BID AND THEY HAVE AWARDED THE CONTRACT TO DANIELS AND DANIELS CONSTRUCTION AND WE ARE MOVING AHEAD WITH THE FINANCING. ALERT LEE NC EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM THIS ONE'S IMPORTANT. THE LEE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT HAS LAUNCHED ALERT LEE NC AN ALL NEW EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM REPLACING CODE RED FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND LOCAL EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS. RESIDENTS AND VISITORS INTERESTED IN IN RECEIVING ALERTS, EVEN IF FORMALLY RECEIVING ALERTS VIA CODE RED WILL NEED TO GO TO LEECOUNTYNC.GOV/ALERT AND SET UP AN ACCOUNT. USER PREFERENCE CAN INCLUDE LOCATION BASED ALERTS FOR MULTIPLE ADDRESSES AND PERSONAL CUSTOMIZATION BASED ON ALERT TYPE. TAX OFFICE I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE LEE COUNTY TAX OFFICE COMPLETED THE 2526 FISCAL YEAR WITH A TAX COLLECTION COLLECTION RATE OF 99.65% AND RANKED SIXTH OUT OF 66 NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES. THIS IS ALSO THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR THE TAX OFFICE HAS OUTPERFORMED PRIOR YEAR RESULTS. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HARD WORK OF OUR TAX DEPARTMENT. THE LIBRARY WAS FEATURED IN THE PROJECT HIGHLIGHT SECTION OF THE APRIL THROUGH JUNE 2026 QUARTERLY REPORT PROVIDED BY THE NORTH CAROLINA DIGITAL HERITAGE CENTER FOR ITS WORK ON THE STANFORD HERALD PHOTO COLLECTION. WORK SESSION DISCUSSION. WANTED TO TALK TO YOU TONIGHT ABOUT THE PLANNING FOR OUR UPCOMING MEETINGS. IN OCTOBER WE GO BACK TO TWO MEETINGS A MONTH. THIS IS CURRENT SCHEDULE. WE HAD BEEN HAVING A WORK SESSION ON THE FIRST MONDAY NIGHT, THE FIRST MONDAY MEETING. I WANTED TO SEE IF THE BOARD'S PREFERENCE IS TO CONTINUE THAT WORK SESSION PLAN OR TO GO BACK TO TWO REGULAR MEETINGS A MONTH IN OCTOBER. WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MY PLEASURE WOULD TO BE NOT MAKING A DECISION TONIGHT ON THAT. OKAY, CAN WE GO TO TWO MEETINGS AND OKAY, CONSENSUS TO GO BACK TO TWO REGULAR MEETINGS. CONSENSUS 2. DO WE WANT TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS? NOT ME. OKAY, THANK YOU. I CAN ASK YOU AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER. YOU HAVE VARIOUS REPORTS ATTACHED THERE AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, YOU KNOW WE HAVE SEPTEMBER 7TH OUR OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE SERVICE OF LABOR DAY ON SEPTEMBER 17, BEYOND THE LIBERTY TREE PLANNING AND MONUMENT UNVEILING HERE AT THE LEE COUNTY LIBRARY LAWN AT 10AM AND THEN WE HAVE OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 21ST. AND THEN WE GO BACK TO TWO MEETINGS IN OCTOBER WITH THE DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE FIRST MEETING WILL BE A WORK SESSION TO BE DETERMINED ON SEPTEMBER. BELIEVE THAT'S EVERYTHING I WAS SUPPOSED TO COVER. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FOR THE COUNTY MANAGER. WILL YOU REMIND US OF THE TIMELINE ON THE ON THE PERFORMANCE AUDIT? I KNOW WE PUT SOMETHING OUT. YES. PROPOSALS ARE DUE BACK IN [X) COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS] BY AUGUST 28TH. THANK YOU. PERFECT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? WE WILL BEGIN WITH COMMISSIONER SMITH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT I'VE HAD MORE TOMATOES THROWN AT ME THIS EVENING, I'LL JUST REITERATE A FEW POINTS. THIS AREA IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE RALEIGH EXECUTIVE JETPORT. THE JETPORT BOARD HAS BEEN WORKING AND SEEKING TO ACQUIRE AN AVIATION MANUFACTURER OF SOME DEGREE OR LEVEL TO FULFILL THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE JETPORT. THE PROPERTY IS BORDERED ON LOWER MONCURE ROAD AND THE AIRPORT. AND THE QUESTION TO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT I EMAIL AND RESPOND TO HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN WHAT ARE YOU [03:05:01] GOING TO DO WHEN THAT HAPPENS? ANOTHER POINT IS THAT THE NOISE ORDINANCE IS CONSTANTLY REFERRED TO. WE HAVE INDUSTRY HERE THAT PROBABLY WILL VIOLATE THESE MINIMAL NOISE ORDINANCES. WHAT DO WE CALL IT? DOWN ZONING? CAN WE DOWN ZONE OR NOISE ORDINANCES TO A LOWER LEVEL? WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT TO SEE. BUT THAT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON INDUSTRY THAT'S ALREADY HERE. AND A FEW WEEKS AGO THE COUNTY MANAGER AND I ATTENDED A MEETING WITH A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHOM WE DID NOT SIGN A NON DISCLOSURE ACT, BUT THEY DID NOT DISCLOSE WHO THEY WERE. THEY WERE HERE TO VISIT A POTENTIAL SITE TO BRING IN AN INDUSTRY. THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT IT WAS IS THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT DURHAM COUNTY AND LEE COUNTY. THAT MORNING I REMEMBER HEARING ON THE RADIO THAT DURHAM COUNTY IS RESTRICTING WATER USAGE. WELL, THIS COMPANY IS GOING TO REQUIRE LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER. AND THAT BEING SAID, I THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE IT IN THE BAG BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A VERY ROBUST WATER FACILITY. THE WATER IS ROTATED. IT TAKEN IN FROM THE DEEP RIVER. EXCUSE ME. IT'S TAKEN IN AT THE CAPE FEAR AND RETURNED TO THE DEEP RIVER. IT'S A CYCLE. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN OUT OF WATER SINCE 2006 WHEN THEY HAD ALL THE MAJOR DROUGHTS AT THAT TIME. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE WAS IS THAT THEY WERE GREETED BY NO DATA CENTER SIGNS AS THEY WERE MOVING FROM ONE SITE TO THE OTHER. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THEY CHOSE NOT TO COME HERE. THE OTHER POINT IS, IS THAT INDUSTRY PROVIDES US A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR REVENUE. IF WE CAN'T MAKE IT UP WITH INDUSTRY, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO RAISE TAXES TO COVER ALL THE THINGS THAT THIS COUNTY HAS TO DO AND ALL THE PROJECTIONS OF WHAT WE HAVE COMING. WE HAVE TO GET A LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER. WE HAVE NEW SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS AND IT'S JUST CONTINUING TO BUILD UP. AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I DON'T. I DIDN'T PULL IT OUT, BUT I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT MADAM CHAIR. KEEP THROWING THE TOMATOES. I CAN TAKE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SMITH. COMMISSIONER LUBBOCK. I'M GOOD TO NOT NO COMMENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THAT'S ALL. I'LL JUST KEEP A CHECK ON YOUR ELDER NEIGHBOR VERSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DAVIDSON. SO, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO KNOW THAT I CAN'T SPEAK. RIGHT? BY INTENTION. I WAS WANTING TO LISTEN AND LEARN TONIGHT AND I DID PARTICIPATE IN VOTING, OF COURSE, AND I WILL GET MORE VOCAL AS TIME GOES ALONG. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I DID HEAR TONIGHT AND I HAVE ATTENDED BOARD MEETINGS FOR A GOOD WHILE AND IF I WASN'T PRESENT, I WAS WATCHING IT ONLINE AND I'VE SEEN THE PASSION OF OUR CITIZENS SURROUNDING THE DATA CENTER. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD A LOT ABOUT TONIGHT HAD TO DO WITH THE SOUND, THE NOISE, THE LOW FREQUENCY SOUND, AS I HEARD SOMEONE REFER TO IT, AND HOW THAT CAN AND DOES AFFECT HUMAN BEINGS AND ANIMALS AND JUST THE PROGRESSION OF THAT AND THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF THAT. SO, I'M WONDERING, AND I'M JUST THROWING THIS OUT HERE, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT WE CAN LOOK AT A 90 DAY MORATORIUM ON UPCOMING DATA CENTERS TO GIVE US TIME TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN MITIGATE BY USING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS AERODYNAMIC FANS, ACOUSTIC SILENCERS, TO ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE GOING FORWARD. AND SO I GUESS I'M MAKING A MOTION TO ADOPT THAT. AS I'VE STATED, A 90 DAY MORATORIUM BASED ON THOSE FACTORS THAT I JUST MENTIONED INVOLVING SOUND. BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S NOT GOING [03:10:01] TO AFFECT WHAT'S COMING. IT WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON WHAT IS YET TO COME. AND I'M HOPING THAT THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE COMPANY GOING FORWARD. SO, THAT'S MY THOUGHT AS THE NEW BOARD MEMBER TONIGHT. I DID. I KNOW I JUMPED IN THE DEEP END. SO, IF I MAY INTERJECT YOU, WE CANNOT VOTE ON A MORATORIUM TONIGHT. THERE ARE SPECIFIC FACTS THAT HAVE TO BE STATED. THERE HAS TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING, THERE HAS TO BE A NOTICE. SO, IT'S A, A PROCESS IN ORDER TO ADOPT A MORATORIUM SO THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD CAN VOTE ON THIS EVENING. OKAY, THAT'S. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. AND IT'S ALSO GOOD TO KNOW THAT THERE'S INTEREST. SO, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT, MR. DAVIS. AND I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH. I THINK YOU NEED TO. WE NEED TO REMOVE THE MOTION FROM THE TABLE. COULD YOU ADVISE ON HOW TO DO THAT? IF YOU WOULD JUST RETRACT YOUR MOTION? I RETRACT THE MOTION. I MAY. OKAY, SO FOR CLARITY, JUST SO THAT WE HAVE ON RECORD, FOR CLARITY, WOULD YOU REPEAT INTO THE MIC CLEARLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IF THAT IS TO MOVE FORWARD? YOU MEAN LIKE WHAT HAS. WELL, THE MOTION CAME BEFORE US, LIKE, RE SUMMARIZE THAT. YES, IN A LANGUAGE THAT WE. EVERYBODY CAN UNDER. SO, COMMISSIONER DAVIDSON MADE A MOTION TO ADOPT A MORE. I THINK YOU SAID 90 DAY MORATORIUM. CORRECT. AND THEN I. AFTER THAT WAS MADE, I INTERJECTED TO INDICATE. BECAUSE BY LAW, WE CANNOT ADOPT A MORATORIUM THIS EVENING. THERE ARE STANDARDS THAT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED OR FACTS. THERE ARE STATEMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD. THERE HAS TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING, AND THERE ALSO HAS TO BE A NOTICE OF THAT PUBLIC HEARING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE PUBLISHED. THEREFORE, THE BOARD CANNOT LEGALLY ADOPT A MORATORIUM, AND THERE IS NO MORE MORATORIUM IN FRONT OF THE BOARD THIS EVENING. SO, I ASKED COMMISSIONER DAVIDSON TO RETRACT HIS MOTION BECAUSE IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME LEGALLY. THANK YOU. ROOKIE MISTAKE. ALL GOOD. WE HEARD YOU, COMMISSIONER SHARP. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE COUNTY MANAGER STAFF, AND FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THIS GREAT. BEEN A TON OF PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS AND WHATNOT, AND SO JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK. COMMISSIONER REEVES. LONG MEETINGS JUST GETTING STARTED. WE HAVE A WHOLE. WE HAVE A WHOLE OTHER SESSION. THEY. I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF LONG MEETINGS. I DO WANT TO MAKE ONE COMMENT REGARDING A GENTLEMAN THAT FOR SOME REASON THOUGHT THAT I WAS LAUGHING. I HAD A SMILE ON MY FACE BECAUSE I WAS WATCHING THE PUBLIC DO WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO WHEN IT'S UPSET ABOUT A PROCESS. AND I. I THINK THAT'S WHAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO, ALLOWING FOR THEM TO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M SORRY HE FELT THE WAY HE DID, BUT HE SEEMED TO BE QUITE EMOTIONAL AT THE MOMENT, SO I'LL DISREGARD IT. BUT NONE OF THIS IS FUNNY TO ME. I'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER END OF THIS KIND OF SITUATION, AND IT'S NOT FUNNY EVER. I WOULD LIKE FOR THE MANAGER TO CONSIDER. MAKING THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS ANNOUNCEMENTS LIKE THEY MADE TONIGHT A PART OF THEIR MEETING WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR ANY REASON. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WAS COVERED THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. IN MY PERSONAL OPINION. I THINK THAT IT SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE ATTENTION THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE MAKING THAT PRESENTATION PRIOR TO THEIR OWN DECISION MAKING. THAT WAY WE WOULD ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE TAKING AWAY OF A FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT. THANK YOU. [03:15:07] I'LL CLOSE BY THANKING AGAIN EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT AND GAVE UP THEIR TIME AND NOT JUST TONIGHT BUT ALL WEEK LONG. I KNOW YOU'RE ALL LIVING THIS CONSTANTLY AND IT'S AFFECTING YOU AND I. I JUST WANT TO ITERATE TO YOU THAT WE HEAR YOU AND WE ARE WORKING AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THE PROCESS. YOU MAY. MR. REEVES ASKED FOR MORATORIUM. ... AND THIS GENTLEMAN, WE CAN'T DO IT THAT WAY. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WHOLE THING DISAPPEARS. AND NOW THIS GENTLEMAN HAS ASKED FOR A MORATORIUM AND YOU COME ALONG AND SAY WE CAN'T DO IT THAT WAY. LET'S DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. LET'S GO AHEAD AND THEY BOTH HAVE SAID THIS. LET'S GET THE RIGHT PROCESS. IF IT CAN'T BE DONE TONIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND SCHEDULE THE PUBLIC HEARING. WHATEVER NEEDS TO HAPPEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO. SO, I THINK WE NEED TO MOTION TO MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION. YES SIR. BEFORE I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT MY MOTION IS NOT DEAD. WE ARE TRYING TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. WE ARE WORKING ON FINDING THE APPROPRIATE METHOD TO RECONSIDER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. IT ONLY MAKES IT WORSE IF WE GO ABOUT IT THE WRONG WAY. SO, I HOPE YOU'LL BE PATIENT WITH US. WE ARE CONSIDERING. I KNOW IT'S HARD TO WAIT. I KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE. BUT I'D RATHER GET IT RIGHT THE NEXT TIME WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT. I HEAR YOU AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'LL GET IT RIGHT. BUT WE JUST [XI) CLOSED SESSION] CAN'T DO IT HAPHAZARDLY. THANK YOU. LET ME. WE GO ON A CLOSE SESSION PER NCGS 143-318.22 A4 TO DISCUSS THE MATTERS RELATING TO LOCATION OR EXPANSION OF BUSINESS. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME WE'LL ASK YOU TO. OH, I'M SORRY. WE NEED A VOTE. MOTION'S ON THE TABLE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AND THEN YOU ARE WELCOME TO COME BACK IN AFTER THE CLOSED SESSION. MOTION TO ADJOURN BY DR. KNECHT. ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. AND THERE ARE NONE OPPOSED. OH, YOU OPPOSED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.