Town of Holly Springs

Joint Special Meeting of

The Town Board of Commissioners and The Planning Board

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

 

MINUTES

 

The Holly Springs Town Board of Commissioners met in a duly-called special meeting on Wednesday, June 23, 2004, in the Holleman Meeting Room of Holly Springs Town Hall, 128 S. Main Street.  Mayor Dick Sears presided, calling the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m.  A quorum was established as the mayor and three board members were present as the meeting opened. 

 

Board Members Present:  Commissioners Chet VanFossen, Peter Atwell and Mike Taylor, who attended via conference call, and Mayor Sears.

 

Board Members Absent: Commissioners Parrish Womble and Hank Dickson (arrived at 6:30 p.m.)

 

Staff Members Present: Carl Dean, town manager; Charles Simmons, assistant town manager; John Schifano, town attorney; Linda Harper, deputy town clerk (recording the minutes); Gina Bobber, director of planning and zoning; Beth Trautz, planning assistant/planning board clerk; and Derek Baker, staff engineer.

Planning Board Members Present:  Jeffrey Bateman, Raymond Cordon, Vincent DeBenedetto, Joseph Fanjoy, Matt Johnson, Glenn Myrto, and Joe Signoretti.

 

Others Present:  Ed Powell of Davis, Martin, Powell & Associates, Inc.

 

The purpose of the meeting was to hold a joint meeting of the Planning Board and Town Board to review the expectations of the Planning Board’s role and to give an update on the town’s wastewater options.

 

Planning Board Discussion 

Ms. Bobber said the Town’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) explains the role of the Planning Board in Section 9.02, establishment of the Planning Board; Board membership criteria; duties and powers of the board; organization, meeting rules and records; compensation; and annual and budget reports.  Ms. Bobber said there are new members serving on the Planning Board who would like to be more knowledgeable of their roles and get involved with the short-term and long-range planning of the Town without creating additional steps in the plan review process or additional work for town staff.

Ms. Bobber explained that if any changes are made in the Planning Board roles and duties, Section 9.02 of the UDO would need to be amended. 

            After much discussion, it was determined that the major concern of the Planning Board is increased communication between the Planning Board and town staff by meetings held before or after the regular Planning Board meetings.  The Planning Board also requested that staff increase information provided to the Planning Board on the Town’s long-range planning and start providing staff reports on town capital improvement projects.

            The Planning Board also asked that the Planning Board and department heads be included in the Town Board’s fall mini-retreat where suggested amendments to Section 9.02 of the UDO could be discussed further.

 

            At this time, the Town Board and Planning Board took a 10-minute break.

 

When the meeting reconvened, a quorum of the Town Board was present, and Mayor Sears explained that some members of the Board had requested to be updated on the Town’s wastewater options. 

Mr. Simmons updated the Town Board with the current work regarding identifying and implementing options for the future treatment of wastewater.  Mr. Simmons explained to the Board that staff has been working with Ed Powell of Davis, Martin, Powell & Associates, Inc. and Mr. Green of Green Engineering, the consulting engineers.  Mr. Simmons said the following are six wastewater discharge options that were being researched for the Board’s consideration:

1) expansion of the current facility at Utley Creek with discharge into Utley Creek;

2)  expansion of the current facility at Utley Creek with discharge into a shared interceptor with Western Wake;

3) expansion of the current facility at Utley Creek with discharge into an independent interceptor;

4) transfer of raw sewage to Harnett County;

5) transfer of raw sewage to Cary; and

6) full participation in the Western Wake consortium.

Mr. Simmons explained to the Board that full participation in the Western Wake consortium would likely be cost-prohibitive for the town; however, true cost data currently is in flux and unreliable.  He said that town staff is working toward acquiring more accurate cost information to share with the Board at a later time.

            Mr. Ed Powell of Davis, Martin, Powell & Associates, Inc. addressed the board advising that he is anticipating the return of a modeling study of Utley Creek.  The study should provide some scientific data that he believes State regulators would give some credence to regarding the capacity of Utley Creek.  He said that he anticipates having further information to share with the Town Board in 15 to 30 days.

            He further updated the Board regarding the future need of wastewater capacity for the Town.  He said that for planning purposes, 7 MGD would be needed by 2030, based on the population projections at that time of 45,000 people.

 

Adjournment:  There being no further business for the evening, the June 23, 2004, special meeting of the Holly Springs Board of Commissioners was adjourned at 8:35 p.m. following a motion by Commissioner Dickson, a second by Commissioner VanFossen and a unanimous vote.

 

Respectfully Submitted on Tuesday, July 6, 2004.

                       

           

 

                                                                  

_________________________________

Linda R. Harper, CMC

Deputy Town Clerk