November 8, 2007

[Brent]

It's gonna be a late night. Many important decisions (some clearly shoved through on greased skids to be considered by the current council before the new council takes over).

A few items of note:

- consideration of extending subsidized benefits to town council members after they "retire" from council

- proposal to pave over a stream buffer (the staff report notes: "This proposal is the second largest single impact of riparian buffers ever submitted to Town Council (2.73 acres).")

- two proposals (latest in a string) to flip office to medium- or high-density residential

- LDO amendments (round what? 96? I've lost track) that have been modified based on input from the Developers Focus Group

- consideration of Staff's proposals to sign the death warrant for the Green Level Historic District

[johnshaw]

It's gonna be a late night. Many important decisions (some clearly shoved through on greased skids to be considered by the current council before the new council takes over).

A few items of note:

- consideration of extending subsidized benefits to town council members after they "retire" from council

- proposal to pave over a stream buffer (the staff report notes: "This proposal is the second largest single impact of riparian buffers ever submitted to Town Council (2.73 acres).")

- two proposals (latest in a string) to flip office to medium- or high-density residential

- LDO amendments (round what? 96? I've lost track) that have been modified based on input from the Developers Focus Group

- consideration of Staff's proposals to sign the death warrant for the Green Level Historic District

Sorry I won't be there. I will be at the Morrisville P&Z hearing on Park West tonight.

I see from the agenda that the stream buffer variance is a quasi-judicial public hearing. I hope people will be there to speak against it. I understand that speakers against the variance will be able to question those speaking for it (and vice versa).

The LDO and Green Level matters are after the Public Speaks Out portion. Since there is no public hearing on these matters i would think that people can speak on them at the Public Speaks Out time. I hope someone will speak on these matters.

Agenda at: www.townofcary.org/agenda/agenda.htm

[Tsuga]

I know a family in Green Level and gave them a heads up, hopefully they can make it on short notice...

[Brent]

The LDO and Green Level matters are after the Public Speaks Out portion. Since there is no public hearing on these matters i would think that people can speak on them at the Public Speaks Out time. I hope someone will speak on these matters.

I think that's a pretty good bet :wink:

[Tsuga]

I didn't attend last night's meeting, but caught part of it inadvertently late on tv

WHO KNEW?!? that Town Council could be so entertaining??

During the discussion on Richard Drive a competition between SAS, landowners and the Soleil Developers (?) one elderly gentleman Mr. Vail (sp?) came up and could not get his words out... he said something to the council about you all "watch your backs" and then referenced SAS employees which I guess has to do with Harold W as Cary's mayor, I thought Mr. Vail was going to start speaking in tongues...

Didn't stay up late enough to watch the entire thing however tempting... anyone got a recap?

Also anyone know what in the heck Mr. Vail was trying to say??

[d4vendel]

I didn't attend last night's meeting, but caught part of it inadvertently late on tv

WHO KNEW?!? that Town Council could be so entertaining??

During the discussion on Richard Drive a competition between SAS, landowners and the Soleil Developers (?) one elderly gentleman Mr. Vail (sp?) came up and could not get his words out... he said something to the council about you all "watch your backs" and then referenced SAS employees which I guess has to do with Harold W as Cary's mayor, I thought Mr. Vail was going to start speaking in tongues...

Didn't stay up late enough to watch the entire thing however tempting... anyone got a recap?

Also anyone know what in the heck Mr. Vail was trying to say??

Ther rebroadcast of the meeting started at 9 this morning on chanel 11. It is on again at 3pm on Sunday. It will also be available online at www.townofcary.org soon.

[chaboard]

Also anyone know what in the heck Mr. Vail was trying to say??

I couldn't figure it out either but it sure was entertaining.

Brent's walkaway line regarding the 8-story building was a good one, too.

[JoeCiulla]

Good meeting. Three of the magic moments (beyond Brent's "This is Cary?") closer:

1. During the buffer variance discussion, Mr. Roseland asked if the 8.6 acre parcel offered up to meet requirements could be deeded to the Town of Cary. Mr. Horseland's suggestied that would not be a good idea because Cary might not be able to resist the temptation to develop it later. Tax consequences aside, we trust the developer more than we trust ourselves???

2. Mr. Roseland horse-trading parking spaces for nitrogen pollution on the fly to keep the project moving forward.

3. As pointed out earlier, Mr. Vail's mention of previous mayor "Cocoa" or "Chocolate" ... 'nuf said.

I felt sorry for Mrs. Periwinkle's High School civics class, they picked the wrong night to attend a town council meeting.

[Tsuga]

let's not leave out the Chatham County resident who brought up the road conditions New Hope Church as having more patches than a "1960's hippie"

can't find this humor on a script!

[Brent]

The entertainment value of council meetings should not be underestiamated. SAS vs. Soleil was certainly one highlight, along with others that Joe notes.

So watch the video replay, but here's a quick run-down on the items I had originally noted:

- consideration of extending subsidized benefits to town council members after they "retire" from council Well, this one's been discussed at some length in a separate thread. What a nice thing to approve as your last act on the town council, Ernie & Nels. :roll:

- proposal to pave over a stream buffer (the staff report notes: "This proposal is the second largest single impact of riparian buffers ever submitted to Town Council (2.73 acres).") Wow. After wasting an hour and a half on this one, including a sales pitch from the developer and dozens of his closest friends, with their pretty posters, all of which was irrelevant testimony for a quasi-judicial hearing and should not have been permitted (and were all those developers sworn in? If not, why not?), when it became clear that the council was going to turn this down, the developer withdrew it. Special thanks to the developer team and those council members who wasted a lot of everyone's time.

- two proposals (latest in a string) to flip office to medium- or high-density residential Off these go to P&Z. Glenda says that Cary needs more medium- and high-density residential.

- LDO amendments (round what? 96? I've lost track) that have been modified based on input from the Developers Focus Group Fascinating. This one was deferred to the new council to deal with. Why only this one? Why not Green Level? Or health insurance? Or paving over stream buffers? Why only the LDO amendments?

- consideration of Staff's proposals to sign the death warrant for the Green Level Historic District Fortunately, Marla noted the error of Staff's ways and Jennifer listened to what Marla had to say and made a motion, that was approved, for only those staff recommendations that made sense, and in particular, did NOT accept Staff's recommendation to 4-lane Green Level Church Road. That decision will be made by the new council as part of the thoroughfare plan. So this one is by no means complete, but at least there's some time to consider this further. Let's hope that the new council provides sufficient adult supervision to staff who would prefer to turn Green Level into Black Top.

[JoeCiulla]

WRAL picked up the story on Cary Town Council members voting themselves medical benefits.

http://www.wral.com/golo/page/1896337/?id=2044911

While their motives may have been compassionate, what they did was just plain wrong.