Board of Commissioners Meeting Summary
The Hillsborough Board of Commissioners met Monday, Dec. 12. Following is a brief summary of noteworthy actions and discussion. It does not include all actions taken at the meeting and should not be viewed as official minutes. The meeting took place in person. A video is available for view on the town’s YouTube channel.
Appointments
The board appointed Megan Kimball to the Tourism Board, with the term ending May 9, 2024.
Gift for grounds improvement
The board approved a resolution to accept a gift of approximately $20,000 from former Mayor Tom Stevens to enhance the surrounding grounds of the Town Hall Campus with public spaces, trails, landscaping, gardens, public art, or similar amenities for the use and benefit of the town and its inhabitants.
Plowing of roads
The board approved a request to plow streets in the Corbinton Commons neighborhood with a hold harmless agreement from the homeowners association to cover any damage to town equipment that occurs in plowing. The roads have not yet been dedicated to the town by the developer.
Land use
The board approved several requests related to land use:
- Land for planned train station — Annexing 19.5 acres owned by the town in central Hillsborough and rezoning 6.62 acres of the total from agricultural residential to limited office.
- 1700 N.C. 86 S. — Rezoning of parcel owned by Owl Woods Development from limited office to high intensity commercial.
- 1220 N.C. 57 — Rezoning of a vacant lot adjacent to Eno River Academy from business park to office and institutional. This includes updating a corresponding portion of the Future Land Use Map from light industrial to suburban office.
Unified Development Ordinance
The board approved several text amendments to the ordinance:
- Windows and doors on a building — Reducing requirements for glass and clarifying that faux glass can be used to mimic the appearance of glass in places where transparent glass may not make sense.
- Railroad buffers — Exempts train stations from the 100-foot buffer requirement for new development or redevelopment to allow a train station to be closer to the tracks it serves.
Appointed board procedures
The board reviewed proposed amendments to the Code of Ordinances related to the procedures of appointed boards. No code changes were approved, and the board will continue discussion in the new year. The board directed staff to:
- Add language to the proposal that appointees serve at the pleasure of the Board of Commissioners or the appointing board and can be removed with a formal vote.
- Add a requirement to the proposal for residency within a park district for Parks and Recreation Board appointees.
- Review the current procedures for each board to determine whether term limits and service stipulations should be set for commissioners serving in some capacity on appointed boards.
- Review defining language on boards to determine what should be included in the code.
- Review rules of procedures for each board to determine changes that should be made for consistency.
- Consider compensation at a later date for appointed board members to encourage diversity.
