The Hillsborough Board of Commissioners met Monday, March 25 at the Town Hall Annex. Following is a brief summary of noteworthy actions. It does not include all actions taken at the meeting and should not be viewed as official minutes. The meeting is available to view on the town’s YouTube channel.

U.S. 70 study

The board received an update on the final draft of the Orange County U.S. 70 Multimodal Corridor Study. The study is intended to improve bicycle and pedestrian connections, transit access and intersection safety. The Hillsborough board approved the study within town limits and endorsed it outside town limits conditional on approval from the Orange County Unified Transportation Board.

Ordinances

Activity at cemeteries — The board revisited discussion on respectful use of town-owned cemeteries, indicating a desire to restrict active recreation, such as sports, from cemetery grounds. The board instructed staff to continue updating language within the town code to clarify restrictions and to establish specific rules for the Margaret Lane Cemetery and the Old Town Cemetery.

In addition, new cemetery rule signage will be installed at all town cemeteries and temporary signs will be placed at cemeteries and other prominent public spaces to address off-leash pets and pet waste.

Remote participation at meetings — The board approved an amendment allowing its members to virtually join meetings when they cannot physically attend. Key restrictions include that virtually attending members:

Cannot count toward quorum.
May engage in discussions but cannot vote on any matter.
Cannot participate in any quasi-judicial or public hearing proceeding.

Audio and video recordings — The board adopted an ordinance amendment to retain audio and video recordings of official Board of Commissioners meetings permanently. The ordinance includes instructions for disposal of audio recordings of closed session meetings after the approval of official written minutes. If permanent retention of these recordings becomes a burden, the board can amend this.

Special event permits

The board approved special event permits for:

River Park Concert — noon to 7 p.m. April 20 at River Park, 140 E. Margaret Lane. Triangle Music Alliance and WHUP-FM expect 2,500 people to attend the event, which will feature music, food trucks and local vendors.
The Fast and the Furriest 5K for the Animals — 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 11 in Gold Park and on Riverwalk. Independent Animal Rescue expects about 150 people to attend, with the 5K starting and ending in Gold Park.

Letter of support

The board approved a letter recognizing the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation for its efforts in rebuilding the Occaneechi Replica Village along the Riverwalk greenway. The group has been nominated by the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough for the Minnette C. Duffy Landscape Preservation Award through Preservation North Carolina.

Proclamations

The board approved two proclamations for April recognizing:

Native Plant Month — The month highlights the vital role of native plants in overall ecosystem health and sustainability.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month —The month, proclaimed in partnership with the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, is intended to provide education on sexual violence and how to prevent assault. The proclamation encourages residents to speak out against sexual violence and to support efforts to prevent and respond to these crimes.

Legislative priorities

The board discussed an updated list of town legislative priorities for 2024, which include:

Affordable and workforce housing.
Water and sewer affordability and infrastructure maintenance.
Transportation and connectivity.
Environmental sustainability and carbon reduction goals.
Preemption of local government authority.
Shortage of qualified finance professionals and auditors.

Board of Commissioners Meeting Summary

The board discussed the U.S. 70 Multimodal Corridor Study and cemeteries.