THE FIVE HUNDRED AND NINTH SESSION OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN

VILLAGE OF ALAMANCE

 

October 26, 2020 – 7:00 PM

 

Present: Mayor Tichy, Mayor Pro Tem Sharpe, Alderman Andrews, Alderman Tichy, Alderman Isley, and Clerk York.

 

Absent: Alderman Crouse, Alderman Baldwin

 

Mayor Pro Tem Sharpe gave the invocation.

 

Motion to approve September 28, 2020 meeting minutes made by Alderman Tichy, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Sharpe. Motion carried 4-0

 

OLD BUSINESS

Engineer Report

 

1. Annexation/Water-Sewer Request from citizens on Dogwood Lane

Mr. Reich was not present due to a potential COVID-19 exposure. Clerk York stated the deadline to apply for financial assistance for this project is November 23, 2020.

In order to submit an application a public hearing has to have been held and all the required paperwork completed. They only take applications one day during the year and the Village would not be prepared for this year’s submission.

 

ORC Report

 

Mr. Allred stated the pump stations are working well. The generator at Birch and NC 62 has been serviced for the year. The required amount of jetting and flushing for the system has been met for the year. The back-flow units have been tested for the year.

 

Mr. Allred stated that a large amount of flushing has been done on Liberty, Freedom and Londonderry. Alderman Isley stated the water has been very dingy lately. Mr. Allred stated it was probably due to the stirring up of the system during the flushing. He also stated that Burlington no longer had any issues with manganese.

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

Finance Report/Budget Amendment

 

Clerk York stated the people who had past due balances, but could not be disconnected under the Governors order, have made sufficient payments on their accounts. They have a payment plan to work with for 6 months.

 

Becky Loy has stated that she is working on completing the audit and has an extended deadline to work within. She is hopeful to present it at the November meeting.

 

OTHER BUSINESS

Mayor Tichy stated that Diamondback builders had submitted a new proposal for the land on NC 62 and Kimesville Rd. They have reduced it to 35 houses. They are in line, mostly, with the RA 25 zoning. They do have 100 ft frontage at the road line instead of 125 ft. There is one lot under 25,000sq ft, that could easily be made larger. They are looking at placing community wells at the back of the property along with oversized street mains.

 

Mayor Tichy asked Attorney koonts about the 100ft road frontage in the plans which is for RA 15 zoning. Attorney Koonts stated that if the planning board was agreeable to the plans submitted, they could give a waiver to pass the 100ft. zoning instead of requiring the 125ft.

 

Mayor Tichy noted that one of the proposed wells was right next to a proposed off-site septic field. Alderman Isley asked if they were still doing off site septic since the number of houses had been reduced. Mayor Tichy stated the plan had been revised to only have 6 or 7 houses on off site septic because the land won’t perk in that area. It was unclear if the septic lines would run under the road or at the back edge of the lots. Mayor Tichy stated he would have Mr. Reich look over the proposed plans to determine where the lines would lay. Mayor Tichy stated there was no data on the plans to explain how the well and septic systems would work.

 

Mayor Tichy stated Diamondback was much closer to meeting the RA 25 requirements, apart from the 100ft road frontage. Attorney Koonts asked if the builder had submitted a rezoning application. Clerk York stated they had not. Attorney Koonts stated that this is technically a County project that is zoned by The Village of Alamance because it resides in the ETJ zone. He also stated this project would need to involve the Alamance County planning department.

 

Mayor Tichy stated that the homeowners would be responsible for the cost of water testing and maintenance of the community wells. Alderman Isley stated he was not pleased with the proposed septic systems and asked Mr. Allred if this type of system worked very well. Mr. Allred stated that the setup of septic fields is a viable option and does work. Mayor Tichy stated that 29 of the proposed 35 houses will have their own septic tanks. The off-site septic is for the west end of the property that doesn’t perk.

 

Alderman Isley asked what would happen if the septic field were to contaminate the community well. Mayor Tichy stated it would be the homeowner’s responsibility to deal with the issue or hook on to the water from the Village. He stated that the proposed plan would allow the development to tie on to the Heritage Glen line on HWY 62 at a minimal cost. Mr. Allred stated that it appears they are anticipating tying on to the Village water in the future due to the size of the lines they are proposing.

 

Alderman Isley stated it would be more cost effective for them to tie on to the water to start with. Mayor Tichy stated that Diamondback did not want to comply with the requirements of curb and gutter roads per the ordinances of RA 25 and would rather lay larger pipe in case of future need to tie on. Alderman Tichy asked if we could enforce the curb and gutter requirement even if they don’t tie on to the water in the beginning because it will likely be annexed into the Village in the future.  Attorney Koonts stated the ordinance would have to be looked at closer.

Mayor Tichy stated that the state requirements are met for the proposed subdivision road so that it can be state maintained.

 

There was a question about the possibility of increased traffic. Mayor Tichy stated he did not believe that there would be any major issues with the traffic. The proposed plan has two entrance points.

 

Mayor Tichy asked Clerk York to schedule a technical review of the proposed plan and to find out who would approve the community well.

 

Alderman Tichy asked if Clerk York had any information on getting a sign for the cemetery in Heritage Glen. Clerk York stated he did not but would look into it. Alderman Tichy also stated he would like for the subdivision rules in the ETJ zone to be reviewed.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT

Motion made to adjourn by Alderman Tichy, seconded by Alderman Isley. Motion carried 4-0

 

                                                                      Don Tichy, Mayor

 

___________________________Ben York, Village Clerk