2026-07-30 - Board of County Commissioners

01:59Mhm.

14:54>> Good evening.

14:56I'd like to welcome everyone to the

14:58regular July 30th, 2026 meeting of the

15:01Forsyth County Board of Commissioners.

15:04If you are here to speak about zoning

15:06cases, that's F-1667

15:09or F-1669,

15:12you do not need to fill out a speaker

15:13card. The public hearings for these

15:16items are first on the agenda.

15:19However,

15:20any citizens who are interested in

15:22participating in the public session

15:25portion of this meeting later,

15:27you may do so in person or by calling

15:31336-422-1200.

15:34That number again is 336-422-1200.

15:38You'll be placed on hold until the

15:40public session begins.

15:42Members of the audience who are

15:44interested in participating in the

15:45public session, please fill out a

15:47speaker card if you have not already and

15:49return it to our clerk. You could even

15:51do that now. But again, if you're here

15:53for the public hearings, you do not need

15:55to fill out a card.

15:57Um we will begin our meeting tonight

15:59with an invocation from my pastor,

16:02Reverend David Beam, from Mount Tabor

16:04United Methodist Church. It'll be

16:06followed by the pledge of allegiance led

16:08by Commissioner McDaniel. I'd like to

16:10invite everyone to stand who is able.

16:18>> Good evening, Mr. Chairman. I'm going to

16:20share a prayer adapted from Peter

16:22Marshall, who was the chaplain of the US

16:24Senate back in the late 1940s. Thought

16:26it was very appropriate for today. Pray

16:28with me.

16:31Almighty God, creator of all things and

16:33giver of every good and perfect gift, we

16:36ask for your presence and your blessing

16:38as we gather today.

16:40Grant us wisdom, humility, and

16:42discernment as we consider the matters

16:44before us and make decisions that affect

16:46the people of this county.

16:48We acknowledge that we all fall short.

16:51We confess our pride, our self-interest,

16:53and the times we fail to seek what is

16:55best for all people. Forgive us, renew

16:58our hearts, and shape our character so

17:01that we may serve with integrity,

17:03compassion, and courage.

17:05Help us not to become comfortable with

17:06the challenges that surround us or

17:09indifferent to the needs of our

17:10neighbors. Instead, give us eyes to see

17:13where help is needed and hearts that are

17:15willing to respond.

17:17We pray for all who have been entrusted

17:19with positions of leadership and

17:20responsibility.

17:22Give them wisdom to make sound

17:23decisions, strength to do what is right

17:26even when it's difficult, and the

17:28humility to listen, learn, and work

17:30together for the common good.

17:33May each person in this room be

17:34committed not to adding to the problems

17:36we face, but to becoming part of the

17:38solution.

17:40Remind us that when we seek your

17:41guidance, even the most difficult

17:43challenges can be met with hope and

17:45perseverance.

17:47We ask these things in the name of Jesus

17:49Christ our Lord. Amen.

17:51>> Amen.

17:53>> Pledge

17:54allegiance to the flag

17:55>> of the United States of America,

17:57to the republic for which it stands, one

18:01nation under God,

18:03indivisible, with liberty and justice

18:05for all.

18:07>> [clears throat]

18:11>> Thank you, Pastor Bean.

18:14First item on the agenda is our public

18:16hearing on the zoning petition of Julia

18:18Wall, Wall Family of North Carolina LLC,

18:22Jennifer Job, James Martin Serber Jr.,

18:25and James Martin Serber the III from RS

18:2920 and GI to LIS, Limited Industrial

18:33Special Zoning. And that's the zoning

18:35docket F-1669.

18:38I'd like to call on Chris Murphy,

18:39Planning and Development Services

18:41Director, to give us a brief overview of

18:44the request. He's done this twice before

18:47with us.

18:48So, you may begin.

18:55>> I can't promise you brevity, but I will

18:57give you the staff report and the report

18:59of the Planning Board.

19:01Good evening. This is a rezoning request

19:03of F-1669 to rezone a 128.54

19:08acre

19:09tract located at Northwestern side of

19:11Bethania Rural Hall Road, north of

19:12Tobaccoville Road, and the terminus of

19:14Glade Street. And the request is to go

19:16from RS20 and GI to LIS for several

19:21uses under that special use district

19:23request.

19:25This is the subject property shown on

19:27the Forward 2045 Growth Management Area

19:29Plan Map. It is located within GMA 3

19:32Suburban Neighborhoods.

19:36This is the subject property highlighted

19:38in yellow.

19:39Again,

19:40it is case F-1669.

19:44It is about 129 acres. You have

19:46residential property to the east,

19:49some limited business property to the

19:50southeast, some residential property to

19:53the south, and

19:54and southwest, and west, and then you

19:57have some existing GI and GIS property

19:59to the north and northwest.

20:06Subject property outlined in yellow on

20:08the countywide aerial imagery. You do

20:10see a couple of existing farm ponds on

20:13the property. Those are to remain. You

20:14also see some streams

20:17that travel through the central south

20:19central portion of the site.

20:21There is a Duke Energy substation to the

20:25north, and there are power lines that do

20:28traverse this property from the north

20:31northwest to the south southeast, and we

20:33will see those on some of the site

20:34imagery that we have later in this

20:36presentation.

20:37Again, calling attention to this has

20:40been an agricultural use. You do have

20:43some existing single-family homes

20:45located around the perimeter, along with

20:47some industrial to the north, and some

20:50limited business uses across Bethania

20:53Rural Hall Road.

20:57Subject property shown on the Rural Hall

21:00Area Plan Update. This is the subject

21:03property, and it is in a purple color,

21:05and that purple color represents the

21:07recommendation for a mixed-use

21:09development.

21:10Mixed-use in this context is a

21:12um

21:13could consist of residential along with

21:15other commercial and institutional uses.

21:19And that is the recommendation that came

21:20out of that plan, which was adopted in

21:222016.

21:25Again, it does have surrounding

21:27residential and commercial around it and

21:30some industrial to uh the north.

21:35I'm going to go through a few site

21:36images now. This is looking north from

21:38Bethania Rural Hall Road into the

21:39subject property.

21:42This is looking south along Bethania

21:44Rural Hall Road at the Rural Hall town

21:46hall. Subject property would be on the

21:49right-hand side of this image uh on that

21:51north side of Bethania Rural Hall Road.

21:55This is looking east along Bethania

21:57Rural Hall Road. The subject property is

21:59on the left.

22:01This is looking northwest on on Glade

22:03Street, uh and Glade Street is proposed

22:05to extend into the subject property as

22:07an emergency access.

22:09And that is uh this is the location

22:11where that terminus would be. This is

22:13that northern terminus of Glade Street,

22:15and this is where a proposed secondary

22:17interest would be, but it would be gated

22:18and used for only emergency purposes.

22:22Uh this is looking east from Glade

22:24Street at downtown Rural Hall.

22:28This is looking north into the subject

22:29property from just north of Nazareth

22:31Lutheran Church. Uh this is one of the

22:33ponds on the site that is proposed to

22:35remain.

22:38Again, looking north into the subject

22:39property.

22:41Looking north into the subject property

22:42along where the existing uh power lines

22:45are located, and you see the substation

22:46in the background.

22:48Uh that's this feature here where the

22:50topography goes down and then rises back

22:53up. This is one of those stream

22:54features.

22:57Uh this is the site plan. The site plan

23:00is composed of three two-story buildings

23:03with a maximum height of 85 ft.

23:06Uh each of those buildings

23:08each of those floors in those buildings

23:10is approximately 187,000 sq ft. So, each

23:13building is over 360,000 sq ft.

23:17If that math is right. Uh and is a

23:19proposed to be right around 1.2 to 1.3

23:22million total square feet. You do see

23:24that the buildings

23:26under this site plan have a north-south

23:29orientation and they do have outdoor

23:32equipment yards where generators and air

23:35handling units will be located. And

23:37whenever I get to the next image, I

23:39think it's the next image, you'll see

23:40what those buildings will look like. You

23:42do have one primary exit here off of the

23:44main entrance and exit off of Bethany

23:45Road Hall Road. You have the emergency

23:48exit off of Glade.

23:51Um you do have some proposed stormwater

23:53management ponds and there is this area

23:55that's been set aside as potential

23:57parkland to be dedicated to the town of

23:59Rural Hall.

24:01Again, substation, power lines pulling

24:04through the site, streams

24:07running through the middle of the site.

24:11This is

24:12one of the

24:13elevations of what the building would

24:15look like. Tilt-up concrete panels with

24:17some brick accents.

24:19Uh you also have a 30-plus foot tall

24:23noise attainment wall where the

24:24generators and some of the air handling

24:25equipment would be behind those

24:28behind that feature.

24:30There will also be some some of those

24:32type panels on the roof for the

24:34um

24:35air handling units that would be on top

24:36of the roof.

24:40This is looking a little bit closer at

24:42some of the outdoor equipment area.

24:43Again, this is the one of the proposed

24:45buildings. This is where the air

24:47handling and generator units would be

24:49and again this would be proposed to be

24:51enclosed with this fencing structure

24:54here that would help

24:57with some of the noise.

25:02Similar image, this is talk there are

25:06some similar type noise attainment

25:08features on top of the roof where some

25:10of the air handling equipment will be

25:12and this is a decorative fence that

25:14would be

25:16visible from public ways.

25:19And the entire site is proposed to be

25:21fenced.

25:23Um, but this decorative fence is what

25:25would be seen from public ways.

25:28Uh, this is a cut sheet and isometric of

25:31some of those air handling units.

25:34I will if there's any questions that

25:35need to be asked about that, I will

25:37defer to the petitioner, but again this

25:39was included as part of the

25:41request.

25:44Looking at the environmental features

25:45which I've already touched on, you do

25:47have again several streams that run

25:49through the property. You have the

25:51existing farm ponds. You have some

25:53proposed storm water management ponds.

25:55You have some buffer areas to remain

25:57around the edge and you have some buffer

25:59yards that will be installed. Again,

26:01streams running to the southwestern

26:03portion of the site.

26:05And the site does slope down obviously

26:07to those streams.

26:09As following that natural topography.

26:14At one of your earlier briefings, there

26:16was a request to

26:18examine whether or not the westernmost

26:21building could be reconfigured in a way

26:23that would

26:24um,

26:26lessen some of the impact to the homes

26:28along that western boundary. They took

26:30the rectangular building and have turned

26:32it more into a square building still

26:33getting the same square footage which

26:35allowed that building to be concentrated

26:36more to the northern portion of the site

26:39as opposed to extending

26:41uh, down in this area.

26:45So again, instead of a north-south

26:47orientation is more of a square

26:48orientation and centered or moved more

26:50towards the northern portion of the

26:52site.

26:56This is the revised

26:59condition related to the

27:02decibel level

27:04through some of those discussions with

27:05the petitioner.

27:07They have modified that condition

27:12going down to a 55 decibel versus a 60

27:15what was originally proposed and the

27:16request was to go down to 50. They split

27:19the difference and went to a 55 decibel

27:20level that they can attain.

27:22And so that is modified in your special

27:25use permit should it be issued and it's

27:28also in the written consent to

27:29conditions that's in your pocket. This

27:31is the revised set of conditions and

27:33B and C were the only things that were

27:35changed in that written consent to

27:36conditions, but again you do have that

27:38revised set in your pocket.

27:43>> [sighs]

27:43>> Provide a little bit of summation.

27:47We've been [clears throat]

27:49reviewing this and looking at this and

27:51talking about this since early 2026.

27:55Um

27:56and from where the plan came in to where

27:59it is today, great strides have been

28:02made to make this a site plan that can

28:05be approved and to make this something

28:07that would

28:08lessen the impact to the surrounding

28:09property owner. The developer you know

28:11worked very hard on this plan.

28:14Uh staff worked with them, gave them

28:17conditions of approval to mitigate the

28:19potential visual, auditory, and

28:20environmental impacts of the request.

28:23But however, the scale and intensity of

28:25the proposed use

28:27staff and the planning board both feel

28:28like could result in significant offsite

28:30impacts to nearby residents despite

28:32these conditions.

28:35The proposal is inconsistent with the

28:36Rural Hall Area Plan updates

28:38recommendation for mixed use development

28:40of the subject property.

28:42And the request is also inconsistent

28:43with the recommendations of Forward 2045

28:45to protect neighborhoods from

28:47inappropriate non-residential

28:48encroachment.

28:51This was heard by the planning board at

28:52their June 11th, 2026 public hearing.

28:55There were numerous speakers in

28:57opposition. As you see, there are

28:59numerous folks here tonight as well

29:01that spoke related to concerns to the

29:04incompatibility of the use with

29:06surrounding uses, the potential impact

29:08to property values,

29:10impact to the environment, the impact of

29:13noise, and the inconsistency with

29:15Forward 2045 and the Rural Hall Area

29:17Plan update.

29:19Following the public hearing and

29:20extensive discussion at the planning

29:22board level, the planning board did vote

29:24to recommend denial of this request by a

29:267-2 vote.

29:28And with that, I'll be glad to answer

29:30any questions.

29:31Any questions for Chris?

29:35Thank you very much.

29:37This is a public hearing

29:40and on July 9th, the Board of

29:41Commissioners voted to extend the public

29:44hearing time to a total of 1 hour.

29:47Speakers will have up to 30 minutes

29:49total to speak in favor of this request

29:52and up to 30 minutes total to speak in

29:55opposition.

29:57Due to the large number of attendees

29:59tonight and to ensure that voices are

30:02heard multiple, it is recommended that a

30:06spokesperson be appointed so you have

30:08several people who could perhaps speak

30:10for a group. And with the within the 30

30:15minutes, we're going to have speakers

30:17will be limited to 3 minutes each.

30:19However, if there were any time left

30:21over, we'll keep the 30 minutes on one

30:23timer, the 3 minutes on another. If

30:26there was any time left over within the

30:2730 with with folks going along, we could

30:30certainly have another 3 minute speaker.

30:33So, at that point, I'm going to get I'll

30:36wait till the first person comes up, but

30:38is there anyone wishing to speak in

30:40favor of the petition? This is in

30:42support of the data center.

30:49Correct. Come right up. If you're here,

30:51just give us your name

30:53and address.

30:59Let me get my timer set correctly.

31:05>> [clears throat]

31:10>> 3 minute timer set and the three minutes

31:12gives your name and address and we're

31:13ready to go.

31:15>> My name is Morty Serber. I live at 8094

31:18Glade Street.

31:20Uh Chairman Morton and South County

31:21Commissioners, I'm here to speak on

31:24behalf of the land owners.

31:26Julia Wall, uh James Serber the third,

31:31uh Julia Wall Serber, my wife, and Brian

31:35and Jennifer Wall Joe.

31:38When people ask why our family made the

31:40decision to sell this land,

31:42I think it's important to start with our

31:44history.

31:45The Wall family has called this farm

31:47home for over 100 years.

31:49My wife and her siblings are the fourth

31:51generation to care for this land.

31:55Their great-grandfather, grandfather,

31:57and father invested their lives here.

32:00I met my wife Julie in 1979

32:04after serving in the US Navy.

32:06After we were married, we built our home

32:09on the back side of the farm

32:11and raised our family there.

32:14I [clears throat] was raised 2 miles

32:15from the farm on Tuttle Road.

32:20Our roots run very deep in this

32:21community.

32:23Anyone that has farmed understands how

32:25much blood, sweat, and tears

32:27goes in we put into the land.

32:31We've also been blessed to

32:34enjoy the benefits of learning from the

32:36past generations.

32:38We've learned the rewards of hard work.

32:41The farm has had many agricultural uses

32:43through the years, including tobacco,

32:46dairy, beef cattle, horse,

32:49and horse breeding operations, along

32:52with raising all the grain, hay, and

32:54silage to feed all the livestock.

32:59My wife's father, Ed, had a saying that

33:01always made people smile.

33:05He said, "He couldn't get rid of any of

33:07his children. They just brought more

33:08home with them."

33:11And now we've raised the fifth

33:13generation,

33:14and the sixth generation is growing and

33:16learning on the farm today.

33:19This land isn't just where we live, it's

33:22how we lived.

33:24I want to be clear this was not a easy

33:26decision. Like so many family farms,

33:28times have changed.

33:31Many changes have occurred along the

33:32property line.

33:34>> [clears throat and snorts]

33:34>> Several businesses have moved in,

33:36concrete mixing companies,

33:39garbage companies,

33:41paving companies,

33:43mulch, pallet grinding companies.

33:46They've all changed the purpose of our

33:50farm.

33:51We're not able to do with the livestock

33:53what we once did along the property

33:55lines.

33:56>> [cough]

33:57[clears throat]

33:57>> It's become an expensive hobby, and

34:00most years you're lucky even to break

34:02even.

34:03>> [clears throat]

34:04>> While many families invested in

34:05retirement accounts, our family invested

34:08in the land.

34:10Rural life has changed, too. What once

34:11was a quiet farming community has grown,

34:14and today even driving a tractor on

34:16Bethany Rural Hall Road

34:18is a safety concern.

34:20>> [clears throat and cough]

34:20>> Mr. Server,

34:22let me just I was going to try to stick

34:23to my opportunities. You may return, but

34:26I was going to stop you in 3 minutes and

34:29see if we could have another speaker,

34:31and then if we don't have any, you can

34:32come back and we have our 30 minutes,

34:34so.

34:35>> All right.

34:35>> If there's another speaker, please come

34:37forward.

34:54>> I'm here on behalf of the town of Rural

34:56Hall. I'm the current mayor, Terry

34:59Bennett. Live at 267 Spring Ridge Road.

35:03I'm coming up because it probably would

35:05fall under the four because we made a

35:08decision to support it.

35:11Chairman, commissioners, and members of

35:13the public, thank you for the

35:15opportunity to speak. My name is Terry

35:17Bennett and I serve as mayor of Rural

35:20Hall. I'm here tonight on the behalf of

35:22the Rural Hall Town Council to explain

35:25why the council voted to support the

35:28proposed project Iron Spur.

35:31Um

35:33this has not been an easy decision for

35:35our community. Over the past several

35:38months,

35:39residents have expressed concerns,

35:42uh sincere concerns regarding traffic,

35:45noise, water resources, environmental

35:47impacts, view sheds, and the overall

35:50character of northern Forsyth County.

35:54Those concerns are real. They deserve to

35:56be heard and they should continue to be

35:58considered uh throughout this process.

36:02I and town and our town council share

36:05many of those same concerns when this

36:08proposal was first presented.

36:11However, after months of meetings with

36:13the developer, county officials, state

36:16officials, and members of our community,

36:19one fact became increasingly clear.

36:22The town of Rural Hall does not have the

36:25legal authority to determine whether

36:27this property develops.

36:29That authority rests with Forsyth

36:31County.

36:33As a municipality without zoning

36:35jurisdiction over this property, our

36:37decision was never between approving or

36:40denying the project. Instead, our

36:43decision was whether to remain on the

36:46sidelines or engage constructively in an

36:50in an effort to protect the long-term

36:53interests of our community if the if

36:56this project moves forward.

36:58We [clears throat] chose engagement.

37:00Our support should not be interpreted as

37:02an unconditional endorsement of every

37:05aspect of this proposal. Rather, it

37:08reflects our belief that if a project of

37:10this magnitude is ultimately approved,

37:14Rural Hall has a responsibility to work

37:16towards the outcomes that benefits our

37:19residents while helping mitigate impacts

37:22where possible.

37:24Our community will bear many of the

37:26demands association associated with this

37:29development. Our roads, emergency

37:32service, local government

37:34will experience increased demands over

37:36time.

37:38If those impacts are going to occur, it

37:40is only reasonable that the community

37:43sharing

37:44those responsibilities

37:46also share in the long-term economic

37:49benefits created by this project.

37:52That principle guided our decision.

37:56>> Mr. Mayor, are you close if you're

37:58close, you can finish up.

38:01All right. If you want you can come back

38:03later.

38:03>> Yeah, let me come back because I want to

38:05make sure we cover all that.

38:08>> Another speaker.

38:20>> Good evening, Chairman Martin, members

38:22of the board. I'm Michael Fess, the

38:23project manager for Iron Project Iron

38:26Spur. I wanted to address two things

38:27tonight. First one, the property value

38:30concern that was brought up at the last

38:32meeting, as well as um

38:35staff's two plan consistency findings.

38:38The concern we heard the most about a

38:40project this size was that it could

38:42lower the property values of nearby

38:43homes. That concern deserves a serious

38:46answer, and I want to give two.

38:48The first is the evidence. Two studies

38:51have been performed, one by George Mason

38:53University, a peer-reviewed study, and a

38:55second performed by a certified

38:57appraisal

38:59um firm out in Indiana. Both of those

39:01came to the same conclusion. Homes near

39:04the data centers rose in value

39:07essentially at the same rate as the

39:10surrounding county.

39:12Um

39:13two studies, two very different methods,

39:16the same answer. But we don't ask these

39:18families to rely on those studies alone.

39:21At our steering committee meeting on May

39:235th, the residents themselves asked

39:26whether the developer, the applicant,

39:28would compensate them if their values

39:30declined as a direct direct result of

39:33this project. I'm going to repeat that.

39:35The members of the steering committee

39:37requested that a a fund be put together

39:40on May 5th.

39:42The $2 million property value protection

39:44fund is our answer, and it's dedicated

39:46to the single-family homes closest to

39:48the project.

39:50And we didn't define closest loosely.

39:52So, we um handed out this sheet here,

39:56which has 56 properties on it, um all

39:59located within that 500-ft boundary.

40:07Those combined tax values of those prop

40:09residential properties are about 10 and

40:111/2 million dollars. Against that $2

40:14million fund, And covers roughly 19% of

40:17the combined value. Even in the scenario

40:19the research calls unlikely, real money

40:22is set aside in advance to stand behind

40:24those owners owners before a single

40:26foundation is poured. And it will be

40:28binding, tied to voluntary annexation

40:31into the town of Rural Hall or secured

40:34through a developer agreement with the

40:35town. No ordinance

40:38uh requires it. We're offering it

40:39because the families two streets over

40:41should not carry the risk of our

40:43investment.

40:46With the commitments on the table, let

40:47me turn to staff's two consistency

40:49findings. One was protect neighborhoods

40:51from inappropriate non-residential

40:53encroachment, and two the inconsistent

40:55with the Rural Hall Area Plan Update.

40:58The first finding concerns compatibility

41:01with the neighborhood. Goal four of the

41:032045

41:04plan's managed growth and land use

41:07chapter aims to create compatible

41:09transitions between land uses.

41:12The transition elements of our project

41:15include significant buffers ranging from

41:17four times the minimum width to over

41:201,000 ft,

41:22preserving 76% of the open as site as

41:25open space, excluding closed-loop

41:28cooling systems.

41:29>> Okay. Can I can you bring that thought

41:31to a close and we'll switch to another

41:33speaker?

41:34>> Absolutely.

41:36>> Mr. Kim, come come ahead.

41:38>> Thank you.

41:48Thank you all.

41:50>> Good afternoon commissioner and chairman

41:52and members of the community. My name is

41:54Carl Borgon. I'm from Germantown, North

41:56Carolina. Lived there 38 years. I've

41:58been working in data center and

42:00infrastructure technologies for over 30

42:02years, starting out in the mid-90s

42:04uh with uh

42:06um US Airways

42:08at Madison Park and then also at Lowe's

42:10Home Improvement Madison Park. after

42:13that. I've also worked for for several

42:15years at Wachovia Bank at Silas Creek

42:17and 4 and 1/2 Street.

42:19I have a extensive experience in

42:22data center infrastructures. The last

42:24several years I've been

42:25a senior infrastructure project program

42:28manager for Dell and DXC working on

42:31technologies all over the world.

42:34Because of this this is my experience.

42:36I've worked in data centers

42:38most of my life. Mostly as an engineer

42:41for many years.

42:42So the sound the there's the

42:46the

42:47you know there's just many different

42:49um

42:51jobs that are also

42:53very important. You know you've got HVAC

42:55jobs. You have special

42:57fiber specialist, network specialist,

42:59security officers, custodians,

43:01landscape, construction workers, project

43:04managers, many other skilled

43:05professionals in the area. And so

43:08there's been a lot of discussion about

43:09data centers

43:11and the experience

43:12they're the most cleanest, carefully

43:15maintained work environments

43:18of any industry and stuff. They're also

43:21temperature controlled, humidity

43:23controlled, and air quality very tight

43:25because of the equipment.

43:27And stuff. And so they're they're not

43:29noisy. They're very

43:30quiet for say inside the data center.

43:34We also had phones all over the um

43:39data center floor where we would talk on

43:40the phones. So if you're sitting in a

43:42really loud environment, you can't talk

43:44on a phone. But we were able to we

43:46didn't have cell phones at the time. We

43:48talked on the wall. Um

43:51now the

43:52technology

43:54you know the technology has all changed.

43:58And um

44:01over the last year I've come up with a

44:04nonprofit organization called Pine Hall

44:06Disabled Veterans. Our mission is to

44:08help disabled veterans in late and

44:10at-risk veterans rebuild their lives

44:12through transitional housing, workforce

44:14development, and training. As part of

44:16our mission, we're developing a data

44:18center infrastructure training program

44:20for South for uh

44:23Forsyth County. We're also working with

44:25Forsyth Technical Community College to

44:27create a training program in Danbury and

44:30eventually on our campus when we secure

44:32a location. Our goal is not just

44:34training veterans. We're also giving

44:36high school graduates and college

44:37students from Stokes and Forsyth County

44:40the opportunity to learn a valuable

44:41technical skills, so they're able to

44:43take and come

44:45and and have something other than just

44:48coming out of school and moving to

44:50Charlotte or Raleigh or someplace else

44:52because of jobs. We need jobs in our

44:54area.

44:55>> Yeah, if you can just finish the

44:56sentence.

44:57>> Okay. And so uh I'm

44:59um

45:02Yeah, we're I've spent traveling over

45:04the United States building data centers

45:06all over the world, and they're the most

45:07cleanest best environments that you can

45:10have to live in.

45:11>> Thank you.

45:12>> And um

45:13That's it.

45:14Is there another another speaker in

45:16support?

45:20>> Good evening, Commissioners. Scott

45:22Castle. I have multiple homes within the

45:24500 um foot distance of this proposed

45:27project. I've been in the community

45:30since 1991. I'm a retired Winston-Salem

45:33fire captain, firefighter EMT with

45:36specialty in hazardous materials as a

45:38technician, fire inspector, and rail car

45:40emergency responders. I have a degree in

45:43fire protection and I'm a licensed

45:45general contractor. I've been

45:47trying to use my training and experience

45:49to understand this proposal

45:52and um see what's the benefits to our

45:54community.

45:56Um I've had the opportunity to sit with

45:58community members on a steering

45:59committee addressing the concerns on the

46:01data center. We've discussed issues with

46:04decibel level noise, water usage,

46:06buffers, building elevations, design,

46:08low candle power directional, security

46:11entrance, etc. Let me just illustrate

46:14one point of noise in decibels. The

46:18maximum decibel level is said to be no

46:20more than 55 decibels at the property

46:23line. The inverse square law says that

46:26sound will drop 6 decibels for every

46:28doubling of distance under open air

46:31conditions. Buffers such as trees, sound

46:34barriers further reduce the noise.

46:36According to the planning commission,

46:37the detailed sound barriers of 30 ft

46:40surrounding all this equipment further

46:44uh makes this issue less concerning. The

46:47town of Rural Hall has been a major

46:48thoroughfare bordering Forsyth and

46:51Stokes. Old 52 Broad Street,

46:54Route 66 has been used for years as the

46:56core transportation road through this

46:58town. Highway 65, Rural Hall Bethania

47:01Road is the gateway to our two largest

47:03business parks, North Ridge Business

47:05Park and Forum Parkway. These two

47:08industrial areas have been in existence

47:10since 1980. They contain acreage four

47:13times larger than this proposal and the

47:16one mile down the road.

47:18Um

47:21one of the things that is is been in

47:24there and one of the signs, Rural Hall,

47:27um

47:28is keep it rural. Rural Hall is not

47:31rural anymore. It hasn't been for 20

47:34years due to the traffic and the

47:36business parks that are here. It's a

47:38nice slogan, but it's not accurate.

47:41Um

47:44To the east of the proposed site is the

47:45Yadkin Valley Railroad that came into

47:47town in 1881.

47:50Um it comes out of Winston-Salem and

47:52goes to the Yadkin Valley in Mount Airy

47:54every day. This

47:56uh depot is a major off loading site for

47:59Colonial Pipeline that usually 100 rail

48:02cars are located and stored in this

48:04town. The noise decibel of this train

48:07and this traffic is 110 decibels on a

48:10daily basis. The train depot alone is a

48:13significant higher hazard than this data

48:15center could ever be. To the north of

48:18grade street, we have general industrial

48:20businesses for site ready mix, ABC

48:22garbage, Stanly Road Paving, former

48:24Grady Furniture, AJ Pallet, former

48:27Yadkin Valley Mechanical, Spainhour

48:29Grading, Ken Gardner Company, Siemens

48:32Turbo Propane, Lantal Textiles, the

48:35Lowe's Truck Stop.

48:38>> Good. I'll see him come back.

48:50>> Good evening.

48:52My name is Donna Clayton. I live at 230

48:54Gaither Road. And I was an educator for

48:5621 years. I'll be honest with you. I'm

48:58not standing up here tonight as a tech

49:00guru or an expert on data centers. I'm

49:03standing here as someone whose heart is

49:04still very much in our classrooms.

49:07Every

49:08Even [clears throat] after stepping out

49:09of school building, you never really

49:10stop thinking about the kids in the

49:12county. You worry about their future.

49:14You care about their opportunities. And

49:15you want to make sure that they have

49:17every possible tool to succeed.

49:20This is the single reason I'm here

49:22tonight. I will always stand up for our

49:24school system. And I will always

49:25advocate for projects that have the

49:27genuine potential to support our

49:29students.

49:30When we talk about public education, we

49:32eventually have to talk about resources.

49:34We all want the best for our schools,

49:36updated facilities, competitive pay for

49:37our teachers, and modern tools for our

49:39students. But as anyone in education

49:41will tell you, these things take

49:43funding.

49:44That brings me to why I support the

49:46project. A data center campus on this

49:48scale represents a massive, reliable

49:50addition to our county's tax base. But

49:52what makes it truly unique and honestly

49:54a rare opportunity for our community is

49:56that it doesn't demand what it doesn't

49:58demand in return. When a new housing

50:00development comes in, it brings

50:02families. That's wonderful for our

50:04community, but it also means more kids

50:06in our halls, larger class sizes, and a

50:08higher cost for the county to serve

50:10those students. A data center does the

50:12exact opposite. It becomes a major,

50:14stable taxpayer, but it doesn't add a

50:17single child to a classroom roster. It

50:19expands our tax base without putting an

50:21extra strain on our school

50:22infrastructure. Beyond that,

50:25this isn't a

50:26here-today-and-gone-tomorrow business.

50:28Data centers involve long-term,

50:30multi-decade investments. They don't

50:32operate on a short-term boom-and-bust

50:34cycle. Now, I'm a realist,

50:36and I don't [clears throat] expect a

50:37single development to magically

50:39transform our classrooms overnight. But,

50:41over the long haul, this kind of

50:43durable, steady funding can make a

50:45quiet, powerful difference in the

50:46quality of education we can offer year

50:49after year. And finally, I want to think

50:51about what happens after graduation day.

50:53Every year, we watch incredible young

50:55people walk across the stage, diploma in

50:57hand, and every year too many of them

50:59pack up their bags and leave our county

51:01because they feel they have to go

51:02somewhere else to find a good-paying

51:03career.

51:04Data center campuses require a wide

51:06range of skilled technical roles,

51:08electricians, HVAC specialists, network

51:11technicians, security professionals, and

51:13facility engineers.

51:15Many of these high-demand jobs don't

51:18require a four-year college degree or

51:20massive student loan debt. They require

51:22solid technical training, strong

51:23problem-solving skills, and a good work

51:25ethic.

51:27This project gives our local kids a

51:28real, well-paying career pathway right

51:30here at our home. It gives them a reason

51:32and a financial ability to build their

51:34lives, buy their homes, and raise their

51:36own families right here in the county

51:37that raised them. When I look at this

51:39project, I don't see just server racks

51:41and concrete. I see a stronger tax base

51:44for our schools, and I see a future

51:45where our kids don't have to move away

51:47to thrive. Imagine what this looks like

51:50in practice. It gives our local high

51:51schools and CTE programs a different

51:53target to aim for. We can partner with

51:55these facilities to create

51:57apprenticeships, technical

51:58certifications, and hands-on training

52:00while our kids are still in school.

52:03>> Yeah, can I interrupt you? Sorry.

52:05What's the 3-minute part?

52:06>> I got you.

52:14>> Hello, my name is Joe Royce and I live

52:15at 772 Ashley Drive in Rural Hall. I

52:17come here tonight in support of the

52:19proposed data center to be built in

52:21Rural Hall. Approving this plan isn't

52:23abandoning Rural Hall's character. It

52:25complements the existing adjacent

52:27industrial development and provides a

52:29transitional zoning path from general

52:32industrial to light industrial to

52:33commercial, business, and residential

52:35uses.

52:36I would like to read you a quote from a

52:39statement published by the Catawba

52:40County Economic Development Corporation.

52:43"Data centers typically generate

52:45substantial property value due to the

52:47scale of the buildings, equipment, and

52:49technology infrastructure involved.

52:51At the same time, they generally place

52:53lower demand on traditional multiple

52:55services for many other types of

52:57developments. They do not typically

52:59create significant school enrollment

53:01growth, daily

53:03daily commuter traffic, solid waste

53:06collection needs, or frequent police and

53:07fire calls for service.

53:09That combination matters to residents in

53:11a practical way. New taxable investment

53:14helps pay for these services and roofs

53:16and proves communities

53:18count on, including firefighters, police

53:20officers, public safety equipment,

53:23parks, roads, water and sewer

53:25improvements, and other local needs.

53:27When major investments help carry that

53:29cost, residents and small businesses are

53:32not left carrying it alone. Today's

53:34modern data centers, like the ones in

53:36Catawba County, use closed-loop cooling,

53:39even uh newer technology in their

53:41operations. They are not using the open

53:43loop systems that have been associated

53:45with high water intensity. Newer

53:47facilities are implementing different

53:49infrastructure and sound barrier

53:51barriers to help eliminate the effects

53:54many have been vocal about. And the myth

53:56that it raises electric bills can be

53:58traced to the White House Ratepayer

54:01Protection Pledge, the Ratepayer

54:04Protection Act HR 99340,

54:07and in North Carolina, the North

54:08Carolina Utilities Commission set rates

54:10through a regulated process.

54:13Services

54:14we rely on such as banks, hospitals, and

54:16even grocery stores depend on the

54:18availability of data storage and

54:20processing that can provided by projects

54:22like this. Not to mention the the

54:24majority of the general public uses

54:26these facilities every day without even

54:28knowing it. Anytime you're on social

54:30media, using your smartphone, browsing

54:32the internet, using Google Maps to get

54:34somewhere, which I imagine many people

54:36use that to get here tonight, tracking a

54:39package delivery, or even watching

54:41Netflix, you're using a data center.

54:43Data AI

54:45and cloud storage are here, and it's

54:46here to stay. We should be showing

54:48support for it, capitalizing on the

54:50positive effects it can have, or other

54:54option

54:55it's to stand back, and keep our hands

54:57in our pockets, and let the other

54:59countries take the lead, and we know

55:01what consequences of that will be. So,

55:03tonight I hope you will support the

55:05project and vote for it. Let's open the

55:07window for opportunity for this county,

55:09and be a leader for others to follow.

55:11Thank you.

55:14>> We have 6 minutes left, so we can

55:16probably get two almost two speakers in.

55:34>> Good evening, board

55:35members, mem- neighbors, and everyone

55:38attending on this beautiful day.

55:40My name is Bishop Albert Saunders. I

55:42serve as senior pastor of the Great New

55:44Hope of Faith Love Connection Church.

55:46I don't I do don't understand I do stand

55:50before you tonight not as an engineer or

55:53developer

55:54or a zone expert. I stand before you as

55:58a pastor, a man who spent years walking

56:02alongside families in the community,

56:05celebrating baptism,

56:08having funeral services.

56:10Because I know this community, I care

56:13deeply about the future.

56:16When we talk about

56:18stewardship, we often think about

56:20protecting what we have. But I believe

56:23stewardship also means using the

56:26resource God has given us wisely to

56:29create the opportunity for future

56:31generation.

56:33This proposal dental center present more

56:37than more than just other construction

56:39project. I represent investment, jobs,

56:43present growth, it present opportunity

56:46to strengthen our local economy, while

56:49preparing our community for the future.

56:52As a pastor, I see young people looking

56:55meaningful career without having to

56:57leave home, see families hoping that

57:01they'll have to find a job somewhere

57:02else. I see churches, schools, and

57:04community organization that benefit when

57:07a community economically is healthy.

57:10Growth and preparation

57:12do not have to compete or with one

57:15another. We can work together when

57:18development is done to

57:21to faithfully represent to us.

57:24What we

57:25What has encouraged me about this

57:27project is that developer has

57:30demonstrated a willingness to listen,

57:32engage with the community, and working

57:35towards being good neighbors. That

57:37matters, relationship matters, that

57:39trust matters. I believe this project

57:41can provide a long-term benefit while

57:44respecting people who already call

57:46themselves community home. Tonight, I

57:49respectfully

57:51ask you to consider supporting the

57:53zoning request, not simply because of

57:56what we built, but because of what we

57:58can help build stronger family, greater

58:02opportunity, economy, growth, and hope,

58:05and expand our community. Thank you for

58:08your time and your service in the

58:10community in following

58:12Allow me to share my heart with you, and

58:15may God bless you, and thank you for all

58:17you doing in the community.

58:18>> Thank you.

58:19I probably time for one more.

58:23Got 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

58:25>> 45 seconds.

58:29>> All right, I'll jump right right into

58:31it.

58:32All right, to to our knowledge, no other

58:35proposal offers this combination of

58:37benefits. It preserves about 76% of

58:41property as open space while generating

58:43tax revenue for county services,

58:46schools, and public safety. If this land

58:47is going to change, we wanted it to

58:50change into something that benefits the

58:51community and the county.

58:54Another vivid saying has stayed with me.

58:57He always believed we could accomplish

58:59what we do on less expensive land.

59:03Looking back,

59:05I know he was right.

59:07>> [snorts]

59:07>> All the property owners agreed to this

59:09decision. We know we carry a deeper

59:12responsibility

59:13than anyone to protect this land. We've

59:17loved it, we've worked it, and cared for

59:19it for nearly a century.

59:22At the end of the day, this isn't about

59:24giving something up. It's about choosing

59:27what this land is the best suited for

59:29next.

59:31Our family has chosen a future that

59:33honors our legacy,

59:35protects the land, benefits our

59:37community,

59:39and allows us to continue farming the

59:42way the Wall family has for generations

59:45to come.

59:47Thank you for your time and

59:48consideration.

59:50>> You

59:51actually have a minute and 18 seconds

59:53left. If there's anyone else that wants

59:55to say a word, quickly.

1:00:00>> Mr. City Attorney, what Mayor, won't we

1:00:02let her let her

1:00:09>> Hello.

1:00:12My name is Antoine Salisbury,

1:00:15and I have the privilege of representing

1:00:17Neil AI, probably recognized as North

1:00:19Carolina's first black-owned artificial

1:00:21intelligence software and commercial

1:00:23robotics company.

1:00:25We're not here today because this

1:00:26project benefits our company alone.

1:00:29We're here because we believe it

1:00:30benefits our company, our community, our

1:00:33economy, and the next generation.

1:00:36This isn't simply about building another

1:00:38data center.

1:00:39Every artificial intelligence platform,

1:00:42every cloud application,

1:00:44every autonomous robot, every smart

1:00:46hospital, every modern manufacturer,

1:00:49every school embracing AI,

1:00:52depends on data centers.

1:00:55Without them, there is no AI economy.

1:00:58And if North Carolina wants to remain a

1:01:00leader

1:01:01in innovation, advanced manufacturing,

1:01:04and technology, we must invest in the

1:01:07infrastructure that powers it.

1:01:10As a local AI company,

1:01:12we've had a front-row seat to how

1:01:14quickly this industry is growing.

1:01:17Businesses across every sector are

1:01:19asking for AI solutions, robotics,

1:01:22automation, and cloud computing.

1:01:25Those technologies don't run on ideas

1:01:27alone.

1:01:28They run on reliable, secure,

1:01:30high-performance data centers.

1:01:32>> Thank you.

1:01:33We've reached our time, all right. Thank

1:01:35you.

1:01:35>> Thank you, sir. Thank you.

1:01:36>> All right.

1:01:40All right.

1:01:41Is there anyone wishing to speak in

1:01:42opposition to the petition?

1:01:44Do the exact same thing. Come on up. You

1:01:46can introduce and I'll get our timers

1:01:48going.

1:01:50>> My name is James Woodard. I live at 150

1:01:52Presswick Lane in Rural Hall. I'm going

1:01:53to present you guys these petitions.

1:02:05This don't count for me, right?

1:02:07>> Yeah, it is. Let's go.

1:02:11I'll stop for a second.

1:02:12>> Thank you.

1:02:14All right. What I put out there are some

1:02:16petitions. They are totaling uh

1:02:17signatures in Rural Hall's 1,243

1:02:20total signatures representing 11 and

1:02:221/2% of the population of the town of

1:02:23Rural Hall.

1:02:25All right. These rules that we have, we

1:02:28I represent a group of people, concerned

1:02:29citizens of Rural Hall. There's about a

1:02:31They're not all in here, but it's about

1:02:32150 or so of us. We're uh

1:02:35fairly well organized. We ran We kind of

1:02:37run the gamut from

1:02:39farmers, teachers, preachers,

1:02:40educational professionals, medical

1:02:42professionals, things of the like to

1:02:43just everyday folks.

1:02:45Uh we want to start out by saying we

1:02:48agree with the Plan Forward 2045. We

1:02:50agree very much with the Rural Hall Area

1:02:52Plan Update. We specifically agree with

1:02:56uh Mr. Chris Murphy's statement that

1:02:57even if these conditions are met, there

1:02:59would still be significant offsite

1:03:00impacts.

1:03:02Um that's

1:03:03separate and apart from the millions of

1:03:05forfeited dollars in tax revenue

1:03:07everybody keeps talking about. So,

1:03:09the space designated for mixed use, uh

1:03:11this site is not mixed use in any way.

1:03:13It is one single use and it prevents any

1:03:15further use for any period of time that

1:03:18anybody in this room is going to be

1:03:19here. All right, that's another good

1:03:21reason it's not compatible with the

1:03:22plan. Denial of this project implements

1:03:25the plan rather than simply citing it or

1:03:27paying any kind of lip service to it.

1:03:30Royal Hall residents again are excited

1:03:31to implement that plan. We encourage

1:03:34mixed use as opposed to just one single

1:03:37use which would limit any further

1:03:38potential for earning down the road. Um

1:03:40that being said, I'm going to kind of

1:03:42turn this over to the rest of our group.

1:03:43Sure, thank you.

1:03:51>> Hello, my name is Robin Smith. I live at

1:03:53807 Academy Street in Royal Hall, North

1:03:55Carolina.

1:03:57Um we know Montrose and Ross, but after

1:04:00that there's significant uncertainty.

1:04:02There are at least three layers between

1:04:04commissioners and the party using the

1:04:06end user of the data center. Each

1:04:08transfer dilutes whatever assurances are

1:04:10made on July 30th a little further.

1:04:14Project Iornsfer wants to build on land

1:04:16currently zoned residential and plan for

1:04:18mixed use if sold. The professionals at

1:04:20the planning board studied this area and

1:04:22feel mixed use is the best fit. Iornsfer

1:04:25is the only data center that I

1:04:27researched not zoned industrial for

1:04:29significant period of time before the

1:04:31data center was built.

1:04:35Noise issues are not a problem of the

1:04:37past as been told by you guys.

1:04:39Um there are that I know of there are

1:04:41six class action lawsuits filed in the

1:04:43last few months. We obviously still have

1:04:46noise issues from data centers.

1:04:48Um the the main reason for the noise

1:04:50issues is we are we are studying for

1:04:52DBA. That's what everyone's listening

1:04:54for, DBA. What's the DBA?

1:04:57And the problem is the DBC, the low

1:04:59frequency noises.

1:05:01And I know that there was just a an

1:05:03agreement that we would be measuring DBA

1:05:06at 55 from the property level, but we're

1:05:08not measuring DBC.

1:05:11Every standard treatment, screen,

1:05:13louvers, delivers its rate performance

1:05:15on mid and high bands and degrades the

1:05:19degrades sharply between 250 hertz for

1:05:22precisely where the hyperscale data

1:05:24center fans concentrate their energy.

1:05:28So that's the problem. So that's why

1:05:30those lawsuits are happening.

1:05:34And then I'm going to go through one

1:05:35final slide

1:05:36of Amber's here.

1:05:39I've got this well fifth I've got the 15

1:05:41best practices of communities

1:05:42considering data centers. I did look it

1:05:44up.

1:05:46And I I was going to present cuz I

1:05:47thought it was going to be in a

1:05:48different format. It's the very last

1:05:51slide I've got.

1:05:52I was comparing the noise or the Apple

1:05:54data center which I know everyone has

1:05:56visited visited and the Iron Spur

1:05:59proposal and trust me they are vastly

1:06:01different. I wish I could have presented

1:06:02that to you.

1:06:03But as far as noise 50 dB dBA

1:06:07we know Iron Spur is a no. Apple is a

1:06:10yes. Low frequency noise we know that we

1:06:14don't know because we don't know what

1:06:15their DBC rating is going to be. And I

1:06:17can tell you that I when I went to the

1:06:20Apple center I did not hear the Apple

1:06:22center behind the berms.

1:06:24Tier 4 backup generators. We know that

1:06:27they did not make a commitment to that

1:06:29last time Dr. Martin asked.

1:06:31Setbacks required at 500 feet 1,000 feet

1:06:35is ideal. That's ridiculous. I mean

1:06:37they're at like 140 feet setback. That's

1:06:40completely not in their plans.

1:06:42Required natural screenings or principal

1:06:44facades. They do have a principal facade

1:06:47but as compared to Apple who has berms.

1:06:50Limited building height to ensure

1:06:52compatibility with the surrounding

1:06:53structures.

1:06:54I mean this [clears throat] thing is

1:06:55going to be 85 feet three of them. So if

1:06:59you feels best practice is a standard I

1:07:03cannot see how you can vote for rezoning

1:07:05in good faith against the neighbors.

1:07:07Please vote no for rezoning and no for

1:07:10project Iron Spark. Thank you.

1:07:11>> Thank you.

1:07:17>> Hey, my name is Eve and I live on Broad

1:07:19Street in Rural Hall. I understand that

1:07:20we are not here today to talk about the

1:07:22substation that it

1:07:24uh just to talk about the land the

1:07:25substation will sit on. We're here about

1:07:27the rezoning of the land behind it. I

1:07:29encourage you to think outside the box

1:07:31of the data center campus. If you choose

1:07:33to rezone the Wall Farm, this means that

1:07:35the substation based on the proposal

1:07:37will be built on the land I will be

1:07:39showing you today.

1:07:41Our train depot took on the transport of

1:07:42butane about 2 years ago. As you can see

1:07:45from the images, uh the tanker cars hold

1:07:4733,960

1:07:49gallons, so we'll round that to 30,000.

1:07:52On average, there's about 30 butane cars

1:07:54that sit in the railyard. That's roughly

1:07:57900,000 gallons of butane that sit there

1:07:59if not more um each week. In this image,

1:08:02you can see in red where the butane

1:08:04tanker sit. Um I have outlined a portion

1:08:06of the area where the proposed data

1:08:08center campus will be. The other area

1:08:10here is the newest addition to Montrose

1:08:12development, which is where they plan to

1:08:13add a 3-acre substation.

1:08:15I had some videos for you, but given

1:08:17time restraint, I'm going to skip over

1:08:19those, but I'd like to come back if

1:08:20there's time.

1:08:22Um we did have a fire this year already

1:08:25on Anderson, which is a smaller street.

1:08:27Um you're going to have more transfer

1:08:29trucks and things going through there to

1:08:31build that substation area, and one of

1:08:33the trucks this year hit one of the

1:08:35power poles, brought it down, and we had

1:08:36a small fire in that area close to the

1:08:38butane tankers already.

1:08:40Um as you can see, the Duke Power

1:08:42substation

1:08:44um we is very close by, so we will have

1:08:47two large substations sitting on top of

1:08:49the butane tankers. Per the Forsyth

1:08:51County GIS and Montrose development map,

1:08:54this means the distance from the

1:08:55railroad tracks to the substation will

1:08:56be roughly 132 ft.

1:08:59In this image, you can see the fire

1:09:00station sits 0.6 miles from the railyard

1:09:02along with the elementary school. We

1:09:04have a wonderful fire department, but an

1:09:05explosion from these tankers will send

1:09:07shockwaves and metal shrapnel flying for

1:09:09hundreds of yards. Now, imagine 30 of

1:09:12these exploding. You're looking at

1:09:13roughly a mile mile radius fireball.

1:09:16Data centers

1:09:17The data center itself will sit 100 yard

1:09:19a few hundred yards away. Um that data

1:09:21center will hold lithium ion batteries,

1:09:24chemicals for their closed loop system

1:09:26like glycol, nitrate based corrosion

1:09:27inhibitors, diesel. These chemicals and

1:09:30materials also add to the many fire

1:09:32hazards in this area.

1:09:34I would like for you to notice in this

1:09:35image that there is no security around

1:09:38the railroad tracks or the rail yard.

1:09:40Other butane locations have security due

1:09:42to the hazardous nature. Data centers

1:09:45are usually secure locations because

1:09:47they've been known for terrorist

1:09:48targets. Tonight, I've shown you what an

1:09:50easy target this data center can be to a

1:09:52terrorist attack.

1:09:53Data centers do not grow communities,

1:09:55they bury them. Families and businesses

1:09:57help our communities grow and flourish.

1:09:59Please vote no to the rezoning. Help me

1:10:01protect my family. Help protect our

1:10:03community. Don't add more fuel to the

1:10:05fire by adding additional hazards to

1:10:08this area. Next time it won't be some

1:10:10great news story about a corn spill.

1:10:12It'll be catastrophic for our town.

1:10:15Thank you.

1:10:22>> Good evening. My name [clears throat] is

1:10:24Mark Allen. I live at 8717 Makena Court

1:10:28in rural Hall. I have three critical

1:10:30points I'd like to share with you really

1:10:31fast. Montrose has not honored their

1:10:34published values on their website. A

1:10:36hyperscale data center is not limited

1:10:39industrial services A and who we trust

1:10:42in this important rezoning case matters.

1:10:55So,

1:10:57this is a copy of their values um from

1:11:00their website, and I know it looks busy,

1:11:02but that's because they have not

1:11:03followed their values. So, I will

1:11:06simplify it.

1:11:07Each blue arrow points to ways they've

1:11:10conflicted with the values that they

1:11:12published on their website.

1:11:14I don't have time to go through all of

1:11:16them, but for example,

1:11:18Michael told us from Montrose that the

1:11:20air at the the site today likely would

1:11:23not pass air quality standards. [music]

1:11:25His solution is to add 200 diesel

1:11:28generators to the site.

1:11:30If you look at the red box that says

1:11:32community,

1:11:34it says, "Our projects enhance and

1:11:36integrate with the surrounding

1:11:37communities."

1:11:39Commissioners,

1:11:40do you believe 84-ft buildings

1:11:43surrounding homes that integrate and it

1:11:46integrate and enhance the community?

1:11:49This is certainly not the way Apple did

1:11:51it in Maiden.

1:11:54My second point is that a hyperscale

1:11:56data center operating 24/7 with diesel

1:11:59generators on the outside, equipment

1:12:00yards, fuel storage is not limited

1:12:03industrial services A per the UDO. If it

1:12:07met services A, the industrial activity

1:12:10would be on the inside, not the noise

1:12:13and emissions spewing from the outside

1:12:15as shown in the picture here from the

1:12:17Wells Fargo site on Silas Creek Parkway,

1:12:20and remember, Project Iron Spur could be

1:12:23up to 25 times worse if they have 200

1:12:25generators.

1:12:27So, who can be trusted? We've shown that

1:12:30the project management team cannot be

1:12:32trusted. The future owner operator is to

1:12:35afraid to even show up because of

1:12:37opposition is what we've been told. Much

1:12:39of the AI and data center industry hides

1:12:42behind NDAs, shell companies, circular

1:12:45financing.

1:12:47The one entity that Forsyth County knows

1:12:49well

1:12:50that the is the Forsyth Planning Board.

1:12:54The staff, as Chris Murphy said, has

1:12:55done the due diligence over several

1:12:57months. They've openly presented a sound

1:12:59case as to why this rezoning application

1:13:03should be denied.

1:13:06We ask that you trust not a couple of

1:13:08strangers from out of town or an unknown

1:13:10future operator,

1:13:12but put your trust in Forsyth County's

1:13:14well-thought-out plans, planning staff,

1:13:17officials, and the majority of Rural

1:13:19Hall residents.

1:13:23Thank you.

1:13:35>> I am Carol Newsom, 8495 Broad Street. At

1:13:40the March 30th meeting, the project

1:13:42manager presented the potential tax

1:13:44revenue for the county to be between 30

1:13:46and 60 million annually. By the time it

1:13:49got before the Planning Board, that was

1:13:51down to approximately 7.6 million

1:13:55annually.

1:13:56The construction could take up to 4

1:13:58years, and on top of that, it requires

1:14:01another year between the rezoning of

1:14:03being allowed, permitting, and

1:14:05entitlements.

1:14:06Up to 5 years of construction disruption

1:14:09with no large tax revenue.

1:14:11The data center, once operational, will

1:14:13not require many employees, not a large

1:14:16boost in our job market, not a lot to

1:14:19support our communities.

1:14:21The potential tax revenue could be a

1:14:23large sum, and we do need to weigh the

1:14:25benefits against the impacts and the

1:14:27potential risk. And as my community

1:14:29members have already pointed out, we

1:14:32could be betting on a bubble.

1:14:35The true benefit remains a projection

1:14:37rather than a guarantee.

1:14:39What is a guarantee, what is a proven

1:14:41and remains consistent, is that

1:14:44residential and local businesses can

1:14:46reliably provide the tax revenue

1:14:48required for the services that our

1:14:50communities need and want. As

1:14:53represented in Forward 2045 in the Rural

1:14:55Hall Area Plan, a mixed-use

1:14:58development would align with the current

1:15:01character of our small residential town

1:15:03and would allow for the controlled and

1:15:04consistent growth that our community can

1:15:07support without the tremendous impact

1:15:10that a data center would impose.

1:15:12To allow this property to be rezoned to

1:15:14allow for a data

1:15:15data center to go goes against the

1:15:17recommendations in Forward 2045, the

1:15:19Rural Hall Area Plan. It would go

1:15:21against the recommendations the Planning

1:15:23Department and the City County Planning

1:15:25Board voted. And we ask you to recommend

1:15:28them. Project Iron Spur would be

1:15:29inappropriate, non-residential

1:15:32development that would have a

1:15:33significant impact on my community.

1:15:37What the this consideration in this

1:15:39moment represents is American democracy

1:15:42doing exactly what it is supposed to do.

1:15:44Voters deciding what happens in our

1:15:47communities and our elected

1:15:48representatives being asked to be

1:15:50responsive and requiring companies,

1:15:54developers to be held accountable.

1:15:56Please vote denial for the rezoning and

1:15:58allow Rural Hall to grow as we have

1:16:00decided is appropriate for our community

1:16:03and require the developers to do their

1:16:05due diligence and to find a suitable

1:16:07location in Forsyth County to be a good

1:16:10neighbor. Thank you.

1:16:19>> Good afternoon. My name is Ulrike

1:16:21Viethaus.

1:16:22I live on 70

1:16:24794 Academy Street in Rural Hall. And

1:16:27before I begin, I ask that everybody

1:16:29please stand who is against the data

1:16:32center.

1:16:35Thank you.

1:16:37My family and I have lived in Rural Hall

1:16:40for over 30 years. Our home is located

1:16:431.2 miles from the proposed hyperscale

1:16:46data center. North Carolina House Bill

1:16:491189 considers 3 miles as a safe

1:16:53distance from a hyperscale data center

1:16:56due to various kinds of data center

1:16:59pollution which are generated 24/7

1:17:03365

1:17:05days.

1:17:07In my remarks, I first of all I want to

1:17:08thank all of you for your careful

1:17:11consideration

1:17:12of a historically significant decision

1:17:15you are making very shortly. Case F-1669

1:17:19zoning application LIS Services A and

1:17:24for extending our speaking time to 30

1:17:27minutes.

1:17:28I also want to thank the planning board

1:17:30once again for their thoughtful analysis

1:17:33and for upholding the zoning

1:17:35classifications

1:17:37that will be at the center of your vote

1:17:39today.

1:17:41I ask you, the Board of Commissioners,

1:17:43to align your vote with the Planning

1:17:46Board's analysis and conclusion as

1:17:48submitted for today's agenda to

1:17:51recommend rejection of the proposed

1:17:53zoning for two very simple reasons. One

1:17:57specific to our town and the other

1:18:00affecting all of Forsyth County.

1:18:03The reason number one regarding our town

1:18:06is by now fairly obvious, I think. As

1:18:08has been pointed out by the Planning

1:18:10Board and my colleagues, due to its

1:18:13massive industrial scale, the intensity

1:18:16of operations, the extractive nature,

1:18:20the several potentially life-threatening

1:18:23types of pollution, especially noise,

1:18:26air, and the dual fire hazard,

1:18:28um and the site's location in the heart

1:18:32of our town, zoned RS-20,

1:18:36a hyperscale center in the Forsyth

1:18:39County jurisdiction is clearly not

1:18:42permissible.

1:18:44Now to my second reason. I'm very brief.

1:18:47And this affects all of Forsyth County,

1:18:50including our small town of Rural Hall.

1:18:53Computer data centers have been in

1:18:55existence since the 1940s.

1:18:59Forsyth County's definition of a

1:19:01computer data center reflects earlier

1:19:04types of such centers.

1:19:07They have been classified as business

1:19:09services A operations. These operations

1:19:13are characterized by their small size,

1:19:16their minimum power demand, water

1:19:19consumption, noise, etc.

1:19:21Furthermore, business services A

1:19:25entities operate without internal

1:19:28external structures.

1:19:30>> Can I interrupt you? We're getting to

1:19:32your 3 minutes. If you can wrap it

1:19:34>> by now be self-evident.

1:19:36Thank you, Chairman Martin, that the

1:19:37proposed uh zoning classification is

1:19:40inaccurate, insufficient, and simply

1:19:44false. And in closing, if the proposed

1:19:47project should be approved by you under

1:19:49this misleading zoning rubric, the

1:19:52consequences for all of Forsyth County

1:19:55will be dire for the simple reason that

1:19:58it offers an entirely unregulated and

1:20:01thus immensely harmful invitation to all

1:20:05future hyperscale data center zoning

1:20:09applications. Please vote in alignment

1:20:12with the planning board, and thank you

1:20:14for listening to us.

1:20:22>> Good evening.

1:20:23My name is Charles Session. I live at

1:20:25582 Dock Ridge Road, Rural Hall, North

1:20:28Carolina.

1:20:29Um as with most things in real estate,

1:20:33it's about location, location, location.

1:20:38The scale and scope of such a data

1:20:40center

1:20:41right there

1:20:44across the street

1:20:46from town hall

1:20:48is unconscionable.

1:20:5184 ft, that's like taking

1:20:54the Phillips building

1:20:56and I'm showing my age because I know

1:20:58it's not called that any longer, but

1:21:00taking the Phillips building

1:21:03and putting it in my backyard.

1:21:06It doesn't work.

1:21:09I am not anti-data center,

1:21:12but what I am anti is placement.

1:21:16It doesn't fit.

1:21:18We have zoning laws and regulations for

1:21:22a reason.

1:21:24And the reason, as you have all stated,

1:21:27there's a a an appropriate place for an

1:21:31appropriate business.

1:21:33This is not the place for that.

1:21:36So I ask you

1:21:39not to decide whether a data center is

1:21:41good or bad,

1:21:42but please,

1:21:44location,

1:21:46location,

1:21:48location.

1:21:50The zoning law says we can have all

1:21:54types of mixed businesses

1:21:57in that location,

1:22:00but the data center does not fit.

1:22:03And if it does not fit,

1:22:06then please, don't permit. Thank you.

1:22:22>> My name is Jonathan Kisslingbury. I live

1:22:23at 770 Serena Drive, Ru Hall,

1:22:26and I am an adjacent property owner.

1:22:29This will be on my property line.

1:22:32Um I spoke to you before, voiced my

1:22:34concerns. This is a zoning issue,

1:22:36period. Right? Forward 2045.

1:22:40It's so important that was created a

1:22:43year and a half ago. If we deviate from

1:22:46that plan right now,

1:22:48anything forward, it means nothing, you

1:22:51know? You We It just doesn't mean

1:22:53anything.

1:22:54Um it's important that we follow the

1:22:55plan.

1:22:57Um this encroaches on on residential

1:22:59area.

1:23:00Let's face it. It's limited industrial.

1:23:03This is pretty industrial.

1:23:05I'm not opposed to data centers at all.

1:23:07I use technology. However, it needs to

1:23:10be placed in an area for industrial.

1:23:13It's that It's that simple.

1:23:15This is around a residential area

1:23:18in a town.

1:23:19You know, an educator spoke and I really

1:23:22appreciate educators.

1:23:24And

1:23:25here's the problem with that. You put a

1:23:26data center there,

1:23:28there's no growth for Ruha.

1:23:30That area

1:23:31and everybody talks about the starter

1:23:33homes.

1:23:34People can't afford homes nowadays. And

1:23:36if starter homes start small families, I

1:23:39had a starter home when I was a kid.

1:23:42Right?

1:23:44If we

1:23:45get rid of that land and we don't have

1:23:48any homes

1:23:49and

1:23:51in Ruha, the the schools,

1:23:53we're losing attendance. And when you do

1:23:55that, there's it's going to go away.

1:23:57There's not going to be any children in

1:23:59Ruha. There's no room.

1:24:01And I really want you to take that in

1:24:02consideration.

1:24:05Um I'm I'm opposed to that. This group

1:24:08has worked so hard and I appreciate what

1:24:11they have done.

1:24:13And

1:24:14there's a lot of people that are against

1:24:16this.

1:24:19Just please uh

1:24:20I Please vote no uh on this re- re- uh

1:24:23uh

1:24:24rezoning because it would look very

1:24:26suspicious. You know, it's almost this

1:24:28big project in middle of this area.

1:24:31Some might want think that could be spot

1:24:33zoning is concerned. I just think that

1:24:36for Rural Hall residents,

1:24:39we deserve better than that. I

1:24:41appreciate it. Thank you very much.

1:24:47>> We'll say we have 7 minutes and 12

1:24:49seconds left. So, we've got

1:24:52probably time for two and maybe a a

1:24:54third person start.

1:24:55>> Good evening. My name is Scott Boat. I

1:24:56live at 8580 Circle Drive and I'm

1:24:59neighbors with with John and some of the

1:25:01other people. Um

1:25:03I just wanted to come up here so that

1:25:04you see that there's other people in

1:25:05this room besides John that are going to

1:25:07be affected by this.

1:25:10People with homes and I'm one of them

1:25:11within the 500 ft. Like John, I'm not

1:25:14against data centers, but not in my

1:25:15backyard. I believe I

1:25:17deserve a little bit of peace.

1:25:20That's all I want to say. Thank you.

1:25:33>> Hello. Um

1:25:35A man in Virginia described living next

1:25:37to a data center like living inside of a

1:25:38prison. Noise and light and heat you

1:25:41can't escape and a well you can no

1:25:42longer drink out of. That's what these

1:25:44developers who repeatedly claim to be

1:25:47good neighbors are proposing. Locking

1:25:49this community in a prison cell and

1:25:50expecting us to applaud them for

1:25:52rearranging the furniture or adding a

1:25:54pretty wrought iron fence. These meager

1:25:57plan adjustments are a slap in the face.

1:25:59And that $1 million community fund is a

1:26:01pathetic excuse for generosity. Real

1:26:04estate consumer notices show that home

1:26:06values near data centers can plummet and

1:26:08lose up to 20% of their value. That's

1:26:10about $55,000 in stolen equity of the

1:26:13average homeowner in Rural Hall. That

1:26:15wouldn't even cover 18 homes.

1:26:18That fund is supposed to make the

1:26:19developers look compassionate and the

1:26:20decision-makers sleep a little better at

1:26:22night. But who will not sleep better at

1:26:24night? The people who have to live

1:26:26there.

1:26:27It doesn't matter how many times

1:26:28[clears throat] those men repeat, they

1:26:29are not good neighbors. Good neighbors

1:26:32don't put 200 diesel generators near

1:26:34schools. Good neighbors don't increase

1:26:35the risk of asthma, heart attack, or

1:26:37premature death for our families. Good

1:26:39neighbors don't guzzle millions of

1:26:40gallons of water from a community that

1:26:42is currently boiling their drinking

1:26:43water. And good neighbors don't let

1:26:45their friends poison us.

1:26:47Do you know who makes the most forever

1:26:48chemicals that are used in the cooling

1:26:50systems in data centers? It's Chemours,

1:26:53the company that poisoned 7,000 wells in

1:26:56North Carolina with PFAS. There is no

1:26:58amount of forever chemical exposure that

1:27:00is safe. It causes cancer. And Forsyth

1:27:02County treatment facilities do not

1:27:04filter out forever chemicals. So you're

1:27:06asking us to take on higher risks of

1:27:07cancer without having a solution that we

1:27:09could possibly afford. In Fayetteville,

1:27:11North Carolina, the government is paying

1:27:12$134 million to filter out forever

1:27:15chemicals from their drinking water.

1:27:17But it's not just that we have to worry

1:27:18about. And NBC News said 97% of wells

1:27:22tested near a Oregon data center had

1:27:23nitrate levels that violated the federal

1:27:25safety threshold. Of the first 30 homes

1:27:27officials visited, they described at

1:27:29least 25 miscarriages and six people who

1:27:31had their kidneys removed. So this begs

1:27:34many questions. How much poison do you

1:27:36expect to us to put up with so they can

1:27:38put up record profits? How much risk do

1:27:41you have do the people have to bear so

1:27:43rich men can reap rewards? How many bee

1:27:45colonies have to disappear? How many

1:27:46calves must be born stillborn? How many

1:27:48babies miscarried? How many riverbeds

1:27:50must run dry? And how many organs need

1:27:52to be carved from the flesh of our

1:27:54neighbors so rich men can carve out a

1:27:56little more profit? They are not good

1:27:58neighbors and voting for this rezoning

1:28:00project would mean you aren't either.

1:28:08>> Good afternoon. I live at 520 Helton

1:28:10Lane in Royal Hall. Been living there

1:28:12for 27 years.

1:28:14I don't want this data center there

1:28:15because for one, I'm stage three kidney

1:28:18failure and I don't need that. We don't

1:28:20need the air quality for these kids. I

1:28:23understand they want it there. We don't

1:28:24need it. Like they said, it's a it's too

1:28:26much danger

1:28:28for the community.

1:28:30I'm speaking for the town of Rural Hall.

1:28:32I'm not speaking what the mayor spoke

1:28:34cuz he don't know what he talking about.

1:28:36We don't need that in Rural Hall. He

1:28:38can't speak for everybody.

1:28:40I stay two football fields away from

1:28:43that property. And I don't want it

1:28:45there. I got grandkids that come and

1:28:47play. We got kids that play in the

1:28:49neighborhood. They don't need it.

1:28:52We got to think about everybody else's

1:28:54health. I understand they want to sell

1:28:56their land. That's money for them. But

1:28:58think about other people's health.

1:29:00We don't need the data center out there.

1:29:04Please do not vote for that out there.

1:29:07If you live by If you live by a data

1:29:10center, you'll hear the noise. You'll

1:29:12hear the security every week. We don't

1:29:14need that.

1:29:16We don't need it at all. Can y'all

1:29:18please do not let the data center come

1:29:20out there. That's why I made this shirt,

1:29:22no data center, not in our backyard.

1:29:33>> Dr. Martin, county commissioners,

1:29:36uh the current development plans as a as

1:29:39they are in the books now were developed

1:29:41with significant community input and

1:29:43represent the wishes of the impacted

1:29:45residents as codified by you in those

1:29:47official planning documents. Please

1:29:49stand by this work and Rural Hall's

1:29:52residents' wishes for their community.

1:29:55Even with the site modifications that

1:29:58the developers have proposed,

1:30:00Chris Murphy,

1:30:01the director of city-county planning

1:30:03staff, stated in in the briefing session

1:30:06that the scale and the intensity of the

1:30:08proposed use, we still believe could

1:30:10result in significant off-site impacts

1:30:12to nearby residents despite the

1:30:14conditions. Please vote to keep rural

1:30:17hall rural.

1:30:18In addition, I would ask that you

1:30:20consider a time-limited moratorium so

1:30:23that our current UDOs can be updated to

1:30:25address modern-day hyperscale data

1:30:28centers. Currently, the city-county

1:30:30planning board and staff are having to

1:30:31rely on written references to the

1:30:34inclusion of the term computer data

1:30:36center

1:30:37as an example of limited industrial

1:30:39services A business.

1:30:42This is clearly an inappropriate

1:30:43classification for modern HDCs given

1:30:46their significant impacts on neighboring

1:30:47residential and mixed-use neighborhoods.

1:30:50As County Attorney Gordon Watkins stated

1:30:52in the July 9th briefing,

1:30:55the definition of computer data center

1:30:57in our current

1:30:59UDOs, quote, "That definition was

1:31:02written many years ago and it may not

1:31:04have anticipated these huge huge data

1:31:07centers."

1:31:08A moratorium would allow for more

1:31:09careful study and consideration of

1:31:11lessons learned by other communities

1:31:13like Loudoun County, Virginia that have

1:31:15experienced negative impacts from the

1:31:17construction and operation of HDCs. A

1:31:20vote for rezoning for the hyperscale

1:31:22data center now would be premature. We

1:31:25really need time for further study and

1:31:27sensible modifications to our county's

1:31:29zoning ordinances to address these new

1:31:32types of operations.

1:31:34Thank you for your consideration.

1:31:40>> Hello, my name is Dale Morales. I would

1:31:42like to draw attention to the data

1:31:43center they damaged caused by data

1:31:45centers regarding infrasound, also known

1:31:48as DBC,

1:31:49in the surrounding area. I feel I can

1:31:51speak to this specific attribute given

1:31:53my experience in acoustics and audio

1:31:54engineering.

1:31:55I'll leave the environmental effects to

1:31:57someone more suited. Infrasonic

1:31:58frequencies are vibrations below the

1:32:01audible human perception.

1:32:03However, just because you cannot audibly

1:32:05hear a sound does not mean it cannot

1:32:07affect or harm you. We understand the

1:32:09ultrasonic frequencies of a dog whistle

1:32:12can be annoying even if you can't hear

1:32:14it. Prolonged exposure to infrasonic

1:32:16frequencies caused by data centers, by

1:32:18their cooling systems, and by

1:32:21can cause a myriad of negative health

1:32:23effects such as not limited to

1:32:25headaches, migraines, brain fog,

1:32:27irritability, dizziness, loss of

1:32:29balance, panic disorders, sleep

1:32:30disruption, heart palpitations, and even

1:32:33in some case seizures.

1:32:35Though invisible, these effects cannot

1:32:36be ignored.

1:32:37>> Let me Let me interrupt you for a

1:32:38second.

1:32:39>> Our time's up, but if you can kind of

1:32:40finish up in a

1:32:41>> I'm I'm last

1:32:41>> Finish up in about 30 seconds.

1:32:43>> Yeah, absolutely.

1:32:44Uh though invisible, these effects

1:32:45cannot be ignored.

1:32:47Uh this is not just a case of getting

1:32:48used to it. Proximity to constant

1:32:51infrasound is untenable. Thank you.

1:32:55>> All right.

1:32:58Thank you all for a a minute's worth.

1:33:00We're We have reached our our timeline.

1:33:03So, sorry. Thank you.

1:33:05Um So, I would declare the public

1:33:08hearing closed. All right.

1:33:11Um

1:33:12Actually, I want to make a couple of

1:33:13comments before we get to a motion part.

1:33:17Um before before making a motion, I do

1:33:19want to thank all of you who sent

1:33:22emails, texts, left voicemails during

1:33:25the lengthy discussion about this

1:33:26rezoning request. In fact, YouTube's,

1:33:29you name it. Been a lot of great

1:33:31presentations.

1:33:32All of you expressed your personal

1:33:34beliefs about data centers and how the

1:33:37data center would impact you.

1:33:39And many of you sent links, reports,

1:33:41YouTube videos, and presentations that

1:33:44provided a lot of information about the

1:33:45more technical aspects of cooling

1:33:47systems, compressors, generators, etc.

1:33:52On behalf of the entire commission,

1:33:54we want to thank you for remaining

1:33:56engaged and doing your homework. And in

1:33:59my opinion, this is the way local

1:34:01government should work. It's been a lot

1:34:03of healthy debate that's been going on

1:34:04for basically 6 months, but the last 3

1:34:07months has been more intense.

1:34:10Um I'd also like to just offer some

1:34:12context for this issue.

1:34:14Um the 2045 growth plan is a broad

1:34:18roadmap for land use in Forsyth County,

1:34:21and quite frankly, for the next

1:34:2438 years. I guess what we've got We've

1:34:25got 30 to 40 15 18 year 18 years.

1:34:29The Rural Hall area plan provides

1:34:32recommendations for land use around the

1:34:34town of Rural Hall.

1:34:36The current Rural Hall plan area plan is

1:34:3911 years old.

1:34:42North Carolina statutes allow citizens

1:34:44to file rezoning petitions that request

1:34:47specific changes from existing zoning

1:34:51plans.

1:34:52The county commissioners are charged

1:34:54with the final decision on whether a

1:34:56particular specific zoning change is

1:35:00made.

1:35:01I have voted against zoning changes that

1:35:04were approved by the planning board

1:35:07because I thought that the resulting,

1:35:08particularly traffic, would adversely

1:35:11affect the current conditions in those

1:35:13neighborhoods.

1:35:14I have voted for requests that the

1:35:16planning board did not approve because

1:35:19there were similar uses nearby, and I

1:35:21believe that the use would be

1:35:23compatible.

1:35:25The data center request is complicated

1:35:27for many reasons.

1:35:29Not least of which is the frenzy

1:35:31surrounding AI in America today.

1:35:35Clearly, jobs are being replaced by what

1:35:38AI can do, and many American workers are

1:35:42rightly fearful.

1:35:44Since data centers house the servers

1:35:46that allow AI to be used, that

1:35:49opposition has carried forward to a

1:35:51dislike of data centers.

1:35:53Over 70% of the US population recently

1:35:58surveyed is against data centers.

1:36:02Another issue is that the early

1:36:04large-scale data centers, we've talked

1:36:07we heard some testimony tonight or

1:36:09comments tonight about the very small

1:36:11ones back in the 30 20 and 30 years ago,

1:36:14but the large ones, they have been noisy

1:36:17and use a lot of water and power. That

1:36:19information was shared particularly by

1:36:22the uh

1:36:23um the city manager in Maiden North

1:36:25Carolina that talked about their first

1:36:27generation their first equipment was

1:36:29actually very different than the

1:36:30equipment that they have now.

1:36:33Many people complained and one can find

1:36:35examples of many bad situations posted

1:36:39on the internet

1:36:41everywhere.

1:36:42It is probably fair to say that we're in

1:36:44the second and third generations of the

1:36:46large data centers.

1:36:49Closed-loop water systems do reduce the

1:36:51demand for water and power companies

1:36:54have adjusted their rate structures and

1:36:57pre-treatment is now required before

1:36:59connecting to a public sewer.

1:37:02Duke Energy has shared with us that a

1:37:03recent study of the impact of large

1:37:06power users on residential rates and

1:37:08found that residential rates will be

1:37:10about $4 a month less for electricity

1:37:14for an extended period.

1:37:16New data centers

1:37:18are less noisy as we've heard some of

1:37:20that testimony and the generators are

1:37:22limited to 100 hours of operation a

1:37:25year.

1:37:27And the final context I want to mention

1:37:29is that the proposed data center site

1:37:31will not remain as it is.

1:37:35The land has been in the owner's family

1:37:37for over 100 years

1:37:40and now they want to sell it and I

1:37:42understand that.

1:37:44So, this farm will become something else

1:37:47if not developed into a data center.

1:37:50Personally, I think it is likely that a

1:37:53large subdivision will be built, which

1:37:56will not require a zoning change.

1:37:59That large subdivision will produce a

1:38:01lot of traffic and and and noise to

1:38:04boot. And since it is unlikely to be in

1:38:07the Rural Hall town limits, the town

1:38:09will not receive any tax benefit from

1:38:12this development.

1:38:14The chair of the planning board made

1:38:16this comment at the end of their meeting

1:38:18back in June.

1:38:20Sometimes you have to be careful what

1:38:22you ask for.

1:38:24Speaking of Rural Hall,

1:38:26there are signs around the town

1:38:28suggesting that the mayor should be

1:38:30impeached. Mayor's here tonight.

1:38:32The recent decision by the town council

1:38:35to support the data center request, if

1:38:37the land were annexed into the town

1:38:39limits, was simply not a popular

1:38:42political decision. And the mayor and

1:38:44some of the council members in Rural

1:38:45Hall are up for re-election this

1:38:48November.

1:38:49It appears to me that the council was

1:38:51looking out for the long-term interest

1:38:53of Rural Hall.

1:38:55Significant tax revenue and a new park,

1:38:57if the commissioners if the

1:38:59commissioners approve the rezoning.

1:39:02That decision was simply doing what they

1:39:04were elected to do. If some change did

1:39:06occur,

1:39:07then how can Rural Hall best benefit?

1:39:11And I do want you to know that our

1:39:12attorney prepares

1:39:14two motions before every rezoning case

1:39:18to make sure they're all in compliance.

1:39:20One to approve and one to oppose. So,

1:39:24when it sounds like legalese, it is.

1:39:27Um but it was actually prepared

1:39:29beforehand and we have one of each.

1:39:32So, I'd like to make this motion. I'd

1:39:34like to move that the zoning map

1:39:36amendment F-1669

1:39:39and the alternate site plan and special

1:39:41use district permit be approved on the

1:39:44basis of the following.

1:39:46The proposed special use zoning map

1:39:48amendment as petitioned by Julia Wall,

1:39:50Wall Family of North Carolina

1:39:52LLC, Jennifer Jobe, James Martin Serber

1:39:56Jr. and James Martin Serber III to

1:39:59rezone 128.54 acre piece of property

1:40:01from RS 20 residential building single

1:40:04family 20,000 square foot minimum lots

1:40:07and GI general industrial to LI S

1:40:10limited industrial special use with uses

1:40:13of agricultural production crops,

1:40:15agricultural production livestock

1:40:17offices, parking, commercial recreation

1:40:20facility, public testing and research

1:40:21lab transmission tower services A and

1:40:24utilities

1:40:26is consistent with the recommendations

1:40:28of the Forward 2045 Comprehensive Plan

1:40:30and is reasonable in the public interest

1:40:32because

1:40:34one, the subject property consisting of

1:40:36open fields, four single houses, single

1:40:39family houses, and several accessory

1:40:41buildings is located on the northwestern

1:40:44side of Athena Rural Hall Road north of

1:40:47the Buckatabon Road and at the terminus

1:40:49of Glade Street and is adjacent to

1:40:51properties owned GI, LB, RS 20 and RS 9

1:40:56with adjacent and nearby uses of a Duke

1:40:58Energy substation, various industrial

1:41:01uses, a church, cemetery, convenience

1:41:03store, restaurant, government office, a

1:41:06warehouse building, utilities, and

1:41:08single family houses.

1:41:10The proposed LIS zoning is primarily

1:41:12intended to accommodate limited

1:41:14manufacturing, wholesale and

1:41:16warehousing, research, and industrial

1:41:18development which in their normal

1:41:19operations have little or no adverse

1:41:22effect upon adjoining properties in

1:41:24growth management areas 1, 2, 3, and 4

1:41:27and metro activity centers.

1:41:30Three, the proposed site plan features

1:41:31three two-story buildings totaling 1.1

1:41:35million square feet of interior space,

1:41:37housing data centers, associated

1:41:39parking, and stormwater ponds and

1:41:41parkland.

1:41:42The site is located in growth management

1:41:44area three, adjacent to the Rural Hall

1:41:46downtown activity center, and has access

1:41:48to public water and sewer.

1:41:51And five, the proposed use is consistent

1:41:54with Forward 2045 comprehensive

1:41:56comprehensive plan, which recommends

1:41:59industrial uses adjacent to other

1:42:01industrial and utility uses, and the

1:42:04site plan has designed buffers to

1:42:06protect single-family houses. And

1:42:09although it doesn't provide housing as

1:42:11as is typical of mixed-use development

1:42:14recommended by the Rural Hall area plan

1:42:16development, it does provide a park.

1:42:20Is there a second to that motion?

1:42:22>> I will second that motion.

1:42:24>> Have a second by uh Commissioner

1:42:25Wizzinard. Now discussion.

1:42:27>> I'd like to speak in opposition to the

1:42:29motion that is on the floor and note

1:42:31that if this motion fails, I will make

1:42:33the motion to deny

1:42:35uh the requested petition.

1:42:38First, I want to

1:42:40note that this is a vote on a rezoning

1:42:44proposal. It is not a referendum on data

1:42:47centers.

1:42:49As such, that should not be the issue

1:42:51here. The issue should be whether this

1:42:53is consistent with our plans

1:42:56uh and I would say with the um

1:43:00the wishes of the impacted directly

1:43:02community

1:43:04uh and whether

1:43:05uh

1:43:07there is any reason to overturn that.

1:43:11I'd like to note that in addition to the

1:43:13disparity that we saw in the room here

1:43:16today

1:43:17uh in public support

1:43:19um which by the way goes to the question

1:43:22of whether the

1:43:24Rural Hall area plan adopted in 2016 is

1:43:28still relevant today.

1:43:30Um

1:43:32the support that we have um

1:43:34heard in messages for several months now

1:43:37uh is overwhelmingly in opposition to

1:43:41the proposed rezoning.

1:43:43At the

1:43:44uh time of the June 11 hearing before

1:43:48the planning board, which voted 7 to 2

1:43:50to

1:43:51uh deny the proposal,

1:43:53uh they had in their record

1:43:57um 63

1:43:59public comments with regard to the

1:44:01proposal.

1:44:03Of those 63,

1:44:0560 were in opposition. And of those 60,

1:44:10at least 38 were residents of Rural

1:44:14Hall.

1:44:16Since that time

1:44:17uh

1:44:19and in fact beginning I was able to go

1:44:21back to my records from early May.

1:44:25Uh we have received in

1:44:28uh ex- well, we have received almost 400

1:44:32uh

1:44:33unique individual comments. That is not

1:44:35duplicate comments, not any of the

1:44:38repeat commenters, but

1:44:41um

1:44:42in excess of 400 individuals or

1:44:44households commenting.

1:44:46Of those

1:44:48376

1:44:51were in opposition.

1:44:53Only 33 total during that time were in

1:44:56support. It is clear that the community

1:45:00of Rural Hall and nearby considers the

1:45:04Rural Hall area plan adopted in 2016 to

1:45:08be their current preference.

1:45:11We have also received specific comments

1:45:16uh during that time that I think are

1:45:19worthy of note because they describe

1:45:22situations from people who would be

1:45:24directly impacted here.

1:45:26Uh we have uh, a

1:45:30a message that we received in early June

1:45:34uh, from a lady with speaking with

1:45:37regard to her father who has lived at

1:45:408010 Glade Street for the better part of

1:45:4340 years. He is a Vietnam veteran uh,

1:45:47and she is asking on his behalf that we

1:45:50not uh, put a massive new industrial

1:45:53structure immediately behind his home.

1:45:57Um,

1:45:58we received another uh, message from a

1:46:01resident of Tobaccoville Road uh, who

1:46:04noted that her parents built there in

1:46:061961

1:46:08and in her words, my mother of 91 my

1:46:11mother at 91 years old does not deserve

1:46:14her last years living in these

1:46:16circumstances of a massive new

1:46:18industrial facility in her backyard.

1:46:22Uh, we have uh,

1:46:24a a letter an email

1:46:27from a younger lady who is writing on

1:46:29her behalf and on behalf of her parents

1:46:32uh, who she says have been residents of

1:46:33Forsyth County for 30 years. My family

1:46:36moved to a voluntary agricultural

1:46:38district in rural Hall in 2014 because

1:46:42we wanted space to grow fruits and

1:46:44vegetables, raise animals, and keep

1:46:46bees. We've been operating

1:46:49Sassafras Family Farm for more than a

1:46:51decade.

1:46:53Uh, and they are troubled by the

1:46:55location of this data center and the

1:46:57potential effects of its noise and

1:46:59vibration on their operations including

1:47:02their bees. We had an

1:47:04an email from another beekeeper who

1:47:06lives uh, in property adjacent to the

1:47:09site concerned about that. Um,

1:47:12it seems clear that uh, the community

1:47:15that would be directly impacted

1:47:16overwhelmingly opposes uh, this petition

1:47:20for rezoning.

1:47:22>> Other discussion?

1:47:24>> Yes, I'd like to um ditto all of the uh

1:47:28comments that Commissioner Bessie has

1:47:31made as well. I will be voting in

1:47:33opposition to this as well today. I've

1:47:35sat with this community through several

1:47:38meetings um relative to the pros and the

1:47:42cons. And I'm not saying that I'm

1:47:44against data centers, but I'm against

1:47:47data centers in Rural Hall.

1:47:50With that being said, I wanted to say

1:47:51thank you to the staff for the report

1:47:54regarding the negative aspects of the

1:47:56proposal. And I want to also thank this

1:48:00community for staying informed and

1:48:02engaged um relative to this matter. So,

1:48:05thank you. I'll keep it short and sweet.

1:48:08>> Other comments?

1:48:09>> Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um I'm

1:48:11still the newest member of this

1:48:14commission, and I have not seen a zoning

1:48:16petition up to this point that carries

1:48:19the magnitude of this matter.

1:48:22Um I have been disappointed on occasions

1:48:24with some of the hysteria and some of

1:48:26the questionable scientific information

1:48:29uh about this, but I I'll tell you I'm

1:48:31impressed um and one I think it was the

1:48:33lady here. Someone made a comment about

1:48:36how democracy should function, and I'm

1:48:38very

1:48:39impressed by the outpouring of sentiment

1:48:42that has come from this community.

1:48:44Uh and and we've also received some

1:48:46wonderful scholarly uh information uh

1:48:50treatises on all sorts of things uh

1:48:54alternatives. They We've got a whole

1:48:56section here about where you can put a

1:48:58data center in

1:48:59Forsyth County. And I heard a number of

1:49:01you say you weren't against data centers

1:49:03per se. Uh and I I hope I'll find out

1:49:06that that's correct at a later date. Um

1:49:10you know, I've heard negative comments

1:49:11about the developer, about the mayor and

1:49:14his staff. Demonizing them is, in my

1:49:16opinion, totally inappropriate. We've

1:49:18met with the developers. Uh they've been

1:49:20very candid in their discussions

1:49:23uh with us. I respect them. I wish they

1:49:25had an end user at this point. I went

1:49:28with the chairman down to Maiden and we

1:49:30looked at the data center there and the

1:49:32town of Maiden, you know, was just

1:49:34flushed with cash and they don't have

1:49:36any complaints about it, but that data

1:49:37center is not in the town. So, you know,

1:49:41if we get to a question about whether or

1:49:44not it would be a problem in this

1:49:46location. I believe that based on the

1:49:49science that I've read that the water,

1:49:51the noise,

1:49:52uh the power issues, the aesthetics, I

1:49:54believe all of those could be properly

1:49:57addressed.

1:49:59But, you know,

1:50:01we've had so much fun reading over 400

1:50:03emails and commissioners actually do

1:50:05that uh cuz that's what we're supposed

1:50:07to do and I appreciate that very much,

1:50:10but um

1:50:13the consistent theme that comes through

1:50:15there is with regard to the location as

1:50:17some of the other people

1:50:19have mentioned. Um

1:50:21Uh I I know it's not consistent with the

1:50:234045 plan. I'm impressed with the

1:50:26recommendations of the staff that serve

1:50:28this county so well in that regard. So,

1:50:32you know, get down to the consistent

1:50:34theme that I've seen that I think is

1:50:36genuine and sincere and that is

1:50:39the comments repeatedly that Rural Hall

1:50:43is a small, slow, sleepy town and we

1:50:47love it that way and that's the way that

1:50:50we want to keep it. And you know, we're

1:50:52not a Nancy state yet where we, you

1:50:55know, the socialist model in Europe

1:50:56works pretty well in that regard, but in

1:50:58America uh something like that doesn't

1:51:00really work. You know, I don't know that

1:51:02we make the decision that this is

1:51:05something that they ought to have when

1:51:06we just cram it down everybody's throat.

1:51:09Um and so

1:51:11I'm satisfied that there are other

1:51:13suitable locations in the county for a

1:51:17project like this and I just, you know,

1:51:20am concerned that uh

1:51:22it might be uh better to find one of

1:51:25those sites.

1:51:27>> Other discussion.

1:51:28>> Yeah.

1:51:29I would just like to say, oh, I'm sorry.

1:51:31I didn't mean Okay, I just wanted to say

1:51:33that I would not be in support of the

1:51:36current motion because

1:51:39um I am here to represent the citizens

1:51:42of Forsyth County

1:51:44um and you all have come out in such a

1:51:48an ideal democratic way. I think that

1:51:51your concerns are very

1:51:54um reasonable and aligned with national

1:51:57concerns about data centers. I um like

1:52:02others, I am not at this point anti-data

1:52:05centers. It's just that I don't know um

1:52:09about the ramifications of what will

1:52:11happen from a health perspective. Um it

1:52:14seems um that there is promise for great

1:52:18revenue and I will say Forsyth County is

1:52:21in need of some additional revenue, but

1:52:24not at the cost of the will of the

1:52:27citizens here of Forsyth County. So, the

1:52:31one thing that I would put on um

1:52:34consideration for Forsyth County is for

1:52:37us to

1:52:38continue to do more research and to

1:52:41redefine data center as um we know it

1:52:45now so that it is more appropriate to

1:52:47the times that we find ourselves. And

1:52:50that's going to be some work on the part

1:52:52of staff and this commission, but I

1:52:55think it would be well worth um the

1:52:58energy so that the developers who are

1:53:01coming into Forsyth County doesn't have

1:53:03to go through all of what they're

1:53:06they've probably have had to endure

1:53:08because we don't yet have maybe a an

1:53:12appropriate way to assess whether

1:53:14Forsyth County

1:53:16um what we desire as it relates to

1:53:19bringing data centers just not maybe

1:53:22publicly there yet. So, I would

1:53:25um you know, again just highly suggest

1:53:27to the county that we revisit what

1:53:30um we see ideally where data center

1:53:33should go in Forsyth County so that

1:53:35developers don't come and waste so much

1:53:37time, energy, and money

1:53:39um in trying to figure this piece out.

1:53:42So, um that's where I stand. Thank you.

1:53:45>> Any other comments?

1:53:46>> Just a few. Um I did second the motion

1:53:49because I agree with it. Um I know so

1:53:53many folks in Rural Hall because I grew

1:53:55up in that area. Um my family did our

1:53:58grocery shop in there.

1:54:00Did our bank in there.

1:54:02Uh I love Rural Hall. Always will.

1:54:05Uh

1:54:07I'm very disturbed by what has happened

1:54:10through all this. You have neighbors

1:54:13against neighbors, families against

1:54:15families. It is so heartbreaking to see

1:54:19what has happened in Rural Hall. And

1:54:22yes, we did receive huge amounts of

1:54:25emails. I will tell you

1:54:27several of the emails had no addresses.

1:54:31I don't know where they came from.

1:54:33Uh I figure you all did, but I don't. Uh

1:54:37I think it was an organized

1:54:39misinformation campaign.

1:54:42Um I hate that for Rural Hall because I

1:54:45know there are so many people who were

1:54:48in favor of this. Um

1:54:51I've been told if you came out um in

1:54:55favor of it, you got blown up on

1:54:56Facebook. God bless Facebook.

1:55:00Uh it is causing more trouble than it

1:55:02will ever be worth.

1:55:04Um,

1:55:05but please know

1:55:07we have spent huge amounts of time on

1:55:10this. It's not that we don't know about

1:55:13data centers.

1:55:15We've been to workshops, some of us

1:55:16have. Uh, some of us in February went to

1:55:20three workshops in Washington.

1:55:23Uh, we've talked with the folks in

1:55:24Loudoun County that have 300 data

1:55:27centers.

1:55:29Um,

1:55:30the the all the things that's been said

1:55:32about Loudoun, I didn't find that to be

1:55:35true in talking with the commissioners

1:55:38from Loudoun County.

1:55:40Uh, we've done the best we can to get

1:55:43all the information we need. Uh, I think

1:55:46that this,

1:55:47uh,

1:55:48would would be a great opportunity for

1:55:52Rural Hall. I admire the, uh, mayor and

1:55:55the city council for doing their job.

1:55:59And their job was to come to terms with

1:56:02what was best for Rural Hall.

1:56:04Financially, it it would be wonderful

1:56:08for Rural Hall.

1:56:09Uh,

1:56:10we all, and it would be great for

1:56:12Forsyth County. We all need to have

1:56:14methods of being able to finance the

1:56:17services that we're mandated to service

1:56:21and find ways to do it other than

1:56:23raising property tax. And that's what

1:56:26we're faced with all the time. So, I

1:56:29believe I'll always will believe that's

1:56:31reason I'll vote for it, that this was

1:56:34the best thing for Forsyth County. I'm

1:56:36sorry if you all do not agree. Um, but I

1:56:40I do my homework and I do believe that

1:56:43this is the best thing in the long run.

1:56:46I believe that these folks have every

1:56:50every right to sell their property. I

1:56:53don't think anybody should to

1:56:55to this family selling their property.

1:56:58And what I hear is that I love to ride

1:57:02by and see that farm.

1:57:05Well,

1:57:06that farm is costing them a bunch of

1:57:08money for them to be able to provide it

1:57:11for other people.

1:57:12Um

1:57:13I fear what's going to happen because

1:57:17they are going to sell.

1:57:19I fear that you're going to have about

1:57:20340

1:57:22small box houses to look at.

1:57:25>> [applause]

1:57:28>> I I don't think you'll be clapping. I

1:57:31really don't think you'll be clapping.

1:57:33Thank you.

1:57:35>> All right, we're ready to vote.

1:57:36All those in favor, please say I.

1:57:38>> I.

1:57:40>> Those opposed?

1:57:41>> No.

1:57:43>> Ocean Care is defeated.

1:57:46>> [applause]

1:57:53>> Mr. Chairman.

1:57:54>> Yes.

1:57:54>> Um I would like to make a motion.

1:57:57Uh I move the zoning map amendment

1:57:59F-1669

1:58:01including site plan and special use

1:58:03district permit be denied on the basis

1:58:06of the following.

1:58:08The proposed special use zoning map

1:58:09amendment as petitioned by Julio Wall,

1:58:12Wall Family of North Carolina LLC,

1:58:15Jennifer Job, James Martin Serber Jr.,

1:58:18and James Martin Serber III to rezone a

1:58:23128.54

1:58:25acre piece of property from RS-20

1:58:28residential building single family

1:58:3020,000 square foot minimum lots and GI

1:58:34general industrial to LIS

1:58:38limited industrial special use with uses

1:58:42of agricultural production, crops,

1:58:45agricultural production, livestock,

1:58:47offices, parking, commercial,

1:58:51uh recreation facility,

1:58:53public, testing research lab,

1:58:56transmission tower, services A, and

1:58:59utilities

1:59:00is neither consistent with the

1:59:02recommendations of the Forward 2045

1:59:05Comprehensive Plan, nor reasonable or in

1:59:08the public interest because, one, the

1:59:11subject property consisting of open

1:59:13fields, four single-family houses, and

1:59:16several accessory buildings is located

1:59:19on the northwestern side of Bethania

1:59:21Rural Hall Road, north of Tobaccoville

1:59:24Road, and at the terminus of Glade

1:59:26Street, and is adjacent to property

1:59:28zoned GI, LB RS120 and RS9, with

1:59:33adjacent and nearby uses of a Duke

1:59:35Energy substation, various industrial

1:59:38uses, a church, cemetery, convenience

1:59:41store, restaurant, government office

1:59:44a warehouse building, utilities, and

1:59:46single-family houses.

1:59:49Two, the proposed LIS zoning is

1:59:52primarily intended to accommodate

1:59:54limited manufacturing, wholesaling,

1:59:57warehousing, research, and industrial

1:59:59development, which, in their normal

2:00:01operations, have little or no adverse

2:00:04effect upon adjoining properties in

2:00:07growth management areas 1, 2, 3, and 4,

2:00:10and metro activity centers. Three, the

2:00:14proposed site plan features three

2:00:16two-story buildings totaling

2:00:201,122,300

2:00:23sq ft of interior space, housing data

2:00:26centers, associated parking, and

2:00:28stormwater plant ponds, and parkland.

2:00:32Four, the site is located in growth

2:00:34management area three, adjacent to the

2:00:37Rural Hall Downtown Activity Center, and

2:00:41has access to public water and sewer.

2:00:45Five, the size, scope, and hours of

2:00:47operation of the proposed facility and

2:00:49use are inconsistent with the LI zoning

2:00:53category.

2:00:54Six, the proposed use is inconsistent

2:00:58with the Ford 2045 comprehensive plan,

2:01:02which recommends industrial uses be a

2:01:05part of a designated business or

2:01:07industrial park, rather than adjacent to

2:01:10residential uses to minimize off-site

2:01:13impacts.

2:01:14And the site plan is inconsistent with

2:01:17the Rural Hall area plan update, which

2:01:19recommends mixed-use development,

2:01:22including residential uses, and

2:01:25recommends that neighborhoods be

2:01:26protected from inappropriate commercial

2:01:29and industrial encroachment.

2:01:32>> Sir, second.

2:01:33>> I'll be happy to second that.

2:01:35>> Seconded by Commissioner McDaniel. Any

2:01:36discussion?

2:01:38>> I'd like to make a comment.

2:01:40Given my particular situation,

2:01:42>> [clears throat]

2:01:45>> over the years, I've attempted

2:01:47particular zoning matters and other

2:01:49things, but zoning matters, too,

2:01:52uh

2:01:55let people

2:01:57know

2:01:59why I was doing or was going to do

2:02:02uh explanation for it. And so,

2:02:06>> [clears throat]

2:02:06>> over time, I come to the conclusion for

2:02:09me,

2:02:10I just as well hadn't said anything.

2:02:12It's And that's just [snorts] only for

2:02:15me.

2:02:16Others are better wordsmiths than I am.

2:02:22When I 17, 18 year Well, let me just say

2:02:25this next. The landowner

2:02:28has the right to sell their land.

2:02:31And the landowner has got a right to

2:02:34sell the land

2:02:36at

2:02:37a

2:02:39a higher value use

2:02:42>> [cough]

2:02:42>> than it is now.

2:02:45And

2:02:46it's likely

2:02:48that that may come about and that higher

2:02:50uses

2:02:52likely to be dense dwellings because

2:02:56it's uh

2:02:57sewer available.

2:02:59And so

2:03:02uh

2:03:03that may uh come and I wouldn't doubt

2:03:06that we would have opposition here if it

2:03:08does.

2:03:09And probably the main reason for it

2:03:12would be it because it would cause more

2:03:16traffic if it was there. So now I'm

2:03:19going to go back a little

2:03:20ways. [clears throat]

2:03:22When I was 17 18 years old,

2:03:25my mother and daddy both passed. And at

2:03:28that time 18 you wouldn't consider

2:03:30adult, it'd be 21.

2:03:33I couldn't sign any documents. So

2:03:37uh a

2:03:39real estate person came by

2:03:43just months after

2:03:45uh

2:03:46my daddy had passed and

2:03:50wondered if I'd be interested in selling

2:03:52the land.

2:03:54Well, I wasn't interested in it. I

2:03:56wasn't old enough anyway. I couldn't

2:03:58assign the papers.

2:04:00But

2:04:01what I had what I had there ended up

2:04:03with was

2:04:05that's how I thought I was going to

2:04:08end up surviving. I didn't have any idea

2:04:11about selling it. I was just going to

2:04:14survive. Try to. I didn't have anybody

2:04:17to

2:04:18uh

2:04:20help me. The only person that close to

2:04:22me was left was my

2:04:24grandmother and she was aged then not in

2:04:27uh

2:04:29good health.

2:04:32I learned many things out of that

2:04:33surviving. One of them was

2:04:37that I found out you could

2:04:40survive on little money in long time

2:04:43back.

2:04:44Uh

2:04:45I didn't

2:04:47just a little was it was little cuz I

2:04:50can remember remember that

2:04:52I know I did not have more than $100 in

2:04:55cash.

2:04:57And so

2:04:58as time went on

2:05:01money didn't bother me too bad cuz I

2:05:03thought I could get by with uh

2:05:05always get by with less than what I had.

2:05:08And so uh

2:05:11I'm still there at the farm.

2:05:14I've expanded the farm.

2:05:17And there was some near me about 5 years

2:05:19ago

2:05:21uh

2:05:22that was for sale.

2:05:24And for whatever the reason

2:05:26uh

2:05:27the person didn't contact at all of the

2:05:30There's three or four other neighbors,

2:05:32all of them but me.

2:05:34Didn't contact me.

2:05:36And I I couldn't figure that out then

2:05:38and I can't figure it out to this day. I

2:05:40quit trying to figure on it. The house

2:05:42is there now and

2:05:44uh

2:05:46they're not bothering me and I know that

2:05:47they don't like it when they get behind

2:05:49a tractor and it takes them extra few

2:05:51minutes to

2:05:53uh

2:05:53get home. So

2:05:57the man

2:06:01not sure what he was thinking. He did He

2:06:04was wondering whether there was anybody

2:06:06around it or two or three together that

2:06:09might put something together. Well, it

2:06:12wasn't a crowd that could have put

2:06:14something together if he'd allowed them

2:06:15to do it, but he didn't want whatever

2:06:17the reason

2:06:18didn't want to do that. Main point is

2:06:23I got sense enough to know

2:06:25I I went to that property um at least

2:06:29twice. One time

2:06:31in on the interior of it and then

2:06:33another time I came in off of Circle

2:06:36Drive up on the north side and I thought

2:06:38I could get all the way to it, but it

2:06:40was some private drives up there and so

2:06:42I didn't

2:06:43uh

2:06:44attempt it. I could see the

2:06:46uh

2:06:47substation, but I did go in on uh

2:06:52uh at the Anglade Street and I'd always

2:06:56noticed the two-story house up there on

2:06:58I've been through Brohall many times. Up

2:07:02there on the hill and that one field it

2:07:04comes out there to the highway.

2:07:07I I'd noticed that every time I ever

2:07:09went by and I just wondered what was

2:07:11back there.

2:07:13And so

2:07:14uh that day two three months back when I

2:07:18went to see it

2:07:20when I got down to the end of the street

2:07:22I could see it was

2:07:24uh

2:07:24private drive so

2:07:26I go on through the

2:07:28woods trees on both sides

2:07:32and it wasn't just a small field

2:07:35it was a big field. I don't know how

2:07:37many acres in the field. I know it was

2:07:39trees rounded it, but it would uh

2:07:42big. Might be 100 acres open land in it.

2:07:45I don't know.

2:07:46So

2:07:48but the point is

2:07:50the man or the family has the right to

2:07:53sell

2:07:55the property even

2:07:59>> I would just like to

2:08:01um

2:08:04add that um

2:08:06some of us just came back from the

2:08:09National Association of Counties

2:08:12um national meeting

2:08:14and we did have um

2:08:18you know, workshops about the data

2:08:21centers and again in my opinion

2:08:24I think that

2:08:26um there are you know, pros and cons on,

2:08:30you know, both sides. For me,

2:08:33I don't have enough information as it

2:08:37relates to

2:08:39our county moving in a specific

2:08:42direction around data centers. And I

2:08:45think because it's undefined, it's

2:08:47unfair to then,

2:08:52burden the citizens without

2:08:55a clear definition of how we're moving

2:08:57forward. I'll give an example because

2:08:59Vice Chair Wizenhunt

2:09:02made reference to Loudoun County. So,

2:09:05the information, and I, you know,

2:09:08applaud you all as citizens that came

2:09:10from the 15 best practices was from the

2:09:13Vice Chair of Loudoun County. And when

2:09:17you um

2:09:19measure best practices of of this

2:09:23situation, it just doesn't meet their

2:09:27model. And that is one that we were able

2:09:31to go to Loudoun County, but also we I

2:09:33was able to have conversation with the

2:09:35Vice Chair. So, I you know, I'm not

2:09:39in per se disagreement with Vice Chair

2:09:43Wizenhunt as it relates to she has

2:09:45enough information, but I will reiterate

2:09:48that I just don't have enough

2:09:50information at this point to

2:09:53um to um

2:09:56um I would say approve something of this

2:09:59magnitude from the standpoint of someone

2:10:01wanting to bring in

2:10:03data centers. And again, I would

2:10:05encourage this county with staff, you

2:10:08know, experts around what is the vision

2:10:11of data centers in Forsyth County. So,

2:10:13we have

2:10:15in my opinion

2:10:17a our own best strategies, our own

2:10:20footprint in Forsyth County to bring

2:10:22data centers. So, I just wanted to add

2:10:25that before we finalize the vote.

2:10:28>> Any other discussion?

2:10:31All in favor, please say I.

2:10:32>> I.

2:10:33>> Those opposed?

2:10:34>> No.

2:10:35>> I. No.

2:10:36Motion carries.

2:10:38We're good.

2:10:39>> [clears throat]

2:10:39>> I'd say we probably can take take it we

2:10:42we need to set up for a different kind

2:10:43of hearing. I think we can take about a

2:10:4510-minute break and return.

2:10:50Well spoken.

2:24:36>> Ready for item two.

2:24:39>> Okay, please.

2:24:42>> Item two, the second item on the agenda

2:24:45is a public hearing and consideration of

2:24:47a special use permit request by

2:24:50Elizabeth Ann Tucker

2:24:52for a land clearing and inert debris

2:24:55landfill for property located on the

2:24:57south side of Watkins Ford Road, east of

2:25:01High Point Road and west of Idlewood

2:25:03Road zoning docket F 1667.

2:25:09And Chris Murphy, our planning

2:25:10development services director, will give

2:25:12a preliminary statement on the rezoning

2:25:15case. And by the way, he has to be And

2:25:18this is a Everybody has to be sworn in

2:25:20that speech speaks tonight. And actually

2:25:23the commissioners act pretty much as a

2:25:25jury here. And and so for to begin with,

2:25:28Chris Murphy has to be sworn in sworn in

2:25:31and our

2:25:33swooned in sworn in and our clerk Ashley

2:25:35Matthews um will do that.

2:25:42>> Ask those people to be quiet.

2:25:45>> I did.

2:25:51>> Good evening. It's been a while since

2:25:52I've been up here, but it's already been

2:25:53a long meeting. Uh this is uh case

2:25:56F-1667, which is a special use permit

2:25:59request for a uh 69.5 acre tract of

2:26:02property located between I-74 and

2:26:04Watkins Ford Road

2:26:06east of High Point Road. Uh this is an

2:26:08elected body special use permit for a

2:26:10landfill, uh land clearing, and inert

2:26:12debris uh LCID greater than 2 acres.

2:26:16Uh I will pause briefly and give the

2:26:18county attorney the uh ability to

2:26:20provide a little bit of procedural

2:26:22explanation.

2:26:24>> Uh thank you, Chris. Um

2:26:28as uh Mr. Murphy indicated, this is a

2:26:30quasi-judicial hearing um and as the

2:26:32chairman indicated, this is based on

2:26:34sworn testimony during this hearing,

2:26:36which is taking place right now. Um

2:26:39there have been no communications with

2:26:42people outside of the hearing, and I

2:26:44appreciate the commissioners uh

2:26:45forwarding to me any questions they

2:26:47received from the public on that.

2:26:49Uh the testimony must be based on

2:26:52relevant facts,

2:26:53and some testimony, such as traffic

2:26:55projections or property evaluations,

2:26:57must be based on expert testimony. The

2:27:00four required hearings to approve um the

2:27:04application are one, that the use will

2:27:06not materially endanger the public

2:27:08health or safety if located where

2:27:09proposed and developed according to the

2:27:12application and plan as submitted and

2:27:13approved.

2:27:15Two, that the use meets all required

2:27:17conditions and specifications.

2:27:19Three, that the use will not

2:27:21substantially injure the value of

2:27:22adjoining or abutting property, or that

2:27:25the use is a public necessity.

2:27:27And four,

2:27:29the location and character of the use if

2:27:30developed according to the application

2:27:33and plan submitted and approved will be

2:27:35in harmony with the area in which it is

2:27:37to be located and in general conformity

2:27:39with the 4 2045 comprehensive plan.

2:27:43Once the Once the proponent has offered

2:27:47evidence of these four findings, the

2:27:48burden

2:27:50shifts to opponents of the R&E to

2:27:53produce specific evidence that at least

2:27:55one of the four findings has not been

2:27:57met.

2:27:59And that is it. So, I'll turn it back to

2:28:01Chris.

2:28:07>> Get just a little bit of context and

2:28:08background. This is the subject property

2:28:10shown on the 4 2045 growth management

2:28:12area plan. It is located in GMA 4,

2:28:16uh, which is the future growth area just

2:28:19south of some property located within

2:28:20the town of Kernersville on the south

2:28:22side of Watkins Ford Road.

2:28:25Uh, this is the subject property

2:28:26highlighted in yellow.

2:28:28Uh, again, you have the subject property

2:28:30of almost 70 acres here on the south

2:28:34side of uh, Watkins Ford Road. You have

2:28:37the existing LCID landfill operated by

2:28:40the same entity, which is located here

2:28:42to uh, the west of the subdivision that

2:28:45is located within uh, the town of

2:28:47Kernersville. The LCID uh, that is

2:28:51already operating that went that went

2:28:52through an expansion process about 18

2:28:54months ago uh, was permitted in 2018.

2:28:58Uh, and um, the subdivision

2:29:02um, wasn't constructed until later in

2:29:042018.

2:29:06And again, this is across the road from

2:29:07that existing subdivision, um,

2:29:10there within the town of Kernersville.

2:29:13Subject property uh, outlined in yellow.

2:29:17Again, it's a primarily agricultural

2:29:19piece of property, again located across

2:29:22the street across Watkins Ford Road from

2:29:25this subdivision within the town of

2:29:26Kernersville. And this is the LCID

2:29:30operation that is uh, currently in use

2:29:34and this is an area planned for the

2:29:37future.

2:29:40I incorrectly, uh,

2:29:42said that was a church last time. That's

2:29:43actually, uh,

2:29:45a building that's owned, uh,

2:29:48a shop that's owned by the same folks

2:29:49that are going through the process, uh,

2:29:51to establish the LCID,

2:29:53uh, at this location.

2:29:55Church is a little bit further to the

2:29:57west.

2:29:59>> [clears throat]

2:30:00>> Subject property, uh, shown on the

2:30:02Southeast Forsyth County Area Plan

2:30:04Update Map, uh, it is shown for large

2:30:07lot residential,

2:30:09um, but an LCID is, uh, permitted as,

2:30:13uh, a use allowed through the issuance

2:30:16of a special use permit in the zoning

2:30:18district. Uh, again, this isn't a

2:30:20rezoning request. This is a special use

2:30:21permit request.

2:30:25Uh, this is looking south at the subject

2:30:26property from Watkins Ford Road.

2:30:30This is looking west on Watkins Ford

2:30:31Road. The subject property is on the

2:30:33left.

2:30:35This is looking east along Watkins Ford

2:30:37Road. The subject property is on the

2:30:38right.

2:30:40Uh, this is the site plan that has been

2:30:42submitted, uh, of this 69 and 1/2 acres,

2:30:45I believe, that these two separate

2:30:47parcels account for

2:30:50I go to my notes so I don't give you

2:30:51incorrect information.

2:30:53Uh, account for, uh, 37 total acres of

2:30:57LCID fill. This larger cell is

2:30:59approximately 29 acres. This cell is 8

2:31:02acres. Again, this is a land clearing

2:31:05and an inert debris landfill. This isn't

2:31:06a sanitary landfill with trash. This

2:31:08isn't a construction and demolition

2:31:10landfill with

2:31:11um, materials from construction sites.

2:31:13This is, uh, just as the name implies,

2:31:16land clearing, uh, so dirt,

2:31:19trees, stumps, uh, inert debris, such as

2:31:22concrete, rock, and those kind of things

2:31:24is what would be going into,

2:31:26uh, this landfill. There is a recycling

2:31:28area. They are showing the required

2:31:29buffer yards around the entire

2:31:31perimeter.

2:31:32Um they have agreed to some right-of-way

2:31:34dedication along Watkins Ford Road. And

2:31:36again, just for context, this is the

2:31:38proposed LCID and the existing LCID

2:31:42property is about 500 ft to the

2:31:44northwest, and the actual cell that is

2:31:46being filled is about 1,000 ft to the

2:31:48northwest.

2:31:52Regarding the four special use permit

2:31:54findings that the county attorney went

2:31:56over.

2:31:57Um

2:31:59the first finding is that the use will

2:32:01not materially endanger the public

2:32:03health or safety if located where

2:32:04proposed and developed according to the

2:32:06application and plan as submitted and

2:32:07approved. From a staff perspective, we

2:32:10think that that answer is no. The

2:32:11proposed use LCID greater than 2 acres

2:32:13is not a threat to the public public

2:32:15health or safety.

2:32:17Excuse me, the presumption is that the

2:32:18if the use is permitted in the zoning

2:32:20district, it is not a threat to public

2:32:22health or safety unless proven

2:32:24otherwise.

2:32:26As far as finding two, that the required

2:32:29use that the use meets all required

2:32:31conditions and specifications. From a

2:32:33planning staff perspective and the

2:32:35planning board itself, we

2:32:37say yes to that. Uh the subject request

2:32:40will meet the minimum UDO of

2:32:42the minimum requirements of the UDO. The

2:32:44site plan that is before you does meet

2:32:46those minimum requirements. So, that

2:32:48finding should be for yes.

2:32:50For finding three, that the use will not

2:32:52materially substantially injure the

2:32:54value of adjoining or abutting property

2:32:56or that the use is not a public

2:32:57necessity.

2:32:58I mean, this isn't a public necessity

2:33:00because this isn't being operated by the

2:33:02public, and planning staff does not have

2:33:04the expertise to make property value

2:33:06determinations. That needs to come from

2:33:07an expert, which I believe you will hear

2:33:09testimony um after me to that finding.

2:33:13And then finally, the fourth finding,

2:33:15that the location and character of the

2:33:17use, if developed according to the

2:33:18application and plan submitted and

2:33:20approved, will be in harmony with the

2:33:22area in which it is located, and in

2:33:24general conformity with forward 2045.

2:33:27Uh staff's and planning board's final

2:33:29Staff's finding on that is yes, there

2:33:31there is an existing LCID landfill

2:33:33greater than 2 acres use that's located

2:33:36within 500 ft of the request.

2:33:39Uh beyond that, the presumption is that

2:33:41if the use is permitted in the zoning

2:33:43district, uh it is compatible with the

2:33:45area unless proven otherwise. And again,

2:33:48that's some of the testimony uh that is

2:33:51will be heard tonight is related to

2:33:52that, and that's why we're having the

2:33:53public hearing in this quasi-judicial

2:33:55manner.

2:33:57As far as the recommendation, a land

2:33:59clearing and inert debris landfill

2:34:00greater than 2 acres requires the

2:34:02issuance

2:34:03uh of a special use permit from the

2:34:05elected body following a site plan

2:34:07review by the planning board in the AG

2:34:09zoning district.

2:34:11The planning board did determine that

2:34:12the site plan meets all UDO requirements

2:34:14on March 12th of 20 26 at their meeting.

2:34:18What's before you to do

2:34:21now is to hold the public hearing and

2:34:23then make a determination regarding the

2:34:24four findings, and then either issue or

2:34:27deny the special use permit request.

2:34:30And with that, I'm available to answer

2:34:31any questions.

2:34:32>> Any questions for Chris?

2:34:34There was one comment

2:34:37from

2:34:37uh I think a neighbor living out in that

2:34:40area

2:34:41critical of the proposal on the ground

2:34:43that the roads out there that would be

2:34:46used were tar and gravel and could not

2:34:48withstand the effects the deleterious

2:34:51effects of

2:34:53heavy moving or commercial

2:34:55equipment vehicles.

2:34:57Do you have any information about that?

2:34:59I can't tell what the four qual-

2:35:01requirements that would fit into.

2:35:04>> Yeah, I I don't have any specific

2:35:06comment related to that regarding the

2:35:08four findings. I will say again that

2:35:10there is a LCID that currently already

2:35:12operates out there.

2:35:14I'm not aware of any adverse impacts on

2:35:17the existing roadway, but again, I can't

2:35:19honestly say that I travel that road

2:35:21that often, but I have not heard of

2:35:23anything and I've not heard anything

2:35:24from DOT. I know that there are I think

2:35:26there are some future road projects

2:35:28scheduled for Watkins Ford Road under

2:35:30the NCDOT NCDOT's transportation plan,

2:35:34but I don't know what the horizon year

2:35:35on that is. I know that there are some

2:35:37things in the works

2:35:40for that whole section of Watkins Ford

2:35:42Road.

2:35:44>> Could you remind me again in the acreage

2:35:46of the of the of the of the LCID that's

2:35:48in use right now?

2:35:51>> I cannot because I I don't have that

2:35:53information. I know where it is, but I

2:35:54don't know the acreage. That's probably

2:35:56a question that's better left for the

2:35:58petitioner.

2:36:00>> Okay.

2:36:01So, we're we're ready to begin. I've got

2:36:03a couple preambles and we'll get started

2:36:05and the first is that

2:36:06the board uh will not be limited to

2:36:09consideration of such evidence as would

2:36:12be admissible in a court of law.

2:36:14Discussion and deliberation among the

2:36:16board shall occur in open session

2:36:19and the board may question any witness.

2:36:22All evidence must be presented prior to

2:36:25the board rendering a decision.

2:36:28The process of approving the issuance of

2:36:30a special use permit is quasi-judicial

2:36:32um as our attorney has explained and it

2:36:35does require speakers for this

2:36:37particular hearing to speak under oath.

2:36:41The board requests that both proponents

2:36:43and opponent opponents refrain from

2:36:45making a repetitive statement or asking

2:36:47repetitive questions. Each side should

2:36:50consider appointing a spokesperson, if

2:36:52possible, to conduct cross-examination.

2:36:55The board will allow both sides to

2:36:57present their views and to cross-examine

2:37:00each witness.

2:37:02Anyone who intends to present an

2:37:04argument in favor of this matter, just

2:37:07please come forward and go ahead and you

2:37:10can move to the podium.

2:37:12Take your time.

2:37:20Our clerk Ashley Matthews will

2:37:22administer an oath to all of you.

2:37:30>> Be clear that the testimony you shall

2:37:31give to the Board of Commissioners shall

2:37:32be the truth, the whole truth, and

2:37:34nothing but the truth.

2:37:36>> I do.

2:37:37All righty.

2:37:45Good evening, Commissioners. We just

2:37:46need your We just need your name name

2:37:47and address. And I I didn't read that.

2:37:49Please do. Going forward, you state your

2:37:51name and address for the record.

2:37:52>> Okay.

2:37:53My name is Tanner Boles. I live at 7300

2:37:55Watkins Ford Road, which is directly

2:37:58adjacent west properties in in question.

2:38:01I'll start my statement. Good evening,

2:38:03Forsyth County Commissioners and county

2:38:04staff.

2:38:05I'm the current owner operator of Union

2:38:07Cross Land Development LCID located at

2:38:097301 Watkins Ford Road in Kernersville

2:38:11on the north side of Watkins Ford Road.

2:38:13As staff has stated, I am petitioning

2:38:15for special use permit for new LCID

2:38:17landfill on property that's currently

2:38:18owned by my mother on the south side of

2:38:20Watkins Ford Road. I want to reiterate

2:38:21that the LCID landfill,

2:38:23which is land clearing and inert debris

2:38:25such as logs, stumps, limbs, yard waste,

2:38:27untreated wood, brick, block, concrete,

2:38:29none of which can be painted or include

2:38:31chemical treatments.

2:38:33The proposed parcel is directly adjacent

2:38:35to my personal home and farm, also

2:38:37located on the south side of Watkins

2:38:38Ford Road. This land has been in my

2:38:40family and been farmed for 50 years. As

2:38:42this is a quasi-judicial

2:38:44a quasi-judicial hearing, my statement

2:38:45will be brief and relevant to the four

2:38:46facts of finding. It will be followed by

2:38:48my consultants and professionals who can

2:38:50further elaborate and answer any

2:38:51questions that you may have. The goal of

2:38:53this project is to be able to utilize

2:38:55the southern land with the needed

2:38:56purpose for the area of southeast

2:38:58Forsyth County and ultimately be able to

2:38:59revert the area back to agricultural use

2:39:01upon completion and closure.

2:39:03Considering the timeline within the

2:39:04original petition filed 9 years ago on

2:39:07the northern property our current

2:39:08operation and life expectancy is right

2:39:10on schedule. Our plan is to proceed

2:39:12across the road when our current north

2:39:14side is full.

2:39:16We will then fence and have cattle graze

2:39:18at landfill site as no structures will

2:39:20be built.

2:39:21This is the same plan for the proposed

2:39:22south site which we are seeking approval

2:39:24this evening. The south site will be

2:39:26developed in phases and submitted to the

2:39:28NCDQ

2:39:29to maintain agricultural production on

2:39:31all available acreages and then not

2:39:33immediate use for LCID or accessory

2:39:35operations. In short,

2:39:37we will still grow crops, hay cattle,

2:39:39and use the land until it's transitioned

2:39:41LCID use. Areas that are at capacity

2:39:43will then be fenced and pastured upon

2:39:45approval of the NCDQ waste management

2:39:47division.

2:39:48The need for this proposed facility has

2:39:50been demonstrated and justified by

2:39:52continued use with the town of

2:39:53Kernersville solid waste division for

2:39:55the management of their organic debris

2:39:57as well as the city of Winston-Salem's

2:39:58traffic field operations divisions for

2:40:00the same.

2:40:01By using our facilities municipalities

2:40:02have been able to serve, save, and and

2:40:05or reallocate funds for other uses by

2:40:07having a close and competitive option

2:40:09over higher fees and transportation

2:40:10costs to other facilities in the county.

2:40:12Our customers include tree service and

2:40:13removal companies in the community

2:40:15whether it be selective tree removal or

2:40:16emergency response due to storms and

2:40:18natural disasters.

2:40:20Furthermore, the very neighborhoods

2:40:21being built close proximity to the

2:40:22current north landfill may have utilized

2:40:24our facility for debris purposes whether

2:40:25they realize it or not.

2:40:27Whether it be in the clearing of the

2:40:28trees for the initial construction or

2:40:30municipal management of organic debris.

2:40:33I myself am the owner-operator and

2:40:35involved in day-to-day operations

2:40:36management even going to lengths to

2:40:37close my business in adverse weather to

2:40:39keep a clean facility as well as keeping

2:40:41public roads clean. I will say again

2:40:43that I live here along with many of my

2:40:45family members and neighbors.

2:40:47I feel that being neighborly is

2:40:48respectful is of utmost importance to

2:40:50myself and our operations. There are

2:40:52strict protocols set in our operations

2:40:54manual to make sure that we screen and

2:40:55even refuse unacceptable waste that

2:40:57should go and and will go to other

2:40:59appropriate and permitted facilities. In

2:41:018 years of operation we have been being

2:41:03inspected not only by the NC DEQ

2:41:05division Waste Management annually, but

2:41:07also the EAP of Forsyth County.

2:41:09We've had no violations to date.

2:41:11Those reports are public record and

2:41:13available on the NC DEQ website and can

2:41:15be searched by our permit number 34-26.

2:41:18Any contact with E-Forsyth EAP would

2:41:20also validate this statement. We strive

2:41:22to continue these standards if approved

2:41:24for the future facility and continue to

2:41:26service our community.

2:41:28Thank you for hearing this petition this

2:41:29evening. I will now will now turn my

2:41:30time over to our real estate valuation

2:41:32specialist and then our landfill

2:41:33engineering consultant. Thank you again

2:41:35for your time.

2:41:40>> [clears throat]

2:41:41>> Mr. Chairman, you might ask if anyone

2:41:42wanted to ask any questions.

2:41:44>> One one for each one. I I apologize.

2:41:46Come on up here.

2:41:53This is for pri- In fact, we've done a

2:41:54couple of these just In fact, I I was

2:41:56here when we did yours the first time.

2:41:58>> Correct. Yes, sir.

2:41:59>> And we and we actually had peo- We

2:42:00actually had people sort of a little

2:42:01back and forth and it actually worked

2:42:03out okay. Uh but I I was going to wait

2:42:06till we got but this is good. Um I and

2:42:08I'm going to be just a not an opponent.

2:42:10I just have a question. Back to the how

2:42:12many acres are in the in the LCID you're

2:42:14operating now?

2:42:15>> The initial

2:42:16>> Yeah.

2:42:16>> permit application was 6.49 acres. The

2:42:19additional was approximately four.

2:42:22So, we're right at 11 acres in the the

2:42:24expansion. Um

2:42:26based on what you and I had conversed

2:42:28about in the past uh

2:42:30and and current VDOs,

2:42:32um

2:42:33figuring out the

2:42:36procedures and and

2:42:39in planning and everything of that

2:42:40nature is

2:42:42is basically the regards of the reason

2:42:44that this cell development on the south

2:42:46side is so large at one time. It will

2:42:48not all be done at same time.

2:42:51Um we we phase it. We only disturb what

2:42:54we must.

2:42:56Uh you know, with soil and water

2:42:57conservation and erosion control

2:43:00actually keeping part of the current use

2:43:03is still in pasture and hay field and it

2:43:05will only be utilized in the LCID when

2:43:08it's necessary.

2:43:10>> Is there anyone opposed here present

2:43:14that would like to question make a

2:43:16comment relative to what has been

2:43:18presented so far?

2:43:24>> Not seen anyone. Any other questions

2:43:26from our folks?

2:43:27>> Yeah,

2:43:28in

2:43:30in drought periods such as we've

2:43:32recently been in, is there any

2:43:33aggravated risk of

2:43:37fire involving

2:43:40vegetative waste at

2:43:41>> You'd be surprised it's actually quite

2:43:43the opposite.

2:43:45>> So there's nothing in in your operations

2:43:48manual with regard to minimizing that?

2:43:50>> Oh yes, there's there's policy and

2:43:52procedure and such.

2:43:54>> Would you

2:43:55be able to comment just briefly on what

2:43:58those processes are?

2:44:00>> When we do hotspot inspections every day

2:44:03on daily basis, we did have a

2:44:06a fire that was called in by a neighbor

2:44:08and I'm probably sure that's what you're

2:44:09referring to.

2:44:11It was called in as any other

2:44:15combustion fire could cuz it is organic

2:44:17waste, green waste. It was during the

2:44:19blizzard in February when everything was

2:44:21ice covered.

2:44:23I reported that. It was contained with

2:44:25less than 1,000 gallons of water that

2:44:27fire report we actually have

2:44:29from town of Kernersville and Union

2:44:31Cross Fire District and was contained

2:44:35within 3 hours. Fire Department left

2:44:37scene. I immediately contacted Division

2:44:39of Solid Waste the following business

2:44:41day.

2:44:42They came out and spected. We also have

2:44:43those inspection reports available for

2:44:45anyone who want to look at it.

2:44:46>> Thank you.

2:44:47>> Was it incendiary?

2:44:49>> Sir?

2:44:50>> Was it incendiary?

2:44:51>> No.

2:44:56>> Other questions?

2:44:59All right. Now we can switch to your

2:45:01second speaker.

2:45:03Just identify yourself and um

2:45:06um name and address.

2:45:08>> Good evening. Chris Martin with

2:45:09Tri-County Real Estate. Uh we were

2:45:11contacted by Mr. Bowles to do a

2:45:14market analysis of the home sales in the

2:45:17area. Uh in doing that um

2:45:20research, uh the closest neighborhood to

2:45:22the current LCID uh is the Watkins

2:45:24Landing uh development.

2:45:27And in the past 1,000 days or almost two

2:45:30two years, nine months,

2:45:32they have sold There's been 74

2:45:34properties that have been sold in that

2:45:35neighborhood. Um

2:45:37and of that, the average home selling

2:45:40average homes are selling at 98.4% of

2:45:43the asking price, which is

2:45:46at or above what normal standards are.

2:45:49Um so, our estimation is the land the

2:45:52current landfill has had no impact on

2:45:54the sales price of the neighborhood

2:45:55according to what we've been able to

2:45:56determine.

2:45:58>> Any questions?

2:46:01Any We have an opponent. Yes, please

2:46:03come forward.

2:46:03>> Why did you take a

2:46:04>> Uh

2:46:05you also have to get sworn in.

2:46:07Just get sworn in and you can step up

2:46:09and identify yourself. Get sworn in

2:46:11first.

2:46:18>> The testimony you shall give to the

2:46:19Board of Commissioners shall be the

2:46:20truth, the

2:46:24>> And if you would just identify yourself,

2:46:26your name and address.

2:46:27>> Alchin. I live in Watkins Ford Landing,

2:46:30I guess the neighborhood he's referring

2:46:31to.

2:46:32>> All right. Now you can ask your

2:46:33question.

2:46:33>> Is there a reason why you used 1,000

2:46:35days instead of just like the past year?

2:46:38>> 1,000 days does cover the past year.

2:46:40>> No, but like why not just limit to the

2:46:42last 365

2:46:43>> as far as we can, so

2:46:45>> But the neighborhood wasn't done yet, I

2:46:47guess. So, you're going to sell more

2:46:48houses cuz there's builder incentives on

2:46:51a bunch of the houses, right?

2:46:55But we finished this year.

2:46:57>> Could Could I ask the two of you to get

2:46:58closer to the microphone because I'm a

2:47:00little more hearing challenged?

2:47:02>> I mean, we we just picked dates to go by

2:47:04is what we did. I mean, that's that's

2:47:05common practice. We go back Normally, we

2:47:08only go back 6 months, but in this we

2:47:09went back almost 3 years.

2:47:11>> Okay.

2:47:12>> Sir, could you repeat your question

2:47:13again and get just a little bit closer

2:47:15cuz I'm trying to understand the

2:47:17context.

2:47:18>> question is why use a thousand the past

2:47:20thousand days because our neighborhood

2:47:22just finished this year. So, the last

2:47:23house sold this January, so it's going

2:47:25to I guess

2:47:27look like there's lots of sales because

2:47:28the neighborhood was being built and

2:47:30finished and then there was builder

2:47:31incentives to actually buy the houses.

2:47:34>> Got it now. Thank you.

2:47:36>> That's my question.

2:47:37>> All right, that's good.

2:47:38>> Thank you.

2:47:39>> Any follow-up from here or any follow

2:47:41Anyone else in the audience that would

2:47:42like to ask a follow-up question? Or

2:47:47Sir, okay. Thank you.

2:47:53Just identify your

2:47:54identify yourself and address

2:47:56>> Yes, my name is Stacy Smith and I'm

2:47:58senior engineer with uh Smith Gardner.

2:48:00My office is located at 14 North Bol-

2:48:03Bolen Avenue in Raleigh, North Carolina.

2:48:06I'm a licensed professional engineer in

2:48:07the state of North Carolina among other

2:48:09states.

2:48:10I hold a bachelor's and master's degree

2:48:12in civil engineering from NC State

2:48:13University. My area of practice is in

2:48:16solid waste related engineering,

2:48:18permitting, design, construction, and

2:48:20operations for over 30 years.

2:48:24Uh the applicant engaged our firm to

2:48:26investigate the subject site and prepare

2:48:28a plan for development of a land

2:48:30clearing and inert debris landfill

2:48:33facility in compliance with local,

2:48:34state, and federal rules. Our findings

2:48:38and site plan development are included

2:48:39in the submitted uh application

2:48:42represented in our our site plan. Also

2:48:46have a

2:48:47full report that I can submit as well if

2:48:51uh

2:48:51if that's needed. Um but I I wanted to

2:48:55point out that uh as a matter of

2:48:57information, the local planning approval

2:48:59is the initial element of permits and

2:49:01approvals necessary to obtain an NC DEQ

2:49:04solid waste permit whereby multiple

2:49:06agencies at the local, state, and

2:49:09federal levels will conduct review of a

2:49:12comprehensive application. The point is

2:49:14that the facility of this type will

2:49:16maintain review and compliance by

2:49:17multiple agencies to ensure appropriate

2:49:20environmental stewardship.

2:49:22Uh within the my um evaluation that was

2:49:27uh represented in the site plan, we uh

2:49:30reviewed flood plain restrictions,

2:49:32cultural resources, natural and historic

2:49:34preserves, endangered and threatened

2:49:36species, clean water act restrictions,

2:49:39waste buffers and setbacks, uh emergency

2:49:42access, ground water buffers, storm

2:49:45water management, operations, closure,

2:49:48and post-closure. It is our opinion that

2:49:50the proposed plan and development

2:49:52complies with the required regulations

2:49:53and standards and if operated in

2:49:55accordance with the proper permits, will

2:49:57not materially endanger the public

2:49:59health, safety, and general welfare.

2:50:02And um and I don't know if it's

2:50:03appropriate to submit my report. I have

2:50:06multiple copies if if that should be

2:50:09appropriate.

2:50:10>> And one was submitted to with your app

2:50:13>> Only the site plan

2:50:14the way your process goes is just site

2:50:17plan and we answer a lot of questions,

2:50:19but I actually have a separate report

2:50:21that I prepared for

2:50:22uh Mr. Bowles and Mr. Tucker.

2:50:26>> For me, I think your credentials speak

2:50:28for itself and and that you have

2:50:29prepared a report and answered the

2:50:31questions according to the

2:50:33kind of your expertise.

2:50:34>> Well, thank Thank uh Chairman Martin,

2:50:36but I mean if he's prepared a report, I

2:50:38would like to have it.

2:50:40>> Okay.

2:50:40>> Yes, thank you.

2:50:41>> Right.

2:50:41>> I'll take it.

2:50:42>> Please submit that.

2:50:52>> Mr.

2:50:53Uh since he referred to it, might be a

2:50:54good idea to have a copy in the record

2:50:56in case of future action.

2:50:57>> Okay, looks like we're all going to get

2:50:58one.

2:50:59>> Okay, that's good.

2:51:02>> All right, do you have any other

2:51:03questions or should we look at the site

2:51:06plan if you have that available?

2:51:08>> What wants to come forward? Come forward

2:51:09to No, no, not you. Yeah.

2:51:12The young lady out in the

2:51:14audience there.

2:51:22Hang on a second, we'll swear you into

2:51:25>> Thank you.

2:51:26>> Thank you.

2:51:38Thank you for the copies.

2:51:39>> Yeah, I I appreciate it. Thank you.

2:51:42But this was helpful.

2:51:48>> for the testimony she'll give to the

2:51:50board of

2:51:55>> Now, yeah, just tell us your name and

2:51:57address and you can ask your questions.

2:51:58>> Yeah, my name is Sunny Chen. I live at

2:52:007263 Hunt Gate Drive in the development

2:52:03that is just um above the proposed area.

2:52:07There is a large creek in that area. You

2:52:09touched on how you plan to mitigate

2:52:11water exposure. I just wondered if you

2:52:13had more information about it.

2:52:19>> So, um the the uh as a part of the

2:52:22initial evaluation, we had a uh and

2:52:24within my

2:52:26um report that we shared with you, there

2:52:29is a subsequent report by Enver

2:52:31Environmental.

2:52:32Uh he's a biologist specializing in

2:52:34wetlands and streams. And one of the

2:52:36first things we'll do is identify where

2:52:39um you know, waters of the US, wetlands,

2:52:41and so forth. And that gets uh

2:52:43incorporated into our map. Um we will

2:52:46buffer those streams as well as the

2:52:49entire site with the road that is

2:52:51surrounding the site. That has channels

2:52:54and diversions that will deliver the

2:52:57stormwater to the the stormwater basins.

2:53:00Okay. And in those stormwater basins,

2:53:01that's where we manage the runoff from

2:53:03the facility. Uh that gets permitted

2:53:06with the state. Also gets permitted with

2:53:09uh Winston-Salem.

2:53:10And uh and that's where we can kind of

2:53:12manage and sample and all of the other

2:53:14things that may uh you know,

2:53:17help us make sure, ensure

2:53:20uh that uh we're protecting the

2:53:22environment.

2:53:23And again, if anywhere in that stream,

2:53:25right? The other is the buffers, right?

2:53:27Again, we we stay out of that riparian

2:53:30zone by 50 ft.

2:53:34>> Okay.

2:53:35>> Okay.

2:53:36>> Looking at your pictures here.

2:53:37>> Yeah.

2:53:37>> And and your

2:53:40Any other questions relative to that?

2:53:42And and young lady just spoke, would did

2:53:44you get a copy? Would you like to see

2:53:46his that stream part of that? He could

2:53:50>> Or could you show me on the map where

2:53:52you reside?

2:53:54Yeah.

2:54:03>> It might barely be on there.

2:54:08>> So if you're looking at the um where it

2:54:10says RS12S

2:54:12PRD,

2:54:13>> I see that.

2:54:13>> If you see there's there's a mouse you

2:54:15can use. It's like a white button.

2:54:16>> Sorry.

2:54:17I live right here.

2:54:19>> Okay.

2:54:19>> Oh, I clicked it.

2:54:22Right where the mouse is currently.

2:54:26>> Fair enough.

2:54:27>> Would you would you like to see near

2:54:28too.

2:54:29>> You guys are together.

2:54:31>> Yes.

2:54:31>> Okay, fair enough. Thank you.

2:54:33Thank you.

2:54:35>> Any other question

2:54:37>> Engineer

2:54:39The The development there, is it on the

2:54:42upgrade

2:54:44>> [clears throat]

2:54:45>> a higher

2:54:46higher grade level

2:54:49than

2:54:50the proposed site?

2:54:53>> The

2:54:54um

2:54:54You're talking about the the Watkins

2:54:56Ford development?

2:54:57>> Yes.

2:54:58>> Uh well, it's it's divided by the road.

2:55:01Uh any runoff from this facility would

2:55:05be directed in a channel, and the lower

2:55:07lying area is is going to be where where

2:55:10the stream is. So, most of the storm

2:55:12water's going to be directed away from

2:55:14that.

2:55:15>> So, the

2:55:16>> [clears throat]

2:55:17>> the drainage of the

2:55:19this whole area in yellow is from

2:55:25Is the topo

2:55:27uh

2:55:29grade from west to east down?

2:55:38Or the the drainage and natural drainage

2:55:40from on the topo of the property, is it

2:55:45on the property in question?

2:55:47>> So, the natural drainage of the area

2:55:49now, yes, it there's a high spot uh

2:55:52where I'm showing my my mouse now, and

2:55:55it drains towards Watkins Ford.

2:55:58But then it it will flow back towards

2:56:01Abbot's Creek along the road.

2:56:03Uh and again, in the in the case of uh

2:56:05what we're doing again, all of that

2:56:07would be redirected to the the basins in

2:56:09the center.

2:56:11But uh

2:56:11>> Even though that center is a high spot,

2:56:14the way the

2:56:15>> [clears throat]

2:56:15>> the grade is, it goes down and then goes

2:56:18back to the east.

2:56:20>> Well, and then the other thing that will

2:56:21happen in the development of landfill,

2:56:23we do

2:56:24uh again excavate out. And so one of the

2:56:28requirements of this always permit is

2:56:30that we're at least 4 ft above the

2:56:31groundwater. And so there has been

2:56:34piezometers and wells

2:56:36put on the site right now where we're

2:56:38monitoring groundwater.

2:56:43>> Other questions?

2:56:47Is there any are there any other

2:56:49speakers that you would like to invite

2:56:51on the in favor of proponent side?

2:56:56All right.

2:56:57Is there anyone that would like to

2:56:59present an opposition

2:57:01statement

2:57:03um that then the proponents could ask

2:57:05you questions. In other words, you you

2:57:07kind of like your own first. Would

2:57:09either of you like to make any just come

2:57:11up and you've already been sworn in?

2:57:17>> I guess hello commissioners. My name is

2:57:18Chunsheng Chen. I live in in

2:57:217263 Hunt Gate in Watkins Landing. Uh so

2:57:23my main opposition is in the fact that

2:57:25it's at a LCID. It's more the fact of

2:57:27how close it is to a creek and then into

2:57:30a watershed.

2:57:31So I'm a engineer for Volvo Trucks,

2:57:34which is a heavy-duty trucking company,

2:57:36and we are very aware of how much I

2:57:38guess tire pollution we generate. And

2:57:41that's something that I guess an

2:57:43increase a larger LCID would bring in

2:57:45more trucks. Uh so like dump trucks and

2:57:47semi trucks.

2:57:49And when you have uh trucks with heavier

2:57:51axles, the I guess the damage to the

2:57:53road and the tires is proportional to um

2:57:56the power of

2:57:59the fourth power. So

2:58:01let's say the weight is five times more

2:58:03between a dump truck and F-150 pickup,

2:58:05that means you're generating 600 and um

2:58:0925 times the wear and tear on the road

2:58:11and on the tires. So my concern is all

2:58:14that um dust and pollution is going to

2:58:17wash into the watershed because

2:58:19naturally the stream when it rains uh

2:58:21water will run down the road and then

2:58:23into the stream there.

2:58:25And I guess that leads to leads me to my

2:58:28um next point. So, one of the themes of

2:58:31Forward 2045 is to have clean air and

2:58:33water and I think this would I guess not

2:58:36help the clean water because we would be

2:58:38washing tire dust into the water.

2:58:41And then um while the plant has buffers

2:58:44so um my previous job was at John

2:58:46Deere's at the excavator excavator plant

2:58:48designing the excavators. Uh they tend

2:58:50to leak hydraulic oil and you have to

2:58:52constantly grease them and then there's

2:58:54always just grease on the machines. So,

2:58:56the other concern was the grease and the

2:58:58hydraulic oil would wash into the river

2:59:00no matter how much of a buffer you have

2:59:03something will I guess eventually leak

2:59:05through or you will have an accident of

2:59:07some kind.

2:59:09And then uh lastly on the clean air um

2:59:14So, this is a much larger [snorts] LCID.

2:59:16So, right now we have some like when

2:59:18it's dry there are some like light dust

2:59:20storms that come over from the current

2:59:22LCID next to us.

2:59:24But with this much larger one um my

2:59:26concern would be that there would be

2:59:27dust clouds and then they would kind of

2:59:30inhibit

2:59:32on the roads around us and we are also

2:59:33next to uh I-74. So, if the wind picks

2:59:37up and blows towards I-74 you might have

2:59:39the chance of a dust cloud.

2:59:41Um

2:59:43yeah, that's all I have. Thank you.

2:59:45>> DPO

2:59:47Someone would like to ask some questions

2:59:48or provide a rebuttal to that.

2:59:50>> I would like to provide a rebuttal to

2:59:52that.

2:59:55>> Hey, just just so you're clear this year

2:59:57is your opportunity to ask questions of

2:59:59him not

3:00:00>> just said that statement and I was just

3:00:01wondering if this is in standing concern

3:00:03with your review of any

3:00:06>> No, I'm just saying you can ask him

3:00:07questions now if you want to. You'll

3:00:09you'll have a chance to do a rebuttal

3:00:10later.

3:00:11>> Okay, so I can ask him questions.

3:00:13>> Yes.

3:00:13>> Okay. I don't have any questions.

3:00:16>> Okay.

3:00:16>> Okay.

3:00:17>> Are you the one who submitted the email

3:00:20complaint with regard to the character

3:00:22of the road service there?

3:00:25>> I don't think that was me.

3:00:27>> Okay.

3:00:29>> But we did submit a bunch of petitions

3:00:30to the planning board. I don't know

3:00:32where those went.

3:00:33>> And just to be clear, the board can't

3:00:35consider anything that was took place

3:00:37outside of this hearing. So, I mean,

3:00:39you've already presented what you wanted

3:00:41to present here.

3:00:43>> Okay. All right. Thank you.

3:00:45>> Did you get one of these?

3:00:51Yeah, could he get one of these cuz

3:00:53there's some pictures in there um when

3:00:55you talked about um

3:00:58the dust clouds, runoff,

3:01:01all those things and I

3:01:03I'm not an expert, but just kind of

3:01:05looking at that and

3:01:08I just wanted you to look at it and

3:01:10share your thoughts. Thank you.

3:01:14>> I'd like to ask Mr. Murphy a question.

3:01:19Does that road have a weight limit on

3:01:21it?

3:01:23>> Commissioner Lovelace, I have no earthly

3:01:24idea.

3:01:25That's not anything that's part of the

3:01:27planning analysis.

3:01:29I mean, I would assume it

3:01:30>> Well, reason I raised the question

3:01:32because he talked about weight of the

3:01:34trucks, dump trucks.

3:01:36>> I mean, again, you know, I can't speak

3:01:38>> That's not one of the findings, ain't

3:01:39it?

3:01:39>> That's not one of the findings and

3:01:40again, I can't speak to what I mean,

3:01:42obviously, I think every I don't know

3:01:44about roads, every bridge has a weight

3:01:45capacity.

3:01:47Um but I don't know what that would be

3:01:49if there are bridges on Watkins Ford

3:01:50Road, but you know, obviously,

3:01:53Mr. Boyles is already operating an LCID

3:01:55out here, so there are already existing

3:01:57trucks that are on Watkins Ford Road

3:01:59going to the existing LCID. I would

3:02:01suppose if it was an issue,

3:02:03NCDOT would have already done something

3:02:06about it.

3:02:07>> uh

3:02:09So, that's not one of the findings, but

3:02:11I was just trying to establish if what

3:02:14uh

3:02:17there are

3:02:18>> [clears throat]

3:02:20>> I think so- some roads have uh secondary

3:02:23roads have weight limits and it's posted

3:02:25as well as the

3:02:27uh

3:02:29bridges. That's what I was just trying

3:02:31to establish that. That's all.

3:02:36If it were

3:02:37>> [clears throat and cough]

3:02:39>> Well, I'll just stop there.

3:02:42>> So, could you Could you look on page um

3:02:46I think it's page

3:02:48document ID 44 on page one of seven.

3:02:54And there's a

3:02:56when you talked about the the

3:02:59downstream from the crossing, gentlemen

3:03:02described that, right?

3:03:05You One of you guys, I can't remember

3:03:07who it was, talked about how that

3:03:09downstream was coming.

3:03:11Where it was going.

3:03:12>> Th- That's right. So, yeah.

3:03:14>> And I see this on the picture

3:03:17that was given here.

3:03:19>> Okay. Okay, so these are the

3:03:20>> So, I'm I'm asking him like

3:03:25>> [laughter]

3:03:26>> Sure, it's page uh number seven. I think

3:03:28it's seven. It's in the back where the

3:03:30photos are.

3:03:31I just see that deep

3:03:34um

3:03:35downstream there.

3:03:37And I'm just wondering if that enough?

3:03:41>> Yes. So, these pictures are associated

3:03:44with the wetlands and stream assessment.

3:03:47>> Okay.

3:03:48>> And so, this is the condition of the

3:03:50site today.

3:03:51>> Right.

3:03:51>> Yeah. And and so, yes, I mean he he is

3:03:54basically looking at characteristics of

3:03:57the hydrology, the biology of the

3:03:59plants, the

3:04:00uh the moisture conditions in the soils

3:04:02in in a number of these pictures. And uh

3:04:05and yes, we would we would buffer this

3:04:07and it would be protected in the

3:04:09development of landfill and such that

3:04:11again, these streams will continue to

3:04:13operate as they were uh again in the

3:04:16development of landfill.

3:04:20>> Could I ask you what do you have any um

3:04:23I guess an opinion on terms of water

3:04:26runoff off of the asphalt that goes into

3:04:30us and draining ditches on both sides.

3:04:32And I understand part of that will end

3:04:33up draining into Abbot's Creek. Is

3:04:35that's the correct?

3:04:37>> So,

3:04:39um

3:04:40again, I'm I'm I'm not necessarily a

3:04:42traffic person. Uh however, we do

3:04:45develop a lot of these sites. We did

3:04:47speak to uh Winston-Salem DOT and NCDOT.

3:04:52And uh

3:04:53you know, as as we would

3:04:55gain a driveway permit into this site,

3:04:58usually that opens up additional

3:05:00discussions for DOT if other

3:05:02improvements need to be done other than

3:05:04the driveway. Our early discussions with

3:05:07uh

3:05:07both DOTs was it it the traffic wasn't

3:05:12substantial enough that it needed much

3:05:15more study.

3:05:18>> Well, if that were an issue if the uh

3:05:20hydraulics on specifically the highway

3:05:24that

3:05:24Mr. um

3:05:26Chairman's talking about is

3:05:30if there was uh restrictions in that

3:05:33regard by the uh DOT, there would be out

3:05:36there on 74 also because it's got uh

3:05:40>> Yeah.

3:05:40>> hundred more times traffic than Watkins

3:05:43Ford Road does.

3:05:44>> Yeah.

3:05:47>> Thank you.

3:05:47>> A- Any any other [clears throat]

3:05:48questions

3:05:51related to that?

3:05:52>> Well, I just wanted to just This is no

3:05:55questions, just a statement that I'm I'm

3:05:57reading from the staff report about the

3:06:00negative aspects of this proposal. And

3:06:04the gentleman has already talked about

3:06:06um the foot tail heel

3:06:08and how inconsistent that would be to

3:06:10the character of the area

3:06:14in addition to the Southeast precise

3:06:16area plan update and their

3:06:18recommendations um

3:06:20for this lot space.

3:06:23But nonetheless, I just wanted to share

3:06:25that.

3:06:26Thank you.

3:06:28>> Are there any any other

3:06:30comments that that basically from the

3:06:33opposing side that would like to be made

3:06:36before we offer a rebuttal opportunity?

3:06:39No other comments.

3:06:41Now we're at the

3:06:42rebuttal part and uh

3:06:45the proponent can actually

3:06:47present a rebuttal.

3:06:53>> Okay.

3:06:55To the question of the topography,

3:06:58um

3:06:59it is currently in cropland use and the

3:07:02basins that are on the image that are up

3:07:04on the screen

3:07:05uh all the water flows

3:07:07south and east with the exception of one

3:07:09small area. Uh there's a this plan and I

3:07:13I believe that Mr. Murphy had stated

3:07:14this in maybe a prior meeting that it

3:07:17looks

3:07:18there's a 100-ft buffer in here

3:07:21and but due to the size of the site

3:07:23itself is 70 acres that that looks very

3:07:25small, but 100 ft is is actually quite

3:07:28large. And if

3:07:30all the water is directed on the south

3:07:33side of Walkers Ford Road, when this

3:07:34construction happens, the buffer yards,

3:07:36the fencing, the berms, the diversion,

3:07:39it will all stay on the south side and

3:07:42go the direction the natural grade

3:07:44progression direction from

3:07:46the this point forward. There will be no

3:07:48no no misdirection or dumping of water

3:07:51in any direction that's toward the north

3:07:53or the the northwest or east or the west

3:07:56for that matter the topography is higher

3:07:58on this side and and it goes downstream

3:08:01downhill this this water comes from uh

3:08:04I-74

3:08:05and goes through the site and these

3:08:07buffers are 100 ft on each side so

3:08:09there's a 200 ft buffer there and it

3:08:11doesn't look very large and in

3:08:13comparison other site plans you may see

3:08:15but because the site plan is 70 acres

3:08:18Abbott's Creek is here in this area and

3:08:20our restricted areas on the floodplain

3:08:22floodways are back this far.

3:08:25So and the road impacts uh

3:08:27Watkins Ford Road I've lived on for

3:08:3130 years ish. Um there is no speed limit

3:08:34on Watkins Ford Road. There used to be a

3:08:37weight limit bridge here at Abbott's

3:08:39Creek. There was a construction

3:08:40approximately 10 years ago to replace

3:08:42that and the average uh on the roads

3:08:44that are not posted the gross vehicle

3:08:46weight ratings for those roads are

3:08:4880,000 lb. Uh no truck traffic that

3:08:50comes into our landfill exceeds that.

3:08:52Those are not our trucks. We do not own

3:08:54the the trucks that come in and out of

3:08:55our landfill but generally you have to

3:08:57have a permit from the state to do such.

3:08:59Um

3:09:00the traffic itself

3:09:02it is

3:09:04consistent has been consistent over the

3:09:069 years that we've been in operation.

3:09:08There's been no drastic uptick in the

3:09:10amount of volume that we have received.

3:09:12It has been very consistent. It was

3:09:14actually low in the beginning and in

3:09:15couple years in it's been very

3:09:17consistent since.

3:09:19This would only move that to a different

3:09:20location. It wouldn't add to it.

3:09:23>> I see what you're saying.

3:09:24>> And the small area of concern was where

3:09:27on the map can you show me?

3:09:29>> Small area of concern of what?

3:09:30>> said that there was one small area.

3:09:33>> Uh the small area that is currently uh

3:09:35water runoff is is right here.

3:09:38>> So was that near where they live?

3:09:40>> It it does not go the direction. There

3:09:42the topography if you look right here

3:09:43and if you look on a broader map you can

3:09:45look those up somewhere.

3:09:46The elevation, if you Mr. Limbo was

3:09:48asking, it

3:09:50it is almost even as far as elevation

3:09:53from sea level with the current

3:09:55subdivision [snorts] and the current

3:09:57topography of the field that this is in

3:10:00state.

3:10:02The the water goes to to

3:10:04a crosswalk is forward road and directly

3:10:06dumps into a on-site permanent pond that

3:10:09is on the the eastern side of this road

3:10:13of this entrance road. It never gets

3:10:15anywhere near

3:10:16the housing the houses at all for that

3:10:18development.

3:10:20>> Fair enough.

3:10:21>> Going back to the

3:10:23>> [clears throat]

3:10:24>> drainage the the uh

3:10:30I just try to

3:10:33Well, I think I know what But the the

3:10:35brown area on the east end down there

3:10:39is that the catch basin for the biggest

3:10:42part of the

3:10:43uh

3:10:45>> No, sir. That's That's the recycling

3:10:47area

3:10:47>> Okay. Okay.

3:10:48>> for leaves mostly.

3:10:50Um but currently the town of

3:10:52Kernersville brings all their their

3:10:54leaves uh

3:10:55to us to compost. And this is a sediment

3:10:59pond. This is a sediment pond. This is a

3:11:02sediment pond. And here's one as well.

3:11:04And like I said, I'll reiterate the

3:11:05whole point of due to the large scale of

3:11:08the site plan, these ponds are massive.

3:11:10They are large. They have done go

3:11:11through the hydraulics and all those

3:11:14things that were necessary in the plan

3:11:16to meet the county UDO specs and the

3:11:19state DEQ requirements for the ponds to

3:11:21catch all of the runoff from the site on

3:11:24and it's in multiple areas. And this

3:11:27this cannot be any further east due to

3:11:29the flood plain area floodway area.

3:11:31So, that that orange spot right there is

3:11:34only a small accessory recycling area

3:11:36for leaves.

3:11:37>> I didn't use the right term, but the

3:11:40sediment basin is what I was referring

3:11:42to a sediment basin and a catch basin.

3:11:45>> Yes, sir.

3:11:45>> I'll look look at it and see if there's

3:11:47a difference in it. I think they do the

3:11:49same thing.

3:11:51>> It's getting late and this is my last

3:11:53question, I promise. Um for the

3:11:56development, how many homes is in that

3:11:58development?

3:12:00>> 112.

3:12:01>> Okay.

3:12:02Thank you. That's all I had.

3:12:04>> Any further questions?

3:12:05>> One one brief question regarding the

3:12:07dust.

3:12:08You indicated that the present use is

3:12:11agriculture is it crop use, is it

3:12:13pasture?

3:12:15>> It is crop use. It was in pasture at one

3:12:17time.

3:12:18My property is is to the west. It's

3:12:20right here

3:12:21on this western edge of the fill area.

3:12:23It will remain

3:12:25the initial fill area will be this

3:12:27section on

3:12:29closest to I-74, furthest away from any

3:12:31residence.

3:12:33Like I like I stated previously, this

3:12:35entire area will not be disturbed at one

3:12:37time.

3:12:38This this will be phased. It goes

3:12:40through a phasing process with DEQ. So

3:12:42our disturbance areas are not

3:12:44you're not having a massive area of

3:12:46disturbance and having water run off and

3:12:48mud and silt go into Abbot's Creek.

3:12:50It and it will be remaining crop land.

3:12:53Likely in the future in the near future

3:12:55will be just grass and hay.

3:12:56>> Okay.

3:12:57Um

3:13:01Actually, that that's that's an

3:13:03interesting difference.

3:13:04For comparison,

3:13:06what's the current crop use?

3:13:08What current what

3:13:09>> Current crop use is is fallow at the

3:13:11moment. On this side back here, this was

3:13:13recently cleared

3:13:15and [clears throat]

3:13:16we planted wheat and had a wheat crop on

3:13:17it this calendar year.

3:13:19Uh

3:13:20this this particular section on this

3:13:21side had a wheat crop on it. And this

3:13:25area over here is currently planted in

3:13:26grass and my farm is planted in grass

3:13:29for hay.

3:13:30>> All right.

3:13:31Thank you.

3:13:31>> What is in You finished?

3:13:34>> Yes, thank you.

3:13:35>> [clears throat and cough]

3:13:36>> What is in the uh

3:13:38agriculture is under a different

3:13:40regulation USDA and so

3:13:44the regulation until

3:13:47you start using that other if whenever

3:13:50you first start taking out I don't know

3:13:53when that would be two acres is all he

3:13:55can open is that right Mr. Murphy?

3:13:59At one time?

3:14:03>> That's a state permitting I I'm not sure

3:14:05what the state permitting requirements

3:14:07are.

3:14:07>> Well, it's just a small amount but

3:14:09nevertheless uh

3:14:11it is

3:14:12long as it's in the agriculture part

3:14:14it's under those regulations but when he

3:14:16starts to use this then he's got to go

3:14:20over to all of those other regulations.

3:14:24>> Yes, that's correct.

3:14:36>> Any other questions?

3:14:41Righty. Oh, yes. Go ahead.

3:14:44>> Yes.

3:14:44>> I want to add I mean some of the the

3:14:46questions have been around operations

3:14:48and so as a as again his current

3:14:50operation has an operations manual

3:14:53that operations manual must meet a lot

3:14:56of criteria within the state rules

3:14:59that's probably referenced by rule in

3:15:01here but without getting exhaustive we

3:15:03didn't cover it but it includes not

3:15:05having an open area of debris of more

3:15:09than one acre before it has to be

3:15:11covered. Once you get past areas then it

3:15:14needs to be covered with more soil and

3:15:16then it'll it'll get seeded down to

3:15:19stabilize it. So again as he said it's a

3:15:21progression.

3:15:23You know, the areas get opened in cells.

3:15:27You know, at

3:15:28the the current rate Uh, you know, we

3:15:30project his site Probably has another

3:15:33five or so years. This site here will

3:15:35probably have 25 to 30 years. Uh, so

3:15:38again, it just stays on. Now, what

3:15:40drives the increase is is the homes.

3:15:44Right? And and again, as we continue to

3:15:46densify homes in our area, that is

3:15:49driving the need for for these things.

3:15:52Not only in the initial clearing and

3:15:53development, but also the continued

3:15:55maintenance of

3:15:57yards and and bushes and and all that

3:16:00sort of stuff. So, I think again, you

3:16:02know, we we do annual reports.

3:16:05Um, you know, there's there's storm

3:16:07water inspections that go on.

3:16:09Uh, he has his state inspections.

3:16:12Uh, there is requirements to keep dust

3:16:14down. Uh, there's requirements, again as

3:16:16he said too, on, you know, monitoring

3:16:18and managing the potential heat.

3:16:20Uh, there's discussions in the

3:16:22operations manual about when it's steam,

3:16:24when it's smoke, uh, you know, cuz

3:16:27again, I

3:16:28again, I

3:16:29I don't know if I've shared all this

3:16:30with him, but again, he did have that

3:16:31fire and he he resolved it fairly quick

3:16:35well quickly, you know? And that's

3:16:37really what we want to set the

3:16:38operations up and it's usually done by

3:16:40dirt, smothering it, not putting a lot

3:16:43of excess water, and uh, and Tanner's

3:16:45operation certainly has been very

3:16:47responsible.

3:16:50>> Righty.

3:16:52I declare that the public hearing is

3:16:54over. It's closed.

3:16:58Do we have motion?

3:16:59>> I do. Um,

3:17:01I move that the Board of Commissioners

3:17:02find that the proponent has proved the

3:17:05four required findings of fact based

3:17:08upon testimony presented in the hearing

3:17:12on July 30th, 2026,

3:17:15and that the special use permit attached

3:17:19here to and included in the agenda item

3:17:22be approved.

3:17:25>> I'll second that motion. Any discussion?

3:17:27>> Brief comment. Uh, I think the uh,

3:17:30petitioner has done a good job of

3:17:31responding to the concerns raised.

3:17:36>> Agreed.

3:17:38>> Other comments?

3:17:39>> Yeah, um I appreciate um all of the

3:17:42information today, but I

3:17:45more appreciate the citizens being here

3:17:48and you being able to verbalize for me.

3:17:51I'm not a subject matter expert, but at

3:17:53least I kind of um better understand

3:17:56what those other constituents are

3:17:58probably having to uh contend with. Um I

3:18:01didn't hear anything from them. I

3:18:03haven't received any emails.

3:18:05Nonetheless, I thank you for being here

3:18:06and your testimony today.

3:18:11>> All right.

3:18:12We're ready for item three.

3:18:16Um next item on the agenda

3:18:17>> We've got to vote.

3:18:18>> Oh, I'm sorry. We need to vote. We've

3:18:19got We have a motion, we have a second,

3:18:20we've had discussion. All in favor,

3:18:21please say I. I. Any opposed?

3:18:24>> No.

3:18:25>> We have one opposed. Motion carries six

3:18:27to one. [clears throat]

3:18:28Thank you all.

3:18:31Now, the next item on the agenda is a

3:18:33resolution recognizing August 2026 as

3:18:37National Emergency Management Awareness

3:18:39Month.

3:18:43August Burning coming forward. And who

3:18:46is reading this?

3:18:48>> Drew, I'm I'm

3:18:50>> Great.

3:18:51>> Okay.

3:18:51>> Thank you.

3:18:53Whereas emergencies and disasters,

3:18:55including natural, man-made, and

3:18:56technological, can occur unexpectedly,

3:18:59posing significant threats to life,

3:19:00property, and the environment. Whereas

3:19:02the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Office

3:19:05of Emergency Management, Forsyth County

3:19:07Emergency Managers across all sectors,

3:19:09community leaders, the North Carolina

3:19:11Division of Emergency Management, and

3:19:13the Federal Emergency Management Agency

3:19:15dedicate countless hours to developing

3:19:17preparedness, response, recovery, and

3:19:19mitigation programs to protect the lives

3:19:21and property of all persons living in

3:19:23the United States and US territories.

3:19:25Whereas emergency managers across the

3:19:27United States and US territories are

3:19:29charged with establishing and

3:19:30maintaining the capabilities necessary

3:19:32to effectively direct, coordinate, and

3:19:34support emergency and disaster response

3:19:37and recovery efforts. And whereas the

3:19:39efforts of our nation's emergency

3:19:41managers have helped millions of

3:19:42community members across the United

3:19:44States recover, rebuild, and become more

3:19:45resilient in the face of adversity. Now,

3:19:48therefore, be it resolved that the

3:19:50Forsyth County Board of Commissioners

3:19:52hereby recognizes August 20, 2026 as

3:19:54National Emergency Management Awareness

3:19:56Month in Forsyth County and encourages

3:19:59all citizens to express their sincere

3:20:00appreciation for emergency managers in

3:20:02every sector who work diligently to

3:20:04prepare, protect, and serve our clients,

3:20:07county, states, tribes, territories,

3:20:09regions, and organizations against all

3:20:11hazards and risk. Adopted this 30th day

3:20:14of July, 2026.

3:20:16>> Second.

3:20:17I have second. Um any discussion? All in

3:20:19favor, please say

3:20:20>> Aye.

3:20:20>> Aye.

3:20:21>> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

3:20:23And

3:20:24August, we'd be happy to hear from you

3:20:26and thank you for being here for just a

3:20:28a few hours.

3:20:28>> Uh thank you very much and good evening,

3:20:30everyone. And so, I'll just say thank

3:20:32you for the proclamation.

3:20:34Uh very quickly, uh the Office of

3:20:36Emergency Management is the local agency

3:20:38responsible for planning and

3:20:40coordinating our community's response to

3:20:42disasters

3:20:43uh and large-scale emergencies. These

3:20:46include natural disasters, man-made

3:20:48disasters, and technological disasters.

3:20:51Uh we do this by working with all our

3:20:53local partners, which includes local,

3:20:55municipal, regional, county, state,

3:20:58federal, nonprofits, and private

3:21:00institutions.

3:21:01Uh one example of that, obviously, is

3:21:03over the past 48 hours,

3:21:05our team has been doing that that

3:21:06mission by uh assisting with the large

3:21:09water main disruption.

3:21:11Uh our office is a very small team of

3:21:13only five individuals, including myself.

3:21:16Uh we typically work behind the scenes

3:21:18and out of the public side.

3:21:20Our office accomplish this mission

3:21:23by conducting training exercises,

3:21:25planning, grants, public education, and

3:21:27responding to incidents

3:21:28uh 24/7 365.

3:21:31So, I think personally the proclamation

3:21:34is an excellent way to get the word out

3:21:36on what our team does and what our

3:21:37mission is.

3:21:39And with that, I just want to say that I

3:21:41I think I'm here to accept the

3:21:42proclamation on behalf of my small team

3:21:45who were unable to be here this evening

3:21:48because of ongoing events and incidents.

3:21:51Uh so, again, thank you uh for the

3:21:53opportunity to be here and and greatly

3:21:54appreciate the proclamation.

3:21:57>> August, we appreciate what you do. Were

3:21:59you close to having to responding to a

3:22:01man-made disaster that we had yesterday?

3:22:04>> Uh we're still responding,

3:22:06but things are improving.

3:22:08>> Oh, that's a

3:22:09very difficult thing. A lot of people

3:22:10have have had probably not a lot of

3:22:12sleep in the last uh

3:22:14couple of couple days, actually. So,

3:22:15thank you for that.

3:22:17>> Well, and also real quickly, I want to

3:22:19several other county agencies and

3:22:21departments

3:22:22and and quite a few, actually, have been

3:22:24assisting in this response. So, I just

3:22:26wanted to put that information out.

3:22:28>> Thank you.

3:22:29>> Thank you.

3:22:34Okay.

3:22:52>> [applause]

3:23:00>> All righty.

3:23:08I just found the attachment that I need

3:23:11Sorry, I'm still not quite there.

3:23:18Well, let me get to it.

3:23:25Next we have a resolution supporting the

3:23:27designation of North Carolina Highway 67

3:23:30Yadkin River Bridge as the Jimmy R.

3:23:32Hutchens and Joe C. Matthews Bridge. Um

3:23:36and I actually do have just for those of

3:23:39you do not know anything about the those

3:23:41two particularly, I did want to mention

3:23:44their names and tell you a little bit

3:23:45about them. As I think I indicated on

3:23:48Monday,

3:23:49um I was approached from the

3:23:51Yadkin County Commission chair

3:23:54um actually have this to to consider

3:23:56this proposal.

3:23:58Um they've already adopted it and I'll

3:24:00tell you a little bit about Jimmy

3:24:01Hutchens Um he actually just died 1999.

3:24:07And Jimmy Hutchens served as the

3:24:08executive director of the Yadkin Valley

3:24:10Economic Development District um from

3:24:131971 until his death in early 1999.

3:24:17In nearly three decades of innovative

3:24:19leadership, he transformed a modest

3:24:21community action agency into a

3:24:24multi-county institution delivering

3:24:26weatherization, transit, workforce

3:24:29training, senior services, and historic

3:24:32preservation across Yadkin, Surry,

3:24:35Stokes, Davie, and surrounding counties.

3:24:38He's done a number of other things

3:24:41um but particularly has been very active

3:24:43in Yadkin County.

3:24:45Um Joe Matthews, Joe C. Matthews um

3:24:49he was born 1932 and died 1997.

3:24:53And basically he was the person who got

3:24:56the initial federal grants um compiled.

3:25:00He compiled all the technical proposal

3:25:02filings to get federal matching dollars

3:25:04for highway connectivity, safety

3:25:07expansions, and rural secondary bridge

3:25:10upgrades throughout the Northwest

3:25:13Piedmont including infrastructure along

3:25:16the North Carolina 67 Corridor. So, he

3:25:19was he was in our sort of predecessor of

3:25:21the Northwest Piedmont um

3:25:25Council of Governments.

3:25:26Um we used to be a part of that when it

3:25:28was Northwest Economic Development

3:25:30Commission.

3:25:31And now we have we are now associated

3:25:33with Piedmont Triad um regional

3:25:36consortium. So, um he was very active in

3:25:40a number of issues uh

3:25:42throughout the Northwest. Both of them

3:25:45have relationships to infrastructure and

3:25:47bridges. So, I I would entertain a

3:25:51motion to approve um the naming of the

3:25:53bridge of the across the connect Yadkin

3:25:56and Forsyth County uh the Joe Matthews

3:25:59and Jimmy Hutchins Bridge.

3:26:02>> Move for approval.

3:26:04>> Motion approved by uh Commissioner

3:26:05Wizznant, second by Commissioner Bessie.

3:26:07Any discussion?

3:26:08>> I have a

3:26:09question about um the resolution

3:26:12supporting the designation.

3:26:15Does that mean Forsyth County has some

3:26:17say so in that designation or we're just

3:26:20supporting their recommendation to

3:26:23designate that bridge after those

3:26:25individuals?

3:26:26>> As I understand it, both counties that

3:26:30where the bridge connects between Yadkin

3:26:33and Forsyth have to adopt exactly the

3:26:36same language in order for it to be I

3:26:40guess it goes to it's an application

3:26:42that goes with a resolution to DOT to go

3:26:45through a naming process. I think that's

3:26:47accurate.

3:26:51>> Thank you.

3:26:54>> Um any other discussion? All in favor,

3:26:56please say I. I. Any opposed? Motion

3:26:59carries unanimously.

3:27:02Um all righty.

3:27:04And number five is a proclamation

3:27:05recognizing the accomplishments Oh, we

3:27:07don't need to do that. We already did

3:27:08that. I'll skip over. Resolution

3:27:09declaring intent of the County of

3:27:11Forsyth, North Carolina to participate

3:27:13in the commercial property assess

3:27:15capital expenditure program.

3:27:22Someone reading that or we just act on

3:27:23that?

3:27:24>> I think Mr. Chairman, you just act on

3:27:25it.

3:27:25>> Yeah, I'm over approval. A motion from

3:27:28uh

3:27:29Vice Chairman Wilson I'd be happy to

3:27:31second that. Any discussion?

3:27:34All in favor, please say I. I. Any

3:27:36opposed? Um motion carries unanimously.

3:27:41And finally, the minutes for me.

3:27:43Um do we have approval of the minutes

3:27:45for the meetings of June 25th and July

3:27:489th, 2026?

3:27:51>> So moved.

3:27:51>> Motion approved by Commissioner Bessie.

3:27:53Is there a second?

3:27:54>> Second.

3:27:55>> Seconded by uh Commissioner McDaniel.

3:27:57Any discussion?

3:27:58All in favor, please say I.

3:28:00>> I.

3:28:01>> I. Pleased to turn the rest of meeting

3:28:03over to uh

3:28:04>> Public session.

3:28:06>> We don't gosh, we need a public session.

3:28:08I have misplaced my

3:28:10I had it here cuz I was looking for the

3:28:12bridge information.

3:28:14Thank you. We have this is This is an

3:28:16opportunity for anyone from the public

3:28:17who has signed up and Madam uh

3:28:20Clerk, do we have any cards or

3:28:22telephones?

3:28:23>> We don't have any telephone calls, but

3:28:24we have some speaker cards. And I think

3:28:26several have left, so we're going to go

3:28:28through these pretty quickly.

3:28:30First speaker is Anna Brodsky.

3:28:35Okay.

3:28:36We'll skip her.

3:28:40Elizabeth Burns.

3:28:43Yes, ma'am. Please come forward.

3:28:45>> State your name and address for the

3:28:46record.

3:28:53My name is Elizabeth Burns. I live at

3:28:554671 Forest Manor Drive in Clemmons,

3:28:59North Car- Actually, it's a

3:29:00Winston-Salem mailing address, but it's

3:29:02Clemmons.

3:29:03Uh I'm the Lone Ranger from the Clemmons

3:29:06group. Um I appreciate your longevity

3:29:09here and your

3:29:10patience.

3:29:11Um coming to

3:29:13talk to you about 6010

3:29:16Gun Club Road.

3:29:18And that's in Winston-Salem.

3:29:20On that road, it is commercial. It is

3:29:23zoned commercial.

3:29:25We have Golden Foods. They manufacture

3:29:27sausages. We have Salem Fabrication

3:29:30Technologies Group, and they distribute

3:29:32fabrication tooling, supplies, and

3:29:34machinery.

3:29:35We have A1 Clemmons Mini Storage. And

3:29:38Innovia Films uh America, they do

3:29:41plastics for shipping and wrapping and

3:29:44things like that.

3:29:45And then on Kenneman Road, we have Joyce

3:29:47Farms. That's a food processing plant.

3:29:50Um

3:29:51Clemmons Gymnastics Center, Creative

3:29:53Drama Children's Theater, uh Holly Tate

3:29:56Fine Catering, and there's a few other

3:29:58smaller businesses kind of interspersed

3:30:00throughout that.

3:30:03And then we have a proposed asphalt

3:30:05plant.

3:30:08Gun Club Road is very narrow.

3:30:10The ingress egress uh right next to the

3:30:13bridge that is slated to be replaced

3:30:15next year. Uh but even before that, it's

3:30:18pretty precarious when you're coming

3:30:19over that bridge and something coming

3:30:21out of Gun Club Road. Gun Club Road is a

3:30:23very narrow road.

3:30:25Um

3:30:28Behind Gun Club Road, as the crow flies,

3:30:33there are hundreds and hundreds of

3:30:35residential homes, single-family homes.

3:30:38Right across the I-40 bridge, you've got

3:30:41a very large Catholic church.

3:30:43You have numerous uh residential areas.

3:30:47You've got apartments, you've got

3:30:48townhouses.

3:30:50Um

3:30:51in addition to small little um

3:30:54patio home communities.

3:30:56Like I said, we're talking about

3:30:57hundreds of families.

3:30:59Just beyond that, there's an out patient

3:31:01out patient surgical facility. Little

3:31:03bit beyond that, there are two large

3:31:05medical facilities.

3:31:07Now, I do understand that Gum Club Road

3:31:09is, as I said, zoned commercial GI,

3:31:12general industrial.

3:31:14And it was zoned that many, many, many,

3:31:16many years ago. So, I get that. But,

3:31:19what we're being told by the leadership

3:31:21in Klemons, there's nothing we can do.

3:31:24As a citizen of the United States of

3:31:26America, I do not accept that. That is

3:31:29unacceptable.

3:31:31Um

3:31:32considering this plant going in, again,

3:31:35as I said, hundreds of families being

3:31:37affected, uh a number of businesses that

3:31:40cater to children,

3:31:41uh

3:31:42food processing plants,

3:31:44I think it's not just a disregard to

3:31:47allow this to go in, but an actual

3:31:49disrespect of the people in that

3:31:52community, of which I'm one, and only

3:31:54since December. I moved here from New

3:31:56Hanover County

3:31:57to avoid a lot of things, and now we're

3:31:59faced with this.

3:32:02Um

3:32:05The only thing I can really say is

3:32:07whoever decides the final they've

3:32:09applied for their air quality permit,

3:32:11Maymead.

3:32:13At the end of the day, whoever decides

3:32:15that this can go through,

3:32:17y'all get to go home

3:32:19and enjoy the peace and quiet of your

3:32:20home. It's a done deal, you probably

3:32:23wouldn't think about it again. I

3:32:24wouldn't if I were you.

3:32:26But, the rest of us go home after that

3:32:28decision is made, 24/7, 365

3:32:32days a year, we get to smell it,

3:32:35we get to hear it,

3:32:37and we get to be affected by it.

3:32:39Gone will be all the I couldn't count

3:32:42how many little gardens are in the

3:32:43backyards of the people in the

3:32:44neighborhood. Swimming pools. I wouldn't

3:32:47allow my child I wouldn't get in the

3:32:48swimming pool with the particulates that

3:32:51are put out from an asphalt plant.

3:32:54We're not as a lot of people said

3:32:56earlier, we're not anti-growth,

3:32:59we're not anti-business, we're not

3:33:01anti-asphalt company, but there are many

3:33:03other commercial sites that would be

3:33:05better suited for Maymead.

3:33:08Um

3:33:09I don't know that they're even aware of

3:33:10what they're coming into in the

3:33:11residential area. But I would encourage

3:33:14somebody to look at this and I mean is

3:33:16there even any way we could speak with

3:33:18or you could speak with Maymead, even

3:33:20offer some tax incentive to look at

3:33:22another parcel.

3:33:23>> Yeah, our

3:33:24Two three minutes are up.

3:33:26And

3:33:26>> [clears throat]

3:33:27>> I don't know I know where you're talking

3:33:28about and I know where it is, but you

3:33:29might just be able to speak to this

3:33:31gentleman over here. He might know a

3:33:32little something about it. Do you know

3:33:33something about it?

3:33:36>> It's in the village of Clemmons.

3:33:37>> Oh, so it's not still

3:33:39>> It's in Clemmons zoning jurisdiction.

3:33:41It's GI. Clemmons allows a an asphalt

3:33:44plant

3:33:45with a permit issued by

3:33:49us, but we that's because they contract

3:33:52with us.

3:33:53So, they have to get a air quality

3:33:55permit. We're one of I think two

3:33:59local jurisdictions in the state that

3:34:00issue their own air quality permits. So,

3:34:02they'll have to apply for an air quality

3:34:03permit through Forsyth County, but then

3:34:05if that air quality permit gets issued

3:34:07and they apply for a

3:34:10permit to build an asphalt plant because

3:34:13it's existing GI, we would have to issue

3:34:15the permit.

3:34:16And it's based on Clemmons' zoning.

3:34:21>> But the air quality permit will come

3:34:22here.

3:34:23>> I understand that.

3:34:25>> I I

3:34:26>> Okay.

3:34:26>> Just appreciate that clarification cuz I

3:34:28was a little lost, but

3:34:29>> So, there's nothing we can do.

3:34:31>> I thought there were several permits

3:34:33required for an asphalt plant. Um and

3:34:37what is the current status of their

3:34:40petition?

3:34:41>> Nothing's been submitted to us. I can't

3:34:43speak to air quality. Again, I'm sure

3:34:45there are other state and federal

3:34:46permits they have to get. I'm speaking

3:34:48solely about the land use aspect of it

3:34:51because the land is owned GI and the

3:34:54Clemson's unified development ordinance

3:34:56allows an asphalt plant with a Z. And

3:34:59whenever something's in the table as a

3:35:00Z, that means they go to the person that

3:35:02issues the construction permit to get

3:35:05the permit approved. But of course,

3:35:06yeah, they would have to do whatever

3:35:08local, state, and federal air quality,

3:35:10environmental quality, those type of

3:35:12permits, they would have to get those as

3:35:13well.

3:35:14But from a

3:35:16permit issuance standpoint,

3:35:18if they brought in an application for an

3:35:20asphalt plant and it met all the

3:35:22requirements in the Clemson's UDO, we

3:35:23would have to issue that permit.

3:35:26>> Okay.

3:35:26>> Noise is one of them.

3:35:30>> Thank you. We kind of went a little

3:35:31little further beyond in in discussing

3:35:34this from from a public comment

3:35:35standpoint, but if you'd like to say one

3:35:37word,

3:35:37>> Just one one question. Um

3:35:40does our

3:35:43Department of Environmental Quality

3:35:44issue the air permit?

3:35:47>> Yes, sir. They do review the permit and

3:35:49issue the permit.

3:35:50>> And if they

3:35:52that is a departmental decision, not a

3:35:54board decision. Is that correct?

3:35:56>> Yes, sir. That's correct. They're Yeah.

3:35:58>> And if if there is a if there are public

3:36:00comments on that, that would go to the

3:36:03to the department.

3:36:04>> Yes, sir.

3:36:04>> And then if there were an appeal

3:36:07on

3:36:08you know, whatever grounds are are

3:36:10permissible,

3:36:13where would the appeal go? Um

3:36:15superior court?

3:36:17Um the state EPA?

3:36:19>> I would say they have their own board

3:36:21that handles those, but if that um

3:36:25if it went beyond that, it would depend

3:36:27on what the actual permit is. We we

3:36:30could certainly have minor speak to

3:36:32that, but it's

3:36:34the issue that was brought

3:36:36before you today is really a Clemens

3:36:38issue.

3:36:39>> Yeah.

3:36:39>> Um it's whether or not it meets the air

3:36:41quality permit is not

3:36:44really um

3:36:45one where there's a lot of discretion.

3:36:47It's very much, you know, technical.

3:36:49>> Yes.

3:36:49>> So you but it would not come before this

3:36:51board, the Board of Commissioners.

3:36:53>> That that I just wanted to know the

3:36:56to to whom to refer the the citizen and

3:36:58that would be

3:36:59um DEQ and the processes there and they

3:37:02could inform me about that.

3:37:06Thank you.

3:37:08Do we have any other

3:37:13Do you have other cards?

3:37:16>> I'm glad I'm not the only one.

3:37:18>> Yeah.

3:37:19>> Yeah, we're all half asleep.

3:37:24>> Daphne Pace

3:37:28Walter Vaughn

3:37:32>> Please come forward state your name and

3:37:34address for the record.

3:37:38>> If I put something on here will show

3:37:39everyone behind me?

3:37:42Oh, good.

3:37:43This is Walter Vaughn, 393 Bagly Springs

3:37:46Road in Ronda, North Carolina.

3:37:48I'm here to discuss a matter of the

3:37:50Constitution.

3:37:52They say ignorance of the law is no

3:37:53excuse and after I get done today there

3:37:55will be no excuse.

3:37:57The Bible simply says to correct,

3:37:58rebuke, and teach.

3:38:00You're supposed to go before your

3:38:01brother if you have a concern, a

3:38:03grievance. So today we're going to lay

3:38:05out the grievance.

3:38:06We've already laid it out three times in

3:38:08Wilkes and we're moving into the lawsuit

3:38:09section.

3:38:10I am in no way threatening.

3:38:13I'm just talking about the Constitution.

3:38:16Hopefully everyone can see Article 1

3:38:18Section 8.

3:38:19I'm going to read it once.

3:38:22Probably won't catch it, but I'll read

3:38:23it a few more times. The people of this

3:38:25state shall not be taxed or made subject

3:38:27to the tax or payment of any impost or

3:38:29duty without the consent of themselves.

3:38:34That's the first part.

3:38:35Or their representatives in the General

3:38:37Assembly, that's the second part. And

3:38:40this is the catch to the General

3:38:41Assembly.

3:38:42Freely they give.

3:38:44If I freely give it, I can freely take

3:38:45it away.

3:38:47Now, my next one I want to bring up.

3:38:51We go back to the Declaration of

3:38:52Independence, right?

3:38:55This is our founding fathers.

3:38:57The 13 colonies, the people that wrote

3:39:00the Declaration of Independence. This is

3:39:02how I can tie it to history.

3:39:04It says right here,

3:39:06"For imposing taxes on us without our

3:39:09consent."

3:39:11So, I've just laid out foundational

3:39:13history.

3:39:15And I want you to understand

3:39:19that when I read this again, you

3:39:20probably still won't catch it.

3:39:23But right now, we're looking at legal

3:39:24lawsuits against our commissioners. Why?

3:39:29Cuz I'm going to read this one more

3:39:29time, and I'm going to see if you guys

3:39:31catch it. "The people of this state

3:39:32shall not be taxed or made subject to

3:39:34the payment of any impost or duty

3:39:37without the consent of themselves or

3:39:38their representatives in the General

3:39:40Assembly freely given."

3:39:43Most people in this room didn't catch

3:39:44it.

3:39:45Maybe not even the lawyers. The lawyers

3:39:48will tell you that that the Machinery

3:39:50Act gives you authority. Machinery Act

3:39:52is a light switch. You flip it on and

3:39:53off. Somebody has to flip it on and off,

3:39:55right? For it to work.

3:39:57They'll say, "Well, Article 5 gives us

3:40:00authority."

3:40:01Sorry, guys. Your Declarations of

3:40:03Rights, Article 1, was created first in

3:40:06North Carolina. Everything hangs on one.

3:40:10Just like the Bible,

3:40:11all the commandments hang on two.

3:40:14I'm not going to read it anymore. I'm

3:40:15simply going to tell you.

3:40:18You see commissioner under the chain of

3:40:21command in Article 1, Section 8 at all.

3:40:24I I myself. I see representative.

3:40:28I don't see any of you guys there.

3:40:31Now, under statute 153A,

3:40:34you guys are dealing with Raleigh. You

3:40:36and Armor Raleigh.

3:40:39And if you don't have anything on the

3:40:40books,

3:40:41which I already know you don't.

3:40:43My county doesn't.

3:40:45It says that you got authorization from

3:40:47Raleigh

3:40:48to tax people on their property,

3:40:51guys are all on the fence.

3:40:54First First issue is deprivation of

3:40:57rights.

3:40:58You denied me of my right.

3:41:00You didn't allow me to consent.

3:41:02The second one is treason.

3:41:05Under the Declaration of Independence,

3:41:09this

3:41:10was an act of war.

3:41:12Our founding fathers wrote it is an act

3:41:14of war.

3:41:16And And when you talk about an act of

3:41:19war against the state,

3:41:21when you look up the definition of

3:41:23state, what is the state?

3:41:25It's the people.

3:41:27So, I appreciate your time.

3:41:29I just want you to know this is the

3:41:30first notice.

3:41:31Read your Constitution.

3:41:33Don't listen to the lawyers.

3:41:35It's like our lawyer said,

3:41:37Raleigh has all authority.

3:41:39>> Thank you.

3:41:40>> You guys have any questions?

3:41:42>> No.

3:41:43>> Appreciate it.

3:41:47>> The next speaker is Chelsea Mullins.

3:41:53Mike Beresey.

3:41:56Please come forward and state your name

3:41:57and address for the record.

3:42:03>> My name is Mike Beresey. I live in 3331

3:42:06Hilly Drive.

3:42:08First of all, I want to thank um

3:42:12Denise Price for her swift action

3:42:15to my dilemma a couple of months ago.

3:42:18Okay?

3:42:19Hey, you, sir. I want to thank you for

3:42:22making me who I am.

3:42:24Um

3:42:27we exchanged emails

3:42:29in the beginning.

3:42:31And um

3:42:33I

3:42:34said I had a proposal to do.

3:42:37And um

3:42:39you said, "Well, bring it to the board."

3:42:41And I told you I I don't know. I I was

3:42:44scared.

3:42:46And then you said, "Well, you can do

3:42:48it."

3:42:50That's what you said.

3:42:52Um

3:42:53so that led me

3:42:56to stand up here, make my proposal, and

3:42:59that led me to do other things in my

3:43:02life that I was scared to do.

3:43:04I had you in my mind, in my head,

3:43:07saying, "You can do it."

3:43:11For me going forward

3:43:13to better myself

3:43:15you will be there saying, "You can do

3:43:18it."

3:43:20I appreciate you.

3:43:22And you will be missed

3:43:24by me.

3:43:27Um

3:43:28thank you for doing that for me. Thank

3:43:31you for encouraging me to go forward

3:43:34and be a better part

3:43:38of myself.

3:43:40Okay. Um

3:43:43as far as um

3:43:46this board being intimidated

3:43:49you all know that I do not like

3:43:52people to intimidate my elected

3:43:54officials.

3:43:56Okay?

3:43:57I am I was opposed to the data center.

3:44:01And somebody in this uh you said

3:44:04you was intimidated because you was for

3:44:08it.

3:44:11Or something similar to that in

3:44:13Facebook, something like that.

3:44:15Um

3:44:17don't let anybody intimidate you.

3:44:20Stand your ground.

3:44:24If you are for something,

3:44:26okay. If you're against something,

3:44:30okay.

3:44:32I am for each and every one of you.

3:44:36Because you're are our elected

3:44:39officials.

3:44:43Sir,

3:44:44your legacy will live on in me.

3:44:48Thank you very much.

3:44:50>> Thank you.

3:44:57>> The next speaker is Foothill Sierra

3:44:59Club.

3:45:05Not a name on that one.

3:45:09Jane Stegner.

3:45:14Sunny Chin.

3:45:17Rhonda Maze.

3:45:19Marci West.

3:45:21Please come forward and state your name

3:45:23and address for the record.

3:45:26>> Thank you, commissioners. I know it's

3:45:28late. Um, Marci West, 331 Carolina

3:45:31Circle, Winston-Salem, and I'm also a

3:45:33candidate for county commissioner,

3:45:34District B.

3:45:36Um, I just wanted to talk a little bit

3:45:37about the data center and the work that

3:45:39was done by the group here. There was a

3:45:41suggestion made that this was a

3:45:43coordinated misinformation campaign, and

3:45:46I can assure you it absolutely 100% was

3:45:49not.

3:45:50The organization of folks in rural Hall

3:45:53was such an amazing group of liberals

3:45:56and conservatives, men and women,

3:45:59professionals,

3:46:01workers, tradesmen, retired people,

3:46:04all different types of people who came

3:46:06together,

3:46:08and they they all researched in great

3:46:12detail the impacts of data centers. They

3:46:16looked at the sound impacts. They looked

3:46:19at the pollution impacts. They looked at

3:46:21the health impacts, the risks of leaks.

3:46:24They looked at how close it was to their

3:46:26houses.

3:46:28Amazingly close. Um, I know that the

3:46:31Maiden data center was mentioned as a

3:46:33comparison and that Maiden data center

3:46:35is much much has much more land, much

3:46:40larger buffers,

3:46:42had had berms around it,

3:46:45much

3:46:46and much lower. So, when you look at the

3:46:48higher level, I mean, 85-ft buildings,

3:46:52hundreds of feet away from residences,

3:46:54it's just not at all conceivable. Um,

3:46:57and and then there's been this

3:46:59discussion about, "Well, then you're

3:47:00going to have a bunch of small houses."

3:47:02Well, I can tell you that the folks in

3:47:04Roll Hall that we're meeting

3:47:07are not opposed to development. What

3:47:09they really would like is a mixed-use

3:47:11development that has housing and has

3:47:13commercial that they can go and walk to.

3:47:16They can have as a community center.

3:47:18They're actually quite excited about

3:47:19that opportunity. They even agreed that

3:47:21if it was a 350 houses, that would be

3:47:24better than a data center in terms of

3:47:26how it would impact their daily lives.

3:47:28So, I just wanted to say that that was

3:47:31it just was amazing. I've never seen a

3:47:34group of people who did not know each

3:47:36other before pull together so closely.

3:47:38And so, I I thank those of you who are

3:47:40willing to listen

3:47:42uh to those folks um and and uh

3:47:45and hear their concerns. I also wanted

3:47:49to on a completely different subject

3:47:50just thank Don Martin for his service to

3:47:53the community. You've worked for many

3:47:55many years. You've provided a lot of um

3:47:59really good thoughtful impact uh as

3:48:02you've made your decisions. I have not

3:48:04always agreed with those decisions, but

3:48:06I I do appreciate the fact that you've

3:48:09brought your expertise to the community.

3:48:11I think it's a little bit sad that

3:48:13you're not going to be here for the

3:48:14final 5 months of your 12-year term, and

3:48:17I do think that we actually will miss

3:48:19your expertise in those 5 months. But, I

3:48:22wish you well in your retirement. So,

3:48:23thank you very much.

3:48:32>> Now,

3:48:33turn the meeting over to the county

3:48:35manager.

3:48:36>> Thank you, Mr. Chair, and good evening

3:48:38again, commissioners, staff, and guests.

3:48:40The agenda items before you have been

3:48:41briefed and hopefully questions

3:48:43answered. Agenda item number eight is a

3:48:45resolution of the Board of Commissioners

3:48:47of the County of Forsyth, North

3:48:48Carolina, authorizing the negotiation of

3:48:50an amendment to an installment financing

3:48:52contract, directing the publication of

3:48:54notice with respect thereto, and

3:48:56providing for certain other related

3:48:58matters thereto. In an amendment to the

3:49:00fiscal year 27 budget ordinance to

3:49:02transfer funds to the county capital

3:49:04projects ordinance to pay cost of

3:49:06issuance related to the 2026 limited

3:49:08obligation bonds, and an amendment to

3:49:10the county capital projects ordinance to

3:49:12appropriate proceeds from the 2026

3:49:14limited obligation bonds in a room

3:49:16financing into the budget reserve for

3:49:18future capital projects, and to

3:49:19appropriate the transfer from the

3:49:21general fund to pay cost of issuance.

3:49:23Essentially, item eight is a resolution

3:49:25that authorize authorizes the

3:49:27negotiation of an amendment to the

3:49:28county's existing 2021 installment

3:49:31financing contract in order to finance

3:49:34up to 26 million 850,000 dollars of

3:49:37interim limit limited obligation bonds

3:49:39for county capital projects as detailed

3:49:41in the fiscal year 27 capital

3:49:43improvement plan. The resolution also

3:49:46authorizes the application to approve

3:49:48the financing with the local government

3:49:50commission, and to retain bond counsel

3:49:52and financial advisory services. It also

3:49:55calls for a public hearing on August

3:49:5713th, 2026 with regard to this

3:50:00financing, and allows the county to

3:50:02reimburse any expenditures tied to the

3:50:03finance projects that may be incurred

3:50:06before the financing contract is

3:50:07executed. And B is an amendment to the

3:50:0927 budget ordinance to appropriate

3:50:11$135,000

3:50:13of general fund dollars originally

3:50:15appropriated for debt service for the

3:50:162026 limited obligation bonds and

3:50:19transfers them to the county capital

3:50:21projects ordinance to pay for the cost

3:50:22of issuance. And finally, C is an

3:50:24amendment to the county capital projects

3:50:26ordinance to set aside proceeds from the

3:50:2726 limited obligation bonds for future

3:50:30capital projects and to appropriate the

3:50:32transfer from the general fund to pay

3:50:34for the cost of issuance.

3:50:36>> Move approval.

3:50:37>> Motion approved by Vice Chair Whisenant.

3:50:39Do we have a second?

3:50:40>> Second.

3:50:40>> Second by uh Commissioner Wilson. Any

3:50:43discussion?

3:50:45All in favor, please say I. I. Any

3:50:47opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

3:50:49>> Agenda item number nine is an amendment

3:50:51to the county capital projects ordinance

3:50:52to appropriate SKIF interest earnings to

3:50:54the airport element. This item

3:50:56appropriates $1,916,168

3:51:00of interest earnings for the 4001 North

3:51:02Liberty project for a contract with

3:51:04Hoffman Building Technologies to replace

3:51:06the building automation controls.

3:51:09>> Do we have a motion?

3:51:10>> Move approval.

3:51:11>> Motion approved by Vice Chair Whisenant.

3:51:12Second?

3:51:13>> Second.

3:51:14>> Second by uh Commissioner um Wimberly.

3:51:17Any discussion?

3:51:18All in favor, please say I. I. Any

3:51:21opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

3:51:23>> Agenda item

3:51:24>> I actually have a suggestion. Could you

3:51:25take 10 through 14? They're all Quantum

3:51:29Meruit

3:51:30uh issues and we heard the details of of

3:51:33those, I guess, on Monday. And I would

3:51:35suggest we just take them all together.

3:51:37>> Sure.

3:51:38>> there were six Quantum Meruits, but

3:51:41>> Yeah.

3:51:41Okay, agenda item number 10 is a

3:51:43resolution authorizing the Quantum

3:51:45Meruit payment to Novant Health Employer

3:51:47Solutions LLC doing business as Novant

3:51:49Health Occupational Medicine in the

3:51:51amount of $247,000

3:51:54I'm messing up to a $247, I'm sorry, and

3:51:5750 cents for services rendered during

3:51:59May and June 2026 for the Sheriff's

3:52:02Office for drug screenings for

3:52:03applicants.

3:52:05I I need to double-check that number.

3:52:06Double-check that number for me, Denise,

3:52:08please. Agenda item number 10. We're

3:52:09going to go to 11. Um resolution

3:52:11authorizing quantum meruit payment to

3:52:13Brodart Company in the amount of

3:52:15$4,601.25

3:52:18for the purchase of fiction and

3:52:19non-fiction books during fiscal year

3:52:21ending June 2025. And 12 [snorts] is a

3:52:24resolution authorizing quantum meruit

3:52:25payments to Matrix Health and Safety

3:52:27Consultants LLC in an amount not to

3:52:30exceed $4,580

3:52:32for risk assessments of lead-based paint

3:52:34and asbestos hazards during the period

3:52:36January 29th, 2026 through June 30th,

3:52:392026. And 13 is a resolution authorizing

3:52:42quantum meruit payment to the North

3:52:44Carolina Rush Triad Soccer Club Inc. in

3:52:47the amount of $68,618.80

3:52:50for the construction of a 2,965-ft

3:52:54paved exercise track and an associated

3:52:56amendment to the fiscal year 2027 budget

3:52:58ordinance to appropriate fund balance

3:53:00for a quantum meruit payment to North

3:53:02Carolina Rush Triad Soccer Club Inc. And

3:53:0414 is a resolution authorizing quantum

3:53:07meruit payment to the Richland County

3:53:08Sheriff's Department in the amount of

3:53:10$18,340

3:53:12for expedited DNA analysis for the

3:53:14Sheriff's Office. Denise, can you

3:53:16confirm 10 for me?

3:53:17>> $247.50.

3:53:19>> Thank you. That's what I thought. Okay.

3:53:20And um back to 10, it was Novant um

3:53:23Health Occupational Medicine and it was

3:53:25in the amount of $247.50.

3:53:27So, that's 10 through 14.

3:53:29>> They're approved.

3:53:30>> Those are approved by Vice Chair

3:53:31Wisenhunt. I'm happy to second. Any

3:53:33discussion? All in favor, please say I.

3:53:36I. Any opposed? Motion carries

3:53:38unanimously.

3:53:39>> Thank you. Agenda item number 15 is a

3:53:41resolution authorizing acceptance of a

3:53:43grant and execution of an agreement of

3:53:45conditions with the North Carolina

3:53:46Governor's Highway Safety Program on

3:53:48behalf of the Village of Clemmons as

3:53:49part of the North Carolina's Vision Zero

3:53:51initiative and a resolution authorizing

3:53:54an amendment to the interlocal agreement

3:53:56between Forsyth County and the Village

3:53:57of Clemmons for community policing

3:53:59services. This essentially will accept a

3:54:01grant in the amount up to $129,669

3:54:05and amend the interlocal agreement

3:54:07between the county and the Village of

3:54:08Clemmons.

3:54:09>> Is there a motion?

3:54:10>> Move approval.

3:54:11>> Motion approved by Commissioner Wilson.

3:54:13>> Second.

3:54:14>> Second.

3:54:14>> Seconded by Vice Chair Wisenhunt. Any

3:54:16discussion? All in favor, please say I.

3:54:19>> I.

3:54:19>> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

3:54:22>> Agenda item number 16 is a resolution

3:54:24authorizing execution of an agreement

3:54:26with Partners Health Management to

3:54:27support behavioral health crisis

3:54:29services in an amount not to exceed

3:54:31$2,828,218.25

3:54:36for fiscal year 27 and the approval to

3:54:38execute sub- subsequent amendments that

3:54:41do not change the scope of the project

3:54:43and these are state funds.

3:54:45>> Is there a motion?

3:54:47>> Move approval.

3:54:48>> Motion approved by Vice Chair Wisenhunt.

3:54:50>> Second.

3:54:51>> Second.

3:54:52>> Seconded by Commissioner Bessie. Any

3:54:53discussion?

3:54:55All in favor, please say I. I. Any

3:54:57opposed?

3:54:58Motion carries unanimously.

3:55:00>> Agenda item number 17 is a resolution

3:55:01authorizing execution of an agreement

3:55:03with PSNI LLC for school nurse software

3:55:06licenses at the Department of Public

3:55:08Health in an amount not to exceed

3:55:10$123,750

3:55:12over a 3-year term to support digital

3:55:15case management for students receiving

3:55:17school nurse services.

3:55:18>> Happy to make that motion.

3:55:19>> Is there a second?

3:55:20>> Second.

3:55:21>> Seconded by Commissioner Bessie and

3:55:22Commissioner McDaniel. Any discussion?

3:55:24All in favor, please say I. I. Any

3:55:26opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

3:55:29>> Agenda item number 18 is a resolution

3:55:31authorizing execution of an agreement

3:55:33with Safe Air Systems Inc. to provide

3:55:35maintenance, testing, and repair of

3:55:36breathing air compressors at 10 county

3:55:38fire stations. This is a 3-year contract

3:55:41in a total not to exceed amount of

3:55:42$55,953.27.

3:55:47>> Motion approved by Commissioner Bessie.

3:55:49Is there a second?

3:55:49>> Second.

3:55:49>> Second.

3:55:50>> Second by Commissioner Limbo and Wilson.

3:55:52Any discussion? All in favor, please say

3:55:55I. I. Any opposed?

3:55:58Motion carries unanimously.

3:55:59>> Agenda item number 19 is a resolution

3:56:01acknowledging notice from the Clemmons

3:56:02Fire Department Inc. of its intent to

3:56:04sell capital property valued at over

3:56:06$10,000 and approving the sale pursuant

3:56:09to section 14 of the July 1, 2026

3:56:12agreement between Forsyth County and the

3:56:13Clemmons Fire Department Inc. This is to

3:56:16sell for them to sell two two 2004 fire

3:56:20trucks.

3:56:21>> We have a motion.

3:56:23Motion approved by Commissioner Bessie.

3:56:25Is there a second?

3:56:25>> Second.

3:56:28Great.

3:56:28>> Second by Commissioner Wilson. Sorry,

3:56:30didn't hear it. Any discussion?

3:56:32All in favor, please say I. I. Any

3:56:34opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

3:56:37>> Agenda item number 20 is a resolution

3:56:39awarding and authorizing execution of a

3:56:40contract for community portal software

3:56:43to Benefate LLC doing business as

3:56:45Neighborly Software. This is a five-year

3:56:48agreement and a total amount not to

3:56:49exceed $192,000.

3:56:51This software is used to process a

3:56:53variety of applications, payments, and

3:56:55reports related to behavioral health

3:56:57funds, opioid settlement funds,

3:56:58community grants, and community

3:57:00community and economic development

3:57:02programs.

3:57:03>> I'll move approval.

3:57:04>> Motion approved by Vice Chair Wizened

3:57:05up. Is there a second?

3:57:08>> [snorts]

3:57:09>> Happy to second. Any discussion?

3:57:11All in favor, please say I. I. Any

3:57:13opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

3:57:16>> Agenda item number 21 is a resolution

3:57:18authorizing execution of an amendment to

3:57:20the agreement with Central Square

3:57:21Technologies LLC for its One Solution

3:57:24Law Enforcement Information Technology

3:57:26Platform System and Services and the

3:57:28Neverfail Platform. This will increase

3:57:31the existing contract by $29,373.77

3:57:35for a revised total contract not to

3:57:37exceed $1,362,533.19

3:57:42and this is for the Sheriff's Office

3:57:43Records Management System.

3:57:45>> I have a motion.

3:57:47>> Motion to approve.

3:57:48>> Motion to approve by Commissioner

3:57:49McDaniel.

3:57:50>> Second.

3:57:51>> Seconded by Commissioner Wilson. Any

3:57:53discussion?

3:57:55All in favor, please say I. I. Any

3:57:57opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

3:57:59>> Agenda item number 22 is a resolution

3:58:01awarding and authorizing execution of an

3:58:03agreement for a computerized maintenance

3:58:05management system. This will award a

3:58:073-year contract to Brightly Software

3:58:09Software Inc. in a total amount not to

3:58:12exceed $318,767.42

3:58:16for a work order management system

3:58:18that's being used by General Services,

3:58:20Parks and Recreation, and the airport.

3:58:22>> We have a motion.

3:58:23>> Approved.

3:58:24>> Motion approved by Commissioner Bessie.

3:58:26Happy to second it by Commissioner

3:58:28McDaniel. Any discussion?

3:58:30All in favor, please say I. I. Any

3:58:32opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

3:58:35>> Agenda item number 23 is an ordinance

3:58:37ordering the Forsyth County Community

3:58:39and Economic Development Department to

3:58:40declare a dwelling unfit for human

3:58:42habitation and otherwise to effectuate

3:58:45the purpose of the Forsyth County

3:58:46Minimum Housing Code. This order will

3:58:48direct the Community Economic

3:58:49Development Department to demolish the

3:58:51property located at 22884

3:58:54Fraternity Church Road.

3:58:56>> Move for approval.

3:58:57>> Motion approved by Vice Chair Wilsonet.

3:58:58Is there a second?

3:58:59>> Second.

3:59:00>> Seconded by Commissioner Bessie and any

3:59:01discussion?

3:59:03All in favor, please say I. I. Any

3:59:05opposed?

3:59:06Motion carries unanimously.

3:59:08>> Agenda item number 24 is a resolution

3:59:10approving the Tax Collector's Annual

3:59:12Settlement for fiscal year 2016 and

3:59:13prior years. This is an annual

3:59:16requirement for the board to accept this

3:59:18report.

3:59:19>> Motion to approve. Motion approved by

3:59:21Commissioner Lindahl. Is there a second?

3:59:24>> Second.

3:59:25>> Seconded by Commissioners Bessie and

3:59:27Vice Chair Wilsonet. Any discussion?

3:59:30All in favor, please say I. I. Any

3:59:32opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

3:59:35>> Agenda items 25 through 27 can be taken

3:59:37together. Though they are

3:59:39tax collector um refunds. Um 25 is a

3:59:43resolution approving refunds by the tax

3:59:45assessor collector in the amount of

3:59:47$27,803.88.

3:59:5026 is approving assessor refunds in the

3:59:53amount of $12,553.67.

3:59:57And 27 is denying refunds in the amount

3:59:59of $6,462.11.

4:00:03>> We have a motion.

4:00:05>> Motion to approve.

4:00:06>> Motion to approve by Commissioner

4:00:07Bessie, second by Commissioner Limville.

4:00:09Any discussion? All in favor, please say

4:00:11I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries

4:00:14unanimously.

4:00:15>> Agenda items 28 and 29 are our reports.

4:00:1828 is the May human resources report and

4:00:2029 is the June contribution based

4:00:22benefit cap report.

4:00:24>> I have a motion to accept reports.

4:00:26>> So moved.

4:00:27>> Motion to approve by Commissioner

4:00:29Bessie, second by Commissioner Wilson.

4:00:31Any discussion?

4:00:32All in favor, please say I. I. Any

4:00:35opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

4:00:38>> Agenda item number 30 is an added item

4:00:40following close session. It's a

4:00:41resolution approving an employment

4:00:43agreement for the county attorney.

4:00:45>> Move to approve.

4:00:46>> Motion to approve by Vice Chair Wisdom.

4:00:48Do I have a second?

4:00:48>> Second.

4:00:49>> Second by Commissioner Bessie. Any

4:00:50discussion?

4:00:52All in favor, please say I. I. Any

4:00:54opposed?

4:00:56Motion carries unanimously.

4:00:58>> We do have two planning discussion

4:01:01items. They are text amendments. They

4:01:05are required by the state. Correct,

4:01:08Chris? They're required by the state.

4:01:10We're happy to brief them tonight. I see

4:01:12the faces. Or if you would like, we also

4:01:16can do it at the next meeting.

4:01:18>> We'll do it at the next meeting.

4:01:19>> [laughter]

4:01:21>> That's good.

4:01:23>> Before we adjourn, I'd like to say it's

4:01:25been a pleasure. Thank you for the

4:01:27reception on Monday. I appreciated the

4:01:29very kind gift cards and cards. And I

4:01:32will write you a formal thank you note

4:01:34now that I have more time.

4:01:37We shall

4:01:38We stand adjourned.

4:01:40>> All right.