Groups emerge from debate

Residents made their point: if UNC or any other body pursues development in rural Orange County they'll have to work with people ready to challenge their authority.

UNC's now-abandoned plans to replace Horace Williams Airport were met by community resistance that steadily gained momentum until Chancellor Holden Thorp decided to opt out.

The local reaction came as a surprise to many officials including Thorp" and ultimately pushed UNC toward forgoing another runway.

""There was a lot of community dialogue"" said N.C. Sen. Richard Stevens (R-Wake), one of the sponsors of the August bill that gave UNC the power to take land for an airport by eminent domain.

He said he thinks the issue shows that the university would need to spend more time with the community on a development like an airport.

The August legislation, passed at the university's behest, was seen as a sneaky attempt to make room for UNC expansion.

We ended up surprising people with the legislation far more than we should have"" Thorp said Friday.

Residents formed a number of advocacy groups, such as Preserve Rural Orange and Orange County Voice, which lobbied both county government and the university to reconsider the plans. Many of the advocates wanted to keep parts of the county devoted to agriculture.

Some picketed meetings between Chapel Hill government and UNC Trustees while others displayed no airport"" signs in their lawn. More still researched airport laws and regulations and wrote letters to University officials.

Residents also pressured county commissioners" who expressed their concerns to UNC in turn.

Many spoke at regular county commissioner meetings asking officials to protect their land.

Brad Broadwell the county economic development director" was sharply criticized for saying an airport could be an economic boon.

""By and large I think the public has made it known that a lot of people were unhappy about it"" he said. I in no way want to minimize their story.""

And officials should not expect residents to ease their scrutiny of development in the county.

Residents are building on their momentum and moving on to other challenges. The troubled search for a waste transfer station to replace the county landfill has faced growing community resistance during its more than year-long history.

More than 250 residents attended a public information session on the transfer station siting in November.

""We're not just vacant land waiting to be developed"" said Marilee McTigue of Orange County Voice. Certainly we think our voice was heard on this.""



Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.