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Board studies proposed conservation rules

Posted on March 20, 2008March 21, 2008 by Staff

By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

After receiving an update on water-conservation efforts among Carrboro and its neighbors, the town’s Board of Aldermen discussed how best to build conservation into the town’s ordinances.

An interlocal work group made up of officials from Carrboro, the Orange Water and Sewer Authority, Chapel Hill and Orange County have formed a work group to consider water-demand management and water conservation. In a new report to local governments presented to the Carrboro board at its meeting at Town Hall Tuesday night, the group recommends new conservation rules for new development and several regulatory approaches for existing developments, including mandatory irrigation retrofits, a possible retrofit-on-sale ordinance and water audits. All of those proposals would likely require action by local governments. In addition, the group suggests that either OWASA or the local governments launch an extensive education program and start retrofitting facilities in schools, parks and public buildings.

Board member Joal Hall Broun said the retrofits were a good idea, adding that there needs to be a serious approach to conservation among all the governments involved. She stressed that the options would be pointless if people continued to waste water elsewhere.

Board member Jacquie Gist said the governments should consider an adequate public-facilities ordinance for water, similar to the one for schools.

“Water, like classroom seats, comes under pressure as we grow,” she said.

She suggested asking developers to show how the communities would save water during a drought when the broader community was under Phase Three restrictions, as it is now.

The board referred the report to the town’s staff for review. The interlocal group’s report is available on the town’s website at townofcarrboro.org/pzi/Env/Water/conservation.htm

In other action, the board agreed to create a Local Living Economy Task Force to “investigate strategies for helping foster the development of a locally owned, run, stocked (etc.) economy.”

The task force will include two aldermen, two to three at-large members, two members from the town’s Economic Sustainability Commission and two to three members of the local business community.

The board also made appointments and re-appointments to the planning board.

Debra Fritz and Seth Chadbourne were returned to the board and Damon Seils and Rose Warner were appointed. Fritz, Chadbourne and Seils will serve three-year terms and Warner will serve the remainder of Lydia Lavelle’s seat, which expires in 2009.

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