Orange County reinstitutes mask mandate
inside county facilities

With COVID cases surging due to the Delta variant, Orange County government has reinstituted a mask mandate for visitors and staff inside county facilities. The mandate went into effect Aug. 5, 2021, and will remain in place indefinitely.

The number of COVID tests performed through Orange County's testing sites has more than doubled in the past month, from 179 for the week of July 5-11 to 402 for the week of July 26-Aug. 1. The percent positive rate has accelerated as the Delta variant spreads.

In addition, most cases are now in the 25-49 age group with the 18-24 age group experiencing the second-most cases.

According to the Orange County Health Department, the best way to defeat the Coronavirus is for everyone who is eligible to take the safe, effective and free vaccine. The Orange County Health Department is one of many providers in the county with vaccines available.

Click here for more information about the vaccine and to schedule an appointment at a place and time convenient to you.

Community members asked for input on countywide Racial Equity Plan

Work on a countywide racial equity plan is continuing, and community members are invited to virtual meetings on the plan this month.

During the virtual sessions at 11 a.m. Aug. 10, and 7 p.m. Aug. 17, you will receive information about the work thus far and will be able to provide input and direction on the plan’s development. You will also hear how you can work on the racial equity plan.

For several months, staff from Orange County and the towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough have been working to develop a framework for racial equity plans specific to each jurisdiction. One Orange is a commitment by local leaders and staff to uncover and address implicit racial biases in our institutions and to create a community where race no longer predicts life outcomes in our community. Much of the preliminary work and vision utilize the methodology of the Government Alliance for Racial Equity, a national network of government agencies working to advance racial equity. All the jurisdictions are members of GARE.

A public hearing on the final draft plan is expected in the fall. Once a framework has been approved, staff from the county and municipalities will develop a training strategy.

One Orange team leaders can provide information sessions in a variety of languages and are seeking to connect with the community throughout August. Contact the team to arrange a session or to suggest or help with outreach: OneOrange@orangecountync.gov or 919-245-2317.

Registration
Register in advance for one of the virtual sessions. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

11 a.m. Aug 10: Registration
7 p.m. Aug. 17: Registration

Related documents

Community engagement letter

Local leaders release joint statement on Greene Tract

To the Orange County Community,

Thank you for engaging with us as Orange County, Carrboro and Chapel Hill collaborate to plan for the future of the 104-acre Greene Tract and the permanent preservation of a 60-acre Headwaters Preserve. As you may be aware, the three governments have joint ownership of the properties.

Since 2000, deliberate steps have been taken to explore and identify how these properties can enhance the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood and the adjacent neighborhoods, while also serving our community as a whole. These steps have included: a “community-first” long-range planning process which culminated with the report, Mapping Our Community’s Future; planning efforts with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School system to set aside land for a school; a market research study to evaluate retail and other neighborhood business opportunities; and, most recently, an environmental assessment.

Throughout this time, our top priorities have been affordable housing, environmental conservation, and a future school site. In 2020, our respective boards voted to utilize the remaining lands as follows:

Approximately 66 acres housing/mixed-use
Approximately 22 acres for joint preserve
Approximately 16 acres for public school site and public recreational facility site

In addition, based on the environmental assessment, we have agreed to consider a realignment of the boundaries of the Headwaters Preserve in order to best preserve highly sensitive areas. All three jurisdictions will vote on the realignment of these two parcels this fiscal year, FY 2021-22.

The Greene Tract is a place of immense historical, cultural and natural resources, and all three governmental entities are committed to a thoughtful and inclusive site planning process that respects the people and resources of the area, while reflecting the shared goal of increasing affordable housing for our community.

Sincerely,

Renee Price – Chair, Orange County Board of Commissioners
Pam Hemminger – Mayor, Town of Chapel Hill
Lydia Lavelle – Mayor, Town of Carrboro

Restart the Arts grants application period open through Aug. 31

The Orange County Board of Commissioners designated $100,000 of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for arts organizations to mitigate business disruptions caused by COVID-19 and provide programmatic support as they begin to re-welcome audiences. The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) will distribute the funds through grants to the local arts community.
]
The application period is Monday, Aug. 2, through Tuesday, Aug, 31.

The primary purpose of the Restart the Arts program is to assist the nonprofit arts industry that has been severely impacted by the pandemic. Therefore, nonprofit arts organizations will receive funding priority. However, we also invite other organizations to apply, particularly those whose operations have a high impact in our community through employment, tourism, or services offered to county residents or artists.

Click here for more information.

N. C. Agriculture Cost-Share funds for non-point source pollution control available soon

The Orange Soil and Water Conservation District expects to receive its cost-share allocation from the state for non-point source pollution control from agriculture activities in the next couple of weeks.

These funds are available to improve water quality by assisting farmers in implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs), which help decrease the amount of sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus, animal waste, chemicals and other pollutants entering the surface and ground waters of the State.

Landowners and operators may apply for technical and cost-share assistance to install BMPs such as animal waste storage facilities, mortality management systems, wells, and watering troughs in conjunction with livestock exclusion fencing from streams, heavy use areas, animal trails and stream crossings, closure of waste impoundments, cropland conversions, sod-based rotations, grassed waterways, field borders and diversions.

For a complete list of BMPs available and other cost-share programs to improve water quality and enhance an agriculture operation, go to Orange County Soil and Water Conservation’s website at www.orangecountync.gov/soilwater (See Financial Assistance).

An initial sign-up will be held through Aug. 21, 2021, for those landowners and operators wishing to request technical and cost-share assistance on practices.

Request for technical assistance will be provided throughout the year and cost-share assistance for as long as funding is available.

To apply for cost-share assistance and other agricultural funding programs, please contact Kenny Ray or Todd Roberts at (919) 245-2750.

DCHC MPO seeking public feedback on transportation improvements

If you're interested in highway, bicycle, multi-use paths, and transit projects for our region, you're invited to give your feedback on scenarios of our future transportation system.

The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) is seeking public feedback on the transportation improvements that should be included in the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). The 2050 MTP identifies future highway, transit, rail, bicycle, pedestrian, and other transportation projects for this region over the next 30 years.

The DCHC MPO is updating the 2050 MTP this fall, and will use the public input received on the Alternatives Analysis to identify where roadway, public transportation, bicycle, pedestrian, and other transportation investments will be needed in the coming decades.

Residents and other stakeholders are asked to review the Alternatives Analysis at the DCHC MPO website and provide comments by email no later than Wednesday, September 15. And, take a few minutes to complete our SURVEY.

For more information about the 2050 MTP, contact DCHC MPO Principal Planner Andy Henry at (919) 560-4366, ext. 36419 or by email.

Department on Aging Direct Care Worker Award nominations now open!

Since 2015, Orange County Department on Aging and the community group, Senior Health Advocacy and Resource Partners of Orange County (SHARP) have presented SHARP Direct Care Worker Awards each year to honor Direct Care Workers (nurse aides, personal care aides, companion caregivers, etc.) who affect their clients’ lives on a daily basis.

Awards are presented in the following categories: Client Impact, Longevity, Leadership, Going the Extra Mile, and Rising Star. One person will be chosen as the “Direct Care Worker of the Year.”

To be eligible, direct care workers must have served clients in Orange County within the past year. Each person may be nominated in two categories. Nominees must have provided direct care to clients and have at least six consecutive months of service in the past year.

Nominations will remain open through Sept. 24. For more information about the awards or to nominate a direct care worker, please visit us online or contact Kim Lamon-Loperfido at 919-245-4253.

Deadline to appeal property values extended to Sept. 1

On June 15, 2021, the Orange County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution to extend the 2021 Orange County Board of Equalization and Review Formal Appeal adjournment date from June 30, 2021, to Sept. 1, 2021.

The purpose of this extension is to allow additional time for property owners to formally appeal their 2021 property values to the Board of Equalization and Review.

Instructions and the Formal Notice of Appeal to the Board of Equalization and Review are available on the Orange County website: http://www.orangecountync.gov/806/Appeals.
Property owners may file a formal appeal online at https://appeals.spatialest.com/nc-orange.

To receive a paper copy of the form, email reval@orangecountync.gov or call 919-245-2100, option 2. All formal appeals must be submitted prior to the Board’s adjournment on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.

www.orangecountync.gov

Orange County reinstitutes mask mandateinside county facilities