New proposed Capital Improvements Plan for Chatham County, NC December 11, 2009
Posted by Newt and Karen in Business, Events, Life, News, Schools.Tags: capital improvements plan, Chatham County, Chatham County Board of Commissioners, Chatham County Manager, Chatham County News, Chatham County Schools, North Carolina, Pittsboro, public hearing
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The following information was posted on the Chatham County government website (http://www.chathamnc.org) on December 7, 2009. The news article is outlined below.
The Chatham County Manager’s Office presented a proposed five-year Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) for 2011-15 that includes several major changes to the currently adopted plan.
The Board of Commissioners has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed CIP for Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. in the District Courtroom in Pittsboro. Following the public hearing, the commissioners will discuss the proposed CIP at their budget retreat in January, with the goal of adopting a final CIP in February.
The county adopts a CIP to provide a long-term plan for funding capital needs, such as facilities, equipment and other projects that cost at least $100,000.
“What we presented are recommendations on capital projects for the next five years, but the commissioners will make the final decision on what is included or not included,” said County Manager Charlie Horne.
The major differences in the County Manager’s proposal compared to the current plan include:
- Starting construction of the county judicial facility in early 2010. This facility would provide courtrooms, and space for court related personnel. The current facilities are over-crowded and unsafe. The new building will increase security for court-related activity.
- Constructing a county-owned landfill in 2015: A landfill has been recommended by the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, based on a 2009 waste disposal study. No decisions have been made on the size or location of the proposed landfill.
- Building a new jail in 2012: The current jail is over capacity about 62% of the time. The current facility is inefficient and ineffective. If over-crowding is not addressed, the state or a judge could order Chatham County to pay to transport and house inmates outside the county.
- Postponing the new high school: Without additional revenues, this postponement is being recommended by the County Manager so that the judicial facility and the jail can be constructed earlier than previously planned.
“Given the additional capacity at the high school level and the fact that residential construction has slowed substantially, staff does not see the high school demand being as immediate as the need for a new jail and the judicial facility,” said Paschal.
The proposed CIP outlines options available to the Board of Commissioners if it decides to proceed with building the new high school in 2012 or 2014, including postponing either the jail or the judicial center. The other options involve funding the facility from property taxes, increased impact fees or some combination of the two.
At their worksession, the commissioners expressed concerns about the delay in constructing the new high school. “There are over 10,000 new homes approved in Chatham County that are not yet built,” said chair George Lucier, chair of the Board of Commissioners.
He added that “it is clear that we cannot delay the new high school as recommended. We will look at every option to fund this school sooner than what is recommended by county staff.
Want to weigh in on this proposal? Be sure to attend the public hearing on December 14 at 6:00 pm. We happen to agree with Commissioner Lucier. The new high school should not be delayed!
Help a needy child this holiday season! November 23, 2009
Posted by Newt and Karen in Events, Life, News.Tags: adopt a needy child, Christmas, Christmas Angel Tree Program, help a needy child, holiday season, Newt Heilman, Realty World Carolina Properties, Salvation Army
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Help us support the Salvation Army’s Christmas Angel Tree Program. Adopt a needy child by purchasing gifts from their wish list. Gifts must be delivered to the Realty World Carolina Properties office in Pittsboro, NC by December 7th. There are many more needy kids this season, so please take part if you are able. If you have a question or would like to participate, please contact Newt at ask4newt@earthlink.net. Thanks and happy holidays!
CCCC offers state’s first ecotourism certificate program May 12, 2009
Posted by Newt and Karen in Business, Events, Life, News, Schools.Tags: CCCC, Central Carolina Community College, Chatham County, Chatham County Economic Development Corporation, ecotourism, ecotourism certificate program, environment, green, Jordan Lake, North Carolina, North Carolina tourism, Pittsboro, travel and tourism
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Some interesting information to share from Chatham County, North Carolina.
Starting with its summer session, Central Carolina Community College will offer an Ecotourism Certificate program in Pittsboro, the first in the state community college system.
Courses to be offered include Introduction to Ecotourism, Natural and Cultural Resources, Safety and CPR, Interpretation and Guiding, Nature-Based Law, and Business of Ecotourism. The program will appeal to a variety of audiences, including students who might go on for higher education in tourism, business owners, and entrepreneurs who might be inspired to venture into ecotourism.
The 10-week courses to be offered in the summer session are:
1. Introduction to Ecotourism, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Tuesdays, May 26-July 28
2. Natural and Cultural Resources, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Thursdays, May 28-July 30
3. Safety and CPR, whose meeting times will be announced later.
Vacations and travel are getting “greener” as people opt for visiting national parks, taking nature adventures, hiking, biking, birding, or any of the many leisure activities that involve getting closer to nature.
According to the travel website, www.tripadvisors.com, more Americans plan to be environmentally conscious about their travel and vacation decisions. Seventy-three percent said they plan to visit a national park, up from 62 percent a year ago. Forty-seven percent plan to engage in a nature adventure activity, up from 40 percent in 2008.
Enjoying nature as it is, without damaging the environment or ecological system, has spawned a branch of the tourism industry known as “ecotourism.” Tourism industry workers trained in ecotourism are needed to serve this growing industry.
Students will be able to take classes at the college’s Chatham County Campus in Pittsboro for personal enrichment or to earn the certificate. The program was developed in conjunction with an advisory committee led by the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau, and included recreational and environmental organizations in the county.
The Chatham County Economic Development Corporation recently unveiled a plan for the county. It noted that “quality of place” is necessary for economic development.
Chatham County offers many locations for nature-based activities: Jordan Lake State Recreation Area; Lower Haw State Natural Area; many nature preserves; Jordan Lake State Educational Forest (and its Talking Tree Trail); championship golf; birding, hiking, and cycling trails; three rivers – Deep, Rocky, and Haw; and much more.
On April 6, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution in support of the college’s ecotourism program.
“We are very pleased to offer support for the new ecotourism program at Central Carolina Community College,” said Chatham County Commissioner Carl Thompson Sr. “Chatham County is ripe with nature-based assets. The introduction of this program is therefore most timely, appropriate and needed. It will also impact directly on our economy by generating new ecotourism entrepreneurs and tour guides, thereby creating more green jobs and businesses.”
“We are delighted to see a certificate program offered through the community college that considers the growing trend of our largest visitor draw, the nature-based traveler,” said Neha Shah, director of Travel & Tourism for the Pittsboro-Siler City CVB. “It is exciting for Chatham County and for tourism. We hope to see students who take what they learn one step further, whether higher education, further certifications, developing current nature-based ventures and/or creating an entirely new venture that serves a tourism niche to further enhance what we do.”
The college is seeking individuals interested in teaching ecotourism classes in the fall semester. Contact its Continuing Education Department, 919.542.6495, ext. 223, for more information.
For more information about the ecotourism program, contact the Chatham County Campus, http://www.cccc.edu/green/ecotourism/courses.php or call 919.542.6495. For more information about Chatham County tourism, contact Director of Travel and Tourism Neha Shah at neha@visitpittsboro.com or 919-542-8296.
Fast facts about tourism in Chatham County:
- Domestic tourism in Chatham County generated an economic impact of $24.83 million in 2007, a 6 percent increase from 2006.
- More than 170 jobs in Chatham County were directly attributable to travel and tourism.
- Travel generated a $3.16 million payroll in 2007.
- State and local tax revenues from travel to Chatham County amounted to $1.87 million. This represents a $30.43 tax saving to each county resident.
CONTACT:
Katherine McDonald
Central Carolina Community College
919-718-7265
ksmcdo15@cccc.edu
This information obtained from http://www.chathamnc.org.
Green Home Tour 2009 April 21, 2009
Posted by Newt and Karen in Business, Events, Life, News, Real Estate, Uncategorized.Tags: Chatham County, Earth Day, Energy Star, green home builder, Green Home Builders of the Triangle, green home certified, green home tour, Green Home Tour 2009, homebuyers, North Carolina Real Estate, Real Estate, real estate advertising, REALTOR, renewable energy, sustainable energy, sustainable homes
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Tomorrow is Earth Day and this weekend kicks off the Green Home Tour presented by the Green Home Builders of the Triangle, North Carolina.
More and more homebuyers are looking for homes built to promote health, energy efficiency, and environmental protection. Likewise, many builders are adopting green building techniques and these builders will be showcasing their green homes over the next two weekends, April 25-26 and May 2-3 in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake County, North Carolina.
The Green Home Tour 2009 is a free, self-guided tour of sustainable homes in the Triangle area. Homes will be open Saturdays, April 25 and May 2 from 10 AM – 6 PM and on Sundays, April 26 and May 3 from noon – 6 PM.
Many of the homes feature top green technologies and features that may include:
- GHBT certification
- ENERGY STAR certification
- limited turf areas, combined with native vegetation and preservation of natural areas
- On-demand water heater
- ENERGY STAR Low-E rated, rot-free windows
- ENERGY STAR appliances
- No-VOC indoor paints
- Motion sensors on outdoor lighting
- Insulation surpassing minimum code requirements
- Carbon monoxide detectors
- Sealed ductwork
This event is sponsored by Stock Building Supply; The Home Builder’s Assocation of Durham, Orange, and Chatham Counties; and the Home Builder’s Association of Raleigh-Wake County. The NC Sustainable Energy Association, in an effort to promote renewable energy, energy-efficiency, and green building, is also helping to publicize and sponsor this year’s Green Home Tour.
Please contact me for more information or visit my website.
You can also visit http://www.trianglegreenhomebuilders.com
Today’s Chapel Ridge Lot Auction — more info! April 18, 2009
Posted by Newt and Karen in Business, Events, Life, News, Real Estate.Tags: Chapel Ridge Community Lot Auction, Chapel Ridge Fred Couples Signature Golf Course, Chatham County, home ownership, home seller, homebuyer, homebuyers, homeowners, land for sale, property listing, Real Estate, real estate advertising, real estate auction, Real Estate in Chapel Ridge, real estate listing, real estate market, real estate marketing, REALTOR, Realty World Carolina Properties
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Check out this video. Principal Broker and Auctioneer, Eric Andrews of Realty World Carolina Properties in Pittsboro, NC discusses today’s auction, a revolutionary concept for today’s real estate market.
Chapel Ridge Community Lot Auction, Pittsboro, NC April 11, 2009
Posted by Newt and Karen in Business, Events, Life, News, Real Estate, Sights, Sports.Tags: Chapel Ridge Community Lot Auction, Chapel Ridge Fred Couples Signature Golf Course, Chatham County, homebuyers, land for sale, North Carolina Real Estate, Real Estate, Real Estate in Chapel Ridge, real estate market, REALTOR
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When? Saturday, April 18 from 4:00-10:00 PM
Where? Chatham Mill in Pittsboro, NC
Registration begins at 4:00 PM. The auction will begin at 5:00. Out of state buyers must register at least 3 days prior to the auction.
This is a one-of-a-kind multi-lot auction of one of Chatham County’s finest communities — Chapel Ridge Fred Couples Signature Golf Course Community. Some reserves are significantly lower than the original purchase price and some lots have seller financing available. There are nature lots, golf course lots, Estate lots, basement lots, cul-de-sac lots, and more!
Chapel Ridge is an 800+ home site golf course community with amenities that include a clubhouse/restaurant, junior-Olympic size swimming pool, spacious gym, lighted tennis and basketball courts, volleyball court, amenity center, and lots of community activities. Conveniently located, Chapel Ridge is only 15-20 minutes to Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, and RTP, and 30-40 minutes to Raleigh and Durham.
Please contact Newt Heilman at ask4newt@earthlink.net or at 1-800-615-6172 for a buyer package or for more information. Newt can also register you for the auction.
Now is the time to buy!
Chatham County Residents Invited to Review DOT’s Proposed Corridor Plan for US 64 April 4, 2009
Posted by Newt and Karen in Business, Events, Life, News, Real Estate.Tags: Chatham County, Chatham County News, Department of Transportation
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Chatham County residents have opportunities on April 27 and 28 to review and provide feedback on the proposed corridor plan for US 64 between US 1 in Cary and US 64 Business in Pittsboro. Long-term and short-term plans are proposed to guide development and improvements that would enhance traffic flow, safety, and pedestrian accessibility along the corridor.
The NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will host two community workshops in partnership with the towns of Cary, Apex, and Pittsboro as well as Chatham County, Wake County and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO).
Residents can stop by either of the community workshops any time between 5 pm and 8 pm. The information at both workshops will be the same, so residents can choose either of these two options:
- Monday, April 27, 2009, Apex High School, 1501 Laura Duncan Rd, Apex, NC 27502
- Tuesday, April 28, 2009, Horton Middle School, 79 Horton Road, Pittsboro NC 27312
The first series of community workshops were held in May of 2008. The upcoming workshops will include a chance to review and comment on:
- The recommended long-term plan, which upgrades the highway by converting some cross streets to interchanges or overpasses, further controlling access, and removing traffic signals from US 1 in Cary to US 64 Business in Pittsboro. The recommended plan is a combination of the alternatives presented at the first workshop in May 2008. Simulations illustrating the long-term recommendations will be shown.
- The recommended short-term plan, which includes creation of a “superstreet” by restricting through traffic and left turns from cross streets, and constructing u-turns along corridor to facilitate these movements.
- Recommended land use changes, developed to ensure compatibility between land uses and the envisioned transportation functions
Representatives from the project’s Study Team will be at the workshops to provide information, answer questions, and accept written comments regarding the planning study. Chatham County Planning Department staff serves on the Study Team and will be at the April 28th community workshop in Pittsboro.
Additional information on the study can be found at http://www.ncdot.org/~us64study or you can contact David Wasserman, P.E. by mail (1501 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1501), by phone at (919) 715-1273, by fax at (919) 715-2858 or by email at dswasserman@ncdot.gov .
NCDOT can provide Spanish language interpreters and auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate, but please contact Wasserman as early as possible to make these arrangements.
This information was obtained from a Chatham County, NC news posting at www.chathamnc.org
Northwood High School presents ‘Into the Woods’ March 28, 2009
Posted by Newt and Karen in Events, Life, News, Schools.Tags: Chatham County, Chatham County Schools, Northwood High School, Northwood High School Arts Education Department, spring musical
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The Northwood High School Arts Education Department presents Into the Woods on March 26, 27, and 28 at 7:00 PM. I attended last night’s production and highly recommend the show. You should try to catch it tonight if you can.
This Stephen Sondheim work takes the traditional fairy tales of Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Jack and the Beanstalk and intertwines them into an entertaining musical extravaganza! The students and staff at NHS put a tremendous amount of time and effort into this production and you can tell. The students performed flawlessly, the musical numbers were all incredible, and the sets and costumes were marvelous. Although the show was long, almost 3 hours, every minute was fun and entertaining.
Hats off to Director Dr. Lori Major Carlin; Music Director, Marilyn Shugart; Instrumental Director, Eugene Cottrell; Artistic Director, Leslie Burwell; and Choreography Director, Leah Smith for putting on another fabulous spring musical.
Check out these other spring performances from the NHS Arts Ed Dept:
May 14, Jazz Ensemble and Percussion Concert 7 PM
May 16, Spring Dance Concert 7 PM
May 17, Spring Dance Conert 3 PM
May 19, Concert Choir and Northwood Singers, 7 PM
May 21, Memorial Day Band Concert 7 PM
May 30, Senior Exhibit and Student Art Show, 5-8 PM
