Hillsborough’s Board of Commissioners is holding a public hearing on Thursday to address a rezoning request from Orange County for a 21-acre plot of land off of Highway 70.

The county is looking to use the land for a new government complex which would include an agricultural center and detention center as well as some offices.

Despite the current county jail located in Hillsborough being in very poor condition, over 500 citizens have signed a petition against the new multi-use campus.

Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens believes that any location the new detention center is built will attract protests.

“Every place has pros and cons,” said Stevens. “It’s been right downtown, which is very close to an elementary school, very close to all different kinds of housing. If it’s on a parcel, it will certainly have all sorts of buffers around it.”

Stevens says that some kind of relocation for the jail is inevitable despite the petition.

“There’s no question that a new jail needs to be built, and needs to be built quickly,” said Stevens. “I think that’s a driving factor for the county.”

Orange County is exploring other locations for the new campus as well; however, the parcel of land off of Highway 70 is likely the most cost-effective.

“[The county has] certainly looked at options downtown and some of that would be certainly acceptable, but I think trying to build a new space, like where the farmers market is, it would be very difficult to get it where you have the jail that you would that would meet the standards of the historic district commission,” said Stevens.

Thursday night’s public hearing in Hillsborough is scheduled for seven o’clock at the Town Barn.

Related Stories
‹
Orange County Rejects Appeal Over Large Confederate Flag Along U.S. 70
The Orange County Board of Adjustment rejected an appeal by a Hillsborough resident over a large Confederate flag on his private property on Monday. The board heard the case of Robert Hall Jr., who lives near U.S. Highway 70 and has had a large Confederate flag raised since April 2018. Hall was appealing his flag’s […]
Hillsborough to Recognize Mayor Tom Stevens at Board Meeting
Hillsborough’s outgoing mayor Tom Stevens will be recognized Monday night at the town’s Board of Commissioners meeting. Stevens, who chose not to run for an eighth term, has served as mayor since 2005. He said in a conversation with WCHL’s Aaron Keck he takes pride in helping the town’s board and staff work together to […]
Hillsborough Board to Interview New Commissioner Applicants
Hillsborough’s Board of Commissioners gather on Monday to interview seven applicants for a vacancy on the board left by commissioner Jenn Weaver’s upcoming appointment as mayor. Since the seat still has two years left on its term, the remaining commissioners must make an appointment rather than hold a special election. Hillsborough mayor Tom Stevens says […]
Hillsborough Approves Process to Fill Vacant Commissioner Seat
Hillsborough has settled on a process to fill what will become an empty seat on the town’s Board of Commissioners. The board at its last meeting approved the process, which Mayor Tom Stevens says will look almost identical to the one used to select Matt Hughes to replace former commissioner Brian Lowen. “We liked that […]
Hillsborough March to Promote Hate-Free Community, Spurn KKK
Members of the Ku Klux Klan gathered for a demonstration last weekend in front of the Orange County courthouse. The group did not have a permit and sparked an outcry from the Hillsborough community against their presence. This weekend, a response rally has been planned by progressive groups. The March for Hate-Free Hillsborough event will […]
Hillsborough Tweaks Sidewalk Seating Ordinance
Hillsborough’s Board of Commissioners made a few changes to the sidewalk seating ordinance at a recent meeting. According to Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens, these changes were mostly meant to clear up some things that were not made clear in the initial ordinance, such as seating delineators and specifics on outdoor furniture. “There [weren’t] any major […]
Week of August 20, 2018
Lavelle and Dorosin wrestle with Silent Sam. Speaking before the statue's toppling, Stevens discusses sidewalk seating and remembers a fallen firefighter.
Hillsborough Board of Commissioners Welcomes Matt Hughes
Matt Hughes will be sworn in as a Hillsborough town board member on April 9 - replacing Brian Lowen, who's stepping down from the board this week.
Hillsborough Receives First Applicants for Board of Commissioners Vacancy
Multiple applicants for Hillsborough’s Board of Commissioner vacancy have come forward. Hillsborough residents Anna Linvill and James Schweitzer had submitted applications earlier in the week in hopes to fill the empty seat left by Commissioner Brian Lowen, whose resignation will be effective March 26. Lowen announced his intentions to resign earlier this month, setting off […]
Hillsborough Police Join Fight Against Opioid Overdose
Hillsborough Police officers are receiving training to administer a drug to those suffering from an opioid overdose. Naloxone is known for its ability to reverse the effects from a fatal opioid overdose of drugs like Vicodin, OxyContin, morphine, heroin and others, within minutes. Carrboro and Chapel Hill police departments and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office […]
›