Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2020 14:07:43 -0500
From: Duck Decoy
Subject: UDO for Pittsboro
The Pittsboro Unified Development Ordinance was supposed to be finalized last winter. Michael Fiocco took the draft to edit and change. Has the town board seen the red-lined version of this document yet? Will his version of the tree ordinance suit the best protection of our natural resources? It is hoped that the members of the board will examine his changes carefully before voting on the final document. Trees are coming down around Pittsboro at an alarming rate. The UDO tree ordinance needs to be pro-active in protecting trees and forests as well as to have enough penalties for those reducing tree coverage to want to save trees instead. We need to make developers provide tree buffers between neighbors and themselves before construction starts, not after the land is cleared up to the property line, and require their maintaining healthy percentages of existing forested areas or tree clusters to keep Pittsboro beautiful, well shaded, and protected from some of the damage of climate changes.
In the past, Mr. Fiocco seemed to work for developers’ interests more than our community’s. His forceful input on Chatham Park early planning decisions led to some town board members going along with his and Chatham Park’s ideas rather than allow sufficient study of serious issues involved with storm water runoff, tree preservation for this mega development. His close ties to developers could be a concern. Michael Fiocco is Land Development Manager for Civil Consultants Inc, real estate consultants. His top down approach with the UDO may not address environmental concerns sufficiently for protecting our natural resources. Hopefully, town board members will tackle the UDO tree ordinance with the detailed attention our town deserves.