PITTSBORO - The crowd hissed and booed as the Chatham County commissioners approved 11 new subdivisions, a boat storage facility and a new shopping center Monday night.

"This is a joke," several audience members yelled.

At the same time, the board approved language for an ordinance that would allow the county to implement a development moratorium if the commissioners so desire.

About 200 people packed a courtroom for a lengthy agenda. The board also had an unprecedented 11 public hearings for additional development projects. It only got to a few of the public hearings. The public hearings will resume at 6 p.m. today in a courtroom in District Court.

During the public comment period, numerous county residents lined up to speak against the amount of projects the board was considering.

"Tonight's agenda represents the epitome of lack of due diligence on the part of the county government to do the right thing," said Rita Spina, a member of Chatham Citizens for Effective Communities, which promotes slower, planned growth in the county. "Rather, this agenda represents the ... selling out of Chatham County."

Some residents have said the commissioners should hold off on major development until three new commissioners take office in December. All three winners of the May Democratic primary, only one of whom faces a Republican opponent in November, support adhering to the county's land-use plan, which says where growth should occur and how fast.

The majority on the current board has approved 10,000 new homes in this county of about 60,000 residents. The 11 new subdivisions will add 600 more homes.

Commissioner Patrick Barnes, who voted against the subdivisions, said he is concerned about the effect new homes will have on the schools. "Every developer coming to Chatham should be responsible for the number of kids coming to the subdivision," he said to cheers from the crowd. "Why should we approve house after house if we can't keep up with the schools?"

The board also approved Fearrington Place, a 30-acre shopping center across U.S. 15-501 from Fearrington Village with an adjacent 30 acres to be used for an underground wastewater treatment system. The center could house a Whole Foods or Fresh Market as well as a drugstore, bank, restaurant or postal store.

Other business

Chatham County Superintendent Ann Hart and several members of the Board of Education asked the Chatham County commissioners Monday to delay a vote on a $44 million bond for a new high school. The bond is scheduled to be on the November ballot, but the school board members say they need more time to educate the community and get their support. The school board will vote next week on whether to hold off until the spring election, and the commissioners will discuss the vote at a meeting Aug. 7.

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