Voting Members Present: Patsy Carson, Erwin; Pam Graham, Aberdeen; Roland Hall, Sampson County; Mike Lynch, At Large; Robert McLaughlin, Wagram (Chairman); John K. McNeill, Raeford (Vice Chairman);

Voting Members Absent: Tony Buzzard, Spring Lake; Bob Davis, Scotland County; Edwin Deaver, Hope Mills; Kris Kosem, Vass; Mark Locklear, Harnett County (Secretary); Charles Evans, Cumberland County; Dixon Ivey, Jr, Robeson County; Ted Mohn, Fayetteville; Charles Nichols, Laurinburg; Bart Nuckols, Southern Pines; Tracy Parris, Richmond; Kevin Reed, Pinehurst;, Harry Southerland, Hoke County; Bill Summers, Lillington; & Vacant, Moore County.

Non-Voting Members Present: Greg Bean, Fort Bragg;Will Best, NC Commerce;Jim Dougherty, Executive Director RLUAC; Robert Farrell, Hoke County; Bryan Gossage, NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Jeff Marcus, TNC; David Nash, Fayetteville;Susan Miller, USFWS; Glen Prillaman, Fort Bragg;

Guests Present: Drew Brooks, Fayetteville Observer; Ashley Bruce, Sustainable Sandhills; Jim Caldwell, Mid Carolina COG; Elisa Cooper, Fort Bragg; Hanah Ehrenreich, Sustainable Sandhills; Wendy Harris, Assoc of Realtors; Angie Hedgepeth, Assoc of Realtors; Julia Love, Fort Bragg Contractor; Matthew Moskeoik, TNC; Ali Peet, Atkins Company; Alba Polmby, Sustainable Sandhills; Linda Pfau, Fort Bragg Contractor; Deanna Rosario, Sustainable Sandhills; Queen Wheeler, Assoc of Realtors; Tami Wolrab, Mid Carolina COG; David Yow, Fort Bragg.

I.       CALL TO ORDER – Chairman Robert McLaughlin called the meeting to order at 12:02 PM.  He then asked the voting members, non-voting members, and guests to introduce themselves. 

II.     INVOCATION – RLUAC’s Executive Director, Jim Dougherty, offered the invocation for the meeting.

III.  PRESENTATION - “Fort Bragg’s Annual Construction Update” – Greg Bean, Director of Fort Bragg’s Directorate of Public Works (DPW)

Greg began his remarks by noting that for more than a decade now Fort Bragg has been in the midst of its biggest construction boom since World War II – averaging

over $188 million in construction per year for thirty years. Although slowing, there is still a lot of money being spent on new construction projects on the Fort. 

Before describing the construction projects planned and currently underway, Greg gave some interesting Fort Bragg facts – it has a land area of 162,816 acres and 52.2 million square feet of buildings as of 2014.

Greg explained that projects currently underway on the fort total $666 million – this includes major projects at the Old Division Area (demolishing the remaining World War II buildings), a new Corps Command & Control facility in the Main Post area, new elementary school in Linden Oaks, and major new construction projects at the JFK Warfare Center, the USASOC area, and Patriot’s Point (the old ammunition supply point).  There are several major projects involving renovations as the hospital  and development of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence.  AAFES is also doing major new construction at the Airborne Mini Mall and Airborne Gruber Mini Mall. 

Finally, Greg highlighted the ongoing efforts to extend future I-295 to and beyond the All American Freeway.

ACTION:  Information

IV.  PRESENTATION – “Building Permit Trends in the Fort Bragg Region” – Robert Farrell, Hoke County Planning Director –

         Robert presented the findings of a study he recently conducted concerning residential building construction trends  within the Fort Bragg Region over the past five years .  His sources of information included Fort Bragg, the US Census Bureau, and data provided by local county departments. 

         He found that most of the counties within the region have experienced a significant drop in the number of new homes being construced since 2010. Yet, the overall number of new housing units state-wide has remained fairly constant over the same time period. 

         In trying to determine what might be contributing to the construction decline in the Fort Bragg Region, Robert contacted staff at the Fort.  They explained that from a troop strength high of 153,000 soldiers in 2012 and 2013, the number declined to 149,000 troops in 2014.  They are expected to drop even further this year -- to approximately 146,500 soldiers. 

         In addition, Robert discovered that the average price of new homes in the Fort Bragg region have dropped from a little over $155,000 in 2013 to a little higher than $140,000 in 2015.  He observed that during this same period construction labor costs have risen from $22.51 per hour in April 2012 to $25.13 in December of 2014.  Also, Robert discovered that the cost of residential building materials has risen by 45% over the past decade. 

         He concluded by saying that with the anticipated additional reductions in troop strength at the Fort, surrounding counties should now be considering additional options for population growth and  potential alternative revenue streams to meet their budgetary needs.

         ACTION:  Information

V.     BUSINESS ITEMS    

• MINUTES – Mike Lynch made a motion to approve the minutes for the Quarterly meeting held on February 19th and John K McNeill seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

ACTION:  Approved

• FINANCIAL REPORT – McLaughlin reported that RLUAC had a cash balance of

$35,086.83 on March 31^st. There were no receipts for April. Expenditures for the month totaled   $3,052.59.This left a cash balance of $32,034.24 on April 30th.  Roland Hall made a motion to approve the financial report and Patsy Carson seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.

ACTION:Approved

• LOCAL GOVERNMENT DUES FY 2015-16 – McLaughlin reported that the proposed local government dues structure recommended by the Board of Directors keeps the dues at the same level as the past several years. Mike Lynch made a motion to approve the 2015-16 dues structure and John K McNeill seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

ACTION: Approved

• BUDGET FOR FY 2015-16 – McLaughlin reported that the proposed FY 2015-16 Budget recommended by the Board of Directors remains the same as the one for the past several years. Mike Lynch made a motion to approve the 2015-16 budget and Patsy Carson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

ACTION:  Approved

VI. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT - Jim Dougherty

• Land Use Reviews - Dougherty reported that he and the Board reviewed 43 land use cases during the January through March quarter. The breakout includes:

• 13 cases for Cumberland County

• 1 case for Falcon

• 17 cases for Fayetteville

• 1 case for Spring Lake

• 1 case for Harnett County

• 5 cases for Hoke County

• 2 cases for Raeford

• 3 cases for Moore County

• 1 case for Southern Pines

• Outreach Activities for the Quarter – Dougherty reported that he had represented RLUAC in the following outreach and administrative activities:

• Made a RLUAC presentation to the Southern Pines Town Board in February

• Prepared the meeting minutes following the February quarterly Meeting

• Prepared the financial reports for February, March, and April

• Participated in the March meeting of the NC Sandhills Conservation Partnership in Southern Pines.

• Conducted two evening training sessions for the Town of Erwin Planning Board / Board of Adjustment in March

• Organized and participated in RLUAC Board of Directors’ meeting in April

• Prepared the draft FY 2015-16 Local Government Dues Structure and Budget in April

• Prepared and submitted quarterly invoice to Atkins Company in April

• Made a RLUAC presentation to the Eastover Town Board in April. The Board voted unanimously to become a RLUAC member.

• Contacted speakers and organized May quarterly meeting

                     ACTON: Information

VII.     ADJOURN - There being no further business, McLaughlin adjourned the meeting at  1:16 PM.  McLaughlin reminded everyone that the next RLUAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 20^th. Location to be determined.