[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6587439,"mediaKeyId","5598225-c9abcd7a6724aeedcb7d22a4fd37684d","parentId",5598225,"title","Alamance County recognizes Junior Police Academy graduates; program leaders describe four‑week curriculum","audioSeconds",854,"startMs",622000,"endMs",1476000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5598225-c9abcd7a6724aeedcb7d22a4fd37684d&start=622&end=1476","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5598225-c9abcd7a6724aeedcb7d22a4fd37684d/thumbnail_622000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6587439/Alamance-County/North-Carolina/Alamance-County-recognizes-Junior-Police-Academy-graduates-program-leaders-describe-fourweek-curriculum","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587439-fe798e84fdda54371b9fb8f165de6bf5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450742&Signature=nXQs0QHYbj1UxZfmejvcquzIuDQhV1BDoyujgY3mDj3vb3vGlBca1ekeCebURR6nGIW2~F2zg3gaOv~x69gpHSl8~vemFXG3C4~TZtrhtI2ALLNT1Z7SeFF4hmuDsa66hdR6oJgsxr-KVn-cWSsnqhlOequxXj6YWqQZ4tpmL2V-Ftsd3SoMjpkj~ROnqEc4ptKo1xRUYjahIrcjrS5Xau-ni1QhoGi8bhuAXpmP4RGKZGiog9ZgkzBvCPhUvO5YPecud0c2o7uq2ocSdU~twvVAMI-K5SWJyHIj1mH91SUjJemrY2UEO2dJWq-xhqbP7j13nbs2hryPeZjzsqmoug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alamance County, NC","date","2025-08-17T15:56:34Z","article","Alamance County commissioners recognized 2025 graduates of the Junior Police Academy at the Aug. 18 meeting, and program organizers described the four‑week curriculum the county and local police departments use to teach middle‑school students teamwork, discipline and conflict‑management skills.

Chad Laws and Justin Jolley presented a group of graduates and photos from the academy. Laws told the board the countywide program—begun in 1996 and missed two years during the COVID‑19 pandemic—is a collaboration among the Burlington Police Department, Graham Police Department, Alamance County Sheriff’s Office and Mebane Police Department. He said this year 24 cadets completed the course and about 11 were present at the meeting; participants came from seven different middle schools across the county.

Laws said the academy emphasizes social skills, self‑discipline and community responsibility and includes physical training and mentoring after the program concludes. “We try to provide them with those skills to be productive members in our community,” he said. Several cadets spoke briefly to the commissioners and described lessons such as respect, self‑discipline, accountability and emotional management.

Commissioners presented small gifts to the cadets and invited program staff to return with a fuller overview and calendar for future involvement. County staff said a video of the academy is posted on the county YouTube channel and a fuller version will be available soon.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","August 18, 2025 Commissioners Meeting Live Stream","oneSentenceSummary","County commissioners presented certificates to Junior Police Academy graduates and heard from program leaders that the four‑week academy focuses on discipline, respect and community skills; staff and presenters said the program is collaborative across multiple local law‑enforcement agencies.","taxTitle","Alamance County, North Carolina","taxId",3670,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6587444,"Alamance County approves land swap with developer for new Mebane EMS substation",810,4428000,5238000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5598225-c9abcd7a6724aeedcb7d22a4fd37684d&start=4428&end=5238","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5598225-c9abcd7a6724aeedcb7d22a4fd37684d/thumbnail_4428000.jpg","/articles/6587444/Alamance-County/North-Carolina/Alamance-County-approves-land-swap-with-developer-for-new-Mebane-EMS-substation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587444-20a1b2b604e53f3ab402d8aec534dcbe/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450742&Signature=PAQYKBBf7EoitNNOnvMnv7wg4wSU5AuMZBC~4QyKABA2EGJdaAYhWB7Q~tNjTQWm3SAMIh6a5VAPHPRt2faHI215ymXccyH1OHHYk9pkIXoVFDGO9TRaUw08F3qsk291R36dVq6bdpcCD2abv4Ef4--btvRSZhGnoirckbsaxhQw-RV9JosA9k08lVw5EPDaRFeN6d5daqaS15jGzxa2kdp1DQuN8BkJ3c6Z3aoLnqUU1vgUA6dWBY4SAig0N6Xypk3ycabZIpIZiG3wDXfjBwNBQbPYeXxwOVnEjuJbnd2D5SaoV4FsqvRDrlqQ1eVizvMSmsOnV44jbJAKqZfvtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Alamance County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Aug. 18, 2025, to approve a resolution authorizing a land exchange with a private developer to acquire a site for a proposed Emergency Medical Services substation in Mebane.

Commissioner Lance Baker introduced the item, saying the county’s existing property on South Third Street (about 1.6 acres) was an initially suitable location but that adjacent commercial and residential development has made the parcel less desirable for an EMS station. County staff said the developer, identified in presentation materials as Corey Corporation, offered a roughly 2.5‑acre parcel at the intersection of Smith Drive and N.C. 119 in exchange and agreed to complete grading and install a 50‑foot culvert at the site entrance before the county takes title.

Baker described the proposal as “a straight swap, no money exchange,” and county staff said comp sales show the parcels are roughly comparable in value. County Attorney summarized the legal finding the board must make before conveying property: the county must find it has “received a full and fair consideration in exchange for the property.” The board voted on a resolution authorizing the manager and county attorney to finalize the transaction; the motion passed unanimously.

County staff said the site would provide quicker access to N.C. 119, U.S. 70 and the interstate and would avoid the congestion expected on South Third Street as nearby development proceeds. The county currently plans to place two ambulances at the new Mebane station to start, and staff estimated the construction cost at roughly $5,000,000. Emergency Services staffing for two ambulances would require approximately 16 personnel (8 per ambulance to maintain shifts), and staff said vehicle availability is sufficient based on recent budgeted purchases; hiring and retention of staff will follow standard county recruitment and budgeting processes.

Commissioners asked for additional documentation, including comparables and a formal appraisal; the county said it had reviewed local comps with the tax department and would provide supporting appraisal information in timely fashion. Construction and related procurement for the facility will be subject to competitive bidding when the county reaches that stage.

The board approved the resolution and authorized county staff to execute the land-exchange agreement subject to the conditions described in the presentation. The construction budget will be considered in current and future capital budgets, staff said, and the county will return with procurement documents when it seeks construction bids.

Votes at a glance: the board approved a resolution authorizing a land exchange for the Mebane EMS site; the motion passed unanimously on Aug. 18, 2025.","The board unanimously approved a resolution to swap county-owned property on South Third Street for a roughly 2.5-acre parcel owned by a developer; the exchange is conditioned on the developer completing site work and the county estimates $5 million to construct the station and staff two ambulances initially.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6587447,"Alamance County planners present draft land-use map; residents warn higher rural lot sizes will price out buyers",976,3200000,4176000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5598225-c9abcd7a6724aeedcb7d22a4fd37684d&start=3200&end=4176","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5598225-c9abcd7a6724aeedcb7d22a4fd37684d/thumbnail_3200000.jpg","/articles/6587447/Alamance-County/North-Carolina/Alamance-County-planners-present-draft-land-use-map-residents-warn-higher-rural-lot-sizes-will-price-out-buyers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587447-8f1954c0618ce9243bafbc86326492cd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450742&Signature=jWbP~a-OMr7nXEyJEfzrOKZsj1b8AlQCOa3KWvtzReHwAg~dmNLumh8rxxD5mCDAyS0D3W7aYXFusoHnN-V-JY68MgoXSZ9zRseLhykP9Otufzo1hG0if62KsfSWcQrPQaYB5E0rSJbY-XDfjjApJ3zt9dqugUqUy6lH4XscedrEX8ic-5efTEMNM3~lhbIlHB4vc76zeVre~Q4jqCMgLLsLKJ~AbzRyP5zU~bXcBhoqjqCN2mPAius1Bkaf-FJxcYheJCr0EDFJ3u3GAQ7xW1dDSaNMAKr2enznuA1VZKmUAurUStwNdpTVoZ6PW16B~N06BGBCanCcpQ6XayiHVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alamance County Planning Director Matthew Hoagland presented a staff draft of a countywide land-use map and companion rural preservation ordinance at the Aug. 18, 2025, meeting of the Alamance County Board of Commissioners, prompting extensive public comment on minimum rural lot sizes and preservation of historic mill villages.

The draft map divides unincorporated county land into six districts, staff said, including agricultural (a proposed 5-acre minimum), rural residential (proposed 2-acre minimum), rural community centers, suburban transition areas, employment centers and “mill village” districts intended to preserve the look and feel of historic communities such as Saxapahaw. The proposal also includes changes to the subdivision ordinance to allow cluster, density and family subdivisions as alternative ways to achieve the same average density in the agricultural district.

Hoagland told the board the planning board gave a favorable recommendation in July 2025 to the staff proposal. He said the draft is intended to protect farmland and rural character, encourage development near existing infrastructure, and provide flexibility in subdivision types rather than instituting “old-fashioned zoning.” He also noted the proposal was informed by the county’s 2020 Land Development Plan and by recent local land-use conflicts.

Residents and interest groups offered sharply different views in public comment. Amy Beth Kessinger, vice chair of the community nonprofit Saxapahaw Forward, praised the mill-village designation as a way to retain the historic character and local identity of mill-centered villages and to encourage compatible nonresidential development. “This designation strikes a balance that’s both respectful of the past and oriented toward our future,” Kessinger said.

Multiple speakers representing homebuilders, realtors and county residents urged the board not to adopt a broad increase in minimum lot sizes. Jeff Thornburg, representing the Alamance County Home Builders Association, said economic conditions have changed since the data used in earlier outreach and warned higher minimums would push modest houses out of reach. He also referenced pending state legislation, saying, “House Bill 765, the Save the American Dream Act, [is] designed specifically to prevent local governments from enacting the kind of restrictions this proposal suggests.”

Marlo Kaufis, a realtor with nearly two decades of local experience, told commissioners she had not seen factual justifications for the larger minimum lots and said the change would reduce housing affordability and lower land values for owners who might otherwise sell. Several speakers made similar points about pricing and access for first-time buyers and young families.

Other commenters urged more public engagement and updated data; multiple speakers said the 2020 plan and associated surveys predate significant post‑pandemic changes in the housing market. Several callers asked the board to hold additional community forums that include builders, landowners, realtors and county staff before moving from a staff recommendation to formal ordinance text.

Hoagland described several optional subdivision mechanisms intended to preserve average densities while permitting smaller individual lots via cluster or density subdivisions and a family subdivision option that would allow one-acre parcels for transfers within a family. He said minor and major subdivision definitions would be clarified, and that where mill-village nonresidential projects are proposed, form‑based elements would guide exterior appearance but would not apply to residential work.

The presentation was informational; Hoagland reminded commissioners that the planning board vote was advisory and that no action was required or requested at the Aug. 18 meeting. Commissioners asked questions about how the proposal differs from conventional zoning, the nature of the public outreach that produced the 2020 plan, and whether the plan’s survey pool and stakeholder meetings provided a representative sample of county residents. Hoagland said the 2020 process included steering‑committee and stakeholder meetings, open houses and online surveys and estimated roughly 1,700–1,800 survey responses, but he said he would supply detailed survey documentation later.

The board did not take a formal vote on the staff proposal at the meeting. Several commissioners expressed skepticism about adopting broad new land‑use controls without additional public outreach and clearer data; others said they appreciated the effort to preserve rural character and villages but wanted to see specific ordinance language before any action.

The land-use draft, the planning board package, and the proposed subdivision amendments will remain in staff and board discussions. Commissioners and staff indicated they could return the item for further review and possible formal action at a future meeting if they choose to proceed.

For now, the matter remains an informational presentation with the planning board’s favorable advisory vote noted; the board did not adopt ordinances, maps or formal restrictions on Aug. 18.","Planning staff presented a draft land-use map and rural preservation ordinance that would raise minimum lot sizes in much of the county; commissioners heard extended public comment both for mill-village preservation and against proposals that would increase minimum rural lot sizes to 2–5 acres.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Alamance County recognizes Junior Police Academy graduates; program leaders describe four‑week curriculum

Alamance County approves land swap with developer for new Mebane EMS substation

Alamance County planners present draft land-use map; residents warn higher rural lot sizes will price out buyers