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• <br /> PLANNING PROJECT PROPOSAL #1 — November 2008 <br /> Lead Department: Planning & Inspections <br /> Primary Contact(s): Michael Harvey (245-2607) <br /> Department Interaction: Administration and County Attorney <br /> Subject: Update on Conditional Zoning District (CZD) <br /> . BACKGROUND: <br /> Staff has been working on a comprehensive refining of various permitting approval <br /> processes, including the development of a Conditional Zoning District review and <br /> approval process. Staff had originally intended to bring this item to the February 2008 <br /> Quarterly Public Hearing but work was suspended when it was determined that the <br /> proposal would involve major revisions to the County's existing Planned Development <br /> standards contained within Article Seven (7) of the Zoning Ordinance. <br /> ISSUE: <br /> As the Board may be aware from previous correspondence, North Carolina land use law <br /> currently permits the use of two (2)types of zoning districts that allow a governing body <br /> to apply site-specific development standards for a proposed project, specifically: <br /> 1. Conditional Use Districts (CUD), which is currently reflected within our present <br /> Planned Development (PD) regulations contained within Article Seven (7) of the <br /> Zoning Ordinance, and <br /> 2. Conditional Zoning Districts (CZD). <br /> As we currently have the substantial equivalent of a CUD process, staff would like to <br /> provide an explanation of the components of the CZD zoning construct.. <br /> Conditional Zoning Districts (CZD): <br /> The CZD process allows for the establishment of certain uses, which, because of their <br /> nature or scale, have particular impacts on both the immediate area, and the community <br /> as a whole. Through this process a landowner presents a site-specific development <br /> plan to the County for review and requests that a specific parcel of property be rezoned <br /> to allow for the development of the proposed use. CZD involves the creation of'floating' <br /> zoning districts that can be applied in specific designated `overlay' areas of the County <br /> based on findings referenced within approved planning studies, Small Area Plans, or <br /> the Orange County Comprehensive Plan. <br /> The major difference between the CUD and the CZD process is that the CZD process <br /> does not require the issuance of a permit by the governing body, as is normally required <br /> under the PD/SUP process. The implementation of the CZD process provides an <br />