Orange County NC Website
amendment. He pointed to the map and said that part of this is a <br />natural revive that will serve as a buffer. <br />MOTION <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Willhoit, seconded by <br />Commissioner Halkiotis to refer the proposed amendments to the Planning <br />Board for a recommendation to be returned to the Board of Commissioners <br />no sooner than October 2, 1995. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />c. Article 6.29.3 - Economic Development Districts Design <br />Manual (Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment) <br />To receive public comments Planner Mary Willis presented <br />a proposed amendment to eliminate the requirement for a 100-foot buffer <br />along the perimeter of an Economic Development District (EDD) which <br />abuts an EDD adopted by another planning jurisdiction. The area added <br />to the EDD on June 26 including properties along the west side of Old <br />NC86 north of Cates Creek ranges from 300 to 500 feet in depth, and the <br />perimeter buffer of 100 feet poses development constraints. The staff <br />proposes that the Design Manual be modified to state that where the <br />perimeter of the EDD abuts, not just another jurisdictional boundary <br />but one where the EDD provisions have been adopted, that in those cases <br />the perimeter boundary not apply since there is the same zoning on <br />either side of the property. <br />In answer to a question from Commissioner Willhoit, Willis said <br />that the goal of the buffer is to protect adjacent properties from any <br />effects of the EDD. He is concerned that this will look like a <br />commercial strip and wonders if there should be some kind of buffers. <br />Willis explained that there are still setback and landscaping/screening <br />requirements that are a part of the Design Standards that prevent that <br />strip from occurring. <br />In answer to a question from Bill Waddell, Willis said that the <br />natural constraints, floodplains, etc. of the creek itself would remain <br />to whatever width is applicable. <br />Mary Willis clarified that the 100-foot wide buffer need not be <br />provided when the land located in the jurisdiction of the other local <br />government has been zoned Economic Development District and designated <br />the same (e.g. Primary Development, Secondary Development) as the land <br />located in the Orange County Economic Development District. In <br />answer to a question from Planning Board member Renee Price, Willis <br />said that there will be open space. Planning Director Marvin Collins <br />said that in the adopted Economic Development Design Manual there are <br />schematic plans that designate certain areas as open space and in <br />addition to that there is a large amount of green space. Based on <br />calculations, within that whole area, there will be at least 400 open <br />space. <br />Mary Willis clarified for Karen Barrows the area to which this <br />proposed amendment would apply. <br />