Orange County NC Website
•Staff believes there is an opportunity to allow for the Nodes to be developed as originally <br /> intended by the County and provide greater opportunity for the County Commissioners to be <br /> more involved with the development process <br /> Example Node Boundaries: <br /> PROPOSAL: <br /> •Amend Section(s) 4.2.8 (b) (4) and 4.2.9 (b) (4) to increase the maximum allowable non- <br /> residential development within Rural Community Activity Nodes to ten (10) acres, <br /> •Limit non-residential development within other Nodes to five (5) acres (i.e. Five (5) acres of LC- <br /> 1 and NC-2 zoning), and <br /> •Include a provision allowing the possibility of additional non-residential development with the <br /> submission, review, and approval of a Planned Development (PD) application <br /> RATIONALE: <br /> •The Rural Community Activity Nodes were intended to allow for higher intensity non-residential <br /> development to eliminate the need for residents to commute to urbanizing areas. By increasing <br /> the cumulative amount of allowable non-residential zoning we accomplish this goal, <br /> •The remaining Nodes can still be developed at what staff has determined acceptable levels of <br /> intensity given their purpose as defined within the Comprehensive Plan <br /> •By adding new language relating to the possible allowance of additional non-residential zoning <br /> through the review of a Planned Development project, the County has the opportunity to <br /> address changing needs within the Nodes without having to continuously amend the Zoning <br /> Ordinance <br /> Staff Recommendations: <br /> •Receive the staff initiated zoning text amendment proposal including staff's report and <br /> presentation materials, <br /> •Conduct the Public Hearing and accept comments from all interested parties, <br /> •Refer the matter to the Planning Board for a recommendation to be returned to the County <br /> Board of Commissioners in time for the August 18, 2009 BOCC meeting, <br /> •Adjourn the Public Hearing until August 18, 2009 in order to receive the Planning Board's <br /> recommendation. <br /> Mark Marcoplos said that the Rural Neighborhood Node, which is close to where he <br /> lives, has a convenience store, a nursery, a horse feed/general hardware store, and other <br /> businesses, including a junk yard. He said that there is more activity in the rural neighborhood <br /> than in the Rural Community Activity Node. He said that the transfer station is supposed to go <br /> in the Rural Neighborhood Node. He said that there is a UNC Animal Testing Facility here and <br /> there is a huge amount of expansion in this area. He said that the map does not really <br /> communicate the activity that is going on and it is confusing. <br /> Commissioner Gordon said that there is some uncertainty about boundaries and she is <br /> concerned about this. She said that the boundary should be certain, and if the boundary has to <br /> be modified, then it can be amended. <br /> Michael Harvey said that one of the reasons for the planned development is so that <br /> there can be some non-residential uses. <br />