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NODES: A Node, loosely defined, is a specific geographic area of the County intended to <br />support certain levels of development intensity and /or allow for the development of non- <br />residential land uses to serve the needs of the surrounding local community. <br />The Orange County Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Element Map (LUEM) delineate the <br />location of various Nodes throughout the County. There are several classifications of Nodes, <br />detailed within Chapter Five (5), Section 5.3 The Land Use Plan of the Orange County 2030 <br />Comprehensive Plan including: <br />• Commercial Transition Activity Node, <br />• Commercial Industrial Transition Activity Node, <br />• Economic Development Activity Node, <br />• Rural Community Activity Node, <br />• Rural Neighborhood Activity Node, and <br />• Rural Industrial Activity Node <br />Please refer to Attachment Three (3) for more detail on development opportunities /constraints <br />within the various Nodes. <br />PLANNING BOARD DISCUSSION: The Planning Board began its review of the aforementioned <br />rezoning petition at its January 14, 2009 regular meeting where staff was asked to prepare a <br />brief synopsis of the problem and identify possible solutions that would: <br />1. Allow for the approval of the submitted Zoning Atlas petition, and <br />2. Allow for greater flexibility in encouraging more non - residential developments within the <br />Nodes. <br />Staff compiled a list of recommendations and presented them at the February 4, 2009 regular <br />meeting. The Board voted unanimously to: <br />1. Recommend an increase in the allowable acreage that would only apply to the White <br />Cross Rural Community Activity Node, and <br />2. Recommend that the BOCC authorize staff to develop a Small Area Plan for the Node. <br />Please refer to Attachments Four (4) and Five (5) of the abstract for a copy of the abstract and <br />approved February 4, 2009 minutes. <br />PROPOSAL: Staff is proposing to amend Section(s) 4.2.8 and 4.2.9 of the Ordinance as <br />follows: <br />1. Amend Section(s) 4.2.8 (b) (4) Local Commercial l (LC -1) District and 4.2.9 (b) (4) <br />Neighborhood Commercial ll (NC -2) District to increase the maximum allowable non- <br />residential development within Rural Community Activity Nodes to ten (10) acres, <br />2. Limit non - residential development within other Nodes to five (5) acres (i.e. Five (5) acres <br />of LCA and NC -2 zoning), and <br />3. Include a provision allowing the possibility of additional non - residential development with <br />the submission, review, and approval of a Planned Development (PD) application in <br />accordance with Article Seven (7) Planned Developments of the Ordinance. <br />Staff is not able to recommend a zoning text amendment that would impact development <br />opportunities within only the White Cross Node as recommended by the Planning Board. All <br />Rural Community Activity Nodes are treated the same within the Comprehensive Plan and, as a <br />result, must be treated equally with respect to development regulations within the Ordinance. <br />