Orange County NC Website
14 <br />56 ,... fo provide a district to be used only during the application of zoning to <br />57 previously unzoned townships to accommodate existing commercial uses or in <br />5$ zoned townships to previously zoned commercial property which is not located <br />59 in areas designated as Activity Nodes by the adopted Comprehensive Plan. <br />60 At the same time the County initiated a Zoning Atlas amendment of this, and other similar properties, to change their <br />61 zoning designation to EC-5 in order for them to be consistent with the objectives and policies of the Comprehensive <br />62 Plan. <br />63 <br />64 PUBLIC HEARING: During the public hearing staff testified the previously identified body shop had been closed <br />65 sometime in the late 1990's and currently there was not anon-residential land use operating from the property. The <br />66 property owner testified they were unaware the property was zoned EC-5 and that they have no interest or intention <br />67 in developing oroperating anon-residential land use on their property. <br />68 <br />69 .Staff indicated during the hearing there had been no opposition to the zoning atlas petition and recommended <br />70 approval of the petition rezoning the subject property to Rural Residential One (R-1). <br />71 <br />72 During the hearing, the County Commissioners encouraged staff to continue to identify those EC-5 zoned properties <br />73 without a corresponding non-residential land use and determine if a Zoning Atlas Amendment is warranted. <br />74 <br />75 RECOMMENDATION: The Zoning Officer recommends the Planning Board: <br />76 <br />77 1. Deliberate on the petition and review the various comments made during the public hearing, <br />78 2. Recommend approval of the Zoning Atlas Petition finding that: <br />79 a. The Zoning Atlas Petition is complete in accordance with the provisions of Article Twenty (20) of <br />80 the Zoning Ordinance, <br />81 b. Per Section 20.3.2 (d) of the Zoning Ordinance, staff and the property owner have identified <br />82 appropriate changes relating to the use of the property making the Zoning Atlas Petition <br />83 reasonable necessary in promoting the public health, safety, and general welfare. <br />84 Specifically, the changing condition relates to the property owner's desire to utilize the property to <br />85 support asingle-family residential development rather than allow for the development of a non- <br />86 residential land use. <br />87 c. Per Section 20.3.2 (e) of the Zoning Ordinance, the approval of the Zoning Atlas Petition would <br />88 carry out the intent of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan. <br />89 Specifically, the approval of the petition would eliminate an EC-5 zoning designation on a parcel of <br />90 property where there is no non-residential land use in operation. By approving the petition, the use <br />91 of the property to support asingle-family residence would be consistent with surrounding land uses <br />92 as well as the land use category for the area as detailed within the Comprehensive Plan. <br />93 3. Recommend approval of the Statement of Consistency and Resolution of Rezoning Approval to the BOCC. <br />94 <br />95 Brian Crawford thanked Michael Harvey for his presentation and asked if there was anyone in the audience that <br />96 would like to comment on the proposal. As there were none, Brian Crawford asked the Board members if they had <br />97 any questions. <br />98 <br />99 Jeff Schmitt asked how this matter was brought to staffs and owner's attention. Michael Harvey indicated the <br />100 owners of the property had come to see him after attempting to refinance their residence when they were apparently <br />101 informed they would have to pay a commercial mortgage rate as the property had a commercial zoning designation. <br />102 Michael Harvey said the property owners were unaware that the property was zoned EC-5 and that they had no <br />103 interest in utilizing the property for commercial purposes. <br />104 <br />105 Mary Bobbitt-Cooke said she was concerned that this problem may be a County wide issue and hoped that staff was <br />106 being proactive is attempting to help property owners address it. There was general discussion on this point. <br />107 <br />