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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: May 1, 2008 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No, ~--~ <br />SUBJECT: Proposed Grant Application for Smart Growth Implementation Assistance <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Request for Applications Craig Benedict, Planning Director <br />245-2592 <br />Perdita Holtz, Special Projects Planner <br />245-2611 <br />PURPOSE: To consider submitting an application to the Development, Community, and <br />Environment Division (DCED) in the U.S. EPA's Office of Policy Economics and Innovation for <br />implementation assistance related to smart growth in the Efland area. <br />BACKGROUND: The Smart Growth Implementation Assistance program provides technical <br />assistance to communities and states that are interested in fostering economic growth, <br />protecting their environmental resources, enhancing public health, extending the benefits of <br />community redevelopment to all citizens equitably, and planning for development. The program <br />consists of direct technical assistance in the form of a multi-day visit from a team of experts <br />organized by EPA and its national partners to work with local leaders (it is not a direct funding <br />grant program). <br />The adopted Efland-Mebane Small Area Plan (EMSAP) includes a recommendation for a Mixed <br />Use area in Efland and the development of site and architectural guidelines for the proposed <br />Mixed Use area. These recommendations are directly related to Smart Growth concepts. If <br />Orange County were selected as a community for the Smart Growth Implementation Assistance <br />Program, the team of experts could provide direct assistance with developing the policies and <br />guidelines that are needed to implement the concept of a Mixed Use area in Efland. <br />EPA plans to assist three to five communities in 2008, anticipates announcing the selected <br />communities in Fall 2008, and expects to work with the communities over a 12-month period. <br />The application must be received in EPA's offices no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, <br />2008. <br />Orange County applied for this program in 2007, but was not selected as a recipient during the <br />past grant cycle. <br />