Orange County NC Website
9 <br /> subdivision in Atlanta. They have done a great job with cluster housing. He <br /> supports transfer of development rights which is the key of affordability of <br /> doing planned development. He feels that density bonuses are loopholes but feels <br /> that some loopholes are needed for low-income housing. He is in favor of <br /> supporting low-income housing. He feels that the developers are necessary. He <br /> noted that every year there are more people living on this entire planet and <br /> Orange County cannot just keep people out. Planning for development rationally, <br /> ethically and sustainable is the way to go. He has a concern about big companies <br /> coming in from Texas into the Research Triangle and putting up large <br /> subdivisions. <br /> LARRY CARROLL agrees with what Bob Strayhorn and John Hartwell said. He <br /> supports the one acre minimum lot size. He assured the Board that if the two <br /> acres passes, he will make more money building these houses than building $80,000 <br /> houses. He feels that the County already has the majority of the land in two <br /> acre lot size in the watershed and only 43% left outside the watershed that could <br /> be developed and much of that is in already developed area. The area is not that <br /> great that would be switched to two acre lot size. <br /> KEITH COOK stated that he works with the Orange Housing Corporation. They <br /> are trying to build 42 homes for affordable housing. They use all the land they <br /> can get. If they had to abide by the two acre minimum lot size, they could not <br /> have affordable housing. It puts everyone out of the market who is trying to <br /> have a home. Everyone is not equal in Orange County. He is not in favor of two <br /> acre minimum lot size. He asked that everyone be included. He feels that one <br /> responsibility of the citizens is to take care of the people who have the least. <br /> He asked why they would have fifty acres of open space that did not include <br /> parks. These should be used for parks and places for people to walk -- not just <br /> for animals. He asked that the minimum lot size be kept at one acre, so people <br /> can afford to live here and the children can afford to stay in the county. He <br /> does not feel that anyone should have any say over another persons land and what <br /> they do with that land. <br /> JENNIFER MILLER said she supports the statements made by Callie Warner and <br /> Les Dunbar. She does not feel that two acre minimum will destroy affordable <br /> housing. They are not getting affordable housing now. She would like to see the <br /> two acre minimum with incentives for developers who will provide affordable <br /> housing instead of incentives for higher density. She would like to see the 50% <br /> open space/natural space which will provide more trees to help with air pollution <br /> and it helps with runoff. With open space, the long term value of the land will <br /> increase without regards to individual profits. <br /> BOBBY NICHOLS is not in favor of the two acre minimum lot size. As a <br /> member of the Savings and Loan Board, he is concerned about affordable housing. <br /> He asked for clarification on when a house can be rebuilt on a nonconforming lot. <br /> Mary Willis said that a house can be rebuilt on a nonconforming lot if it is <br /> destroyed by fire as long as it meets the dimensional requirements. His concern <br /> is with previous property that has been financed at 100 or 110% and the value <br /> decreases because of the property becoming nonconforming. Commissioner Willhoit <br /> clarified that a lot of record will not become nonconforming. The Subdivision <br /> Ordinance would have an affective date for this amendment and any lots created <br /> after that effective date would have to be a minimum of two acres. The lots in <br /> the watershed area which have been rezoned, are not nonconforming lots because <br /> they were developed under the Subdivision Ordinance. Geof Gledhill said that <br /> what is being proposed is a Zoning Ordinance Amendment which would change the <br /> minimum lot size so that any lots less than the minimum lot size would be <br /> technically nonconforming but the nonconforming use section of the County <br /> ordinance essentially exempts the rebuilding of residential houses from the <br /> minimum lot size requirement. <br /> VIC KNIGHT spoke in regards to appraisal issues. He explained that the <br /> Appraisal Institute recognizes several different ways to determine the highest <br />