Minutes - 19941210 - Laserfiche WebLink

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5 Chair Carey explained that these preservation committees are under the purview of the Planning Department because a lot of the preservation issues have been achieved through Land Use Planning. Commissioner Willhoit feels that preservation can best be handled by the Planning Department. However, after these issues have been integrated into the Land Use Plan, there could be a separate entity to manage and maintain the particular areas involved. Marvin Collins noted that the MPA Program at Carolina is looking for projects and that they could ask this group to look at the possibilities of restructuring. In answer to a question from Commissioner Willhoit about transferable development rights (TDR), Geoffrey Gledhill said that the Board needs to first get an initiative going with the municipalities on TDR within city limits. Whether or not the County needs enabling legislation is based on purpose. He will report back to the BOCC on what they can and cannot do. Marvin Collins mentioned that he has an MPA student focusing on TDR and has taken Orange County as a case study. He will report to the Board as soon as this study is finished. Also, the Agricultural Advisory Board is putting together a more comprehensive program to offer choices in preserving farmland. One option is the American Farmland Trust. Dolly Hunter will provide information to the BOCC on this program. Commissioner Willhoit feels that TDR has the potential for making a more immediate impact than trying to raise private funds. This topic will be added to the agenda for the next Assembly of Governments meeting. Geof Gledhill will provide information on the farm use tax when property remains a farm after it is sold and consideration of local legislation to subsidize the farm use tax at some amount per acre. COMMUNICATIONS Commissioner Gordon suggested that, for better communication among the Board of Commissioners at meetings, it is important that commissioners be able to see each other, and therefore she suggested the use of a curved table. She also suggested the use of new microphones and a better sound system to improve communication between the Board and the public during County Commissioner meetings. Commissioner Halkiotis stressed that the microphone system be simple to operate. LUNCH PUBLIC INFORMATION/PUBLIC RELATIONS Commissioner Gordon would like a plan for handling controversial and/or complicated items so that citizens get the correct information. She wants the commissioners to have a news release for such items and suggested that these news releases could be approved at the same time the commissioners approve the public hearing notice for these items. With respect to development projects, Commissioner Willhoit would like citizens to be notified when something first appears like at the concept plan phase before the developer has put a lot of money into the project. He feels that having staff involved in neighborhood meetings is good but that the County Commissioners need to be more proactive in going out to the area involved.