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tt <br />1 <br />_ Mr. Craig Bet~ct -,. <br />Page 2 '' <br />March 13, 2008 <br />A `5plaiu meaning" analysis of the term "governmental i~rlities" indicates #ha# a SW"I'F <br />is a gAveamnea~tal faa7ityr pursuant to fire Section 43 of San Zoning Ordinances Webstex's <br />defines the noun °`govearsrnetrt" as fire orgenizatiort, nY, or agcy' through which a <br />political tarot exercises autis~tity and parBomas fiurctions atut whidr is usuali`y classified <br />accor~dia$ to the distn'butioa of paver within it_" Webstm's defines a "facility" as, "something <br />(as a hospital) that: is bunt; installed, or establis&ed to serve a parEirular p~upose" Clearly a <br />SWTF, built and operated. by the County for the parpose of collecting and then tra~usfearing ~e <br />Qvaste generated by Ccrarrty utizens rA another disposal fsa'lity, fits within the plain meaning of <br />the tnrm "govewme~al. fadlit3-." Smtilarly, given the con~ruct of the glirase, "Clovernmental <br />Facilities & Office dings" (empPhasis added), the~e.i~s no basis to oonehide that ~t~e term <br />"office building'' modifies or limits the farm "goveaYmnental facilities" or vice versa <br />It is, 8ierefore, our opinion that a Carroty SW`1'F is a gvveammeutal facrlity and. can be <br />looted in any zoning district within the Comity's planning jurisdiction (other than EC-5, &~1 and <br />AS) as a permitted use is acxorda~ace witb use "P24" of Section 4.3 of the Permitted Use Table <br />of the Toning Ordinance and the relevant EDD Design Manuals. <br />P~uther, there is a canc~ptuai probl~aa with an interpretation~of the Permitted Use Table <br />that requires or would require an Grange County btrilding or Orange County facility ba have a <br />Class A special use permit. A n~ for BOCC approval of a Special Use Permit for use by <br />Orange County of ifs land renders all land within 4raags Cotmty,'s planning jurisdidion <br />unavailable for a Cwnty use•regniring scecdr a permit. <br />In a case upholding Mecklenburg County's approval of a zoning permit (nit a Board of <br />Commissioner approved special use permit) for a Mecklenburg County sanitary landfill by the <br />C,haz'lotin-Ivtoakleanburg Zoning Administrator, the North Carolina Supreme Court wrotie as <br />fellows: <br />Due Process requires art ifipartial decirtonmaek~:. . <br />Additional oonsidearrttons beyond these, f inanclal <br />int~eresxs t~guire nonparticipation in quasi judtclal ' <br />zbni~tg dectaians A fixed oprnio~t that is not <br />susceptible to change may well cotrrtKute imperrtt~tssibls <br />bias. as will undisclv-sed ex pane aommunirxrtion or a <br />close frrmitial or business relationship with the appiicartr <br />The County of LarLCaster, South line v Mec~errb~re Countt.~ 334 N.C. 49b (1993) <br />(cltatrons omitfied). Mecklenbuug County had previwsly required all sanitary landfills to receive <br />a special use pamitt. That roquiremaxt was held, ir} an earlier cozut challenger to it, tD violate the <br />due process reginrements cited above. Id, 336 N.C. at 500-503. The Cauit's balding, with regard <br />a "rf 9~ wards of a atata~e ace ptain.amd m~ombigeovay dtie avert nxd loak~ fhcther." <br />