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bbl: a "fingerlike" projection down NC 86 and ballooning out to encompass the 33.92 acre tract owned by Piedmont Power. Commissioner Willhoit suggested that the Zoning Ordinance might be amended to permit large scale development outside designated nodes provided sufficient buffers are provided. Commissioner Willhoit continued, saying that this particular use should have minimal impact on the residential area adjoining the tract. There was a concensus that the Planning Staff should re-examine this particular node, the Harmon-Young Node; Mr. Collins said Staff should complete its revaluation of this area in four to five months. Mr. Collins added that the Planning Department had received inquiries about the tract across from Piedmont's on NC 86 for potential commercial/industrial development. Commissioner .Willhoit noted two potential problems with this particular request: 1) traffic safety; and, 2) lights glaring into neighboring homes; both, he thought,could be resolved. Commissioner Walker moved to deny the Land Use Plan Amendment (from Rural Residential to Commercial Transition Activity Node) for Piedmont Power Company; he withdrew his motion. Commissioner Willhoit asked Mr. Collins if he could resolve for the Board the question of spot zoning outside a node. Mr. Collins responded that there were two or three ways of accomplishing that: 1) amend the Zoning Text to allow "this" as a permitted use in a R-1 area; 2) dissociate changes in the Land Use Plan from the zoning process; or, failing those, 3) adopt another kind of node that would be apart from an activity center. Mr. Collins responded to a question from Com- missioner Willhoit that the node concept as adopted by Orange County permits mixed uses in the nodes, that is, all development within a node does not have to be com- mercial or industrial. Commissioner Willhoit asked if the Staff could consider the possibility of having Planned Developments above a given size (25 acres) with the proper buffers and relatively self-contained permitted in all areas and not restricted to the node concept. He added that the problems the Board seemed to be having with this proposal was that it was a good one but "does not conform to the node concept." Commissioner Walker moved, seconded by Commissioner Lloyd, to approve the Planning Staff recommendation to amend the Land Use Plan from Rural Residential to Commercial Transition Activity Node for the Piedmont Power Company's 33.92 acres. Vote: Ayes, 5; noes, 0.