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Attachment 4 19 <br />Efland- Cheeks Highway 70 Corridor Zoning Overlay District (ECOD) <br />Staff Responses to Comments and Questions made by the <br />BOCC and Planning Board at the <br />August 27, 2007 Quarterly Public Hearing <br />1. Comment: Allowing non - residential uses along the entire corridor <br />introduces uncertainty. Why was a 40% limit on non - residential uses <br />along the corridor chosen? The effect on residential uses that remain <br />must be considered. <br />Staff Response: The Highway 70 corridor is located in a 10 -Year <br />Transition area which is targeted for, and historically has been comprised <br />of, higher density and intensity of land uses. Indeed, the existing land use <br />pattern along the corridor is one of residential uses intermixed with a <br />variety of commercial uses. Staff and the EIVISAP Implementation Focus <br />Group (IFG) recognize that the proposed zoning overlay district will further <br />intermix residential and non - residential uses along the corridor. It has <br />been a desire of the IFG to allow individuals to work within the concept of <br />a free market economic system to choose locations viable for lower - <br />impact non - residential uses while mitigating the effect of those non- <br />residential uses on adjacent and nearby residential uses. Staff and the <br />IFG believe that the standards contained within the proposed ECOD <br />effectively mitigate impacts within an area of the county that is targeted for <br />small -scale economic development. <br />2. Comment: The restriction on chain link fencing seems overly restrictive. <br />Staff Response: Staff has evaluated this portion of the proposed text and <br />is recommending the following change: <br />➢ Within the pre - designated commercial area, vinyl - coated chain link <br />fencing would be permitted for non - residential uses. Outside of the <br />pre - designated commercial area but within the ECOD boundary, <br />chain link fencing for non - residential uses would not be allowed. <br />Our professional opinion is that wide- spread use of galvanized steel chain <br />link fencing detracts significantly from the visual aesthetics of an area and <br />could detract from the promotion of economic development investment by <br />low- impact businesses. Chain link fencing should not be permitted <br />outside of the pre - designated commercial area in order to promote and <br />protect the visual character of the corridor. Within the pre - designated <br />commercial area, we are recommending the potential use of vinyl - coated <br />chain link fencing in an attempt to balance aesthetic aspects with the <br />potential need for cost- effective fencing. <br />