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U24 <br />planning conference be held, at which a consensus plan would be developed. A <br />Steering Committee made up of elected officials and residents of the study area <br />was established to plan the workshop. <br />The planning conference took place on two Saturdays, approximately one month <br />apart, in the Spring of 1997, with staff of the Orange County Dispute Settlement <br />Center serving as facilitators and Randall Arendt of the Natural Lands Trust <br />providing professional planning .assistance to approximately 150 citizen <br />participants. The original plan was revised in accordance with the consensus of <br />the participants and the Facilitated Small Area Plan for Carrboro's Northern <br />Study Area (NSA) was finalized. <br />During the facilitated meetings at which the NSA plan was developed, it was <br />agreed that meeting participants preferred floating, conditional use zones. Three <br />types are noted, residential, mixed-use, and office/assembly. This strategy was <br />selected, as it was believed that it would provide the highest level of scrutiny for <br />proposed developments. In identifying an implementation strategy, staff and <br />members of the plan's Ordinance Drafting Committee determined that the density <br />cap and Transition Area I and II division (and associated process that requires <br />joint approval for rezoning in these areas) may present a significant obstacle to a <br />conditional use rezoning process. The JPA agreement amendments have been <br />prepared in order to allow the floating zones to "land" anywhere within <br />Carrboro's transition areas, if deemed appropriate during the rezoning process, <br />with approval by only the Board of Aldermen. <br />RECOMMENDATION: The Planning staffs of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Orange County <br />recommend approval of the proposed amendments to the Joint Planning <br />Agreement. Following conclusion of the public hearing, the matter should <br />be referred to the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro for decisions and <br />then to the Orange County Planning Board for a recommendation to the <br />Board of County Commissioners. A proposed schedule for consideration <br />is as follows: <br />Chapel Hill <br />Planning Board Recommendation -May 12, 1998 <br />Town Council Decision -May 26, 1998 <br />Carrboro <br />Planning Board Recommendation -April 16, 1998 <br />Board of Aldermen Decision -May 12, 1998 <br />Orange County <br />Planning Board Decision -June 3; -1998 <br />Board of County Commissioners Decision -June 22, 1998 <br />