Orange County NC Website
231 <br />Sincerely, <br />John E. Schmidt <br />1417 Gray Bluff Trail <br />Chapel Hill, NC 27517 <br />Commissioner Gordon said that since the boards have agreed to propose a new <br />timeline, she thinks that there is a way to get a balance between the understanding of the <br />process and still move expeditiously. She said that all of the emails are addressed to all of the <br />County Commissioners. She submitted two documents (blue sheet and lavender sheet) that <br />she had prepared and commended them to the Planning Board for review. These include a <br />UDO overview document and a document that includes key articles and sections, with <br />comments. <br />First Document: <br />CONSIDERATION OF THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE (UDO) <br />A. CONDITIONAL DISTRICTS <br />Conditional Districts (floating zoning districts) can have a significant effect on development in <br />Orange County. Therefore it is important that citizens are not only aware that this new type of <br />zoning district is being proposed, but that they also have time to understand the implications of <br />the two new conditional districts. <br />1. Conditional Use District (CUD). Except for certain exclusions, it appears that for a <br />Conditional Use District, any use permitted in the Table of Permitted Uses can potentially go <br />almost anywhere in Orange County's planning jurisdiction. Whether that is true or not needs to <br />clarified, and the ambiguity eliminated. If it is true, here is a list of some of the uses that could <br />be permitted almost anywhere: <br />Banks & financial institutions; kennels; laundry & dry cleaning services; massage (business); <br />night clubs, bars, pubs; offices & personal services; restaurants; retail; storage or warehousing; <br />assembly & packaging operations; animal hospitals, veterinarians; health services (under <br />10,000 square feet); rehabilitative care facility; rooming house; motor vehicle sales & rental; <br />motor vehicle services stations; parking as a principal use (surface or structure); assembly <br />facility (i.e. place for people to meet?); research lands and installations; special events. <br />2. Conditional Zoning Districts (CZDs). It appears that these floating zoning districts can be <br />placed in any of the general zoning districts, as long as the regulations associated with each <br />specific district are followed. Also, in contrast to the current zoning ordinance (for Planned <br />Developments), no Special Use Permit (SUP) is required for CZDs. Thus the Board of County <br />Commissioners (BOCC) has more discretion over whether to approve a rezoning request for a <br />CZD than it would in approving a SUP which requires making a quasi-judicial decision that must <br />be based on competent, substantial evidence presented at a public hearing. <br />B. UDO CHANGES <br />