Agenda - 04-05-2011 - 7a - Laserfiche WebLink

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90 ~F~'T ~ ~ ~ This UDO proposal is complicated and challenging to understand and the stars did their 2 best to answer our questions. 3 4 The staff reassured us that this new proposaC merely repackages the existing ordinance 5 with new terminology. However in studying the proposal fiurther, we find there are many ~ areas where the replacement of general use districts with conditional districts would 7 bring about a new process and potentially dififerent results from the current ordinance. ~ Conditional Use can be a valuable tool because case specific conditions can beset by 9 the elected board. However, it is not a tool to be placed everywhere, such as in the rural ~.~ huffier ar watershed critical areas, or in many areas where zoning changes are not ~~. apprapr[ate. [t would be most desirable in areas where large scale economic ~2 development is determined to be desirable by the community. 13 ~4 In addition, the conditional use zoning pro,pvsed here to apply to the entire County ~5 outside the municipalities, would undercut the Comprehensive Plan and zoning map ~6 which serve as a structure fior the collective aspirations of the County. The County 17 Commission would be compelled to exercise far mare discretion on the appropriateness 1 ~ ofi uses and the application of overlay zones, such as the Critical watershed Overlay ~9 Districts in any given area. we believe the public would be frustrated in this 20 unpredictable environment and fiind the process much less transparent. 2~ 22 I will share an experience relevant to your deliberations. In November ofi X008 the 23 Chapel Hill Council, considered a Land Use Management Ordinance Text amendment 24 that would create additions to a special residential conditional district zoning in order tv 25 have a new too[ to increase densities and economic development in certain areas in 26 Town. This Conditional Use District zoning was to have applied within 5 zones, including 27 the Downtown. The applicant would request this zone, and the Council would decide ifi Z~ an applicant's request met certain goals, such as affordable housing, transportation, 29 protection ofi the natural environment, protection of neighborhoods and the promotion of 3g economic vitality, In addition, a special use permit was required to accompany the 3 ~ application. 32 33 Chapel Hill. citizens expressed considerable concern about the areas chosen for these 34 conditional use~districts and the possibility that a conditional use district could be 35 approved near them. Further, citizens said that the Chapel Hill community had not yet 3~ decided within a comprehensive planning process where such ~ l5°/° density increases 37 belonged, or ifi the infirastructure needed to~support such densities was available in the 3~ selected zones. 39 44 The Council agreed with citizen concerns. On November ~4, X008, the Council voted to 4~ amend the Conditional Use District to permit added flexibility and densities, but voted to 42 apply it only to the Downtown District. Mayor Fay made the point that was the one area 43 where the community agreed densities belonged. The videotape is available here: 44 htt .litho elhill. ranicus.comlMediaPla er, h ?vievrr id~7&cli~ id=3~6 45 4~ we believe three lessons can be learned firom Chapel Hill's experience: 47 Communities need to agree on where density belongs before new zones and 4~ districts are approved. 49 Residential and Commercial uses don't have to be combined in one zone. 50 Citizens and developers want predictability in how their community grows. 5~