Orange County NC Website
Geoffrey Gledhill recommended that the County Commissioners ask that the Health <br />Department look at that. The newer systems allow the size of the septic system to be reduced. <br />Before the Board starts talking about what kind of septic systems to use in certain areas, they <br />should talk with the Board of Health. <br />Commissioner Jacobs feels that it is important to immediately go for the things that <br />Orange County most readily controls. But he agrees with Chair Gordon that the rural buffer <br />should be put out as Phase II. <br />Craig Benedict summarized the Current Planning part of the goals and objectives as <br />follows: Adequate Public Facilities, Rural Character Preservation, Telecommunication Towers, <br />Transfer of Development Rights, Drainage and Storm Water Management, and Board training <br />for the judicial process for the Board of Adjustment and the Planning Board. <br />Chair Gordon said the board training did not have to be a goal and that the Planning <br />Department could just implement it. <br />Commissioner Brown said that she has talked with Mike Nelson, Mayor of Carrboro, and <br />they plan to ask the Institute of Government to do annual training for the Planning Boards and <br />Board of Adjustment. She would like to consider tying the training in with the appointment of the <br />Board members. She would like for it to become a requirement that they take the training at <br />least every two years. She feels it will upgrade the boards. She would like for this to be a goal. <br />Chair Gordon said that if they provide this training the Board needs to go ahead and <br />implement this process to train on the County's schedule. <br />John Link said that they would either come back with a report or a goal on Board <br />training. <br />Commissioner Brown said that she is interested in having the agendas and minutes from <br />the Board of Adjustment meetings. She would like to know what they are going to do in <br />advance. She said they are working on things that she never hears about. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that he likes Craig Benedict's approach and the way he has <br />reordered items. He made reference to the last meeting when they discussed the Orange <br />County/Hillsborough Cooperative Planning Agreement, and the Board took out the word <br />"Planning." He mentioned this to the Town Manager of Hillsborough who thought that it was <br />very sharp of the Board to take out that word. He also would not have the update of the <br />comprehensive plan wait until the conclusion of Shaping Orange County's Future. <br />Chair Gordon asked for Craig Benedict to come up with a proposal of what he can do <br />about these issues. <br />Commissioner Brown would like for the Planning Department to review their policy for <br />notifying neighbors of proposed development. Also, she wants to have a citizen's guide that <br />shows what citizens can do at the various meetings such as public hearings, re-zonings, and <br />Board of Adjustment. <br />Commissioner Jacobs pointed out that this was in the goals and objectives under <br />Communications. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis put out a caution to Craig Benedict and asked if he had enough <br />staff to address all of these issues. <br />Craig Benedict said there would be a certain amount of retrenchment in working with his <br />staff to make sure they are confident with their duties. <br />Public School Impact Tax/Fee <br />Commissioner Jacobs said differential impacts by housing types are not discussed. He <br />said that there was an offer from someone to fund this study. <br />John Link said that the staff felt it would be a better idea to define for the County <br />Commissioners what the scope of study should be and then check with the other partners to <br />see if they are willing to fund the studies. He said they would be coming back within the next <br />month with what they think should be included in the study.