Orange County NC Website
Chair Carey suggested informing the Orange-Alamance Baard of Directors that the <br />Board of County Commissioners is requesting this information and also inviting the Baard of <br />Directors to meet with them. <br />b. Interim Process for Town/County Parkland Collaboration <br />The Board was to consider adopting an interim process for collaborative parkland <br />acquisitions. However, this item was postponed. <br />c. Orange County Subdivision Text Amendments <br />The Board considered text amendments to the County's subdivision regulations. <br />Craig Benedict said that these text amendments had to do with three primary issues: 1) <br />Amendments regarding the timeline on which subdivisions can be submitted to the County and <br />when subdivisions become cumulative; 2) Revising the approval procedures for concept plans <br />within all zoning districts except the Rural Buffer; and 3) Combinations and access to public roads. <br />These revisions were discussed at public hearing and the Planning Board approved them with an <br />8-2 vote. The Administrative staff also supports these recommendations. He made reference to <br />page five of the agenda abstract and said that all major subdivisions that have received Concept <br />Plan approval may be "grandfathered" in under the old regulations. There are 14 subdivisions in <br />this category. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked if this was a matter of law or perceived fairness. John <br />Link said that, from his perspective, it was a matter of perceived fairness. <br />Geoffrey Gledhill said that presently a change in the regulations would not affect <br />projects that have preliminary plan approval. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that this was a big improvement from the original proposal. <br />He thinks it is good to have the Planning Board as part of the approval process. <br />Commissioner Gordon made reference to the two additional requirements, 'e' and 'f, on <br />page 3 of 3 (bottom), and asked what the consequence was if the subdivision could not meet the <br />test. Craig Benedict said that it would just go into the subdivision process. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to <br />adopt the administration recommendation to change the Orange County Subdivision Regulations. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />d. Resolution Transferring Control of Cable Television Franchise from Time Warner, Inc. <br />to America Online <br />The Board considered transferring control of the County's cable television franchise <br />from Time Warner to America Online and from Media One to AT&T. <br />Michael Patrick, Chair of the Orange County Cable TV Citizens Advisory Committee, <br />said that this matter was a function of the federal law and governing cable TV operations, which <br />provides that whenever there is a substantial change in ownership of a cable operator that the <br />entity come before the franchising authorities and seek consent to the change in ownership. He <br />gave some background information about Time Warner, Inc. The County Commissioners have two <br />requests to approve two different transfers of ownership. This is because the part of the <br />partnership that is owned by Time Warner Entertainment is also a partnership between Time <br />Warner, Inc. and Media One. The Cable Committee tried to look at the policy issues involved in <br />this transfer. The major policy issue that was focused on was whether or not the County should <br />ask, as a condition of approval, to provide open access to Internet service over the cable system. <br />The recommendation of the Orange County Cable TV Citizens Advisory Committee is to ask the <br />Commissioners to approve the merger of Time Warner Cable and America Online and of Media <br />One and AT&T contingent on an open access provision. The Cable Committee decided not to <br />address the issue of open access on programming issues. <br />