ORD-2003-108 Text Amendments to Article 6.29.3 of the Orange County Zoning Ordinance (Economic Development Districts Design Manual)

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ca��b 2. Text Amendments to Article 6.29.3 of the Orange County Zoning Ordinance (Economic Development Districts Design Manual) a. Change "Class A Special Use" to "Class B Special Use" when referring to special uses approved by the Board of Adjustment. b. Consider changes (including the addition or deletion of uses) to the Permitted Use Table and changes in process for approval of uses for the 1 -85 /Buckhorn Road Primary Development Area. Craig Benedict made a PowerPoint presentation. The County put together Economic Development Districts in the design manual in 1995 and there has been little if any activity in some of these EDDs. The Buckhorn EDD is entirely a primary use area. Secondary uses could include residential. This item suggests amendments to the permitted use table to suggest new uses and to delete some uses. In this area, vocational schools are permitted, but not public schools. It is suggested to add public schools to this EDD as a special use class A permit. The uses that are being suggested to be deleted include motor freight terminals, storage and distribution of petroleum products, and motor vehicle repair and maintenance. Restaurants within enclosed buildings are acceptable as well as retail, finance, insurance, and real estate. Also, beauty and barbershops, doctors' offices, laboratories, computer programming, etc. These changes are for the Buckhorn EDD. Craig Benedict pointed out an error in the book that refers to class A special use permits going to the Board of Adjustment. Class B goes to the Board of Adjustment and class A goes to the Board of County Commissioners and the Planning Board. Chair Brown asked why automotive uses were being eliminated. Craig Benedict said that this would only include paint and body repair activities. Vehicle maintenance would still be allowed. Commissioner Gordon made reference to page 51 of the permitted use table which included vocational schools. She said that the reason we are considering these changes to the permitted uses is because of the desire to site a middle school in the economic development district. She would like the middle school to be in a secondary development area that did not have residential. She does not want to change the entire EDD primary area just to include schools here. She is concerned about all the other permitted uses that would be around a school (i.e., manufacturing) and their effect on the quality of the school. She would prefer having the schools in the secondary EDD area. Commissioner Halkiotis noted that the newest charter school was built at Meadowlands, in the heart of the industrial park in Hillsborough. It is important to note that we are going to have to build schools in urban areas. It is a new era. Commissioner Jacobs said that he thinks that we can refine this EDD just like the one in Hillsborough. He said that the Board has within its control the opportunity to design this in such a way that compatible uses are present and schools would not have to be close to the industrial area. Chair Brown said that it was a nice simple process to add schools to the permitted use table. This is an opportunity to make something really nice at the Buckhorn EDD. She pointed out that the two most recent elementary schools in the Chapel Hill - Carrboro City School district are located next to commercial areas.