Minutes - 12-12-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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planning process." He asked if this includes the comment on thoroughfare plans. Commissianer Gordon said that this would be addressed in the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization. Commissioner Jacobs feels it is a step we ought to consider so that the County understands better what the municipalities are after. He said that it was a good idea to periodically review the process for the thoroughfare plan. Commissioner Gordon thinks that the area outside of the MPO is what needs more effort. Sustainability Commissioner Jacobs made reference to the environmental assessment in our ordinances and the enforcement of standards based on the results of the environmental assessments. He wonders if this should be revisited and if this was the place to put it. Geoffrey Gledhill said that the environmental assessment was not regulatory, but informational, in nature. Commissianer Jacobs would be interested in how the environmental assessment is used and haw it could be used better. Commissioner Gordon would like to add as an objective to review and revise the County's Environmental Impact Ordinance. Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance In answer to a question about the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, Craig Benedict said that the Orange County School Board voted to approve this ordinance. The Chapel Hill-Carrbaro City School Board has had it on their agenda a couple of times. He has not heard from the Towns of Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, or Carrboro. He will let the County Commissioners know as dates become available. Chair Halkiotis asked for a fact sheet on the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance and a list of the steps that have to take place before implementation. He feels that there is a lot of deliberate misinformation out there an this issue. The administrative issues need to be clarified, especially regarding the school systems. Commissioner Brawn would like for the process an approval of this ordinance to be tracked, and if it gets stalled, it should be brought to the attention of the County Commissioners. Drainage and Stormwater Management Commissioner Jacobs added the following under objective six: "Work with County Forester and NC Division of Forestry to improve coordination of forestry activities within Orange County with watershed protection, land use, natural areas, and other adopted County plans." Rural Character Preservation Commissioner Gordon made reference to page 11, objective 2b, Visual Resource Protection. She would like to revise the last sentence to read, "Draft standards to allow interconnectivity in access to open areas internal and external to the development, while protecting existing neighborhoods from adverse impacts." Commissioner Gordon made reference to page 14 and said that the private road standards were not complete since there were sections to be reworked by the planning staff. She said that this should come back in January for completion. Commissioner Jacobs made reference to page four, objective 1 a, the Voluntary Ag Districts Program, and added the following goal: "Examine and incorporate appropriate incentives to increase participation in voluntary agricultural districts." Commissioner Jacobs has same concerns about the stakeholder process. He asked that the space study committee look at the notion of an Ag Center. Commissioner Jacob made reference to the bottom of page seven that reads, "Recruit and hire Agricultural Economic Development Specialist." He said that there was a recommendation by the Economic Development Commission to pursue this kind of position but there is no grant money.