Orange County NC Website
276 <br />Staff was tasked with the following: <br />Propose amendments to the UDO that will more strongly encourage quality, non- <br />residential development in the EDDs while balancing any adverse impacts to <br />adjacent properties and the environment. Ensure the amendments work within the <br />overall framework of the UDO and how OrangeCounty regulates development but do <br />not propose changes to the Table of Permitted Uses (Section 5.2) at this time. <br />2. Analysis <br />As required under Section 2.8.5 of the Orange County Unified Development <br />Ordinance, the Planning Director is required to: 'cause an analysis to be made of the <br />application and, based upon that analysis, prepare a recommendation for <br />consideration by the Planning Board and the Board of County Commissioners'. <br />Each proposed change in the amendment packet is footnoted with a brief reason or <br />rationale for the change. Additionally, proposed changes have been color -coded to <br />indicate the level of significance (in staff's opinion) of the change. This was done to <br />enhance the reviewability of the packet and to draw reviewers' attention to more <br />substantive amendments. Reviewers are encouraged to read each footnote as every <br />change is not analyzed here. <br />In staff's opinion, the most significant proposed changes are to Sections 6.2.5 and <br />6.2.6. The proposed changes in Section 6.2.5 removes the requirement for a Class <br />A Special use Permit (SUP) for projects in the designated growth area if a project has <br />more than one principal use on a zoning lot. Current regulations require a Class A <br />SUP for any project that isn't a single -use project. This is an onerous requirement for <br />projects proposed in designated growth areas. <br />The proposed changes in Section 6.2.6 would allow more than one principal structure <br />on a zoning lot greater than 2 acres in size if it is located in one of the designated <br />growth areas. Current regulations require projects that have more than one building <br />on a lot that's larger than 2 acres tc gc through the Conditional Use process or the <br />Conditional Zoning process. This is an onerous requirement for projects`proposed in <br />designated growth areas. <br />Section 6.3 also contains a significant change. The proposal is to replace the Site <br />Volume Ratios that are quite uncommon, very site - specific, and applicable only in the <br />Economic Development Districts (EDDs) with the more commonly used ratios of <br />Floor Area Ratio, Open Space Ratio, and Pedestrian /Landscape Ratio. These are <br />the types of ratios used in the other zoning districts contained in the UDO. <br />Impervious Surface Ratios are also currently used and will continue to be used. The <br />proposed new ratios are shown in each relevant chart for the ED zoning districts <br />located in Article 3. <br />Other significant changes include: <br />® Section 6.4.3 Noise: An increase in the allowed sound level limits in <br />Commercial, Industrial, and Conditional zoning districts and in the Economic <br />Development zoning districts. Attachment 3 is a chart depicting what a decibel <br />level actually means to the average person. <br />...._ ......._....._......_ <br />..._........._ _......_._..... <br />2 <br />