Orange County NC Website
Chair Brown asked to leave out the award this year until there is more specific information <br />and put forward the achievements that Orange County has made in the efforts of environmental <br />protection. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that there is a Paulie Murray Award for an individual and an <br />organization. He questions whether there should be mare than one award (individual, organization, <br />business, etc.} so that it is less of a single shot. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked if this could be passed without the awards and it was answered <br />yes. <br />The Board approved the Commission for the Environment's proposal and authorized the <br />Commission for the Environment and ERCD to plan and organize an Orange County Environmental <br />Summit for March 29, 2003. <br />,~ Section 8 Project-based Voucher Program Policy <br />The Board considered approving a Section 8 project-based voucher program policy under the <br />County's Section 8 housing voucher program. <br />Chair Brown said that this came forward and she pulled it off so that the public (affordable <br />hauling community and recipients of Section 8 vouchers} knows why we are doing this. <br />Housing and Community Development Director Tara Fikes said that they have already had <br />discussions with the Affordable Housing Advisory Board and affordable housing advocates. Regarding <br />the Section 8 population at large, they probably need to think more about education and getting the <br />information out there. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that it is his understanding that one of the problems is that the <br />average rental prices in Orange County are often higher than what HUD had been allowing. He made <br />reference to the sentence, "A family is ineligible for the program if more than 40°~ of its income has to be <br />used to pay rent in the first year." He asked if a lot of people who are forced to pay high amounts for rent <br />because of the market here are being rendered ineligible under the standards of the program. Tara <br />Fikes said that what it says is that a person should not pay any more than 40% of their income for rent. <br />The purpose of the program is to prevent people from paying more than 40% of their income for rent. <br />The Board approved the Section 8 Project Based Voucher Program Policy under the County's <br />Section 8 Housing Voucher Program. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Carey to <br />approve those items on the consent agenda as stated above. <br />VOTE ON CONSENT AGENDA: UNANIMOUS <br />9. ITEMS FOR DECISION -REGULAR AGENDA <br />Item 9-d will be referred to Commissioner Gordon and Commissioner Jacobs. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked which of the items need to be addressed tonight. John Link said that <br />there were people here for the Telecommunications Tower Ordinance Amendments and Eno Ridge <br />subdivision. <br />a. Telecommunications Tower Ordinance Amendments <br />The Board considered closing the public hearing and considered amendments to the County's <br />telecommunications tower ordinance. <br />Craig Benedict said that there have been many discussions with staff, consultants, and the <br />industry about how to update this ordinance. This is an overhaul to the existing ordinance. Some of the <br />height requirements have been changed. The Board of County Commissioners will see applications for <br />towers that are under 200 feet if the industry is not providing at least four users on the tower. Each year, <br />there will be an annual telecommunication projection meeting to find out where the industry wants to put <br />towers throughout the year. They are promoting co-location on existing electrical transmission lines. <br />The technical standards for review are higher. The ordinance is requiring periodic inspections and <br />engineering certification of new towers that are put in the County. There is a placeholder in the <br />ordinance for a Master Telecommunication Plan. It is not part of the ordinance tonight. There is also a <br />visual impact analysis. The fee schedule has been greatly revised. There is an escrow agreement <br />where fees will go in escrow for a consultant hired by the County in reviewing the applications. There <br />were some things added by the Planning Board (minimal light diffusion, fall zone, inspections}. The <br />