NS ORD-2002-011 Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment: Article 9. Signs

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APPROVED 5/8/02 11 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND ORANGE COUNTY PLANNING BOARD JOINT PUBLIC HEARING FEBRUARY 25, 2002 The Orange County Board of Commissioners and the Planning Board met in joint session on Monday, February 25, 2002 at 7:30 p.m. in the F. Gordon Battle Courtroom in Hillsborough, North Carolina. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Barry Jacobs and Commissioners Margaret W. Brown, Moses Carey, Jr., Alice M. Gordon and Stephen H. Halkiotis COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill and S. Sean Borhanian COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Nicole Gooding -Ray, Bob Strayhorn, Crauford Goodwin, Barry Katz, Ted Triebel, Rachel Preston, Howard McAdams and Hunter Schofield PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Maria Tad and Lynn Holtkamp NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. A. OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Gordon to add to the agenda a Closed Session "to consult with an attorney retained by the Board in order to preserve the attomey- client privilege between the attorney and the Board," pursuant to G.S. 143- 318.11(a)(3) in the case of Orange County versus Nuclear Regulatory Commission AND "to consider the qualifications, competence, character, fitness, conditions of appointment, or conditions of initial employment of an individual public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee" NCGS § 143- 318.11(a)(6). VOTE: UNANIMOUS B. PUBLIC CHARGE The Chair read the public charge. C. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS I. Petitioner Initiated Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Planning Director Craig Benedict said that this item is a text amendment to the zoning regulations in article 9, "Signs." The purpose was to receive public comment on a proposed change to the zoning ordinance, which would allow for larger signs for model homes to be unregulated. Presently, four square -foot signs for builders are unregulated. Petitioner Pierre Morin of Biltmore. Homes LLC is a developer at Churton Grove and has asked that an amendment be made to the sign code to allow a 16 square -foot sign to be unregulated. The petitioner is also suggesting that there be 12 feet of associated ground landscaping used to adorn the base of the sign. The sign would limit information to the builder's name, phone number, hours the model is open for viewing, and an e-mail address. There is no fiscal impact associated with this decision. Staff is recommending denial of this request at this time because exempting a larger sign from the requirements, when other signs under 16 square feet are regulated (businesses, etc.), would set a bad precedent. The staff believes that a four square foot model sign that is permitted.by the code is adequate representation for the information