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easier to establish agricultural-related businesses, we have also shown the approximate length <br />of the permitting process with arrows at the bottom of the chart. <br />Much of this project has been a response to the changing face of agriculture in Orange County. <br />And while we have been working on a specific list of uses and related definitions let me just <br />touch an some of the key items we have tried to address. <br />- Identifying new types of Bona fide Farms, such as community supported agriculture <br />(CSA}- <br />~ Providing a straightforward process for pursuing Bona fide Farm Accessory Uses <br />such as farm stands, pick-your-own operations; <br />- We have proposed allowing Off-Season Use of Farm Equipment (grading and <br />landscaping) so long as the equipment is properly screened from the road and from <br />neighbors <br />- We have also tried increasing local farm profitability by allowing processing and retail <br />sale operations that are not linked to a specific farm only if they sale predominately <br />locally grown products. <br />- We are proposing provisions for allowing for veterinarian services mobile or with hospital <br />in the rural areas so farmers don't have to carry large animals to the commercial <br />districts. <br />- And finally far allowing for large-scale operations such as wineries with events, <br />local/regional processing facilities that would provide a service to area farmers and <br />provide employment to local residents, and equestrian facilities for large numbers of <br />spectators such as rodeos. <br />Outstanding issues: <br />When we first envisioned this project we categorized ag-related uses in a single continuum from- <br />bona fide farms to large-scale industrial processing plants. But what we have discovered going <br />along is that there may be some overlap in our categories. The most challenging aspect of the <br />project has been defining the threshold where a farming activity becomes commercial in character <br />and may need to be in a commercial zone. This latest version of the chart reflects that the same <br />use may require a different permitting process depending on its zoning district, for example (feed <br />mill and farm supply stores}. <br />How Will this Impact the Rural Buffer: <br />We have envisioned this program as a countywide initiative. Staff can limit ag-related uses in <br />the Rural Buffer to those that seem more conducive to urban residents such as farm stands, <br />wineries and research facilities that may be linked to UNC, or allow almost all farm related uses <br />through out the county's jurisdiction. Certainly large-scale operations such as those designed to <br />provide local employment would mast likely be located in the mast rural farm communities, such <br />as Carr or Cedar Grove. <br />RECOMMENDATIONS}: Tonight's presentation is for information purposes only. <br />While we recognize that any future zoning ordinance amendments that will affect the rural buffer <br />will be subject to the formal joint planning area review process, we would like to offer the towns <br />of Chapel Hill and Carrboro an opportunity for input on the overall concept before we go any <br />further. We also recognize that the performance standards developed as part of any future <br />ordinance amendments will be key fo the success of this protect. <br />Diana McDuffie said that she hopes that they have considered having control over siting a hog <br />farm. She wonders what would happen if there was same sort of agricultural industry that they <br />did not want to see. <br />