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<br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND <br />PLANNING BOARD <br />QUARTERLY PUBLIC HEARING <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date:August 27, 2012 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No.C.3 <br />SUBJECT: Unified Development Ordinance Text Amendments –Solar Arrays <br />DEPARTMENT:Planning and InspectionsPUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N)Yes <br />ATTACHMENT(S):INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1.Comprehensive Plan/Future Land Use Michael D. Harvey, Planner III 245-2597 <br />Map and Unified Development Ordinance Craig Benedict, Director 245-2575 <br />(UDO) Amendment Outline Form (UDO / <br />Zoning 2012-12) <br />2.Proposed Amendments <br />PURPOSE: <br />To hold a public hearing on Planning Director initiated text amendments to the <br />Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) regarding the review, approval, and permitting of solar <br />arrays. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />On April 3, 2012 the BOCC authorized staff to initiate text amendments related to <br />the review and permitting of solar arrays within the County. <br />As staff indicated during the meeting the UDO doesnot distinguish between the erection of a solar <br />array for personal use versus the erection of an array to serve as an income generator for a property <br />owner orapublic utility benefiting multiple structuresthroughout the region.Further, staff identified <br />existing inconsistencies within the UDO concerning regulations governing thedevelopment of utilities <br />that ought to be corrected. Please refer to Attachment 1for additional information. <br />Proposal: Attachment 2 contains the proposed text amendments addressing the following: <br />Clarifyexisting regulations governing the development of utilities, <br />Eliminate existing inconsistencies, <br />Create new section(s) governing the development of solar arrays as accessory uses, <br />Create new section(s) governing the development of solar arraysdevices as a principal <br />use of property. <br />Proposed amendments to the UDO areshown in red-line/strike-through format with footnotes in an <br />effort to outline staff’s rationale for specific modifications. <br />Ordinance Review Committee (ORC) Review: The Planning Board ORC reviewed the proposed <br />amendments at the July 11, 2012meeting. The proposed text in Attachment 2includes <br />modifications made based on comments received at the ORC.Please refer to Section C.2 (a) of <br />Attachment 1for a summary of the Board member’s comments. <br /> <br />