Minutes 02-19-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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the General Assembly took away Counties' abilities to develop their own county based regulations for this issue. This request is asking for local authority to be given back to local governments. Commissioner Dorosin noted that item 29 generally talks about giving discretion back to counties in creating ordinances for controlling their planning and zoning. Commissioner McKee made clarification that they are now talking about items 2-30 and item 1 has been decided. Commissioner Gordon clarified that all of the items will be sent in together. Commissioner Price questioned if the Board of County Commissioners already voted to allow concealed weapons in parks. Chair Jacobs said yes, there was a 4-3 vote for Little River Park. John Roberts said that what the Commissioners passed last year was an amendment of the County's ordinance to bring it into compliance with the State Law referenced in this item. He said the State took authority out of the County's hands prior to the statute being passed. He said that at this point the County cannot prohibit possession of concealed weapons in certain areas of the park, such as non-playground or non-athletic fields. Chair Jacobs said the Board of County Commissioners did allow weapons in the playground in Little River Park with the argument that you had to walk though playground to get to the park. There was some review and clarification questions of various legislative items. Commissioner Price asked for clarification on item 13 and Chair Dorosin said this refers to funds already in existence. Commissioner Price said item 14 should include forestry and forest land and Chair Jacobs said that there are conservation measures in place to protect this. Commissioner Price referenced item 23 regarding use of herbicides in right of ways. She questioned if it is possible to appeal to the utility company if someone does not want herbicides used. Commissioner Rich said that is not necessarily so. Commissioner Price questioned the viability of this item since conventional farmers and garden centers will still be using herbicides right next door. Commissioner McKee said the intent of this item is specific to highway right of ways and that the issue can be appealed to DOT but there is no way for enforcement. He said that the possibility of there being an impact on organic agriculture is important enough to request some exemptions in certain areas. Commissioner Dorosin said as written, this refers to easements by the utility companies not private owners and he recognized that all of these items are part of a wish list, subject to General Assembly approval. Commissioner Price said she was concerned about how some of these items were written and whether there will be pushback. Commissioner Gordon highlighted #2 — County Responsibility for Roads; which she said would be an expensive and troublesome undertaking. She referenced #7 — Smart Start and More at Four, and said she said she would like a statement made in favor of education. She said with #13- Land Water and Agricultural Preservation Funding, she would like to see the addition of biological resources in here too. She referred back to #29 - Local Government Regulation of Development, and said that this strikes at the core of county governments and this is an important principle that is being eroded. Chair Jacobs said, item #10 -Authority to Amend the Orange County Civil Rights Ordinance, has been part of the Orange County Legislative Agenda for a very long time and has never gotten any traction in the State Legislature. He said that this is, in a way, an