ORD-1999-003 Proposed Amendments to the Carrboro Land Use Ordinance 05041999

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25 TOWN OF CARRB4RO NORTH CAROLINA STAFF REP _QRT TO: BoARD of ALDERMEN FROM: PATRICIA J. MCGuIRE,Land Use Planner DATE: MARCH 16, 1999 SUBJECT: NSA FACILITATED PLAN IMPLEMENTATION - REVISED DRAFT ORDINANCE COPY: ROY W. WILLIFORD., Planning Diredor BACKGROUND The policy document upon which this ordinance is based was developed over the course of nearly seven years,and involved the participation of approximately 200 individuals in several hundred hours of meetings, open house sessions and workshops. The process culminated in the acceptance of the facilitated plan, developed by consensus of workshop participants, by the Board of Aldermen in the late aura er of 1997 and the incorporation of the plan into the Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan by Orange County and Chapel Hill in early 1999. The adopted amendments to the JPA documents retain the Transition Areas and require Orange'County and Cantoro to hold joint hearings to establish Village Mixed Use and Office Assembly Conditional Use Zones in the Transition Areas. Planning staff of Orange County and Carrboro is discussing a review procedure associated with these joint rezonings that will duplication of staff effort and confusion on the part of applicants. On December 16, 1998, the Board of,Aldermen held a public hearing to receive broad public comment on the substance of a proposed legislative zoning change—the adoption of"An Ordinance Amending the Carrboro Land use Ordinance to implement the Recommendations of the Facilitated Small Area Plan for Cantoro's Northern Study Area." The. ordinance to implement the land use provisions of the plan was prepared by a committee of citizens working with town staff Eighteen people offered their comments on the provisions of the'draft ordinance. Comments during the hearing can be categorized into three major areas: the effect of the ordinance on housing affordability and design creativity, the need to,balance environmental protection with adjusted or reduced density,and the need for flexibility in the designation of hardwood areas as primary conservation areas. Following revisions to the ordinance in January and February, a revised NSA ordinance was referred to Carrboro advisory boards and Orange County.