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LAW OFFICES 28 <br /> COLEMAN, GLEDHILL & HARGRAVE <br /> A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION <br /> 129 E.TRYON STREET <br /> P.O.DRAWER 1529 <br /> HILLSBOROUGH,NORTH CAROLINA 27278 February 10, 1997 <br /> 919-732.2196 <br /> FAX 919-732.7997 FROM THE DESK OF <br /> GEOFFREY E. GLEDHILL <br /> Ms . Emily Cameron, ASLA, <br /> Planner II/Landscape Architect <br /> Orange County Planning Department <br /> Post Office Box 8181 <br /> Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278 <br /> RE: Proposed Amendments to the Orange County Zoning <br /> Ordinance to Include Standards for Golf Courses <br /> Dear Emily: <br /> This letter confirms our telephone conversation on February <br /> 7, 1997 . I have reviewed the proposed amendments to the Orange <br /> County Zoning Regulations concerning golf courses . It is <br /> apparent that a lot of thought and work has gone into creating <br /> standards for new golf courses . My comments will focus on some <br /> of the concerns that I discussed with you during our <br /> conversation. <br /> By way of clarification, the changes to Section 6 .23 .7 (c) <br /> and the definition of "Golf Course" contained in Article 22, I <br /> read to apply to all golf courses, including existing golf <br /> courses . Enclosed is a recommended change to the definition of <br /> Golf Course. All of the rest of the requirements, contained for <br /> the most part in new Section 8 . 8 .7, apply to new courses and <br /> existing courses when 50% or more of the golf holes are <br /> concurrently or simultaneously reconstructed or altered. <br /> The standards in new Section 8 . 8 . 7 include siting, access, <br /> maintenance and storage areas, habitat areas, landscaping and <br /> buffers, stormwater management and mitigation plan requirements . <br /> There are also requirements covering construction, operation and <br /> maintenance, and pollutant monitoring. The specific way and the <br /> detail in which each of these areas is dealt with in the <br /> regulations suggests that there is a public policy reason for <br /> dealing with these issues for golf courses that is different <br /> either in quality or quantity from the way in which these issues <br /> are dealt with in other types of development . If this is not so, <br /> then many of these areas of regulation should be applicable in <br /> some way or another to other development of comparable quality <br /> and size. If the regulations are perceived to "pick on" golf <br /> courses, they should be justified on the basis of real <br /> differences between golf courses and other development of similar <br /> size and scope. <br /> Some of the regulations related to pest management may run <br /> afoul of the fact that the State of North Carolina in its <br />