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34 <br />relating to the regulation of home occupations within the county <br />At the January 9, 2013 Planning Board meeting, Board members discussed areas of <br />interest for planning staff to address for the next year. One item, which was <br />highlighted in the UDO Implementation Bridge report prepared when the UDO was <br />adopted in 2011, included the need to review existing home occupation standards for <br />a potential revision. At that time, Board members expressed concern with the <br />existing standards limiting home occupations by being too restrictive with the <br />required square footage allowances and number of permitted nonresidential <br />employees. As a result, the Board requested staff to proceed with reviewing existing <br />standards. To address the Planning Board's request, staff presented information at <br />the July 10, 2013 Planning Board meeting, including a summary of current standards <br />contained in the UDO, a comparison with other local jurisdictions' standards, and <br />items of consideration to facilitate and promote the use of home occupations. <br />Following review and discussion, the Board asked staff to proceed with an <br />amendment to the UDO addressing their comments and areas of interest relating to <br />the UDO Implementation Bridge report. <br />The proposed amendment will include language revising existing use standards and <br />a reference to Section 419, Live/Work Units, of the 2012 North Carolina Building <br />Code regarding the review and permitting of home occupations that are classified as <br />live /work units. <br />The purpose of the proposed amendment is to develop standards that accommodate <br />and encourage the use of larger scale home occupations while meeting standards of <br />the North Carolina Building Code in order to incorporate recommendations of the <br />Implementation Bridge into the Unified Development Ordinance. <br />2. Analysis <br />As required under Section 2.8.5 of the UDO, the Planning Director is required to: <br />`cause an analysis to be made of the application and, based upon that analysis, <br />prepare a recommendation for consideration by the Planning Board and the Board of <br />County Commissioners'. <br />The proposed text amendment is designed to address suggested modifications from <br />the Planning Board's area of interest and elements of the UDO Implementation <br />Bridge. Additional analysis will be provided as part of the quarterly public hearing <br />materials. <br />3. Comprehensive Plan Linkage (i.e. Principles, Goals and Objectives) <br />Economic Development Overarching Goal: Viable and sustainable economic <br />development that contributes to both property and sales tax revenues, and enhances <br />high quality employment opportunities for County residents. <br />Economic Development Objective 1.5: Identify barriers to development of <br />2 <br />