NS ORD-1996-017 Proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendment Article 6.16.6 - Home Occupations

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v»yp for his leadership and dedicated and distinguished service to our community as Executive Director of the Orange Water and Sewer Authority and extend to him our best wishes for a long and well-deserved retirement. VOTE: UNANIMOUS VI. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS A. DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD Chair Carey presented the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award of the Government Finance Officers' Association to Budget Director Sally Kost and Budget Management Analyst Donna Dean. He commended them for their dedication and for receiving the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting for the sixth consecutive year. VII. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT AMENDMENT -ARTICLE 6.16.6 HOME OCCUPATIONS Planner Mary Willis presented for citizen comment a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance provisions relating to home occupations as presented in the agenda. The existing home occupation regulations are contained in Article 6.16.6.1 through 6.16.6.4. In answer to a question from Commissioner Gordon about setbacks, Mary Willis said that what they tried to do was to keep the same set of standards without breaking things up according to just the lot size. They had encountered previous problems with the provision that accessory buildings must be 30 feet further from the road than the residence on larger lots. The setbacks, in most districts, would be 20 feet from the side and rear property lines and 40 feet from the front. THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPEN FOR CITIZEN COMMENT Max Kennedy, General Contractor with a home occupation permit, made reference to the agenda materials and commented about several of the proposed changes. He said that at present the most floor space usable in an assessory building is 2,000 feet and the greatest number of feet available in a storage facility is 1,000 feet. This is on property with more than 200,000 square feet. He made reference to the list of home occupations which are presently legal in Orange County and said that there are a number of these which do not use any outside buildings because they are completely contained within a home and a number which occupy a considerable amount of space. The smallest being 1/4 acre and the largest being 232 acres. He disagrees that one size fits all. He does not feel the impact would be the same in every case. The proposal is that there be one requirement regardless of lot size and he does not feel that is realistic. It also requires that any building approved in the future have a residential appearance. This does not take into consideration a number of farm buildings that will be available as farmers cease to farm and have barns they could utilize for a very productive home occupation. He disagrees with this proposed change. Max Kennedy noted he disagrees with the reference to the size of the vehicle that can make deliveries. In his particular case, he has enough room for larger trucks to make deliveries and egress safety. He asked the County Commissioners to leave the Home Occupations portion of the Zoning Ordinance as it is. Mary Willis said that with regard to the use of existing barns or farm-type buildings in the future, that would be permitted under C-4. She said that what they are trying to do with this amendment is to assure that if someone is going to build a new building, an accessory building, for the Purpose of conducting a home occupation, that it be 1,000 square feet and that it take on a residential appearance to try to blend in with that area. There are provisions for existing buildings that may be converted to home occupations in the future regardless of the appearance of the building. A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Crowther to refer this amendment to the Orange County Planning Board for a recommendation to be returned to the Board of County Commissioners no sooner than August 5, 1996. VOTE: UNANIMOUS B. PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT AMENDMENT_ARTICLE 8.8.24 HISTORIC STRUCTURES