Agenda - 05-08-2014 - 7c - Laserfiche WebLink

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Review History At the January 9, 2013 Planning Board meeting, Board members discussed areas of interest to be worked on in the coming year. Many of these items were elements highlighted in the UDO Implementation Bridge report prepared when the UDO was adopted in 2011. One item presented by the Board and referenced in the Implementation Bridge report was the need to review home occupation requirements to determine if there is a need to revise existing standards. July to September Planning Board Review At the July 2, 2013 Planning Board meeting, planning staff followed up with the Board's request with a presentation of existing standards and a review of home occupation standards from other local jurisdictions, including Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Chatham County. This presentation informed the Planning Board how standards in other jurisdictions were much more restrictive compared to Orange County's current standards in regards to number of employees, square footage, visitors, parking, and traffic generation. During this meeting, Board members identified concerns with existing standards being too limiting regarding number of employees and square footage thresholds. At that time, Board members supported a text amendment revising existing standards for the November 25, 2013 Quarterly Public Hearing. Based on recommendations and direction from the Planning Board in July, staff continued the process by drafting text amendment language. During the September 4, 2013 Planning Board meeting, draft language was presented to the Board for review and comment. Additionally, during this time, staff worked with the Planning Board Chair and Vice Chair to complete the Amendment Outline Form which was approved by the BOCC on September 5, 2013. Following this meeting, draft language was revised to reflect comments received regarding traffic generation, number of daily onsite students, clients, and /or customers, special events, and exemptions from the home occupation permit process. October and November Ordinance Review Committee (ORC) Meetings At the October 2, 2013 ORC meeting, revised draft amendment language was presented to the Board for further review and comment. During this meeting, the Planning Board and staff discussed concerns regarding parking, vehicle weight, and acreage requirements for major home occupations. Following the September and October meetings, staff reviewed comments received from the Board and identified concerns with the proposed recommendations regarding the effects on daily traffic counts. As a result, staff conducted a meeting on October 16, 2013 with the Planning Board Chair to discuss these concerns. During this meeting, proposed standards based on Planning Board's recommendation were revised for review at the November 6, 2013 ORC meeting. At the November ORC meeting, the Planning Board supported the amendment as presented, however, stated concerns regarding existing language in the UDO not allowing specific uses, including plumbing, electrical, and building contracting, to operate as a home occupation. No specific amendment requests were made at that time for review at the Quarterly Public Hearing. The Planning Board and planning staff worked together to develop amendments to present at the November Quarterly Public Hearing that supported home based businesses and protected the character and enjoyment of residential neighborhoods. The proposed amendments significantly increase the opportunity for home based businesses to operate in Orange County with the development of a minor and a major home occupation. The following graphic illustrates the number of existing and proposed options available to accommodate and support businesses, including home occupations, in the rural and urban areas of the county as a result of the proposed amendment. K