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5 <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 non - residential <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 better 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 />At the September 4 Planning Board meeting, staff presented draft language based !; <br />on Planning Board comments received at the July meeting for review. Additionally, at <br />this time, staff presented Section 419, Live /Work Units, from the 2012 North Carolina <br />Building Code regarding the review and permitting of home occupations that are !; <br />classified as live /work units. Although planning staff considers this Section of the <br />building code, adopted in 2012, to be restrictive, local governments cannot amend <br />laws, codes and /or rules adopted by the State. Staff anticipates that this Section of <br />the building code will result in prospective home occupation applicants deciding to <br />locate their home occupation in an accessory structure if the home occupation <br />comprises of more than ten percent of their home's square footage. A copy of <br />Section 419 is included at the end of this form. <br />At the October 2 Ordinance Review Committee (ORC) meeting staff presented <br />proposed amendment language for Board comment. Following this meeting, planning <br />staff identified concerns with the proposed recommendations and requested a <br />meeting with the Planning Board Chair and Vice Chair to discuss and review the <br />Board's recommendation. The Planning Board Vice Chair was unable to attend, but <br />did provide comments regarding proposed recommendations to staff and the <br />Planning Board Chair. At the October 16 meeting with Chair Hallenbeck proposed <br />standards based on Planning Board's recommendation were revised in order to <br />create a reasonable balance between supporting home based businesses in the <br />county and protecting the character and enjoyment of residential neighborhoods. <br />Revised recommendations were presented at the November 6 ORC meeting. During <br />this meeting, members stated concern with existing standards prohibiting specific <br />uses from receiving a home occupation permit [See UDO Section 5.5.3(2)(a)(iii)], !! <br />however, no specific amendment requests were made. <br />2 <br />