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1 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: November 11, 2014 <br />SUBJECT: Proposed Parameters for ETJ Approval <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections, <br />Manager, County Attorney <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Draft Policy <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 4 <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Craig Benedict, Planning, 919 - 245 -2592 <br />Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager, <br />919- 245 -2300 <br />John Roberts, County Attorney, 919 -245- <br />2318 <br />PURPOSE: To review extra - territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) extension request policy parameters. <br />BACKGROUND: ETJs are afforded to cities in accordance with North Carolina General Statute <br />160A -360. These are areas where the county relinquishes its zoning, subdivision, and building <br />code regulations to the adjacent city. These areas are outside the city corporate limits, but are <br />likely urban growth areas and would develop more compatibly with nearby city /town regulations <br />because of the proximity of existing or planned urban form. <br />Counties have to review and act upon these request using General Statutes. The majority of <br />the procedures and processing is done by the municipality. However, counties can develop <br />their own review policies to assist in an orderly transition from rural to urban environments <br />whether the area is annexed or not into the adjacent city. <br />Since these areas are not part of a city and therefore no city voting rights, before potential <br />annexation, general statutes recognize the need for ETJ representation on city planning & <br />board of adjustment boards. The county makes such appointments. <br />Orange County does not have a specific policy on ETJ requests since the County and cities <br />have formed other planning mechanisms to ensure orderly development in these adjacent city <br />zones. The joint planning agreements have promoted this planning and growth collaboration. <br />However, since ETJ areas do and can provide additional supplemental powers to a city beyond <br />a joint planning area authority, ETJ expansion is still viable and preferred in some instances. <br />Therein, a draft review policy is attached to evaluate ETJ requests. This policy can be <br />augmented overtime. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: None at this time. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board review the draft and provide <br />comments. <br />