Agenda - 11-01-1995 - X-B - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

5 SUMLARY OF PLANNING BOARD COMMENTS FLEXIBLE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL OCTOBER 10, 1995 On October 10, 1995, the Planning Board concluded 16 months of work on the "Flexible Development" proposal for preservation of open space and protection of rural character in rural Orange County. Before forwarding the proposal to the Board of Commissioners for public hearing, the Planning Board asked staff to create a list of primary issues for discussion. These issues were taken from the draft proposal,the comments and critiques of Randall Arendt and Ann Joyner,and previous comments from the Planning Board. Staff identified five primary issues, and the Board used these issues as the format for a roundtable discussion on October 11. Rather than taking a vote on each issue, Planning Board members were asked to state their position on the issue and provide any comments to be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners with the final draft of the proposal. The following is a summary of the positions and thoughts of the Planning Board,preceded by background comments from the presentation of Planning Director Marvin Collins. Underline and boldface are used to highlight key issue positions. ISSUE# 1:PERCENTAGE OF OPEN SPACE TO BE REQUIRED FOR FLEXIBLE DEVELOPMENTS In presenting this item, Planning Director Marvin Collins noted that there were two questions: 1) what should be the amount of open space for Flexible Developments, and 2)what percentage and type of open space should be allowed in the Estate Lot option. Collins noted that the Flexible Development proposal calls for 33% of the tract to be left in open space, and that the Estate Lot option allow lots of four acres and up, where 50%of the lot is kept in open space. Comments from both Randall Arendt and Ann Joyner addressed this issue. Arendt indicated that he thought the overall open space percentage for Flexible Developments should be increased from 3391o,and argued that the buildable portion of the estate lot option be decreased from 50% to 2596. At the same time, Joyner indicated that more uses should be allowed in the unbuildable open-space portions of estate lots,such as ponds,gardens and stables. Collins noted that if Joyner's ideas of allowing more open-space uses were incorporated, then a change to 25%buildable for estate lots could be accomplished. Arendt and Joyner also noted a preference for no maximum lot size for estate lots,rather than the current 10-acre limit. Collins indicated that no maximum could allow flexibility in a wide range of lot sizes. Collins concluded by restating that the basic issue is whether 33% or 50% should be the open space minimum for Flexible Developments. He added that Arendt had suggested a combination approach - trying one open-space percentage, monitoring it and re-evaluating in three-to-five years. Joan Jobsis: Stay with 33% open space. 33% open space should be calculated from the total tract size. Elizabeth Walters: Stay with 33%,come back and review.33%open space should be calculated from the total tract size Margaret Brown: Support 50% open space. Need educational forums. 33% open space should be calculated from the buildable land Karen Barrows: Support 33%,maybe up to 50%.Need to see how it goes.Open space should be calculated from total tract size.