Minutes 11-10-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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o Tiny houses attached to a chassis are not identified by the North Carolina State Residential Code and the Orange County Unified Development Ordinance (U DO). • Cottage Homes • A residential structure that can be `stick' built or modular construction which is placed on a permanent foundation and averages 300 to 800 square feet in size. • Cottage homes can be permitted as a single family dwelling unit or efficiency apartment (accessory dwelling unit) if constructed to standards of the North Carolina State Residential Code and UDO. Chair McKee asked if the County would be able to change the definition of a tiny house. Craig Benedict said the building code could not be changed, but the County could say there are mobile home and recreational vehicle parks. Chair McKee said the definition could be written around what the County wanted it to be. Craig Benedict said yes. Commissioner Dorosin asked if he owned property, could he place 10 tiny homes on his land. Craig Benedict said he could not, as tiny homes are not built to the North Carolina single family housing code. Commissioner Dorosin asked if he could build 10 cottage homes on his property. Craig Benedict said multiple cottage homes could not go on one lot, but there are changes being considered to these codes. Commissioner Rich asked if the cottage homes or developments that are currently being built required State approval. Craig Benedict said if the micro homes meet building code, they can be built. He said if zoning changes are needed that is done by the County. Commissioner Rich asked if the County is its own enemy in regards to this issue. Craig Benedict said yes. He said as new housing ideas come forth, codes must be amended to catch up. Chair McKee asked if there was cooperation from the Towns regarding the extension of sewer and water, could the density of homes could be increased. Craig Benedict said yes. Commissioner Rich asked if the Greene Tract is being considered for development. Audrey Spencer-Horsley said that would be coming next in the presentation. Existing Conditions Orange County Owned Properties HAND OUT Potential Affordable Housing Sites hand out Jeff Thompson referred to the handout with a white cover. He said the criteria on the front page of the handout yielded sites for affordable housing. He said this does not mean these can be developed, but are rather the first tier of a filter that will still need land use regulations applied. He said this handout is a series of small lots which total about 220 acres, noting the Greene Tract is on page 14. He reviewed these potential lot sites.