Orange County NC Website
The typical steps in planning changes are: <br />1. Small Area Plan Adoption (June 2006) with Recommendations <br />2. Land Use Element Text Amendments (adopted August 21, 2007) <br />3. Land Use Element Map Amendments (n/a in this case) <br />4. Zoning Text Amendments (this proposal) <br />5. Zoning Atlas/Map Amendments (this proposal) <br />6. Petitioner Application (processed after Implementing Regulations are adopted) <br />The proposed text amendment would add a new Zoning Overlay District to the Zoning <br />Ordinance. The name of the proposed new Zoning Overlay District is the Efland-Cheeks <br />Highway 70 Corridor Overlay District (ECOD). The following Sections would be added to the <br />Zoning Ordinance: Section 4.2.33 and Section 6.25 with appropriate sub-sections. Additionally, <br />the Zoning Atlas would be amended to delineate the extent of the ECOD on the County's official <br />zoning maps. There are two (2) specific designations within the proposed ECOD -the general <br />ECOD area and the pre-designated commercial area. A total of 607 acres of land are contained <br />within the ECOD boundaries with 148 acres of the total acreage in the pre-designated <br />commercial area. <br />Proposed Zoning text changes include adding sections of intent, application criteria, permitted <br />uses, development standards, access, outside storage limitations, prescribed architectural <br />standards to preserve community and corridor character, landscaping, signage, and parking. <br />Amendments are also proposed to Section 6.23.3 of the Zoning Ordinance to increase the <br />permitted Impervious Surface Ratio (ISR) to 40% for non-residential uses in 10-year Transition <br />areas, with structural BMPs if the ISR is greater than 12%, if the parcel is located in the Upper <br />Eno or Back Creek Protected Watershed. <br />August 27, 2007 Public Hearing <br />Because the proposed amendments affect the Zoning Atlas, notification letters to affected <br />property owners were required by State statutes and by County Ordinance. A total of 456 <br />notification letters were mailed on August 10, 2007 to property owners in the proposed ECOD <br />and to property owners within 500-feet of the proposed ECOD boundary advising them of the <br />proposal and inviting them to the August 27, 2007 Quarterly Public Hearing. Approximately 20 <br />citizens attended the public hearing regarding this item and three (3) citizens addressed the <br />BOCC and Planning Board regarding the proposal. Two (2) of the citizens had questions about <br />how the proposal would specifically affect their property. One (1) of the citizens cited concerns <br />over existing traffic levels and how the proposal might increase traffic. <br />The proposed amendments are consistent with the recommendations contained in the adopted <br />EMSAP. The EMSAP Implementation Focus Group (IFG) was involved in drafting the proposed <br />changes and IFG members have reviewed the proposed amendments. A 2-page "Q & A" <br />document that explains some of the details of the proposed ECOD was included with the <br />property owner notification letters and is included as Attachment 3. <br />