Orange County NC Website
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. <br />Additionally, the Zoning Atlas would be amended to delineate the extent of the ECOD on the <br />County's official zoning maps. There * are two (2) specific designations within the proposed <br />ECOD - the general ECOD area and the pre-designated commercial area. A total of 607 acres <br />of land are contained within the ECOD boundaries with 148 acres of the total acreage in the <br />pre-designated 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 />Because the proposed amendments affect the Zoning Atlas, notification letters to affected <br />property owners are required by State statutes and by County Ordinance. A total of 456 <br />notification letters were mailed on August 10, 2007 to property owners of property in the <br />proposed ECOD and to property owners within 500-feet of the proposed ECOD boundary. <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 the most important details of the proposed ECOD was included with the <br />property owner notification letters that were mailed and is included as Attachment 3. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impact. Staff time has been accounted for in <br />the departmental budget. <br />RECOMMENDATION: The Administration recommends that the proposed Zoning Text and <br />Atlas amendments be referred to the Planning Board fora recommendation to be returned to <br />the County Board of Commissioners for consideration at the October 9, 2007 BOCC regular <br />meeting. <br />Ill iN It A,q 'fl 1 <br />