Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
414 <br /> 2. Analysis <br /> In working with site selection specialists for various economic development projects, <br /> Planning staff has noted that the County could be more competitive in attracting <br /> economic development projects if the UDO were to include a by-right process that <br /> allows for mixed use developments. Currently, an office, research, and manufacturing <br /> business park which includes, for example, a restaurant primarily serving onsite <br /> employees, but is also open to the public could not be permitted by right in the <br /> general use zoning districts. Instead the project would be required to follow either the <br /> Master Development Plan Conditional Zoning District (MDP-CZ) process or <br /> Conditional Use District process. In order to make the County more competitive in <br /> the site selection process for these types of multi-use projects, Planning staff is <br /> proposing to allow for additional uses to be permitted in conjunction with, but not <br /> before, a specific identified principal use as part of an overall project development <br /> plan. <br /> Originally, this text amendment package was envisioned to establish and permit <br /> secondary uses in the UDO. Following a recommendation from the Orange County <br /> Attorney's Office, Planning staff revised the amendment in order to permit the uses <br /> initially proposed as secondary uses in a more concise manner. As a result, the <br /> secondary use concept will not be established in the UDO; however, the same <br /> outcome is expected to be achieved by amending the use standards contained in <br /> Article 5. Proposed standards will allow additional uses (banks, beauty and barber <br /> shops, laundry and dry cleaning services, restaurants, etc.) to be permitted in the <br /> O/RM zoning district when the principal use type is Industrial, Light, Research <br /> Facility, or Research and Manufacturing Facility and the cumulative additional uses <br /> do not exceed 25% of the total square footage of all structures. <br /> 3. Comprehensive Plan Linkage (i.e. Principles, Goals and Objectives) <br /> Chapter 3: Economic Development Element - Section 3.5 Goals <br /> Economic Development Overarching Goal: Viable and sustainable economic <br /> development that contributes to both property and sales tax revenues, and <br /> enhances high-quality employment opportunities for County residents. <br /> Objective ED-1.5: <br /> Identify barriers to development of desirable businesses and local businesses, <br /> and mitigate these barriers. <br /> Objective ED-2.1: <br /> Encourage compact and higher density development in areas served by water <br /> and sewer. <br /> Chapter 5: Land Use Element - Section 5.6 Goals <br /> Land Use Overarching Goal: Coordination of the amount, location, pattern and <br /> designation of future land uses, with availability of County services and facilities <br /> sufficient to meet the needs of Orange County's population and economy <br /> consistent with other Comprehensive Plan element goals and objectives. <br /> Land Use Goal 1: <br /> Fiscally and environmentally responsible, sustainable growth, consistent with the <br /> provision of adequate services and facilities and a high quality of life. <br /> 2 <br />