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064 <br /> •CourumBinuumzE4cKERsoN, • <br /> BERNUOLZ. GLEDHILL & HARGRKVE <br /> ATTORNEYS AT LAW <br /> 110 CHURTON STREET <br /> HILLSBOROUGH.N.C.27276 <br /> 919-732-2196 <br /> 919-942-8000 <br /> september 25, 1985 <br /> CHAPEL HILL OFFICE <br /> SUITE 20,FRANKLIN BUILDING <br /> 137 E.FRANNLIN STREET <br /> CHAPEL HILL,N.C.27514 <br /> 919-929-7151 <br /> ALONZO B.COLEMAN.JR. Donald Willhoit, Chair <br /> STEVEN A.BERNHOLZ Moses Carey <br /> DONALD R.DICKERSON <br /> ROGER B.BERNHOLZ Ben Lloyd <br /> GEOFFREY E.GLEDHILL <br /> DOUGLAS HARGRAVE Shirl Marshall <br /> MARTIN BERNHOLZ Norman Walker <br /> RICHARD J.SNIDER.JR. <br /> JANE G.de USSOVOY Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> G.NICHOLAS HERMAN <br /> LYNN A.ANDREWS 106 E. Margaret Lane <br /> olawrow Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278 <br /> BONNER D.SAWYER <br /> (1902-1912) <br /> Re: Board member absences during special use <br /> permit public hearing <br /> Dear Board Members: <br /> A person interested in the outcome of an <br /> application for a Class A Special Use Permit has raised <br /> the question of the Board's policy/procedure when a <br /> Board member is absent from the public hearing or any <br /> portion of the public hearing during which evidence is <br /> presented for and against the application. This issue <br /> has not been addressed by the Board. It should be <br /> addressed and a procedure adopted. <br /> The pertinent law is as follows: <br /> 1. N.C. Gen. Stat. Section 153A-340 says, in <br /> pertinent part: "When issuing or denying special use <br /> permits. .. , the board of commissioners shall follow the <br /> procedures for boards of adjustment except that no vote <br /> greater than a majority vote shall be 'required for the <br /> board of commissioners to issue such permits. . . ." <br /> 2. Section 2.1.3 of the Orange County Zoning <br /> Ordinance says, in pertinent part: "The Board of <br /> Commissioners when considering applications for <br /> approval of Special Uses, sits in a quasi-judicial <br /> capacity and shall be bound by the same requirements as <br /> the Board of Adjustment acting on similar matters." <br /> 3. The Board of Adjustment "requirements" are <br /> contained in N.C. Gen. Stat. Section 153A-345 and the <br /> Orange County Zoning Ordinance, Section 2.3. Neither <br /> the statute nor the ordinance section prescribe a rule <br /> governing the absence of board members from public <br /> hearings on special use permit applications. <br />