Agenda - 06-04-1981 - Laserfiche WebLink

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--....==sonalmenzameminammi INTRODUCTION oRANTGazouNTy- wiyua PLANNING pROCESS Since the mid 19701s„Orange County has been in the process of developing a land use plan for the County and upgrading its land use ordinances. By July of 1975, Orange County was enforcing several land use related codes and ordinances. On February 6, 1967 a Zoning Ordinance was adop- ted for Chapel Hill Township. On December 4, 1967 Subdivision Regula- tions were adopted for this same township. Both of these ordinances were written by the Triangle J Council of Governments planners. One enforcement officer, together witli a Planning Board and Board of Adjust- ' merit, had the responsibility to see the regulations carried out. On March 2, 1970 the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations became effective in Eno Township. In September of 1974, the County began to enforce the North Carolina State Building Code. This code is enforced by the County in all Townships and in Hillsborough. At the beginning of 1975, the Orange County Planning and Inspections De- partment was formed to handle these various codes and ordinances under one director. In June 1976, the Department produced a report entitled A . Pl. • .:ement Process for Orange County with Recommendations for Sound . • D-ve opment. Ne repo cont. -• a _ silica ion ys em or he y an. a Sketch Development Plan for Chapel Hill Township. Both were adopted by the County Cammissioners, The Sketch Plan for Chapel Hill Township contained policies related to land use and general guidelines for growth and development in that area of the County. The Planning and Inspections Department sought to involve citizens in the development of the plan. A list of County organizations and leaders was developed and meetings held to acquaint citizens with Planning Department staff and to familiarize the staff with local planning issues. A questionnaire on land use was developed and a series of further meet- ings were held in Chapel Hill Township at which citizens answered the questionnaire indicating their views on a broad range of issues. In the fall of 1977, Township Advisory Councils were organized in all seven Townships for the purpose of involving people in the development of a County-wide Land Use Plan. The membership on these Councils is open to all interested people and they advise the Planning Board on planning issues, especially as they relate to individual Townships. The Advisory Councils immediately became involved in reviewing revisions to the Subdivision Ordinance in preparation for extension of the ordin- ance to all areas of the County. The ordinance was extended County- wide in March, 1978 but the process of adoption and subsequent amend- ments fully involved the Advisory Councils for two years until January, 1979 when further amendments to the ordinance were adopted. In that same month, January 1979, the Board of Commissioners adopted a work program for the Planning Department which included as an objective 1