Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
36 <br /> Jay Kennet said he is the Pastor at the Hillsborough Church of Christ, and his <br /> congregation shares many of the same concerns as the Board, and he appreciated their <br /> thorough review. <br /> Speaker said he is a resident in this area, and the maps shown this evening show a lot <br /> of water. He said the watershed may be unprotected, but it still a watershed. <br /> Perdita Holtz reviewed the designations of a watershed. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Rich, seconded by Commissioner Price to keep <br /> the public hearing open and defer discussion until the November 1st Board of County <br /> Commissioners meeting. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 4. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Text Amendment -To review government- <br /> initiated amendments to the text of the UDO that would establish use standards to allow <br /> certain principal uses to include a small component of other specific uses in the O/RM <br /> (Office/Research and Manufacturing) zoning district. <br /> Ashley Moncado, Special Projects Planner, presented this item and the following <br /> background and PowerPoint: <br /> BACKGROUND: In working with site selection specialists and the Economic Development <br /> Department for various economic development projects, <br /> Planning staff has noted that the County could be more competitive in attracting economic <br /> development projects if the UDO were to include a by-right process that allows for mixed use <br /> developments. Currently, an office, research, and manufacturing business park which includes, <br /> for example, a restaurant primarily serving onsite employees, but also open to the public could <br /> not be permitted by right in the general use zoning districts. Instead the project would be <br /> required to follow either the Master Development Plan Conditional Zoning District (MDP-CZ) <br /> process or 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 proposing to <br /> allow for additional uses to be permitted in conjunction with, but not before, a specific identified <br /> principal use (Industrial (Light), Research Facility, or Research and Manufacturing Facility) as <br /> part of an overall project development plan. <br /> This amendment will allow for uses that primarily serve and support the needs of the business, <br /> facility, and employees involved in the principal use without overpowering the intended purpose <br /> of the O/RM zoning district. In addition, the amendment will allow for a more efficient review <br /> process for future mixed use developments. Therefore, allowing an office, research, and <br /> manufacturing business park which includes, for example, a restaurant serving onsite <br /> employees and the general public to be permitted by-right in the O/RM zoning district. Originally, <br /> this text amendment package was envisioned to establish and permit secondary uses in the <br /> UDO. Following a recommendation from the Orange County Attorney's Office, Planning staff <br /> revised the amendment in order to permit the uses initially proposed as secondary uses in a <br /> more concise manner. In essence, adding these support uses directly to the specific principal <br /> use standards. As a result, the secondary use concept will not be established in the UDO; <br /> however, the same outcome is expected to be achieved by amending the use standards <br /> contained in Article 5. <br />