Agenda - 05-21-2007-d1 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ORANGE COUNTY PLANNING BOARD WORKSESSION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 21,.2007 Action Agenda Item No. D.1 SUBJECT: Agricultural Support Enterprises (ASE) DEPARTMENT: Planning & Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No Economic Development ATTACHMENT(S): 1) Outline of Proposed Manual 2) Sample User-Friendly Brochure 3) Schedule for Completing Project 4) Draft Memo to Joint Planning Partners INFORMATION CONTACT: Dianne Reid EDC Director 245- 2326 Craig Benedict Planning Director 245- 2592 PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is two-fold: 1) to request the Board's endorsement of those concepts, or elements, which staff believe are key to the success of the Agricultural Support Enterprises project and 2) to receive authorization to complete the project in accordance with the schedule provided as Attachment 3. BACKGROUND: At an informational session on May 28, 2002 Planning and Economic Development staff presented the Board with a proposal to provide more business opportunities for local farmers in the rural parts of the county. Staff identified new farm-related uses to add to the. Zoning Ordinance and recommended existing permitting processes for farmers to obtain approval to begin these new enterprises. Bona fide farm purposes, which are exempt from zoning per the North Carolina General Statutes, would remain exempt. Since that May meeting staff has continued to work on the project, seeking input from members of the local farming community, the. Agricultural Preservation Board, the Planning Board, the Economic Development Commission, County Farm Agency Staff, the County Attorney and others, to address various concerns. Almost all of these concerns fall into one of three categories: 1) can we allow these uses to occur in a way that is consistent with our Land Use Element and zoning regulations; 2) can we allow these uses to occur without negatively impacting neighboring properties; and 3) can we make the .process user-friendly? Conditional district zoning appears to be the most appropriate mechanism to allow farm-related uses with a commercial or light industrial component to occur in the rural parts of the county without disrupting the existing residential zoning designations. Rezonings would be allowed based on the appropriateness of a specific project to a specific community. Consistency with the Land Use Element would eliminate the problems associated with arbitrary zoning decisions. :. ..fafn~rl„a::::~i,~:~ V`~tu;nr~z I:I. , J~.~ tC"L{1 !~i~l+li:. !(psfsli;r'.... .'t i~i'i l.:;S.:r.ai~~ir,,~~ }:r,.. r?u'it:~, iilr ii?t;.? iid'. .i+t~ ~;I::