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035 <br /> ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ORDINANCE <br /> WHEREAS, the North Carolina General Assembly has authorized <br /> the governing bodies of all cities, counties, and towns acting <br /> individually, or collectively, to require any special-purpose unit of <br /> government or private developer of a major development project to <br /> submit detailed statements reflecting the environmental impact of such <br /> projects (North Carolina Environmental Policy Act, N.C. Gen. Stat. <br /> 113A-1 et seg. , more specifically N.C. Gen. Stat. 113A-8) ; and <br /> WHEREAS, the North Carolina Administrative Code contains <br /> - provisions interpreting the authority of local governments pursuant to <br /> N.C. Gen. Stat. 113A-8, and the role of State Government with respect <br /> to this authority (N.C.A.C. Title I, Ch. 25, .0100 et seg. ); and <br /> WHEREAS, Section .0802(c) of Title I, Chapter 25 of the North <br /> Carolina Administrative Code specifically provides that "In processing <br /> applications for state permits, state agencies shall consider any <br /> information generated by the local government pursuant to" the Code's <br /> 41, provisions; . <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of Commissioners <br /> of Orange County, North Carolina: <br /> SECTION 1. PURPOSE <br /> Pursuant to the North Carolina Environmental Policy Act the Orange <br /> County Board of Commissioners adopts this ordinance establishing a <br /> County policy to encourage the wise and productive use of the <br /> county's natural resources; to encourage a public and governmental <br /> awareness of our environment and of the consequences of <br /> development which affect it; to require that a full disclosure be <br /> made as to the anticipated effect of proposed development on the <br /> resources of the county; and to permit and facilitate full <br /> enforcement of all ordinances and regulations concerning the <br /> environment in an efficient, coordinated and comprehensive manner. <br /> The intent of this ordinance is to provide a mechanism for full <br /> disclosure of anticipated impacts of developments as herein <br /> defined and to make such information publicly available so that <br /> citizens of the county may have input into developmental issues <br /> before they become moot. More specifically, it is the intent of <br /> this ordinance to require the preparation and evaluation of <br /> environmental impact documents for projects that either require <br /> certain state permits, or require a local land use permit for <br /> development within environmentally sensitive areas, as provided in <br /> Section 2 of this ordinance. <br /> MH-1 <br /> carom, <br />