Orange County NC Website
MEMORANDUM <br /> TO: Commissioners Lloyd, Marshall, Walker and Whitted <br /> FROM: Commissioner Willhoit <br /> RE: Economic Development—Cheeks Township <br /> DATE: December 30, 1982 <br /> Creation of the Orange County Economic Development Commission <br /> (hereinafter' OCEDC) marks a significant milepost in our efforts to <br /> $.-provide a systematic approach to accommodating commercial development <br /> in the County. According to the Resolution creating the OCEDC,, the <br /> Commission is to rely on the respective planning agencies to provide <br /> "zoning designed to- identify potential industrial and commercial sites <br /> and protect them. against types of developments that would lessen, their <br /> attractiveness or their compatibility with surrounding uses." In order <br /> for the planned development of Cheeks Township to proceed,\and to <br /> facilitate the task of the OCEDC.the following need to be done: <br /> • <br /> 1) Adoption of Amendments to Land Use Plan for Cheeks Township: <br /> The last public hearing on the Cheeks Plan was held September <br /> 27,. 1982. The amendments proposed at that public hearing would, <br /> among other things, add a commercial/industrial transition activity <br /> node centered on the intersection of I-85 and Mt. Willing Road. <br /> (SR 1120).. The existing ten and twenty year transition areas <br /> would be expanded to include the areas adjacent to 1-85. <br /> The primary effect of the proposed. changes would be to <br /> relax development restrictions in the. Seven Mile Creek sub-basin, <br /> the site of a proposed reservoir. The rationale behind the <br /> proposed changes was the suggestion by the State Office of Water <br /> Resources that a larger dam at Corporation Lake would result in <br /> a reservoir with a yield approximating that of the proposed <br /> Seven. Mile Creek Reservoir. <br /> At their October 18, 1982 meeting, the Planning Board voted <br /> to postpone taking action on the proposed amendments to the Land <br /> Use Plan for 2-3 months in order to study alternate plans for <br /> designating areas appropriate for industrial development. Clearly, <br /> industrial development should not be limited only to nodes as <br /> currently designated, nor should it be permitted at random in the <br /> "US-70 - 1-85 Corridor".. The Planning Staff has suggested "pre-zoning" <br /> _ property as Planned Development:- Industrial (PD-1). This would <br /> have the advantage of indicating to industrial prospects, property <br /> suitable. for industry, but. would ensure, through the Special Use <br /> Permit process, that industry was appropriate. <br /> Recommendation: <br /> The Commissioners should delay action on the Land Use Plan <br /> amendments for another month or two, as requested by the Planning <br /> Board, to give the Planning Board time to identify additional <br /> industrial zones or develop a process for selecting industrial sites, <br /> such as by "pre--zoning", The Planning Board and Planning Staff should <br /> give this matter top priority in their work plan. <br /> 2) Extension of the Zoning Ordinance to Cheeks Township: <br /> At their October 18, 1982 meeting, the Planning Board voted to <br /> recommend that extension of zoning be delayed until consideration of <br /> amendments in the Land Use Plan is completed. <br />