Agenda - 01-04-1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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