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MA' ,e-49— =►0 TUE 1-?:41 SPANG-�STRom Co. <br />"g <br />SPA&NG <br />May 29, 1990 <br />Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />Hillsborough, N.C. <br />RE: Environmental Impact Ordinance <br />Public Hearing, May 29, 1990 <br />Ladies and Gentlemen: <br />As a professional, commercial real estate developer with both my office and my home <br />in Orange County, I was particularly interested in the proposed environmental impact <br />proposed for public comment at tonight's meeting. Since I will be unable to attend tonight's <br />meeting, it has been suggested that I forward the attached comments by fax and that they <br />will be included with other public comment. Thank you for the opportunity. <br />Generally, I found the purposes for the now ordinance laudable and the proposcd <br />requirements for more information on which the commissioners can base decisions, especially <br />for larger, more intrusive development, an appropriate direction to follow; however, I am <br />concerned with a certain lack of specificity as the wording is now proposed. <br />Specifically, with respect to those projects which will require an environmental <br />impact statement, beyond those that need a mining permit, are hazardous waste storage, or <br />require a federal or state environmental impact statement, I think it is important that <br />landowners know exactly which and which will not need to comply. "Failure to provide <br />adequate protection of natural or cultural resources" is a very open and broad statement <br />which will be quite subjective in its determination until which time precedent is established. <br />It seems to me that subjectivity here is not in the best interests of the County. Rather, I <br />would suggest that the development process is one which should follow the lead taken by the <br />County Commissioners by establishing a plan for the future growth of the County. That <br />plan of growth is normally embodied in a zoning ordinance for the County and directs <br />landowners on how the County wishes to utilize its lands to support new construction. Then, <br />if uses follow that plan, I can't imagine why an environmental impact statement would be <br />necessary. <br />On the other hand, if a landowner is requesting a "major" change to the plan already <br />adopted by the County, or if the landowner was proposing uses which were to fall into a <br />specific list or be in excess of a specific size as determined by the Commissioners, then a <br />clearer direction will be established for residents and landowners to follow. <br />Certainly, if development will be of a size or height or density that exceeds that <br />which has been expected by the County for a particular location, or if it were to be placed <br />in an already identified traffic - congested area, or if it be of a use to exceed a certain noise <br />level, or be of certain uses in a particular watershed, then those proposed developments may <br />Cnanp na;vl,�n^nenr [O <br />-Ili Cloister Court • su'+'? 9x09 <br />