Orange County NC Website
Page 2 of 3 Will Raymond <br />Supplemental Questions: <br />Reasons for wanting to serve on this board: <br />Orange County is now implementing a refined UDO and new economic policies that will have far <br />reaching effects on land-use planning. I would like to serve as a conduit for citizen input and take <br />a more active role in reviewing these new changes to help the BOCC get the best results <br />for their initiatives. <br />Conflict of Interest: <br />Orange County Planning Board (REQUIRES DISCLOSURE STATEMENT) <br />Please list the work/volunteer experience/qualifications that would add to your expertise <br />for this board. <br />At the County level, I ve served as a citizen activist on numerous county-wide issues. <br />Within Chapel Hill, I ve served on Chapel Hill s Technology Advisory Board, Horace-Williams <br />Citizens Committee, Downtown Parking Task Force, Sustainable Community Visioning Task <br />Force. <br />As Chapel Hill s appointee to OWASA, I have worked hard to maintain the highest fiscal and <br />environmental standards throughout the organization. As the current Chair of the HR <br />Committee, I ve emphasized policies that serve to bolster a productive and effective work force. <br />What do you see as the responsibilities of this board, and what do you hope to <br />accomplish if appointed? <br />The Board has both operational and strategic responsibilities. Strategically, the Board reviews <br />relevant policy changes by other Board s for impacts on land-use policy. The Board is <br />responsible for analyzing changes within the UDO (and other regulatory frameworks) to make <br />sure they align with the BOCC s goals as well as serving the general public good. Operationally, <br />the Board reviews proposed projects to make sure they adhere to established regulatory <br />requirements, align with BOCC initiatives, synchronize with economic, social and environmental <br />goals. The Board can recommend improvements in plans and determine if variances in policy <br />are warranted by an overriding public good. <br />What role should the Planning Board take in guiding and regulating growth? <br />The Planning Board can take the time and provide the analysis to make sure our community is <br />being well-served by growth. As Orange County grows we need to make sure that our citizens <br />can continue to be able to afford to live here, that the quality of life we ve come to accept isn t <br />degraded, that our economic base is improved without diminishing the environment. <br />What unique perspective can you bring to the Orange County Planning Board? <br />I ve worked on a number of issues - social services, environment, transit and economic <br />development - with County-wide impact and would bring a holistic perspective grounded in that <br />experience. It s important that our wider community has access to the decisions that are made <br />on their behalf and I d work hard to improve communication and participation by our citizens in <br />this key governmental process. <br />What do you consider to be be the most important issues facing Orange County related <br />to growth? <br />Integration and consistency. Integration of municipal growth within Orange County. Integration <br />of social, transit, economic and environmental policies with planning policy. Integration of policy <br />within a wider regional context. Consistency within Orange County s own approach and <br />overlaps with municipal and ETJ concerns. <br />How would you, as a member of the Planning Board, contribute to the implementation of <br />the Board of Commissioners' adopted Goals and Priorities? <br />43