Orange County NC Website
Approved 7/8/2013 <br />OC Board of Adjustment – 6/10/2013 Page 91 of 92 <br />Samantha Cabe: I can’t vote on the continuance but I would say that if the notice has been given in 1 <br />accordance with the law and we have gone this far in the hearing, I would vote against the 2 <br />continuance because the planning staff and the applicant have done everything they are required to 3 <br />do in order to set this hearing for a date in addition to numerous hours of planning and all our time 4 <br />here tonight and all the witnesses time on both sides of the issue. 5 <br /> 6 <br />Mark Micol: If we had a letter from his attorney requesting a continuance before tonight, I would be 7 <br />more acceptable to a continuance but just to come in tonight after we have heard the testimony and 8 <br />ask for a continuance, it’s not a good reason. 9 <br /> 10 <br />James Carter: I agree with my colleague. If we would have heard more, I am all supportative of Mr. 11 <br />Dixon’s comments but if we had additional time earlier, I would support giving Mr. Dixon more time. 12 <br /> 13 <br />David Blankfard: What is Mr. Dixon’s recourse, can his lawyer appeal? 14 <br /> 15 <br />Michael Harvey: Every decision of the Board of Adjustment is subject to appeal to the Orange 16 <br />County Superior Court. 17 <br /> 18 <br />David Blankfard: So he does have some recourse. 19 <br /> 20 <br />Karen Barrows: I am torn but I wanted to ask a procedural question, if we were to grant a 21 <br />continuance for the neighborhood folks to come in with their lawyer to address Karen’s concern how 22 <br />would she or her colleagues get to respond to what is said? 23 <br /> 24 <br />Michael Harvey: In my mind, the public hearing is adjourned to the date and time certain, Ms. 25 <br />Kemerait and her experts will be coming back and as additional information is presented into the 26 <br />record by Mr. Dixon’s attorney, they will obviously refute it at that point and time and offer additional 27 <br />testimony at the time refuting or outlining why the information is incorrect. 28 <br /> 29 <br />Mark Micol: What is precedence for doing the continuation? Since I have been on the board, we 30 <br />haven’t done that so is that maybe setting a precedence? 31 <br /> 32 <br />Michael Harvey: Each case it unique. In my tenure with Orange County, there have been two cases 33 <br />that have been continued either due to latenesee of the hour, the need for additional information or 34 <br />testimony; it is the Board’s prerogative. With all due respect to the both parties that have spoken, the 35 <br />fact that we have gone an hour and half into testimony, in my opinion is irrelevant and that is my 36 <br />opinion. You have a local property owner that has submitted a request, whether you believe the 37 <br />request if valid or not, is your call, that is why you are discussing it. I believe there are practical 38 <br />issues with getting all her experts and the cost that would incur to come back but Mr. Dixon has 39 <br />presented you with a petition. You need to determine the viability and validity of the petition and you 40 <br />need to determine if, based on the concerns that Mr. Dixon has, or anyone else, if continuance would 41 <br />allow there to be entered into the record challenging either documentation. If you determine that you 42 <br />don’t think it is going to happen, that has to weigh on your decision to vote yes or no. 43 <br /> 44 <br />Samantha Cabe: As a practicing attorney, Mr. Browner may be able to give additional testimony to 45 <br />this. There is a current movement afoot in our legislature to put further restrictions on what decisions 46 <br />can or cannot be made and I do have some concern that postponing this may allow time for 47 <br />legislation that could go through that lessen our control over what is in our decision making power 48 <br />and that may or not come to fruition but it is actually a concern that is out there in the legal 49 <br />community. 50 <br /> 51 <br />James Carter: Are we looking at this regarding Mr. Dixon’s comments? You would look at the legality 52 <br />aspects; we are going to disregard what she has to say about the petition? 53