Orange County NC Website
APPROVED 5/10/2010 <br /> <br />OC Board of Adjustment – 3/8/2010 Page 77 of 86 <br />1 2 3 <br />4 <br />5 6 7 <br />8 <br />9 10 11 <br />12 <br />13 14 15 <br />16 <br />17 18 19 <br />20 <br />21 22 23 <br />24 <br />25 26 <br />27 <br />28 <br />29 30 <br />31 <br />32 <br />33 34 <br />35 <br />36 <br />37 38 <br />39 <br />40 <br />41 42 <br />43 <br />44 <br />45 46 <br />47 <br />48 <br />49 50 <br />51 <br />52 <br />53 54 <br />minimum lot size required for the Rural Buffer Zoning District. According to Article 5 of this ordinance, the minimum lot size <br />is two acres or 87,120 square feet, however, the usable area for any lot of record approved through any subdivision process <br />is regulated by Section 6.24.2 of the Zoning Ordinance entitled The Minimum Usable Lot Area for Lots that Utilize Ground <br />Absorption and Waste Water Systems and I quote, “Useable lot for parcels between 40,000 square feet and 1.99 acres in <br />size shall be a minimum of 30,000 square feet. Zoning lots two acres and greater shall have a minimum usable lot area of at <br />least 40,000 square feet’. Translation, you have a two acre lot zoned rural buffer, there has to be 40,000 square feet of <br />useable upland area that is not encumbered by stream buffers flood plains, right-of-way easements, or any other <br />encumbrances recognized by this ordinance in order for it to be allowed to be created through the subdivision process. That <br />is the minimum requirements. There has been testimony back and forth about what the minimum lot size for rural buffer lot <br />has to be. The testimony has been correct that the minimum required lot size is two acres however; the usable area only <br />has to be 40,000 square feet for this section of the ordinance. <br /> <br />With respect to permitted uses and questions arising about his type of facility, in accordance with Section 4.3, the Table of <br />Permitted Uses of the Orange County Zoning Ordinances, the Board of County Commissioners in 1988, when approving the <br />Rural Buffer Zoning District designated several non-residential land uses to be permitted uses of property subject to the <br />issuance of a Special Use Permit. A Class II kennel is one of those types of uses and it is permitted subject to the issuance <br />of a Class B Special Use Permit. The Board of County Commissioners, in rendering that decision, determined that this and <br />other similar non-residential uses were consistent with the definition of the Rural Buffer Zoning District as articulated within <br />the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. <br /> <br />There have been comments and questions that have been brought up about the modification or changes of the Classification <br />of Special Use Permit from a Class B to a Class A. As this board is aware, the standards will be the same for a Class B or <br />Class A Special Use Permit, which we will go over. To change the class of Special Use Permit would only change the venue <br />in which it is reviewed and acted upon, it doesn’t change any of the requirements or the standards that have to be observed <br />by those in support or opposition to a permit application. <br /> <br />I need to move to Article 8 and begin reviewing with you what has to happen. As both Mr. Herman and Mr. Maitland have <br />articulated, you are in a quasi judicial process where you have to make various findings of fact and conclusions based on the <br />evidence provided to you. Specifically, the board has two jobs tonight, you are going to be certifying the application <br />compliant with specific standards as articulated in Section 8.2.4 relating to the method and adequacy of the provision of the <br />sewage disposal facilities, the adequacy of police, fire and rescue squad protection and the adequacy of vehicular access to <br />the site. You will be making specific findings regarding whether or not the applicant met their burden with respect to <br />submission of Special Use Permit application as detailed under Sections 8.6 and 8.8 of the ordinance. You are going to be <br />rendering a finding on the applicant’s compliance with specific regulations governing the development of individual special <br />uses, that set forth in Article 8, specifically section 8.8.11 which is the regulation regarding the development of kennels or <br />riding stables/academies of the Orange County Zoning Ordinance. You will also be making specific findings as to whether or <br />not the applicant complies with provisions of Article 5, Dimensional Requirements and Article 6, Application of Dimensional <br />Requi9rmetns. <br /> <br />Then, in conclusion, you are required to make findings whether or not the applicant has met the three prong test that both <br />Mr. Maitland and Mr. Herman have talked about specifically covered in Section 8.2.1b, number 1, the use will maintain or <br />promote the public health, safety and general welfare, if located where proposed and developed and operated according to <br />the plan as submitted. Number 2, the use will maintain or enhance the value of contiguous property and number 3, the <br />location and character use, if developed according to the plan submitted, will be in harmony with the area in which it is to be <br />located and the use is in compliance with the general plan for the physical development of the County as embodied in these <br />regulations or in the Comprehensive plan, or portion thereof. <br /> <br />As you know from past experience and from the confines that this ordinance staff does not make recommendations <br />concerning these three items because they are to be based on sworn testimony that you receive at this meeting. Per <br />Section 8.2.2 of the ordinance, where the boards finds compliance with the general standards, the specific rules governing <br />that specific use proposed within an application and that the use complies with all the required standard and regulations <br />including the three I just alluded to, you are obligated to approve the permit period. If you find they have not met any of <br />these standards or they have not adhered to or proven as is there burden that they meet the three general standards I have <br />just alluded to, you have to deny the application.