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<br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />PLANNING BOARD <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: June 5, 2013 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 9 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Discussion of Planning Board Representative on the Board of Adjustment <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> <br />None <br /> <br />Michael D. Harvey, Planner III (919) 245-2597 <br />Craig Benedict, Director (919) 245-2575 <br /> <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To discuss the continued viability of having a Planning Board member serve on the <br />Board of Adjustment (BOA) and, if necessary, solicit volunteers/make an appointment <br />recommendation to the BOCC to fill the aforementioned position. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: There is a ‘seat’ reserved on the BOA for a Planning Board member. This <br />seat is currently vacant due to the expired term of Dr. Larry Wright. Staff does not believe there <br />is a need to for the Planning Board to continue having a member serve on the BOA and would <br />like to recommend the discontinuation of the practice. <br /> <br />The position appears to have been intended to ensure there was an appropriate level of <br />feedback provided to the Planning Board, as a whole, on various development issues reviewed <br />by the BOA. There may have also been a perceived need to provide the Board ‘with a voice’ on <br />development applications under review. <br /> <br />Staff can provide minutes from any BOA meeting, or provide a report on reviewed items from <br />the BOA Chair as necessary, to the Planning Board for their edification. We also do not believe <br />it necessary to leave a ‘seat open’ specifically for a Planning Board member, especially if no one <br />is able to serve. It would be more prudent to allow an interested Orange County resident to <br />serve on the BOA rather than keep a seat open unnecessarily. <br /> <br />The BOA is a County advisory board having the following duties: <br />1. Hear, review, and take action on the appeal of any order, decision, or determination <br />made by the Planning Department, <br />2. Hear and take action on Class B Special Use Permit applications, and <br />3. Hear and take action of variance applications from the dimensional requirements detailed <br />within the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). <br />Membership consists of 5 regular, and 2 alternate members each appointed by the BOCC for 3 <br />year terms. The BOA acts in a quasi-judicial capacity meaning actions to approve or deny a <br />request are based on the ‘sworn testimony and competent material evidence’ entered into the <br />record during the meeting. Meetings typically occur on the second Monday of each month at <br />7:30 p.m. in the lower level conference room, same room as the Planning Board meetings, of <br />the West Campus Office building. <br /> <br />33