Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
ORANGE COUNTY <br />PLANNING BOARD <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: August 3, 2016 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 11 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Amendments – Modify Use Standards <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1. Comprehensive Plan and Unified <br />Development Ordinance (UDO) <br />Amendment Outline Form <br />2. Statement of Consistency <br />3. Proposed Amendments <br />4. Draft July 6, 2016 Ordinance Review <br />Committee Notes <br />Ashley Moncado, Planner II (919) 245-2589 <br />Craig Benedict, Director (919) 245-2575 <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on a <br />Planning Director initiated text amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that <br />would establish standards to allow certain principal uses to include a small component of other <br />specific uses in the O/RM (Office/Research and Manufacturing) zoning district. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: In working with site selection specialists for various economic development <br />projects, Planning staff has noted that the County could be more competitive in attracting <br />economic development projects if the UDO were to include a by-right process that allows for <br />mixed use developments. Currently, an office, research, and manufacturing business park which <br />includes, for example, a restaurant primarily serving onsite employees, but also open to the <br />public could not be permitted by right in the general use zoning districts. Instead the project <br />would be required to follow either the Master Development Plan Conditional Zoning District <br />(MDP-CZ) process or Conditional Use District process. In order to make the County more <br />competitive in the site selection process for these types of multi-use projects, Planning staff is <br />proposing to allow for additional uses to be permitted in conjunction with, but not before, a <br />specific identified principal use (Industrial (Light), Research Facility, or Research and <br />Manufacturing Facility) as part of an overall project development plan. <br /> <br />This amendment will allow for uses that primarily serve and support the needs of the business, <br />facility, and employees involved in the principal use without overpowering the intended purpose <br />of the O/RM zoning district. In addition, the amendment will allow for a more efficient review <br />process for future mixed use developments (access, master stormwater, utilities, open space <br />connectivity, etc.). Therefore, allowing an office, research, and manufacturing business park <br />which includes, for example, a restaurant serving onsite employees and the general public to be <br />permitted by-right in the O/RM zoning district. <br /> <br /> <br /> 313