Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY <br />PLANNING BOARD <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: November 1, 2017 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 7 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Planning Board Policies and Procedures – Revisions to Public Hearing Process <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1. Proposed Amendments <br />2. Draft October 4, 2017 Planning Board <br />Minutes <br />Craig Benedict, Director, 919-245-2575 <br />James Bryan, Staff Attorney, 919-245-2319 <br />Ashley Moncado, Planner II, 919-245-2589 <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on <br />amendments to the Planning Board Policies and Procedures in regards to public hearings. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: At the September 7, 2017 Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Work <br />Session, the Board proposed revisions to the existing public hearing process. As a result, a text <br />amendment to the Orange County Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) was drafted to allow <br />land use hearings to occur at any regular BOCC meeting instead of current standards which <br />allow these items to be presented on a quarterly basis. Allowing these items to be heard at all <br />regular BOCC meeting shall expedite the development review process and encourage a <br />planning process which is efficient and responsive to Orange County property owners, <br />residents, and developers. At its October 4, 2017 meeting, the Planning Board voted <br />unanimously to recommend approval of the amendment package. Draft minutes from this <br />meeting are included in Attachment 2. <br /> <br />In addition to the UDO text amendment package, revisions are also being proposed to the <br />Planning Board Policies and Procedures in order to address Planning Board members’ <br />attendance at public hearings. Please note that all items requiring a public hearing will still allow <br />for review and recommendation from the Planning Board prior to the public hearing. <br /> <br />Proposed text amendment language can be found in Attachment 1 within a “track changes” <br />format. <br /> <br />These amendments are scheduled to be presented with the UDO text amendment package at <br />the November 14 Quarterly Public Hearing. <br /> <br />Planning Director’s Recommendation: The Planning Director recommends approval of the <br />proposed amendments contained in Attachment 1. <br /> <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impact regarding this item. <br /> <br /> 35