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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 1, 2005 <br />Action Agen?la? <br />It, SUBJECT: Consideration of Non-Public Hearing Discussion Items on February 28, 2005 <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) NO <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Craig Benedict, Planning Director, ext 2592 <br />Dianne Reid, Economic Development <br />Director, ext. 2326 <br />Geoffrey Gledhill, County Attorney, 732- <br />2196 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider potential discussion/report items for presentation on February 28, <br />2005, a date originally scheduled for a Quarterly Public Hearing. <br />BACKGROUND: The next regular quarterly public hearing date is February 28, 2005, but no <br />items have been received or scheduled for this hearing. Staff is proposing four non-public <br />hearing items for discussion and, of course, there may be other items the Board wishes to <br />consider on that date. <br />NON-PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS <br />1. Update on Agricultural Business Options Project: The purpose of this item is to <br />update the Board on staffs progress with the Rural Enterprises project and to introduce <br />the idea of conditional district rezoning as a new planning construct to allow farm-related <br />businesses in the rural parts of the county. <br />Since the winter of 2002, Staff from several departments and the County Attorney have <br />been working on an initiative to provide more income-producing options for local farmers. <br />The key elements of the project have included: <br />• Clarifying what a bona fide farm is (exempt) and what it is not (subject to zoning); <br />• Identifying new land uses which can offer farmers supplemental income; <br />• Determining which of these uses should require a permit, and which type of permit;