ORC agenda 010814 - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 Comprehensive Plan (2008) and Unified Development Ordinance (2011) about the perceived need to streamline and speed up decisions on applications. • Analysis The topic of amending the current quarterly public hearing process was recently brought up as part of the work on “Agricultural Support Enterprises” (ASE) because the pre-2010 ASE work included a different approval process for ASE-related projects. The September 9, 2013 BOCC work session (held at the end of the quarterly public hearing) materials contain more information about this topic: http://orangecountync.gov/occlerks/130909.pdf, including staff’s concern about having a different review process for only certain projects. The purpose of the work session was to obtain BOCC input/direction on the public hearing process, which staff received. There is not total agreement among BOCC members that the current process should be changed. However, a majority of the BOCC directed staff to bring forward proposed changes for public hearing and consideration. Proposed Changes The following changes to the public hearing process are being proposed: • End the quarterly hearings and instead have the BOCC designate a minimum of 8 meetings per year where Comprehensive Plan, UDO, and Zoning Atlas amendments can be heard. The 8 meetings (minimum) would be designated each Fall when the BOCC approves its meeting schedule for the following calendar year; the public hearing dates could occur in conjunction with any type of meeting on the BOCC calendar (regular, work session, etc.) – it would be at the discretion of the BOCC each year. o It should be noted that public hearings dates between the 10th and the 20th of the month would generally provide the greatest level of efficiency from a timing standpoint. This is because the Planning Board meets on the first Wednesday of each month (with agenda materials distributed the last Wednesday of each month). Designating public hearing dates mid-month means that applications are not “sitting” waiting for further action, as could happen if the public hearing is held early in the month, and it gives staff time to research any issues that arise at the public hearing, something that is not always possible to do when hearing occur late in the month since Planning Board agenda distribution must occur on the last Wednesday of each month. • Stop holding the public hearings as joint hearings with the Planning Board. The Planning Board is an advisory board comprised of volunteers and there are sometimes issues of having a quorum of members present for hearings/meetings. A joint hearing cannot occur without a quorum of members from both Boards. The Planning Board will provide a recommendation to the BOCC after the public hearing. This would allow Planning Board members to either attend the public hearing or view the hearing on the internet (if available) after the hearing occurs but before the Planning Board meeting in order to hear public comments prior to making a recommendation. The proposed process flow charts of the current process and the proposed process are included at the end of this Form. It should be noted that staff is