Orange County NC Website
Form Revised 09-29-16 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />2. Analysis <br />As required under Section 2.8.5 of the UDO, the Planning Director is required to: ‘… <br />cause an analysis to be made of the application and, based upon that analysis, <br />prepare a recommendation for consideration by the Planning Board and the Board of <br />County Commissioners’. <br />Orange County has been a member of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) <br />since approximately 1976. The NFIP offers flood insurance to homeowners, renters, <br />and business owners if their community participates in the program through the <br />adoption and enforcement of regulations designed to mitigate/reduce flood risk. This <br />includes adoption of flood maps denoting areas where flooding is a possibility, <br />specifically Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) developed and maintained by FEMA. <br /> <br />On November 14, 2017 the BOCC approved a UDO and Zoning Atlas Amendment <br />package that: <br />1. Adopted new FIRM maps with an effective date of November 17, 2017, <br />2. Eliminated the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) Overlay District, and <br />3. Updated existing flood damage prevention regulations to ensure consistency <br />with State and Federal requirements. <br />Agenda materials from the November 14, 2017 public hearing can be accessed <br />utilizing the following link: <br />http://cms3.revize.com/revize/orangecounty/document_center/BOCCAgendaMinutes/ <br />171114.pdf <br />State FEMA officials recently informed staff there is going to be a FIRM update <br />modifying existing flood data. As a result of these changes, the effective date of the <br />FIRM will change from November 17, 2017 to October 19, 2018. <br />It should be noted this update will not ‘create’ new flood area, or alter previously <br />defined floodway on property, within the County’s planning jurisdiction. Unfortunately <br />as there is an update to existing data, the FIRM has to be modified to incorporate <br />same, thereby changing the effective date. <br />Orange County must modify existing regulation(s) to reflect the new FIRM effective <br />date of October 19, 2018 in order to continue to be eligible for participation in the <br />NFIP. This amendment needs to be adopted on or before October 19, 2018. <br /> <br /> <br />3. Comprehensive Plan Linkage (i.e. Principles, Goals and Objectives) <br />Chapter 2 Planning Principles of the Comprehensive Plan: <br />• Principle 2 – Sustainable Growth and Development: Growth and development <br />within the county should occur in a pattern, location, and density that is <br />sustainable over the long-term. <br />Chapter 5 Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan: <br />• Land Use Goal 1 – Fiscally and environmentally responsible, sustainable <br /> 17