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I. Introduction <br />Citizen Participation I Outreach <br />Essential to this decision- making process about the future character of the County is the <br />participation of Orange County citizens in the land use planning process. Shaping <br />Orange County's Future (SOCF) was a countywide community outreach effort of seven <br />years that began identifying changes resulting from growth and challenges associated <br />with future growth. More recently, Planning Staff has conducted outreach meetings to <br />inform the public of its current land use ideas and to collect constructive feedback on <br />the LUE before formally presenting it to the Planning Board and County Commissioners. <br />This public outreach process is a valuable base resource of community ideas that can <br />also help shape the future of Orange County. <br />The citizen participation strategy adopted by Orange County considers the citizen <br />involvement experience as one that provides the opportunity for achieving a more <br />responsive and effective public decision- making process. It is through the open and <br />inclusive participation of the County residents that broad support of the Orange County <br />Comprehensive Land Use Element and process and its effective implementation can be <br />assured. The primary legal tools for implementing the LUE are the Zoning and <br />Subdivision Ordinances, which serve as the means to achieve desired land uses and <br />development patterns. Other freestanding ordinances also provide avenues for <br />implementation, such as the Open Burning, Erosion Control and Adequate Public <br />Facilities' Ordinances (APFO). <br />INFORMAL PROCESS <br />Orange County provides an informal citizen input process (as shown in Table 1) and a <br />formal method for offering input for the LUE. The informal public input process began <br />as early as 1990 with task forces and boards appointed to study land use in Orange <br />County. Over twenty meetings were held with appointed boards to discuss ideas prior <br />to outreach. The County will continue to collect informal input until a Public Hearing on <br />the LUE is held.. <br />I -C -1 <br />I <br />