Agenda - 10-21-2004-2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3. Public Hearing Notification Requirements Current Procedures: Orange County does the following (consistent with NC General Statutes) to notify its citizens of proposed map amendments to the Zoning Atlas and/or Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan. First-class mailing to affected property owners and property owners within 500 feet of the affected area no less than 15 days before the public hearing date. Publishing a notice of public hearing two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation with the first notice appearing not less than 10 nor more than 25 days before the date of the public hearing. Posting affected property with a notice (sign) of public hearing that is legible from the nearest public road. Alternative Notification Procedures: NC General Statute 153A-343 provides counties an alternative to first•~class mail notification for Zoning Atlas amendments when certain conditions apply. NC General Statutes do not require mail notification for Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map amendments which are not as prevalent statewide and are different that rezoning changes. The key features of NCGS 153A- 343 are: • Affected area must contain more than 50 properties, owned by a total of at least 50 different property owners. • County must publish once a week for at least four successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation, an advertisement of the public hearing that shows boundaries of the affected area and explains nature of proposed change(s). • Final two advertisements shall comply with and satisfy the provisions of NCGS 153A-323 (first notice appearing not less than 10 nor more than 25 days before the public hearing). • The amendment shall not be less than one-half of a newspaper page in size. • Property owners who reside outside of the newspaper circulation area shall be notified by first class mail. • County shall post one or more prominent signs on or immediately adjacent to the subject area to give notice of the public hearing. Planning Staff would like to query the Board for interest in amending the existing Orange County notification requirements to include the State Alternative Notification Procedures summarized above which are intended for large scale and comprehensive changes to land planning. Comprehensive land use planning and the corresponding zoning implementation language are important to coordinate together so the understanding of long-range goals is tangible and specific. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impact associated with discussion of these topics. There are no action items requiring formal Board decisions. RECOMMENDATION(S): Planning Staff recommends that the Board discuss the topics listed and provide appropriate direction to Staff.