Orange County NC Website
11 <br /> 1 3. Work with NCDOT to promote funding of pedestrian and bicycle projects in rural areas to <br /> 2 a greater degree. <br /> 3 4. Examine multi-use path planning in the county. <br /> 4 5. Promote efforts to communicate with underserved populations about transportation <br /> 5 <br /> 6 Planning Board (Orange County) Lydia Wegman, Chair <br /> 7 Lydia Wegman said the Planning Board is focusing on coordination with the other <br /> 8 advisory boards, and doing an update to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. She said it is <br /> 9 particularly important for the Planning and Economic Advisory Boards to be in close <br /> 10 communication and cooperation. She said there has been extensive work done on the Table of <br /> 11 Permitted Uses, and staff has done an excellent job. She said there will be work done on <br /> 12 affordable housing issues, as well as greater access to services in the rural parts of the County. <br /> 13 She said cluster developments are being strongly considered, along with climate change and <br /> 14 sustainability in the County. <br /> 15 Craig Benedict said the 2030 Comprehensive Plan was approved in 2008, with a review <br /> 16 scheduled every ten years. He said, during this process, the Commissioners came up with 8 <br /> 17 planning principles to guide all the different elements from land use to transportation to housing, <br /> 18 etc. He said the process that was established to create the 2030 plan brought together all the <br /> 19 lead advisory boards to work together. He said when the 2020 census data becomes <br /> 20 available; they will look at the trend lines and adjust accordingly. <br /> 21 Lydia Wegman said Commissioner involvement would be welcomed in this process. <br /> 22 Commissioner Price said the Planning Board met with all the other advisory boards <br /> 23 previously, and asked if this information was still available. <br /> 24 Craig Benedict said all this information is still available, but an update would be good as <br /> 25 some things have changed. <br /> 26 Lydia Wegman said to use the same process, and revise as needed. <br /> 27 Commissioner Dorosin said one of the Planning Board's top emerging issues is listed as <br /> 28 the removal of uninhabitable housing. He said he was unaware this was an issue, and asked if <br /> 29 any investigations have been conducted, and, if so, what is the scope of the problem. <br /> 30 Craig Benedict said when staff did the inventory of mobile homes (individual and in <br /> 31 mobile home parks), a lot of abandoned homes were found. He said there used to be grant <br /> 32 monies to remove these homes but those funds have dried up. He said these abandoned <br /> 33 homes are not only a safety hazard, but are eyesores when showing areas for potential <br /> 34 economic development. He said the nuisance regulations available to cities, are not as <br /> 35 available to the County, but staff is seeking a higher level of enforcement to try and treat this <br /> 36 problem. <br /> 37 Commissioner Dorosin asked if the number of abandoned homes is known, or if there is <br /> 38 an area of greater concentration. <br /> 39 Craig Benedict said these homes are scattered throughout the County, and likely <br /> 40 number between 100-200 homes. <br /> 41 Commissioner Dorosin asked if the County could have a similar regulatory/enforcement <br /> 42 authority as the cities. <br /> 43 Craig Benedict said enabling legislation would be needed. <br /> 44 Commissioner Price asked if there is a place to take the uninhabitable mobile homes. <br /> 45 Craig Benedict said part of the issue is moving them, as well as where to move them. <br /> 46 He said the C&D facility is not equipped to take a lot of the mobile home materials. <br /> 47 Chair Rich asked if the original 8 principles could be sent to the BOCC. <br /> 48 Bonnie Hammersley said staff will do an information item on this topic. <br /> 49 Chair Rich said a climate change committee has just been created, which will involve all <br /> 50 of the towns in the County. She said Lydia Wegman may want to tap into this. <br />