Agenda - 05-23-2005-d1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 Rural Enterprises Questions ~ Responses (from the February 28, 2005 Joint BOCC/Planning Board Work Session) Staff has been working on this project for a long time. Is there some way to approve part of the proposal in the short term while continuing to revise some of the other parts? Staff's work on this initiative has focused on three main components: 1) clarifying what a bona fide farm is and what uses are considered "related and incidental fo" a bona fide farm; 2) categorizing different farm related uses for permitting purposes; and 3) developing some sort mechanism to allow farm businesses that are commercial or industrial in character, such as farm machine shops or small processing operations, to occur in the rural parts of the county that are zoned residential. Staff is recommending the introduction of conditional district zoning as a new mechanism for rezoning rural lands for rural enterprises. It would be possible to approve the project in iwo phases: the overall concept and permitting categories as Phase 1 and the mechanism as Phase 2. Prior fo the approval of Phase 2, agricultural uses of a commercial or light industrial character would only be allowed in the rural activity nodes or in the Agricultural Residential Zoning District, subject to a general rezoning to Agricultural Services. This two-phase option would offer an opportunity to put part of the project info motion while continuing to study conditional district zoning or another similar zoning tool, so long as the second phase was adopted in a timely manner. If the first phase of the project, the clarification and categorization, was adopted without the second phase the initiative would likely fall short of the long- term goals set b,y staff--to provide real opportunities for the Local farming community. 2. What is the anticipated permit timeframe for rural enterprises based on this project? How does it compare to the current timeframe from other types of development projects? Will the proposal streamline the permitting process enough to make a difference? The ke,y concept behind this initiative is fo categorize permitting requirements for rural enterprises based on their direct link to agriculture, their intensity, and their potential impact on surrounding properties. The arrows at the bottom of the color progression chart show the approximate processing timeframe for rural enterprises compared with typical development permits. Staff has fried fo set up a permitting system for rural enterprises within the framework of the County's existing development codes. Bona fide farms and their accessory uses will continue to be exempt from County zoning, in accordance to the State General Statutes. The modified site plan, a zoning compliance permit, already exists in the Orange County Zoning Ordinance. Property owners can draw their own site plan so long as it shows the important information-the location of off-road parking, for example--are shown. Planning staff approve modified site plans; the review time should be minimal, particularly if the applicant works with planning and farm agency staff upfront. A standard site plan needs to be professionally prepared, but again, review time should be minimal if the applicant works with planning and farm agency staff to determine what information needs fo be shown on the plan and what, if any, other types of permits (such as state or federal permits linked to agricultural uses) are required. .n.i .. .: !-h~ i i ,if~l I .,. a .'llf~i~ii:: ~ ..~i -.. 6-„rl d.::