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64 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY PLANNING AND INSPECTIONS <br /> ORANGE COUNTY CONDITIOAL ZONING DISTRICTS <br /> N O RI'Fl CA ROI.I N A FACT SHEET <br /> This fact sheet explains the submittal and review process for a rezoning to a Conditional <br /> Zoning District. It also covers how a decision on a request is made and how you can <br /> participate. <br /> 1. What is a Conditional Zoning District? <br /> A Conditional Zoning District (CZD) is a tool to address impacts from certain <br /> land uses. These land uses have particular impacts on the immediate area or <br /> community which cannot be predetermined by general use district standards. <br /> The property owner proposes development standards to address these <br /> impacts. These standards could be things like minimum lot size, setbacks, <br /> parking, landscaping, open space management, allowable building area, <br /> preservation of natural areas, or similar matters. If approved, the use of the <br /> property would be subject to conditions created during the process. <br /> 2. What are the benefits of the CZD process? <br /> Conditional Zoning allows for more flexibility than other zoning tools. Rules in <br /> a General Zoning district would be applicable to all uses without any special <br /> considerations. Rules for a Special Use Permit require all the individualized <br /> considerations to be written in the ordinances beforehand. By allowing for <br /> special considerations to be determined at the time of application, Conditional <br /> Zoning is thought to be a more prudent use of time, money, effort, and other <br /> resources. <br /> 3. /s a CZD the same as a Special Use Permit(SUP)? <br /> No. With a SUP the County has determined potential development impacts of <br /> a given land use require special consideration of site-specific conditions <br /> against a set of established standards. An SUP is said to be a `quasi-judicial' <br /> decision because how facts are applied to these established standards. A <br /> CZD is said to be a `legislative' decision because the standards are both <br /> established and applied at the time of the decision. <br /> 4. Are CZDs and SUPs reviewed in a similar manner? <br /> No. CZDs are reviewed through the `legislative' review process while an SUP <br /> is reviewed under the `quasi-judicial' review process, further broken down as <br /> follows: <br /> • LEGISLATIVE: Decisions are made based on multiple factors <br /> including the proposal's consistency with the adopted <br /> Comprehensive Plan, recommendations made by the Planning <br /> Board and staff, comments received from the public (both for and <br /> against a project), as well as the elected officials' experiences, <br />