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29 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> PLANNING BOARD <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: December 7, 2022 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8 <br /> SUBJECT: Unified Development Ordinance Text Amendment - Neighborhood Information <br /> Meetings <br /> DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1. Statement of Consistency Tyler Sliger, Planner II (919) 245-2586 <br /> 2. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Text Cy Stober, Director (919) 245-2592 <br /> Amendments <br /> 3. August 3, 2022 Planning Board Minutes <br /> Excerpt <br /> PURPOSE: To review and make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners <br /> (BOCC) on County-initiated text amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to <br /> require an applicant to host a Neighborhood Information Meeting (NIM) instead of the current <br /> requirement that Planning staff coordinate and host the NIM. <br /> BACKGROUND: NIMs are a required step in the review procedures for several types of Planning <br /> applications. Specifically, NIMs are required for the following applications: <br /> • Special Use Permits (UDO Section 2.7.5), <br /> • Conditional Districts (UDO Section 2.9.1), <br /> • Minor and Major Subdivisions (UDO Sections 2.14.4 and 2.15.2), and <br /> • Governmental Uses (UDO Section 2.24). <br /> The purpose of a NIM is to educate attendees on the proposed project, a valuable engagement <br /> opportunity for the public to become better oriented with a project. Currently, Orange County <br /> Planning staff is required to schedule, host, and present the project to the public, which often gives <br /> the public an impression that staff is involved with and has a bias in favor of the project. To <br /> eliminate this confusion, staff has prepared proposed revisions to make the applicant responsible <br /> for scheduling and hosting the NIM instead of staff. Applicant presentations of their rezoning, <br /> special use, and subdivision projects at neighborhood meetings is common practice throughout <br /> counties and municipalities in North Carolina; direct staff involvement in hosting such meetings is <br /> not. <br /> This item was presented at the August 3, 2022 ORC meeting (Attachment 3, Meeting Notes). This <br /> item was reviewed by the Planning Board at its October 5, 2002 meeting. The following <br /> suggestions for additional requirements were made by Planning Board members during the <br /> October 5 meeting: <br /> 1. Submission of a recording of the NIM by the applicant, along with a required NIM report; and <br />