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21 <br /> Slide #26 <br /> Questions from Commissioners <br /> Public Comments <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> wk]RT71 CAROLINA <br /> Commissioner Fowler asked if"optional" on the first slide was referring to the state. <br /> Cy Stober said yes. <br /> Vice-Chair McKee asked the role of the staff at the NIM. <br /> Cy Stober said the current practice is for the staff to welcome the public, present a <br /> PowerPoint, show site plans, present findings of fact, discuss consistency with adopted plans, <br /> describe the location of project as it relates to zoning districts and then the next steps of the <br /> process. He said they essentially present the project to the public. <br /> Vice-Chair McKee asked if this NIM is put in place, what the role of staff would be. <br /> Cy Stober said there would not be a staff role. <br /> Vice-Chair McKee said maybe he misunderstood but he thought the recommendation was <br /> for staff to be there. <br /> Cy Stober said staff would be there but in an observatory role because the developer <br /> would be the one presenting the project to the public. Staff would only be there to answer any <br /> questions that the developer may not be able to. <br /> Commissioner Richards clarified that the NIM is optional under General Statute, but <br /> required by Orange County UDO. She said it's the first step, then there is a public hearing. She <br /> said the public would have the opportunity to hear from staff during the public hearing. She said <br /> that it would also require that the applicant provide a record of the NIM. She asked what that <br /> would look like. <br /> Cy Stober said it is the first public step of the process. He said county staff would have <br /> reviewed the project at this time. That includes, planning staff, the environmental department, the <br /> NCDOT, the Fire Marshall. He said there are multiple county departments and state agencies <br /> before it advances to a NIM. He said that rezoning requests would then go to a Planning Board <br /> hearing, then to a BOCC public hearing. He said that in some cases, it would go to a Board of <br /> Adjustment public hearing. He said as advised by the County Attorney's office, the recording <br /> definition was left unspecified to allow the applicant to provide a record and they are required to <br /> provide a written report. <br />