1-3-24 PB Agenda Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Staff Comment: The proposed use meets all UDO standards for buffering and screening, as well as the applicable erosion control and stormwater regulations. It will utilize and improve an existing access road, creating no new stream crossings, and, in fact, improving the existing one to minimize runoff into the stream. The arborist will process natural wood products that can be reused locally for multiple purposes, reducing the need for area residents to rely upon imported products. The restrictions that exist on the uses of most of the surrounding properties should ensure that low-intensity agricultural production of the site will have minimal negative impacts upon natural resources or residents.  Land Use Goal 3: A variety of land uses that are coordinated within a program and pattern that limits sprawl, preserves community and rural character, minimizes land use conflicts, supported by an efficient and balanced transportation system. Staff Comment: The proposed arborist and tree processing facility will be placed within the Rural Buffer, away from residentially-used properties, and within the rural areas of the county. The neighboring Duke Forest property is, in fact, a site that may be actively timbered at its owners’ discretion; and the southern, county-owned property is a former landfill that is limited in its redevelopment potential. These surrounding conditions will allow the use to be inherently buffered from neighbors and prevent negative impacts to them that might otherwise occur in a more densely-developed area. The use is consistent with the future land use classification allowed by the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Appendix F; and is consistent with the land use allowances for the Rural Buffer in the JPA. The site will generate some new traffic, but the cumulative daily employee and business-related trips are under the County’s threshold for further analysis or offsite improvement.  Land Use Goal 6: A land use planning process that is transparent, fair, open, efficient, and responsive. Staff Comment: The Orange County staff has noticed the public regarding this application, as required by Sections 2.8.7, 2.9.1(D), and 2.9.2 of the UDO, including a required Neighborhood Information Meeting, mailings to neighboring property owners, posting of the property, and advertisement in the local newspapers. Additionally, staff have provided all application documents on the Active Development Projects webpage, responded to public inquiries, posted social media notices on the project, featured it in the weekly newsletter, communicated and made both the BOCC and Planning Board available for public emails concerning the application.  Appendix F, Land Use Classification Description for Rural Buffer: Only very low density residential, agricultural uses exempt from zoning regulations, and low-intensity agricultural support uses are appropriate in the Rural Buffer. Staff Comment: The proposed arborist and tree-processing facility is a low-intensity agricultural support enterprise and is consistent with the allowable future land uses within the designated “Rural Buffer” land use classification of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. 4. The requested zoning district, ASE-CD (Agricultural Support Enterprises - Conditional District), is consistent with the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Appendix F, Relationships Between Land Use Classifications and Zoning Districts. 5. The 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Appendix G, Land Use Classification and Overlay Locational Criteria, identifies Rural Buffer as land designated in the Comprehensive Plan as land adjacent to an urban or transition area which is rural in character and which should remain rural, contain very low-density residential uses, and not require urban services during the plan period. 78