1 & 2 - Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 – Board Request for Additional Information

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Agenda Item 2 — Facilitated Discussion for Identification of Next Steps Strategic Planning Manager Kelly Guadalupe will facilitate a Board discussion on next steps including the following questions: 1) What topics/concerns remain to be addressed? 2) What in the current draft of the 2050 Land Use Plan requires deletion, revision, or other modification in order to be released for public comment that will be incorporated into a future, revised draft? 3) Discussion of practical timeline to allow staff to coordinate with the consultant on an amended scope of work and plan for and support Community Engagement Window#3 that will provide input to be incorporated into a revised draft of the 2050 Land Use Plan. Additional information about the project, including e-mail sign-up for project updates, are available on the project website: .https://www.orangecountVIanduseplan.com. Completed project deliverables, including Fact Book; outreach summaries; and more, are also available on the project website: https://www.orangecountylanduseplan.com/resources Why does Orange County Need to Update its Land Use Plan? - In North Carolina, local governments that apply "...zoning regulations... shall adopt and reasonably maintain a comprehensive plan or land-use plan (G.S. 160D-501(a)). This statute requires that zoning regulations are "in accordance with a comprehensive plan" and requires that local governments make statements of consistency when making rezoning decisions on a development application. The existing Orange County Comprehensive Plan was adopted in November 2008. FINANCIAL IMPACT: At its August 26, 2025 Business meeting, the BOCC received cost estimates for information/presentations requested from independent experts (Attachment B) and directed staff on which to pursue. Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Amendment #3, approved at the October 21, 2025 Business Meeting, included funding for the additional professional services. ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: This item supports: • GOAL 1: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND CLIMATE ACTION OBJECTIVE 4. Incentivize and promote sustainable agriculture and local food systems development through supportive policy, funding, farmland protection and educational outreach. OBJECTIVE 5. Review land use policies to promote and connect Town, County, and private trails and open spaces. OBJECTIVE 6. Protect water supply/watersheds. OBJECTIVE 7. Conserve and protect high priority open space, including Natural Heritage sites, nature preserves, watershed riparian buffers, and prime/threatened farmland. OBJECTIVE 8. Include environmental stewardship objectives in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. • GOAL 2: HEALTHY COMMUNITY OBJECTIVE 7. Invest in services and programs that improve the health and quality of life of the community (e.g., recreation and public open spaces, arts, etc.) • GOAL 3: HOUSING FOR ALL OBJECTIVE 5. Review County ordinances, policies, agreements, and the regulatory processes to streamline practices, and increase opportunities and reduce barriers to construct housing.