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13 <br />Chair Barrows made reference to the subdivision approval and said that it sounds like the <br />Planning Board is being eliminated at the concept stage, but would be brought in at the preliminary stage. <br />Craig Benedict said that the Planning Board would definitely be brought in at the preliminary <br />stage. <br />Chair Barrows said that it seems like the Planning staff is taking charge of the plans and that it is <br />a big change from the current process. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that if the intent is to make the standards sa precise that it is a <br />matter of determination only, it could be a good thing. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that if something is missed in the concept plan stage and the first <br />time that any policy maker sees it is at the preliminary level, it is too late. He would like to see apolicy- <br />minded body review the plan, either the Planning Board or Board of County Commissioners. <br />PUBLIC COMMENTS <br />Scott Radway said that he strongly supports going from two years to ten years for the minor <br />subdivisions. He made reference to the 50-foot right of way and said that right now with any roadway width, <br />if no curbs are used, 42 to 47 feet have already been used when everything is counted. He said that the 50- <br />foot envelope is pushed with the swell system. He made reference to the process of the plan approval and <br />said that the County should be really careful in the language for this process. He explained the buy right <br />process. <br />Geoffrey Gledhill said that he did not know whether this proposal would eliminate the buy right. <br />He said that right now the developer has the option of choosing either the flexible or the conventional plan. <br />Commissioner Brown said that it was her perspective that the hope was to go more and more <br />toward flexible design standards. <br />Bob Strayhorn said that he is concerned about the process of waiting another ten years to <br />subdivide. He asked if there was a list of people who have benefited from minor subdivisions and not <br />abused them. <br />Craig Benedict said that the minor subdivision process would still be available as long as it did <br />not exceed five lots in a ten-year period. He said that about 38% of the lots that are subdivided in Orange <br />County are minor subdivisions. <br />MOTION <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to refer the <br />proposed amendments to the Planning Board for a recommendation to be returned to the Board of <br />Commissioners no sooner than May 3, 2000. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />