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MINUTES y
RANDOLPH COUNTY PLANNING BOARD o :'? . o
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October 23, 1985 Tra i7
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There was a meeting of the Randolph County Planning Board on Wednesday,
October 23, 1985 at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom B, County Courthouse, Asheboro, North
Carolina. The following members were present:
Don Hancock, Chairman ABSENT
Doyle Stout, Vice-Chairman
Tal Harrison Charles Adams
Bud Osborne
Ray Farlow
Terry Coble
1. Doyle Stout made the motion, seconded by Terry Coble to approve the minutes of
the September Board Meeting. This motion passed unanimously.
2. REQUEST FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT:
Chairman Hancock called to order the Public Hearing scheduled to consider the
following request for a Special Use Permit:
A. Everett & Robert Cooper, Asheboro, North Carolina, were requesting a Special
•
Use Permit to develop and locate a Mobile Home Park on approximately 30 acres
of land located on Cox Road; SR #2834; Grant Township; Map #76780009; Property
#01039; Tract 8499; N. C. Zoological Park Zoning District Environmental One.
Bill Ivey, Attorney, representing the Coopers was present and addressed the
Board. Mr. Ivey said that the property had been in the Cooper family for over
50 years and that the Coopers felt that the Mobile Home Park would be the most
beneficial use of their property. Mr. Ivey said that the Coopers wanted to be
good citizens and that he believed that special conditions could be placed on
the Mobile Home Park development that would not cause harm to the N. C. Zoo.
Mr. Ivey stressed that he did not feel the Planning Boar-d would be establishing
a precedence by allowing this Mobile Home Park in the E-1 District. The
Planning Board should review each Mobile Home Park request on it's own merits.
In concluding, Mr. Ivey advised the Planning Board that the Master Plan of
Development for the N. C. Zoo did not project Zoo development in the area on
Cox Road of the proposed Mobile Home Park.
Also in attendance at the Public Hearing was Robert Fry, Director of the N. C.
Zoological. Park, and Dwight Holland, Curator of Design for the Zoo and the
Zoo's Ex-officio member on the County Planning Board. Mr. Fry had submitted
a detailed letter to the Chairman of the Planning Board and the County Director
of Planning & Development on the Monday afternoon prior to the Planning Board
meeting on Wednesday. Mr. Fry stressed that his thoughts in opposition to the
establishment of a high density Mobile Home Park were outlined in the letter.
He also advised the Board that this was the opinion also of the Zoological Park;
it's Citizen Advisory Council, and the N. C. Department of Natural Resources and
Couuuunity Development. Chairman Hancock asked that the letter dated October 21,
1985 be included in and made a part of the official minutes of the October 23,
.1985 Planning Board record. The Public Hearing was then ended, and the regular
meeting of the Board began.
Terry Coble made the following motion, seconded by Tal Harrison:
WHEREAS, Everett & Robert Cooper, Asheboro, N. C. , has filed an application for a
Special Use Permit so as to maintain and operate a Mobile Home Park within the Environ-
mental Zoning District I adjacent to the N. C. Zoological Park; and
WHEREAS, in the opinion of the Planning Board it is not necessary for a ruling
upon said application concerning if the Zoning Ordinances permit a Mobile Home Park
within Zone E-1 and
WHEREAS, the ruling of the Planning Board be based on the following findings of
fact and conclusions based thereon:
1. The granting of a Special Use Permit in the Environmental District One for a high
density Mobile Home Park would alter amd' change the character of use of this district
to a high density urban character area.
MINUTES
RANDOLPH COUNTY PLANNING BOARD
OCTOBER 23, 1985
PAGE 2
2. A Mobile biome Park next to the N. C. Zoo property would not be in keeping with
the spirit and intent of the First Environmental District as it was originally
established to protect the zoo site from high density encroachment, abnormal
noises, and undue pollution of all types.
Based on the foregoing findings the Planning Board orders that the application
for a Special Use Permit to maintain and operate a Mobile Home Park in the E-1 Zone
adjacent to the N. C. Zoological Park be hereby denied. This order is entered upon
the findings of fact and the discretionary ruling of the Randolph County Planning
Board.
The above motion was approved unanimously by the Board.
3. PRELIMINARY SUBDIVISION PLAT:
Bud Osborne made the motion, seconded by Terry Coble to approve the
Preliminary Plat of the following Subdivision:
A. Popular Ridge Estates Subdivision; Tabernacle Township; State Road #1408;
Sections 1 and 2; 88 lots; Jerry C. Rowe, owner.
This motion passed unanimously.
4. Dwight Holland, Curator of Design, N. C. Zoo; addressed the Board concerning
the possibility of using the First Environmental District as a possible pilot
project in developing a standard type of information signs for the public. The
Board tabled any action on the matter pending further study.
5. Being no further business the meeting adjourned.
NORTH CAROLINA
RANDOLPH COUNTY
461457L."--7
Director of Planning & Development
. 3 0A -J
DATE NOTARYtOlY .0
4114.
7778
NC ;u \orth Carolina Zoological Park Robert L Fry. Director
,t-
ri Department of Natural Resources and Community Development
1
James G. Martin, Governor S. Thomas Rhodes. Secretary
21 October 1985
;01I Y, A►p_
Mr. Donald Hancock, Chairman _ ;t' ' I'
Randolph County Planning Board " � =`1 cm
1'
r.
145 Worth Street
Asheboro, N. C. 27203 �,
.t.
Dear Mr. Hancock: !77g
It is my understanding that the Planning Board intends to further con-
sider the request for a Special Use Permit to authorize construction of a
mobile home park in the zoned First Environmental District adjacent to the
zoo.
On behalf of the Zoological Park, its Citizen Advisory Council and the
Department of Natural Resources and Community Development I strongly oppose
the granting of such a permit in the First Environmental District because it
will unalterably change the Character Of Use of this district from one of low
density with a very high aesthetic quality of natural features, rural setting
and pristine attributes of nature to one of urban character with a high density
• of development, which is not in keeping with the spirit and intent of this
zoned district as it was originally established to protect the zoo site.
`., It seems apparent that the designation of two Zoo Environmental Districts
was a deliberate action to preclude high density/high traffic development such
as a mobile home park adjacent to the zoo itself. For this reason the Second
Environmental District specifically refers to allowing Special Use Permits for
mobile home parks and such permits have been granted in the past with no adverse
affects. But the intent of excluding mobile home parks in the First Environmental
District as candidates for Special Use Permits is a signal by the commissioners
to make a clear distinction between the intent, character, and aesthetics of
these two districts.
Locating a mobile home park in the First Environmental District on property
adjoining the Park itself sets a precedent for additional such developments which
is contrary to the intent of the County Commissioners to ". . .protect it (the zoo)
from outside encroachment, abnormal noises, smog, and undue pollution of all
kinds. " (County Commissioner Resolution of 5 Oct. 1970, Minute Book #9, page 252. )
One of the outstanding features of the North Carolina Zoological Park is the
opportunity afforded our state citizens to leave the congestion of their various
urban areas and spend a few hours communing with nature and natural things in an
environment which encourages an appreciation of the natural world around us. The
absence of urban development, local traffic congestion, and related activities
greatly contribute to this inspirational feeling. Maintenance of the Randolph
C� Continued
;
IN
institution of The American Asc:,ciation of Zoological Parks una Aquariums
�A•A•T'/M 1p�M Route a, &;r: 83. Asheb.go, Noith Carolina 27203 Telephone (919) 870 5D5
An r pool Opc xvtunity Ari rrnatNe Actor,Employer
Mr. Donald Hancock
Page 2
21 October 1985
County vistas and horizons in this zoned district (the First Environmental Dis-
trict) are essential to keeping the spirit and intent of the Zoological Authority
Site Selection Committee intact when they chose Randolph County for the location
of the state Zoological Park.
It is my opinion as well as that of the Zoological Council and the Depart-
ment of Natural Resources and Community Development, that location of a mobile
home park in this zoned district (the First Environmental District) is not
harmonious with this district and is not within the spirit or intent of the
governing ordinance.
On behalf of the Park, and over five hundred thousand citizens who visit
the Park each year I recommend that the Planning Board not approve the issuance
of a Special Use Permit in this Zoning District.
'I —
/'o.ert L.
•
Director
RLF:drl
cc: r. Hal Johnson
ATTACHED AS PART OF THE RECORD: RANDOLPH COUNTY PLANNING BOARD MEETING:
OCTOBER 23, 1985
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