10OctoberPB - Special Meeting w—r. •\s
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�-' RANDOLPH COUNTY PLANNING BOARD
October 30, 1995
There was a special meeting held at 2: 00 p.m. , on
Monday, October 30 , 1995, of the Randolph County Planning
Board in the Commissioners ' Meeting Room, Randolph County
Office Building, 725 McDowell Road, Asheboro. The following
members were present: Jim Routh, Phil Brower, Lynden
Craven, Tim Poole, and Maxton McDowell.
Planning Director Hal Johnson explained to the Board
that this was a special day - the beginning of the process
of updating the County' s Zoning Ordinance. Johnson
revisited the 1995 Planning Agenda:
1. Updating and Rewrite the County Zoning Ordinance:
Johnson said that several issues had been identified by
citizens during various rezoning public hearings,
Planning Department operational experiences and the
Strategic Planning process that reflected the need to
update the Zoning Ordinance. Johnson said that this
department has been working on this proposal for
approximately one year. The current County Zoning
Ordinance was originally written and designed in 1987 .
2 . Update County Land Use Plan:
Johnson explained that originally the County had
planned to update the Land Use Plan, but soon came to
realize the need to establish a Growth Management Plan
for Randolph County. Johnson said this Plan would
clearly show what the County wanted to accomplish and
also how to manage growth in Randolph County. Johnson
described the Plan as a document that would be a good
working tool, that would not be a large unused
document.
3. Junk Vehicle Regulations:
Johnson described this program as a tremendous problem
that sometimes falls through the cracks. Johnson said
that this Ordinance would give the County the ability
to regulate and remove the storage of junked or
abandoned vehicles when they are not located in
approved storage facilities. This program has been one
the department has been working on for several months
and next Monday, November 6, 1995, it will be taken to
the County Commissioners .
4. Strategic Planning:
Johnson gave a brief overview of this process and
explained that the Implementation Committee is
currently working on Action Plans .
Johnson said that one of the strengths of Randolph County is
that the County approaches problems in their jurisdiction
from an organizational effort and not an individual effort.
Johnson explained that this Zoning Ordinance has been
written with the assistance of David Townsend, Public Works
Director; Mike Walker, Environmental Health Supervisor; and
Carol Rhea, John Anthony, and Bill Smith, North Carolina
Division of Community Assistance. Johnson said that what
the Board would be reviewing is a group effort. Johnson
introduced Annette Lineberry, Data Processing Manager, and
explained that her department produced the nice maps and
other computer capabilities for the Planning Department.
Johnson described the Growth Management Plan as a
document that says what Randolph County wants it to say.
This Plan includes problems, characteristics and general
ideas that the County needs to make land development
decisions. Johnson said that this Plan presented today is a
draft document. The Growth Management Plan is composed of
three elements. Johnson reminded the Board that this Plan
is not a lot by lot development plan but rather a more
general plan that looks at past trends, current conditions,
and future expectations. Johnson said that the Growth
Management Plan divides the County in a few basic areas:
1. Primary Growth Area: Areas identified that may at
sometime in the foreseeable future have water and
sewer, contain major highways and thoroughfares.
2. Secondary Growth Area: These areas may have water in
the future and possibly sewer.
3. Rural Conservation Area: These areas do not have major
industrial development, but rather are areas that need
to have their rural quality of life preserved.
4 . Watershed Environmental Area: Areas were the primary
development considerations are to protect public
drinking water supplies.
Johnson explained that these basic growth areas have certain
traits, problems, and conditions for the County to consider
while making decisions on issues. Johnson said that there
has been a conscious effort made to make this a simple,
short document.
Johnson told the Board that this presentation of the
proposed Zoning Ordinance is just to describe the highlights
of this document and that they would not be asked to make
any decisions on this Ordinance today.
Rural Conservation Districts
Johnson said that the establishment of a new zoning
district - Rural Conservation District - is being proposed.
Johnson said that the establishments of RC districts would
require major property rezoning. Johnson said the areas
proposed for this type new RC district is basically zoning
RA currently.
Major Subdivision Overlay Districts
Johnson described Randolph County as currently one of
the leaders in the procedures of handling residential
subdivision of properties. Johnson said that due to the
tremendous impact that a subdivision can have on an area,
Randolph County brought subdivisions into the zoning arena.
Johnson said that we want to refine this process and take it
one step further by establishing a new zoning tool of
Overlay Districts . Johnson described this as an effective
component in the newly proposed Zoning Ordinance. Johnson
said that the new Ordinance would also allow for development
options in the RC districts of "cluster development" that
would give options of conservation easements and open space.
Class C Manufactured Housing
The new Ordinance would have appearance criteria and
upgrade the standards of manufactured housing in Randolph
County. Johnson said that a Class C Manufactured Home
(manufactured homes built prior to July 1976 - and don't
meet building codes) would require a Special Use Permit in
Randolph County.
Private Roads
Johnson explained that in 1973 Randolph County enacted
their first Subdivision Ordinance. Johnson said that the
Commissioners implemented the requirement of properties
without State Road frontage must have a minimum of 5 acres.
This lot size requirement was to control density and
basically worked for twenty years. Johnson said that now
Randolph County is faced with the problem of long private
roads that are maintained by property owners on that road
(instead of State Maintenance) . Johnson reminded the Board
of the case that came before them on October 3rd, where the
developer was requesting a subdivision that would have a 2+
mile private road. Johnson said that this new Ordinance
would regulate the length of the road and the number of
residences that are served by a private road.
Existing Junkyard Screening Requirements
Johnson said that the County will shut down junkyards
that are operating illegally, but that the legally operating
junkyards will be required to establish and maintain
appropriate buffers/screening for their location. Johnson
said that after a year owners of these facilities will be
required to comply with these requirements .
Outdoor Shooting Ranges
This Ordinance will have specific regulations that must
be met by both new shooting ranges and existing shooting
ranges. There will be time limits, backstop requirements,
etc.
Phil Brower left the meeting.
Johnson explained that we have tried to address all concerns
that have been raised during the past years (since the last
Ordinance was implemented) . Johnson said that there is an
extensive definitions section and administration section.
There Permits Section will clarify what and when permits
need to be issued. The Enforcement Section spells out
exactly what can be done when the Violations occur. Johnson
went over the establishment of districts , and discussed the
new districts being proposed (RE, RB, RC, LO, TD, SEO) .
Johnson asked Carol Rhea, N.C. Division of Community
Assistance, to explain the concept of Overlay Districts .
Rhea told the Board that the overlay district process is
designed to provide greater flexibility for certain areas of
the County' s jurisdiction. Rhea explained that the uses and
regulations for an overlay district would be supplemental to
those uses and regulations of the underlying district. Rhea
explained that the underlying district will not change,
instead have additional regulations . Rhea said that if the
regulations conflicted, the more stringent regulations would
apply except those which pertain to subdivision development.
The overlay subdivision districts will be established to
allow major subdivisions in areas of the county where they
would be appropriate.
Johnson continued through Article 5 and explained that
the Table of Permitted Uses is expanded from the original
table. Johnson discussed additional regulations for road
access (Article 6) that are being proposed that will help to
control the length of private roads . This Article also
covers required buffers and screens that will help to
eliminate guess work for the Planning Board. Article 7
covers site plan requirements and Article 8 considers
appeals and variances.
Johnson explained that a tremendous amount of work has
taken place over the past year. Johnson said that there has
been a change in philosophy in Randolph County. Johnson
said this stricter Ordinance is an attempt to reflect what
we have heard from the citizens . This Ordinance can and
will begin to stabilize growth in Randolph County. Johnson
said that this has been a conscious effort to try and
provide the Board with alternatives to confront growth in
this County.
Johnson asked the Board to take the information,
proposed drafts (Growth Management Plan and Zoning
Ordinance) , and announced that the Board will have another
meeting in November to discuss the "nuts & bolts" . Johnson
said that the tentative time frame for this process is
November - reviewing documents, December - recommendation to
the Commissioners , January - Commissioner Community
Meetings, and possible approval in February.
Board member Jim Routh commended the staff on an
extensive Ordinance proposal - Routh said the staff deserved
a job well done . Routh asked if lot size costs, tax base
effects, etc. had been considered prior to the Ordinance
development process . Johnson said that these things were
considered and that the 80 , 000 sq. ft. lot size (proposed
for the RC area) would be required in areas that will
probably never have available sewer services . Johnson said
that currently the State and County require this lot size
within z mile of a public water supply, so why shouldn' t the
County protect the private water supplies in the same
manner. Board member Tim Poole discussed the perking
problems existing in some of this proposed RC area.
Johnson asked that the members of the Planning Board
look through the Ordinance and at the Thursday, November 9,
1995 meeting there will be a date set from a special meeting
to discuss this newly proposed Zoning Ordinance.
The meeting adjourned at 3: 15 p.m.
NORTH CAROLINA
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Planning Direc
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Date Cle •/Secretary
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