041001April 10, 2001 - Joint Meeting with Randolph County Planning Board
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met in a special joint session with the Randolph
County Planning Board at 6:30 p.m. in the Commissioners Meeting Room, Randolph County Office
Building, 725 McDowell Road, Asheboro, N.C. The purpose of the meeting was to review the draft
Growth Management Plan and related zoning amendments. Commissioners Kemp, Frye, Holmes, Davis and
Mason were present.
Hal Johnson called the meeting to order and told the Boards that due to statistics obtained by the
County's very sophisticated GIS system indicating Randolph County's rapid and sustained sprawl
development, he had been asked by the Board of Commissioners to prepare a draft growth management
plan with related specific zoning ordinance amendments. This plan would allow Randolph County to more
adequately manage growth and to continue to provide cost effective services and a high quality of life to its
citizens. The plan was to be accomplished in four phases. Phase I, the drafting of the growth management
plan and zoning amendments, was completed in September, 2000. Phase II involved a formal process of
consulting with and seeking advice from a wide segment of the Randolph County community including
neighborhood citizen organizations, chambers of commerce, home builders and boards of realtor
associations, agricultural and agri-business communities, Cooperative Extension sponsored community land
use workshops, and the Soil and Water Conservation Board. Some of the comments and suggestions
obtained at these meetings have been incorporated into the draft growth management plan and zoning
amendments. Mr. Johnson stated that this special joint meeting is Phase III of the growth management plan.
Phase IV involves formal public hearings to obtain more citizen input and comments prior to a final
decision by the Board of Commissioners.
Mr. Johnson stated that the current zoning ordinance is not flexible and lacks land use options for
property owners and developers. The proposed growth management plan is a 31 -page document (plus an
additional 20 pages of detailed maps and charts) that is specifically designed to accommodate new
sustainable growth while attempting to preserve Randolph County's heritage and natural resources. Mr.
Johnson then summarized the proposed zoning amendments as follows:
Residential Overlay Districts --provides a wider variety of options when developing major residential
subdivisions in Randolph County.
• Conventional Residential Overlay District --same requirements and minimum lot sizes that are currently
in place.
• Rural Residential Overlay District -4 acre minimum lot size developments designed to preserve the low
density rural character of a community allowing natural open space and well water recharge areas on
individual lots.
• Conservation Overlay District --cluster subdivision option provides the benefit of preserving rural
character through required designated open spaces while providing density bonus opportunities to the
developer. (Requires a developer to designate 50% of the property to open space but allows smaller lot
sizes within the total developments.)
Development Impact Analysis --intended to encourage long-term planning among property owners,
developers and county government. The applicant would submit a Development Impact Statement (prior to
submitting a subdivision proposal at public hearing) with basic information concerning housing
characteristics, water resources, traffic analysis, and public education impact. This Impact Statement will
allow better determination of the feasibility of a rezoning proposal based on its impact to the community and
the capacity of county government to provide adequate public services.
Neighborhood Information Meeting --a County -sponsored meeting involving the developer, county staff,
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and adjacent property owners. Although required as an additional procedure during the rezoning process,
this informal meeting is designed to provide a time where adjoining property owners might meet with the
developer and county planning staff to review preliminary residential subdivision proposals prior to formal
presentation at public hearings to the planning board and county commission.
Specialized Industrial/Commercial Overlay Districts --provides greater flexibility than that of current
zoning districts without changing the zoning status of the underlying district by applying standards and
conditions in addition to those already in place to insure compatibility of the commercial operation with the
rural community.
• Industrial Overlay District --designed for secondary growth areas intended to accommodate
manufacturing, wholesaling, warehousing, research and development, and related activities.
• Rural Business Overlay District --designed for rural areas where small rural type businesses
(neighborhood retail and service establishments) provide reduced travel and promotes better livability in
the rural communities.
• Commercial Environmental Overlay District --No changes to the zoo zoning (Environmental One
Zoning) are proposed.
Scenic Corridor Overlay District --establishes the mechanics in the Ordinance of designating a Scenic
Corridor.
Forest Harvested --Clear-cut properties planned for major residential subdivision development shall maintain
a 40 -foot no -cut buffer along the boundaries (all property lines) of the property. (Applies after property has
been clear-cut and property owner decides to do a major subdivision.)
Private Roads --Roads not built to D.O.T. standards with maximum length 1320 feet and service not more
than 6 lots with a minimum size of 5 acres.
Mr. Johnson used overheads to show how Randolph County is defined as related to growth and said that
currently there are 403,000 acres zoned as residential agricultural. He then reviewed a proposed resolution
(to be adopted following public hearings) establishing the Randolph County Growth Management Plan, and
highlighted its main points:
• recognize that all individual growth management decisions are part of a larger interconnecting
framework of building sustainable and quality growth within Randolph County;
• discourage high density development in areas where significant urban infrastructure are not anticipated;
• encourage rural lot designs in those areas where urban infrastructure is not anticipated that will enhance
groundwater recharge ability while preserving open space;
• recognize that growth management policies should afford flexibility to County boards and agencies that
will enable them to adapt to the practical requirements often necessary for rural development; and
• performance zoning criteria, such as open space or heritage asset preservation, should establish a
presumption in favor of development project approval during the rezoning process.
Mr. Johnson then reviewed the Growth Management Plan notebook and stressed that growth is essential
to Randolph County and should not be viewed in a "bad light." He commented that during some of the
community meetings there was some confusion about "Voluntary Farmland Preservation." He stated that
this is strictly voluntary and provides a method for the county commissioners to protect farmlands and their
owners. Also there was confusion about the Heritage Assets Inventory. He cleared this up by saying that
the County does not plan to purchase land for this purpose.
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Mr. Johnson answered questions from the 2 boards regarding open space subdivisions, private roads,
clear-cut areas, and extra -territorial areas.
Mr. Frye asked about the number of public hearings that would be necessary before adopting the plan.
Mr. Johnson stated that since he has already garnered so much input from the community in preparation of
the plan, only 1 or 2 public hearings would be necessary.
All board members agreed that the neighborhood information meetings are an excellent idea and should
cut down on the confusion and length of planning board and commissioner public hearings. They all also
commended Mr. Johnson and staff for their hard work and excellent results in preparing the growth
management plan.
Maxton McDowell stated that the Planning Board, at their last meeting, had discussed a possible
moratorium of major subdivision zoning while the new growth management plan is under review.
It was the consensus of the 2 Boards that the Board of Commissioners, at their May 7, 2001 meeting,
would consider such a moratorium.
Phil Kemp asked the Planning Board members if they felt comfortable setting a public hearing on the
growth management plan as it stands. After the Planning Board held an informal vote of 4-3, it was decided
that the Planning Board would set a working session with the Planning Department staff to make a few
adjustments to the proposed zoning amendments before setting a public hearing.
Business being concluded, the meeting adjourned.
Phil Kemp, Chairman
Harold Holmes
Robert Mason
Darrell Frye
Robert Davis
Cheryl A. Ivey, Deputy Clerk