The Orange County Board of County Commissioners met for a business meeting on Thursday. They continued a public hearing for Fiddlehead Corner, a proposed development on Morrow Mill Road that would require County zoning permit amendments, and commissioners voted to reject the development and zoning amendments.
What's new?
- The development applicant, represented by attorney Leann Brown, said the residential development would consist of cluster housing for seniors.
- “It is, we believe, a vision for how to both conserve land and provide housing units for people in a meaningful way,” Brown said.
- She said that although the development requires amendments to County zoning conditions, the policy and vision that the zoning plan is meant to enforce would be met in the development.
- Dante' Bowman, a Hillsborough resident, urged against approval of the development because it would kill wildlife and destroy habitats along the Haw River. He said his ancestors, the Occaneechi, settled along the river.
- “Water is life, is sacred to my people, and should be sacred to y’all as well,” he said.
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Commissioner Earl McKee asked the developers what their rationale for amending the zoning plan to change the activity node of the development area is.
- Radway Design Associates Principal Scott Radway said the proposed changes are respectful to the node and aligns with the County’s vision for the future.
- McKee voiced concerns about setting a precedent with approval of the zoning amendment. He said if something could happen at this node, it could happen anywhere.
- Radway said that because every node has its own specific location, impervious surfaces and roadways, the board can decide how the zoning plan applies to each node.
- “We think we’re marrying the concepts that have been strong for a long time in a specific location, and we’re doing it in a fashion that has a very limited overall impact on the transportation, school, other things like that,” Radway said.
- Board Vice Chair Jean Hamilton and Board Chair Jamezetta Bedford said they thought the development plan does not align with the goals of the zoning plan, which are to support local businesses that support rural residents.
- “I, like commissioner Hamilton, do think that the request to change that rural neighborhood activity nodes is not a good idea,” Bedford said.
What decisions were made?
- The Board unanimously approved amendments to permit family care facilities to align with state law.
- The Board unanimously denied amendments to the comprehensive land use plan that would expand rural neighborhood activity nodes.
What's next?
- The BOCC will meet for a work session on Tuesday, March 11.
