2009-10-19 Work SessionNEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 31
WORK SESSION, OCTOBER 19, 2009 PAGE 696
ASSEMBLY
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met in a Work Session on Monday, October 19, 2009,
at 11:20 a.m. in the Assembly Room of the New Hanover County Courthouse, 24 North Third Street, Wilmington,
NC.
Members present were: Chairman Ted Davis, Jr.; Vice-Chairman Jason R. Thompson; Commissioner
Robert G. Greer; Commissioner William A. Caster; Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr.; County Attorney Wanda
M. Copley; Clerk to the Board Sheila L. Schult; and County Manager Bruce T. Shell.
Chairman Davis called the meeting to order and reported that the purpose of the meeting was to hear staffs
presentation on Exceptional Design Zoning District. This zoning district is currently not in place and will be
brought to the Board for consideration.
EXCEPTIONAL DESIGN ZONING DISTRICT PRESENTATION
Planning Director Chris OKeefe presented the following information on Exceptional Design Zoning
District:
·
2006 CAMA Land Use Plan calls for the creation of Exceptional Design standards.
·
The zoning ordinance does not provide realistic districts for Mixed Use Development.
·
Staff has created and the Commissioners have recently authorized the use of a Low Impact
Development manual (LID). The Exceptional Design Zoning District requires the use of Low Impact
Development techniques.
·
There is demand for a medium density district and for affordable, workforce housing.
·
The proposed district encourages the use of Development of Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) and National Green Building standards for neighborhood design.
To date the process has been the following:
·
Informal and formal meetings with stakeholders and interested individuals.
·
Green builders
·
Other building industry representatives
·
Environmental groups
·
Architects and Landscape Architects
·
CFPUA staff
·
The Planning Board held a work session on June 25, 2009 with the meeting open to the public.
·
The proposed ordinance was placed on the Countys website.
·
At the Planning Boards August 6, 2009 meeting the agenda was advertised in the Star News and on
NHC-TV and open to the public.
·
The Planning Boards meeting was televised at which time they voted unanimously to recommend
approval.
·
A dedicated website, facebook and blog page has been provided for information and feedback.
In order to use the Exceptional Design Zoning District the following is required:
·
Requires a pre-application meeting with staff.
·
Requires a neighborhood information meeting inviting persons within 500 feet of the project.
·
Requires a Traffic Impact Analysis.
·
Must include all applicable standards elsewhere in the ordinance, i.e. COD, landscaping, buffers,
nonresidential-residential setback formula, parking, and signage.
·
Base density is six units per acre. Additional density may be added if more exceptional standards are
included with a maximum possible density (including bonus) being twenty units per acre.
·
Building height within 200 feet of the district boundary is 40 feet. No limit on the interior beyond 200
feet of the property boundary.
·
Similar to the processed used for Planned Development Zoning request where the master plan is
approved by the Planning Board who make a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners for
consideration. Final Plans are approved by Technical Review Committee and Planning Director.
·
The proposed district may be applied to all areas of the unincorporated County.
To qualify a project must meet all of the following required criteria:
·
Smart location.
·
Proximity to water and wastewater infrastructure.
·
Significant species and ecological communities.
·
Wetland and water body conservation.
·
Floodplain avoidance.
A project must also score at least twelve additional points from the following criteria.
·
Bicycle and pedestrian access 2 points.
·
Housing and jobs/commercial opportunity proximity 2 points.
·
Diversity of uses 2-4 points.
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 31
WORK SESSION, OCTOBER 19, 2009 PAGE 697
·
Conservation management of habitat or wetlands 2 points.
·
Transit facilities 4 points.
·
Certified Green building 2 points.
·
Minimum building energy efficiency 4 points.
·
Water efficient landscaping 2 points.
·
Building orientation 2 points.
·
Affordable housing 2 points.
In closing, Planning Director OKeefe proposed the following next steps:
·
Advertise appropriately for the November 2, 2009 Board of Commissioners meeting.
·
Meeting agenda posted in newspaper and on NHC-TV.
·
Public Hearing and consideration of adoption on November 2, 2009.
Chairman Davis recommended that no less than two neighborhood meetings be required in order to
accommodate peoples schedules.
In response to Board questions, Planning Director OKeefe clarified that if the Board adopts the
Exceptional Design Zoning District each individual project will have to come before the Board for consideration and
be approved for rezoning. The Board will be required to specify on the record why the request is being denied or
approved. Just because the project meets the core requirements and the minimum number of points does not
guarantee Board approval.
Commissioner Barfield clarified that there is currently not a specific project, including any from the Middle
Sound area, before the Board for consideration using the Exceptional Design Zoning District. If the Board approves
the Exception Design Zoning District for use in the County any future rezoning request will have to follow the same
process that is in place for all other rezoning requests.
Planning Director OKeefe reported that the Planning Department has an existing plan in place for the
Middle Sound community that addresses density.
In response to Board questions, Planning Director OKeefe clarified that there are percentages built into the
model for commercial development in mixed-use projects. The proposed district was never intended to apply to
100% commercial projects. He stated that he will review the safeguards and ratios that are in place and send the
Board additional information on this subject.
Commissioner Greer voiced his concern that the proposed district is very complicated and that the same
results can probably be accomplished through the existing Planned Development Zoning District.
Commissioner Greer stated that he would like to see a requirement that retention pond water be reused for
irrigation purposes in new developments.
Commissioner Barfield stated that he sees the proposed district as an incentive to encourage developers to
build green and to build in a way to conserve water by allowing them to build additional units.
Planning Director OKeefe added that the requirements that are in place provide added protection. The
developer has to meet with the community and Planning Staff, then has to go before the Planning Board for their
recommendation and then before the Board of Commissioners for approval with both of these venues having a
public comment time.
ADJOURNMENT
Hearing no further discussion, Chairman Davis adjourned the meeting at 12:36 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sheila L. Schult
Clerk to the Board
A complete copy of the Power Point presentation and Draft Section 53:6 of the County Ordinance are
available for review in the Planning Department.