HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-13-2016-13-3 - Information Item - Memorandum - Joint Planning Agreement – Chapel Hill Planning Commission Membership INFORMATION ITEM 1
PLANNING & INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT
Craig N. Benedict, AICP, Director
Special Projects 131 W. Margaret Lane
(919) 245-2575 Suite 201
(919) 644-3002 (FAX) P. O. Box 8181
www.orangecountync.gov 1,t :ARC)1 I N M Hillsborough, NC 27278
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Orange County Board of Commissioners
CC: Craig N. Benedict, AICO, Planning & Inspections Director
FROM: Perdita Holtz, AICP, Planner III
DATE: December 7, 2016
SUBJECT: Joint Planning Agreement — Chapel Hill Planning Commission
Membership
The Joint Planning Agreement (JPA) between the County and Towns of Chapel Hill and
Carrboro requires that the local governments send proposed amendments to respective
zoning regulations (which are named differently in each jurisdiction; for instance, the
County's UDO contains its zoning regulations) so staff can determine if proposed
amendments are consistent with the Joint Land Use Plan. On October 12, 2016, Town
of Chapel Hill staff sent County staff a proposed LUMO amendment that would add an
additional seat for a Chapel Hill resident to the Town's Planning Commission. The
Town's staff report for this proposal is included as Attachment 1.
County Planning staffs response to the Town is included as Attachment 2. A later e-
mail from the Mayor of Chapel Hill to the BOCC is provided as Attachment 3.
The JPA was amended in December 2015 (after a joint public hearing in October 2015)
to address the Town of Chapel Hill's concern that Planning Commission seats set aside
for appointment by the County (ETJ resident [required by State statute] and Transition
Area resident [required by the JPA]) were not being filled. The materials for the October
2015 hearing include information on population in the Town limits, ETJ, and Transition
Area (aka, "JPA area").
One of the points of the population information is that the two `county' seats on the
Town's Planning Commission (22% of seats) for ETJ and Transition Area
representatives is disproportionate to the population numbers of these areas compared
to the Town population (approximately 6.7% of the Town's population live in the ETJ
or Transition Area).
The December 2015 JPA amendment allows the Town to fill an extended vacancy for
the two seats with a Chapel Hill resident if an appointment is not made by the County
2
Commission within 90 days of a vacancy. To date, the Town has not exercised this
option.
The County Clerk's office has run the normal advisory board member recruitment
process more than once for the positions but, to date, no applications have been
submitted.
The Town of Chapel Hill has continued the public hearing on the proposed LUMO until
January 9, 2017 "to allow time for additional coordination with Orange County staff to
ensure the text amendment meets the spirit and intent of the Joint Planning Agreement
between the Town and Orange County." The Town has not yet adopted the proposed
LUMO amendment so no appointment has been made to the Town's Planning
Commission. In regards to planning commission membership, State statutes require
that the planning commission contain a minimum of three members. Additionally,
statutes require proportional (by population) representation of ETJ residents with a
minimum of one ETJ member. The ETJ member(s) are appointed by the county board
of commissioners. The statutes also provide that if "there is an insufficient number of
qualified residents of the ETJ to meet membership requirements, the board of county
commissioners may appoint as many other residents of the county as necessary to
make up the requisite number."
The JPA provides the opportunity for the County to provide comments or objections to
the Town for all LUMO amendments. Planning staff's response in Attachment 2
includes this information:
• Adding another position to the Planning Board for a Chapel Hill resident could
result in "dilution" of the voice of ETJ/JPA residents who already feel at a
disadvantage because they do not vote for the political board (e.g., Town
Council) which ultimately exerts land use and zoning authority over them. It
would seem that other solutions to the quorum issues may exist, such as:
o Chapel Hill implementing the language in the Dec. 2015 JPA
amendment which allows the Town Council to [appoint] members to
the board if [a] seat remains vacant for too long.
o Revising the quorum requirement to be, instead of an absolute
number, a majority of seated members.
Attachments (3)
_,. Attachment 1 3
Item Overview
Public Hearing— 10/17/2016
0 0�
Agenda# 3
PE 16
Subject: Open the Public Hearing: Land Use Management Ordinance Text Amendment to
Section 8.2.1 to Increase the Planning Commission Membership.
Staff: Office:
Mary Jane Nirdlinger, Executive Director Planning and Sustainability
Ben Hitchings, Planning Director
Gene Poveromo, Development Manager
Jay Heikes, Planner
Overview: On June 27., 20161 the Town Council requested that staff develop a Land Use
Management Ordinance Text Amendment to add an additional Chapel Hill resident seat,
appointed by the Town Council, to the Planning Commission membership. Planning staff
believes the addition of a Chapel Hill resident seat will enable the Planning Commission to
conduct its business in a more timely and effective manner.
Recommendations
That the Council open the public hearing, receive comments, and recess the public
hearing to the November 21, 2016 Business Meeting.
Fiscal Impact/Resources: There is no fiscal impact associated with this text amendment.
Where is this item in its process?
Text
Continue 1
Amendment 7 w
Public
Draft Text Presented to Hearing;
Amendment Planning _ Close Hearing;
Commission w
Council
Action
Council Goals:
el Develop Good Places,
❑ Create a Place for Everyone ❑ New Spaces
1°1 Support Nurture Our Community
Lail Community Prosperity
❑ ' Facilitate Getting Around ❑
Grow Town
and Gown Collaboration
Attachments:
• Manager's Memorandum
• Staff Memorandum
• Resolution A Consistency with Comprehensive Plan and Amending the
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4
Council's Advisory Board Policy Manual
• Ordinance A Enacting the Ordinance
• Resolution B Denying the Ordinance
• Planning Commission Recommendation
• Staff Presentation
5
f
Manager's Report ii 11�,,
Public Hearing— 10/17/2016
Overview: On June 27., 20161 the Town Council requested that staff develop a Land Use
Management Ordinance Text Amendment to add an additional Chapel Hill resident seat,
appointed by the Town Council, to the Planning Commission membership. Planning staff
believes the addition of a Chapel Hill resident seat will enable the Planning Commission to
conduct its business in a more timely and effective manner.
The Land Use Management Ordinance requires a Manager's recommendation for a Text
Amendment to the Land Use Management Ordinance
Manager's Recommendation:
That the Council open the public hearing, receive comments, and recess the public
hearing to the November 21, 2016 business meeting.
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Staff Memorandum
Public Hearing— 10/17/2016 %%,nPo• ���,+
Overview: On June 27., 20161 the Town Council requested that staff develop a Land Use
Management Ordinance Text Amendment to add an additional Chapel Hill resident seat,
appointed by the Town Council, to the Planning Commission membership. Planning staff
believes the addition of a Chapel Hill resident seat will enable the Planning Commission to
conduct its business in a more timely and effective manner.
Recommendations:
• Staff Recommendation: That the Council receive this report, open the public hearing,
receive comments, and recess the public hearing to the November 21, 2016 Business
Meeting.
• Advisory Board/Commission Recommendations:
Advisory Board/Commission Recommendation Notes/Edits
Planning Commission ✓ The Commission's
recommendation is attached.
Community Design Commission
Housing Advisory Board The Land Use Management Ordinance does not
require these Boards and Commissions to review or
Environment& Sustainability Board forward a recommendation on text amendments.
Transportation& Connectivity Board
Key: ✓: Approval recommended X: Denial recommended : Comments
Fiscal Impact/Resources: There is no fiscal impact associated with this text amendment.
EFFECT OF THE PROPOSAL
The proposed amendment to the LUMO and the Council's Advisory Board Policy Manual will
enable the Planning Commission(the Commission) to conduct its charge and business in a more
timely and effective manner. Extended vacancies within the Planning Commission membership
make it difficult for the commission to obtain a quorum of five members. Failure to achieve a
quorum of members at a meeting delays the work of the commission. Adding a Town resident
seat, appointed by the Town Council, will enable the commission to achieve a quorum on a more
frequent basis thus allowing it to conduct its business with fewer delays.
The Commission presently comprises nine seats, including seven seats for Town residents, one
seat for a resident of the extra-territorial jurisdiction(ETJ), and one seat for a resident of the joint
planning area(JPA) or the ETJ. Town Council appoints the Town resident seats, and the Orange
County Board of County Commissioners appoints the ETJ and JPA seats. Recently, the ETJ and
JPA seats have been vacant for an extended period of time, in effect reducing the membership
from nine to seven, making the quorum of five difficult to obtain. The addition of a new Town
resident seat will increase the chances that a quorum will be present should vacancies in the ETJ
and JPA seats continue.
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Staff Memorandum
Public Hearing— 10/17/2016 %%,nPo• ���,+
Further, the proportion of both land area and population within the ETJ and JPA has been
decreasing relative to the land area and population within the Town's corporate limits. The State
created the concept of ETJ to anticipate annexation by towns and allow towns to manage urban
growth. The Town requires annexation when approving development within the ETJ. This
requirement concentrates population growth within the Town's corporate limits, and shrinks the
land area within the ETJ and JPA when the Council approves a new development. Increasing the
Planning Commission membership by adding a seat for a Town resident also addresses this
change in population and land area.
Planning staff has also evaluated but does not recommend the idea of reducing the quorum to
four members instead of increasing the membership. The Town Council has the authority to
make this change; however, reducing the quorum to four could lead to tied votes. It would also
reduce the number of members required to make a decision. Further, Planning staff does not
recommend a quorum that is less than fifty percent of the membership.
ANALYSIS OF THE PROPOSAL
Article; 4. :.._of the:Lass Use.._Management Ordinal]ce2 (Appendix A of the Town Code)
establishes the intent of Zoning Amendments (including both atlas and text amendments to the
Ordinance)by stating that:
In order to establish and maintain sound, stable, and desirable development within the
planning jurisdiction of the Town it is intended that this chapter shall not be amended except:
a. to correct a manifest error in the chapter; or
b. because of changed or changing conditions in a particular area or in the jurisdiction
generally; or
c. to achieve the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan.
Article 4.4 further indicates:
It is further intended that, if amended, this chapter be amended only as reasonably
necessary to the promotion of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and in
conformance with the Comprehensive Plan.
Following is a staff response to the three required considerations:
A) To correct a manifest error in the appendix:
Staff Comment: No arguments in support or in opposition have been submitted to date.
B)Because of changed or changing conditions in a particular area or in the jurisdiction
generally:
Staff Comment: We believe the information in the record thus far can be summarized as follows:
2 chp a n.us/LIIJ.M04.:4.
8
Staff Memorandum
Public Hearing— 10/17/2016 %,nPo• ���,+
Argument in Support: The proportion of both land area and population within the ETJ and JPA
has been decreasing relative to the land area and population within the Town's corporate limits.
For additional information,please see the third paragraph in the section entitled "Effect of the
Proposal" contained within this document.
Argument in Opposition: No arguments have been submitted to date.
C) To achieve the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan
Staff Comment: We believe the information in the record thus far can be summarized as follows:
Argument in Support: We believe that the proposed text amendment can be justified to achieve
the purposes of the goals and objectives from the Comprehensive Plan.
Based on our preliminary review, we believe the Council could make the finding that the
proposed text amendment complies with the Comprehensive Plan. Relevant goals and objectives
in the Comprehensive Plan include, but are not limited to the following:
Community Prosperity and Engagement
• Promote a safe, vibrant, and connected (physical and person) community(Goal CPE.3)
Good Places, New Spaces
• A development decision-making process that provides clarity and consistency with the
goals of the Chapel Hill 2020 comprehensive plan (Goal GPNS.3)
Nurture our Community
• Adopt an integrated development review process that is fair and transparent and that
incorporates the Chapel Hill 2020 environmental goals (Goal NOC.5)
Argument in Opposition: No arguments have been submitted to date.
9
DRAFT RESOLUTION A
(Resolution of Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan)
A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE CHAPEL HILL LAND USE MANAGEMENT
ORDINANCE AMENDMENT INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PLANNING
COMMSSION MEMBERS FROM NINE TO TEN AND FOR CONSISTENCY WITH
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN (YEAR-MO-DA/R-##)
WHEREAS, the Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO) serves as a set of regulations that
governs development in the Town of Chapel Hill; and
WHEREAS, the membership includes seven Chapel Hill residents appointed by the Town
Council and two Orange County residents appointed by the Orange County Board of
Commissioners; and
WHEREAS, the membership seats assigned to the county have remained unfilled for extended
periods of time in the past; and
WHEREAS, the work of the Town's Advisory Boards and Commissions requires the presence of
a quorum in order for these bodies to conduct business; and
WHEREAS, a vacant membership seat on an Advisory Board or Commission can delay the work
of the Boards and Commissions; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Hemminger petitioned the Council to request staff to develop a text
amendment to increase the number of Chapel Hill resident seats on the Planning Commission;
and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the Town of Chapel Hill reviewed the text
amendment on September 20, 2016 and recommended that the Council enact the text
amendment; and
WHEREAS, on October 17, 2016 the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill opened a public
hearing, received public comment and recessed the public hearing to the November 21, 2016
Business Meeting; and
WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill has considered the Town-initiated proposal
to amend the Land Use Management Ordinance to increase the Planning Commission
membership from nine to ten and finds that the amendment, if enacted, is reasonable and in the
public's interest and is warranted to achieve the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan, as
explained by, but not limited to, the following goals of the Comprehensive Plan:
Community Prosperity and Engagement
• Promote a safe, vibrant, and connected (physical and person) community(Goal CPE.3)
Good Places, New Spaces
10
• A development decision-making process that provides clarity and consistency with the
goals of the Chapel Hill 2020 comprehensive plan (Goal GPNS.3)
Nurture our Community
• Adopt an integrated development review process that is fair and transparent and that
incorporates the Chapel Hill 2020 environmental goals (Goal NOC.5)
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the
Council hereby finds the proposed text amendment to be reasonable and consistent with the
Town Comprehensive Plan.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council
hereby amends the Council's Advisory Board Policy Manual to increase the number of Chapel
Hill Residents on the Planning Commission from seven (7) to eight(8).
This the day of Month, Year.
11
DRAFT ORDINANCE A
(Enacting the Land Use Management Ordinance Text Amendment)
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CHAPEL HILL LAND USE MANGEMENT
ORDINANCE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PLANNING COMMSSION
MEMBERS FROM NINE TO TEN AND FOR CONSISTENCY WITH THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN [(YEAR-MO-DA]IO-#)
WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill has considered the Town-initiated proposal
to amend the Land Use Management Ordinance to increase the Planning Commission
membership from nine to ten and finds that the amendment, if enacted, is reasonable and in the
public's interest and is warranted to achieve the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan, as
explained by, but not limited to, the following goals of the Comprehensive Plan:
• Promote a safe, vibrant, and connected (physical and person) community(Goal CPE.3)
• A development decision-making process that provides clarity and consistency with the
goals of the Chapel Hill 2020 comprehensive plan (Goal GPNS.3)
• Adopt an integrated development review process that is fair and transparent and that
incorporates the Chapel Hill 2020 environmental goals (Goal NOC.5)
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that
section 8.2.1 of the Land Use Management Ordinance be amended as follows:
8.2.1 Establishment of the commission; Charge; Qualifications
A planning commission, consisting of nine (9)ten (10)members, is hereby established. The
charge of the commission is to assist the council in achieving the town's comprehensive plan
for orderly growth and development by analyzing, evaluating and recommending responsible
town policies, ordinances and planning standards that manage land use and involving the
community in long-range planning. Members shall be appointed in accordance with the
council's advisory board membership policy and shall include one (1) Extraterritorial Planning
Jurisdiction (ETJ) resident and one (1) Joint Planning Transition Area(JPA) resident.
Members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for actual expenses
incidental to the performance of their duties within the limit of funds available to the board.
This the [Day of Council Meeting] day of[Month of Council Meeting], [Year] .
12
RESOLUTION B
(Denying the Land Use Management Ordinance Text Amendment proposal)
A RESOLUTION DENYING THE CHAPEL HILL LAND USE MANAGEMENT
ORDINANCE AMENDMENT INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PLANNING
COMMSSION MEMBERS FROM NINE TO TEN AND FOR CONSISTENCY WITH
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN (YEAR-MO-DA/R-##)
WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill has considered the Town-initiated proposal
to amend the Land Use Management Ordinance to comply with recent changes to state law and
fails to find that the amendment:
a) corrects a manifest error in the chapter; or
b) is justified because of changed or changing conditions in the area of the rezoning site or
the community in general; or
c) achieves the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the
Council hereby denies the Town-initiated proposal to amend the Land Use Management
Ordinance to comply with recent changes to state law.
This the [Day of Council Meeting] day of[Month of Council Meeting], [Year].
13
PLANNING COMMISSION
The charge of the Planning Commission is to assist the Council in achieving the Town's
Comprehensive Plan for orderly growth and development by analyzing, evaluating, and
recommending responsible town policies, ordinances, and planning standards that manage
land use and involving the community in long-range planning.
RECOMMENDATION OF THE RESOLUTION OF CONSISTENCY FOR THE
LUMO TEXT AMENDMENT TO SECTION 8.2.1 PLANNING COMMISSION
MEMBERSHIP WITH THE 2020 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
September 20, 2016
Recommendation: Approval E Approval with Conditions ❑ Denial ❑
Motion: Melissa McCullough moved and Whit Rummel seconded a motion to
to recommend the adoption of the Resolution of Consistency with the 2020
Comprehensive Plan.
Vote: 7—0
Ayes: Neal Bench (Vice-Chair), Travis Crayton, Melissa McCullough,
John Rees, Whit Rummel, Amy Ryan (Chair), Buffie Webber.
Nays: None
Prepared by: Amy Ryan, Chair, Planning Commission
Jay Heikes,Planning and Sustainability Staff
14
PLANNING COMMISSION
The charge of the Planning Commission is to assist the Council in achieving the Town's
Comprehensive Plan for orderly growth and development by analyzing, evaluating, and
recommending responsible town policies, ordinances, and planning standards that manage
land use and involving the community in long-range planning.
RECOMMENDATION OF THE ENACTMENT OF THE LUMO TEXT AMENDMENT
TO SECTION 8.2.1 PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP
September 20, 2016
Recommendation: Approval l Approval with Conditions ❑ Denial ❑
Motion: Melissa McCullough moved and Buffie Weber seconded a motion to
to recommend the enactment of the LUMO Text Amendment to Section 8.2.1
Planning Commission Membership
Vote: 7— 0
Ayes: Neal Bench (Vice-Chair), Travis Crayton, Melissa McCullough,
John Rees, Whit Rummel, Amy Ryan(Chair), Buffie Webber.
Nays: None
Prepared by: Amy Ryan, Chair, Planning Commission
Jay Heikes,Planning and Sustainability Staff
Attachment 2 15
From: Perdita Holtz
To: 'oavHe|ws''; Gene Poveromo
Cc: Craig Benedict;Travis Mvren; Bonnie Hammers le
Subject: RE:Chapel Hill Courtesy Review of LUMOTA to increase Planning Commission Membership
Date: Thursday,October 13,2016 3:47:00 PM
Attachments: /maneooz.nng
Thanks for the quick response, Jay!
I think Orange County may have some concerns about the proposed amendment. The Joint Planning
Agreement was amended in December 2015 at Chapel Hill's request to address the situation the
Town now seems wanting to remedy further, Namely, the JPA now allows the Town to appoint
someone to fill the ETJ and JPA seats with any Chapel Hill resident if the seat has been vacant for 90
days. Adding another position to the Planning Board for a Chapel Hill resident could result in
"dilution" of the voice of ETJ/JPA residents who already feel at a disadvantage because they do not
vote for the political board (e.g., Town Council) which ultimately exerts land use and zoning
authority over them. It would seem that other solutions to the quorum issues may exist, such as:
• Chapel Hill implementing the language in the Dec. 2015 JPA amendment which allows the
Town Council to members to the board if seat remains vacant for too long.
• Revising the quorum requirement to be, instead of an absolute number, a majority of
seated members.
Expanding the number of seats on the Planning Board should be discussed at levels above me and it
may ultimately need to be discussed among the elected officials, Absent further discussion,
Orange County Planning staff cannot make the determination that the proposed amendment is
consistent with the spirit of the JPA.
I have included the County Manager and Deputy County Manager in this response as I believe that
this may need to be an item for further discussion.
Thanks,
Perdita
Perdita HO|tz, AICP
Planning Systems Coordinator
Orange COuDty, NC Planning Department
919.245.2578
From: Jay Haikas [mai|to:jhaikas@townofchapa|hi||.o»g]
Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 3:28 PM
To: Perdita Holtz; Gene Poveromo
Cc: Craig Benedict
Subject: RE: Chapel Hill Courtesy Review of LUMOTA to increase Planning Commission Membership
16
Hi Perdita,
Thanks for the quick review The Planning Commission's quorum is just a set number of five, which
we are not proposing to change. I believe we used full membership rather than filled seats to arrive
at that calculation in the past. But it's certainly something we can consider.
Jay
JayNeikes
Town of Chapel Hf]
Planning and Sustaimbi/ity
From: Perdita HoKz [maiKo:pholtz )nangecountync.gov]
Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 3:24 PM
To: Gene Poveromo
Cc: Jay Heikes; Craig Benedict
Subject: RE: Chapel Hill Courtesy Review of LUMOTA to increase Planning Commission Membership
Hi Gene,
Thanks for sending this to me. I've quickly reviewed it and I have a question .. In Orange County, we
count only filled seats when calculating quorum needs (for example, a board has 12 positions which
means that when it's fully appointed, the quorum is 7; but if the same board has only 10 members
currently appointed, the quorum need is 6). Is this how Chapel Hill counts for quorum needs?
Perdita
From: Gene Povanomo [mai|to:gpoveromotownofchape|hi||.ong]
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2016 4:28 PM
To: Perdita Holtz
Cc: Jay Heikes
Subject: FW: Chapel Hill Courtesy Review of LUMOTA to increase Planning Commission Membership
Perdita,
FYI...
Gene Pmvemmmmm. Development Manager
it
Current Development Planning and Sustanablity
il 01 1,11 4ns Martin Luther King Jr Blvd!Chapel Hill, wcora14-srns
Town of Chapel Hill|wvw.townofcxapemm.orq
(919111,6V t; op�mn.��
-- � an
Fax:(919)969-2014
17
E
CHAPEL Hill 2020
CONNECTIONS
NECTI! 'NS
CHOICES
COMMUNITY
From:Jay Heikes
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2016 4:18 PM
To: Craig Benedict (cbenedictPorangecountync.gov) <cbenedictPorangecountync.gov>
Cc: Gene Poveromo <poveromoPtownofchapelhill.org.>
Subject: Chapel Hill -Courtesy Review of LUMOTA to increase Planning Commission Membership
Hi Craig,
I hope you are doing well. I am sharing a text amendment pursuant to the Joint Planning Agreement.
The amendment would increase the Planning Commission membership from 9 to 10 by adding a
seat reserved for a Chapel Hill resident.This is scheduled for Public Hearing on Monday, we
apologize that we are a few days shy of sharing this 10 days prior to the Public Hearing.This item
will tentatively return to the Council for action at their Business Meeting on Monday, November 21,
2016.
I have copied the text change below, and the full draft item is attached. It is quite straightforward.
The primary goal is to add a member so that the present quorum of five is easier to obtain enabling
the commission to better conduct its business without delay.This is a Council-initiated text
amendment that originated from the Mayor.The resolution in the attached draft item would amend
the Council's Advisory Board manual to increase the number of residents appointed by the Council
from 7 to 8
8.2.1 Establishment of the commission; Charge; Qualifications
A planning commission, consisting of nine (9)ten (10) members, is hereby established.The charge of
the commission is to assist the council in achieving the town's comprehensive plan for orderly
growth and development by analyzing, evaluating and recommending responsible town policies,
ordinances and planning standards that manage land use and involving the community in long-
range planning. Members shall be appointed in accordance with the council's advisory board
membership policy and shall include one (1) Extraterritorial Planning Jurisdiction (ETJ) resident and
one (1)Joint Planning Transition Area (JPA) resident. Members shall serve without compensation,
but may be reimbursed for actual expenses incidental to the performance of their duties within the
limit of funds available to the board.
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Thanks!
18
Jay
:;, #- Jay Heikes, Planner
Development Services Division I Planning and Sustainability
t405 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. I Chapel Hill NC 27514
ilY 0 , , ,/ Town of Chapel Hill I www.townofchapelhill.orq
''" t: 919-969-5082 I jheikesThtownofchapelhill.orq
19
Attachment 3
From: Travis Mvren
To: Perdita Holtz;Craig Benedict
Subject: FW: Explanation for Town of Chapel Hill"s decision to increase Planning Commission membership
Date: Thursday,November 10,2016 2:58:50 PM
From: Pam Hemminger [mailto:phemminger @townofchapelhill.org]
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2016 1:41 PM
To: ALL BOCC MANAGER_CLERK
Cc: Roger Stancil
Subject: Explanation for Town of Chapel Hill's decision to increase Planning Commission membership
Dear Board of County Commissioners,
In response to questions I have received, I am writing to provide you with an explanation for
the Town of Chapel Hill's recent decision to increase the size of our Planning Commission
from nine to ten members.
This decision was made in response to a request from the former Chairman of our Planning
Commission who expressed concern about the frequency of meetings at which only five or six
Commission members are in attendance.
Given Chapel Hill's growing queue of projects awaiting development review and the town's
plans to revise both our Future Land Use Map and our Land Use Management Ordinance
(LUMO) next Spring, the Council agreed that increasing the size of the Commission would
ensure that many different perspectives are represented at each meeting. In addition, we felt
that adding another member would increase the Board's bandwidth for the significant tasks
ahead.
During our discussion, it was noted that a contributing factor to the attendance challenge the
Planning Commission faces has been the vacancy of two seats which are set aside for Chapel
Hill Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) or Joint Planning Area (J PA) members.
Because efforts by both the county and the town to fill those seats have been largely
unsuccessful for the past few years, we felt it was important to take a proactive approach and
add an extra seat. We will, of course, continue to work with the county to try to identify
candidates for the two vacant seats and welcome your active participation in that process.
We value the opportunity to collaborate with Orange County and appreciate your willingness
to find new ways to work together.
Please let me know if you have any questions -
20
Sincerely-
Pam
„„01474:i3;,,,,,,,, Pam Hemminger
e- Mayor
li II 01,1
tit
Town of Chapel Hill
i i
i 405 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Chapel Hill,NC 27514-5705
Phone:(919)968-2714
Fax:(919)969-2063
Help create a new Comprehensive Plan at http://www.chapelhill2020.org