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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-01-2025; 11-a - Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 1, 2025 Action Agenda Item No. 11-a SUBJECT: Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Member and Applicant Summary Sheet Clerk's Office, 919-245-2125 Application of Member for Reappointment Application of Applicant Membership Roster Applicant Interest List PURPOSE: To discuss and approve appointments to the Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment. BACKGROUND: The Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment is authorized to hear variance cases regarding the provisions of the Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinance and appeal cases regarding decisions made by Town of Chapel Hill staff. The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) appoints one (1) member representing the Chapel Hill Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ), one (1) member representing the Chapel Hill ETJ or the Joint Planning Area (JPA), and one (1) alternate member representing the Chapel Hill ETJ or J PA. Per North Carolina General Statute § 160D-307 and the Joint Planning Agreement, the Chapel Hill Town Council is able to make appointments to these seats if the BOCC does not do so within ninety (90) days of receiving a request from the Town of Chapel Hill. In January, Clerk's Office staff received a request from the Town of Chapel Hill to make appointments by April 6, 2025. Since the Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment is not an Orange County-created board or commission, it does not submit an Annual Work Plan. The Town of Chapel Hill does not make recommendations for appointments to this board. The following individual and positions are presented for Board consideration: NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Benjamin (BJ) Chapel Hill ETJ First Full Term 06/30/2028 Warshaw (reappointment) 2 BOCC Chapel Hill ET J or First Full Term 06/30/2027 Appointee JPA If the positions listed above are filled, the following vacancy remains: POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION DESIGNATION DATE Chapel Hill ETJ 06/30/2026 Vacant since 06/30/2023 or J PA-Alternate FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item. ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: There are no Orange County Strategic Plan Goals applicable to this item. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board discuss and approve appointments to the Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment. 3 Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment Members and Applicants Name Member or Applicant? I Gender Identity Race/Ethnic Background Age Range Township Also Serves on Benjamin(BJ)Warshaw Member Male White 35-59 Chapel Hill Emilio Garza Applicant Male Other 18-34 Chapel Hill 4 Page 1 of 2 Benjamin (BJ) Warshaw Volunteer Application Orange County Advisory Boards and Commissions Name: Benjamin (BJ) Warshaw Name Called: Home Address: 1439 Smith Level Rd. Chapel Hill NC 27516 Phone: 917-620-4969 Email: benjarwar@gmail.com Year of OC Residence: 2015 Township of Residence: Chapel Hill Zone of Residence: Chapel Hill ETJ Gender Identity: Male Ethnic Background: White Age Range: 35-59 Community Activities/Organizational Memberships: - LEVEL retreat (co-owner/founder, grassroots artist residency) - Southern Entryway Alliance (founding member, neighborhood group focused on issues around development in and around the Southern ETJ of Chapel Hill) - Orange County Arts Commission (panelist, 2023-2024 Visual Artist Grants) - Cosmic Rays (sponsor, local experimental film festival) - Orange County Dems (member, former GoTV volunteer, web consultant) - COVID Tracking Project (volunteer web development, data visualization) Past Service on Orange County Advisory Boards: N/A Boards/Commissions applied for: Boards/Commissions appointments: Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment Application Date: 3/3/2024 Background, education and experience relevant to this board: My wife and I moved to Chapel Hill in 2015 in pursuit of a better life. We had been living in New Jersey, and before that metropolises (I in Brooklyn, she in Chicago). We had tired of big city life, and longed for a community where we could put down roots Reasons for wanting to serve on this board: As I stated in my application for the Planning Commission, since moving to Chapel Hill, I have been paying close attention to the changes around Town. I know that Chapel Hill has a reputation of being overly deliberative when it comes to development, as w Conflict of Interest: See above. 5 Page 2 of 2 Benjamin (BJ) Other Comments: This application was current on: 3/3/2024 6:47:19 PM Date Printed: 3/21/2025 6 Page 1 of 2 Emilio Garza Volunteer Application Orange County Advisory Boards and Commissions Name: Mr. Emilio Garza Name Called: Home Address: 43 North Circle Dr. Chapel Hill NC 27516 Phone: 616-581-4043 Email: emilio.garza1994@gmail.com Year of OC Residence: 2023 Township of Residence: Chapel Hill Zone of Residence: Chapel Hill ETJ Gender Identity: Male Ethnic Background: Other Age Range: 18-34 Community Activities/Organizational Memberships: Occasional volunteering at local organizations like the North Carolina Diaper Bank. No current organizational memberships. Past Service on Orange County Advisory Boards: None Boards/Commissions applied for: Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment Please explain how your background, education and experience is relevant to this board I have roughly a decade of experience as a software engineer along with a bachelors degree in computer science and classical studies from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. My chosen career requires attention to detail, critical thinking, and adaptability to ensure critical systems relied on by multinational clients remain in full working order. I believe these skills will help me in evaluating novel variance requests by allowing me to critically analyze usage cases and anticipate potential issues. My education in classical studies has also given me an appreciation for the historical value of land and structures. I believe this will help me maintain a long-term viewpoint on land usage decisions and the potential impacts on a larger time frame than I will personally experience. Please explain your reasons for wanting to serve on this board I recently chose to remain in Chapel Hill long-term after years of short-term habitation for education and work purposes. Now that we are putting down roots, I am looking for opportunities to invest my time into my local community to contribute to its success. This role in particular is appealing given its impact on the future of the town, which I am particularly interested in as I hope to be part of that future for many years to come. I became interested in urban planning and land usage after traveling internationally and observing first hand how man made environments can positively and negatively shape the lives of inhabitants. I am excited to be a part of that process and help maintain the community as a place in which I love to live. 7 Page 2 of 2 Emilio Garza How would your particpation on this board contribute to the diversity of viewpoints? As a member of the board, I would commit myself to fostering an environment where diverse viewpoints would be welcome and actively invited. I believe that diversity of thought must be actively encouraged to prevent its loss from any particular conversation and I am happy to continue to push that consideration to the forefront of my work with this board. I believe that I, personally, would contribute diversity through the many places I have called home in the past. I have lived in heavily urbanized cities, small towns, and rural outposts at various points in my life. This offers me a unique perspective on the positives and negatives of growth in a community as I have experienced many points on the spectrum of community size. Do you have any personal or business interest(s)that could create a conflict of interest (either real or perceived) if you are appointed to this board? Boards/Commissions appointments: Other Comments: This application was current on: 2/25/2025 7:32:48 AM Date Printed: 2/25/2025 8 Board and Commission Members And Vacant Positions Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment Meeting Times: 7:30 pm First Wednesday of each month Contact Person:Brenton Hodge Meeting Place: Chapel Hill Town Hall Contact Phone: 919-969-5055 Positions: 3 Length:3 years Terms: 2 Description: The Board of Commissioners appoints citizens to fill three County positions on this board. This board hears and decides appeals from any decision or determination by the Town Manager,Council,or the Planning Board in granting or denying site plan approval,or of the Appearance Commission in granting or denying sign plan approval or of the Historic District Commission or Appearance Commission in granting or denying a Certificate of Appropriateness.The Chair is elected in August for a one-year term. Benjamin (BJ) Warshaw 1 First Appointed: 03/19/2024 Gender Identity: Male Township: Chapel Hill Current Appointment: 03/19/2024 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: ETJ-Chapel Hill Expiration: 06/30/2025 Age Range: 35-59 Special Repr: B.O.C.C.Appointee Number of Terms: VACANT 2 First Appointed: Gender Identity: Township: Current Appointment: Ethnic Background: Residency Req: ETJ or JPA Expiration: 06/30/2027 Age Range: Special Repr: B.O.C.C.Appointee Number of Terms: VACANT 3 First Appointed: Gender Identity: Township: Current Appointment: Ethnic Background: Residency Req: ETJ or JPA Expiration: 06/30/2026 Age Range: Special Repr: B.O.C.0 Alternate Number of Terms: Thursday,March 13,2025 Page 1 9 Applicant Interest Listing by Board Name and by Applicant Name Contact Person: Brenton Hodge Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment Contact Phone: 919-969-5055 Mr. Emilio Garza Gender Identity: Male Date Applied: 02/25/2025 Ethnic Background: Other Township: Chapel Hill Age Range: 18-34 Zone of Residence: Chapel Hill ETJ Also Serves On: Thursday,March 13,2025 Page 1 of 1