MINUTES

 

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA                                          BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

COUNTY OF HENDERSON                                                                         OCTOBER 3, 2002

 

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners met for a special called meeting at 2:00 p.m. in the Commissioners' Conference Room of the Henderson County Office Building at 100 North King Street, Hendersonville, North Carolina.

 

Those present were: Chairman Bill Moyer, Vice-Chairman Marilyn Gordon, Commissioner Charlie Messer, Commissioner Grady Hawkins, Commissioner Don Ward, Planning Director Karen C. Smith, County Manager David E. Nicholson, Clerk to the Board Elizabeth W. Corn and Assistant to the County Manager Selena D. Coffey.

 

Absent was: County Attorney Angela S. Beeker.

 

WELCOME AND CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Moyer called the meeting to order, stating that the purpose of the meeting was a workshop on the zoning ordinance rewrite.

 

ZONING ORDINANCE REWRITE

Karen Smith had assembled for the Board all the information and all the changes that had been made to the zoning ordinance rewrite thus far. She outlined some of the most significant items staff had worked on, and explained the changes to those items. Those items were buffering, levels of standards, junkyards, flexible storage, manufactured home parks, adult establishments and yard sales.

 

Outstanding items that staff still needs to work on were Planned Unit Developments and the definition of churches. Ms. Smith questioned whether the Board wished staff to obtain specific comments from the Board of Education as to certain industrial uses. She stated that staff had yet to hear back from Cooperative Extension on buffering, or the Committee of 100 on changes to the General Industrial District. She also stated that there were still several sections staff needed to go through in detail just to make sure everything works together.

 

Commissioner Ward arrived at this point in the meeting.

 

Commissioner Hawkins requested that Chairman Moyer correspond with the chairman of the Board of Education to determine the uses they feel should not be located close to schools. He questioned whether the uses the Board of Education felt would be detrimental would correspond to the Board of Commissioners thinking. He also hoped that Cooperative Extension would provide some comment on agricultural buffers.

 

Commissioner Hawkins requested that the following items be discussed at the next meeting:

C                  Junkyards - The Ordinance discusses registration with the Department of Motor Vehicles. There is a difference between a titled vehicle and a tagged vehicle, and questioned which of those the word Aregistration@ covered.

C                  Buffer Areas Required - General Requirement - That paragraph calls for a minimum 30 foot buffer, or as determined by the Zoning Administrator. Commissioner Hawkins stated that he was not comfortable with that paragraph as it currently read, and requested additional discussion at the next meeting. Ms. Smith stated that the wording came from the Watershed Ordinance, and she would confirm that it was correct. There followed discussion on the Watershed Ordinance, and the state requirements for such an Ordinance.

C                  Airport Overlay Districts - Commissioner Hawkins questioned whether such an overlay district was appropriate for this area, especially for the Hendersonville airport.   

C                  Standards - Waste Collection, Hours of Operation - Commissioner Hawkins expressed concern regarding the limitations on hours of operation.

C                  Incentive Credits for Preserving Vegetation.  

C                  Buffer Strip Requirements - It currently states that ABuffer strips may only contain buffer screens, driveways, sidewalks or other pedestrian or bicycle paths, walls, fences or required landscaping, berms or utility lines.@ Commissioner Hawkins felt that if the buffer contained a sidewalk or a driveway, it may not provide the visual separation of a buffer.

C                  Signs for Public Buildings or Churches - These signs would not be allowed to exceed sixteen (16) square feet in area. Many other uses allowed much larger signage. Ms. Smith stated that the sizes noted were what would be allowed without a permit, and that she would look into the differences.

C                  Standard of Review - There was a portion of the section which was highlighted, and Commissioner Hawkins questioned why it was highlighted. Ms. Smith stated that she would go back and check her notes on why the statement was highlighted.

 

Chairman Moyer questioned whether the Board was ready to set a public input date. He felt it was time to find out if the public felt the rewrite was going in the right direction. It was the consensus of the Board to set a public input date. Chairman Moyer stated that he would send a letter to the schools asking them to specifically focus on whether there are any provisions currently in the Ordinance that they felt would adversely effect their operations. He also stated that a letter should be sent to the churches to get their opinion on the definition of churches. He requested the draft be made available to the public in the libraries and in the county office.

 

Ms. Smith is currently trying to make the draft available on the Internet. She would also provide a copy to Sinclair Office Supply, who would make copies for the public when requested.

 

Commissioner Gordon made the motion to set the public input session for Monday, October 28th at 7:00 pm. All voted in favor and the motion carried.   

 

Commissioner Hawkins made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 2:28 p.m.  All voted in favor and the motion carried.

 

Attest:

 

                                                                                                                                                              Elizabeth W. Corn, Clerk to the Board                      William L. Moyer, Chairman