Y'ALL COME!

Here is the info and agenda for the public input session on the Comprehensive Plan


Comprehensive Plan Public Input Session January 28, 2008 7:00 PM
Southern Human Services Center

Anticipated Attendance: Public, representatives of Element Lead Advisory Boards (ELAB), Element Managers, and Consultant.


Desired Outcomes

. Attendees understand the status of the Comprehensive Plan Update.

. Public has an additional opportunity for public input.

. County collects additional public input for Consultant, County Staff, and ELAB members to use as an additional resource for the development of the draft Comprehensive Plan Update.


Groundrules

. Begin and adjourn on time . One speaker at a time

. Stick to task and topic

. Share the floor

.Listen attentively

.It is OK to disagree.. .please do so respectfully


(For the Break Out Session, eight stations, one for each Element to be completed during Phase II and one for the overall process, are provided around the room.)


Agenda

7:00 Convene

Welcome

Introductions


7:05 Comprehensive Plan Update Public Briefing .

Presentation by Roger Waldon, Clarion Associates. .

Status of Plan update.


7:20 Next Steps in the Comprehensive Plan Update Process

. Presentation by Tom Altieri.. Comprehensive Planning Supervisor.

. Explanation of what Consultant, staff: and ELAB members will do with the input provided and what the immediate next couple of steps are in the update process.


7 :25 Open Discussion

. Public encouraged to provide input on Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents and convey
any ideas they may have on Objectives to address each of the Plan's Goals. Table of Contents and Goals available online at:
www.co.orange.nc.us/planning/compre_cpupdate.asp#Key

. Staff and Consultant in the mode to listen and document rather than respond.

. Responses to clarify the process for updating the Plan may be necessary.


8:10 Break Out Session

. Public may visit stations around the room for one-on-one with Element Managers and ELAB
representatives.

. Comment cards made available at each station for any written comments.

. Element Managers and ELAB representatives document any new or additional comments
heard.


8:50 Reconvene

. Element Managers and ELAB" representatives share any new or additional comments not
heard during "Open Discussion". No need to echo what may have already been stated.

9:00 Adjourn

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Note: this opinion piece was submitted to the local media by Fred Black and Adam Klein, Director of Government Relations and Economic Development at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce

What’s a comprehensive plan and why should you care about the one being developed for Orange County? Excellent questions both, and citizens deserve good answers.
A comprehensive plan serves as a public document that guides policy decisions pertaining to a wide range of local issues, from housing to economic development to transportation. The current Orange County Land Use-Comprehensive Plan was developed in 1981 and only intended to cover 20 years. Given this, County staff have embarked on an update process, begun in 2006, to gather public opinion and data for inclusion in a new plan.

Maybe comprehensive plans often receive so little citizen attention because people don’t know about them until they are approved. There are many things competing for our attention and this is just one, but comprehensive plans play an extremely important role in shaping the long-term future of a community and therefore, should grab our attention.

We are writing to encourage you to voice your opinion at an important public input session that will be held in Chapel Hill at the Southern Human Services Building on Monday, January 28 at 7:00 pm. The input session will begin with a formal time for citizens to speak at a podium about what they would like to see in the plan.

Afterward, County staff will be stationed throughout the room, each representing one of the seven plan elements: Economic Development, Housing, Land Use, Natural and Cultural Systems, Recreation and Parks, Services/Utilities and Community Facilities, and Transportation. During this period, staff will be in a listening mode giving County residents a chance to talk about important goals they desire to see included within each of the elements.

Therefore, we hope citizens will come out to provide input and help shape the seven Plan elements that will guide our County’s future. We think it is important for the plan to reflect the collective opinions and visions of Orange County residents.

The Community Action Network (CAN) and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce are two of the seven members of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan Coalition, a broad coalition of community and business organizations, which—in addition to encouraging public participation in the planning process—is interested in ensuring the Comprehensive Plan Update engender sustainable, just and equitable outcomes.

CAN and the Chamber both believe that the Comprehensive Plan needs to be an affirming document, directing appropriate forms of commercial and residential development to designated areas. Further, CAN and the Chamber believe it is important that the Comprehensive Plan recommend enabling ordinances and administrative mechanisms that encourage, reward, and expedite desirable development.

Your participation in forging Orange County’s goals is important, and we all know what happens if we as citizens fail to participate. If you are interested in learning more about the Comprehensive Plan Update Process please visit the County’s dedicated website at: http://www.co.orange.nc.us/planning/compre_cpupdate.asp. If you would like to provide feedback to the Comprehensive Plan Coalition or find out more information please send an email to the following address: cpufeedback@gmail.com