OC COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This fall, the Orange County Commissioners are scheduled to approve a new Comprehensive Plan; the first such vote in nearly thirty years! If you work, live or own land in Orange County, the Plan affects you; it sets a vision for how the county will develop over the next 20 years.

Please take advantage of this once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the future of Orange County by voicing your interests and concerns to the Orange County Planning Board and County Commissioners.

Once adopted, the new Comprehensive Plan will begin to impact decisions about our tax base, the kind of jobs and housing created in the county, where new development will occur, what that development will look like, and how we will move about the county.

The draft Comprehensive Plan expresses a desire that growth be sustainable, but Orange County needs to hear from the public about how sustainability should be put into practice. For example, if you think Orange County needs more public transportation options or more mixed-use developments, let them know!

Public comments received this summer will have the most impact. There are two main ways to provide input: 1) submit written comments to the Planning Board before their next regular meeting on July 9 and 2) attend the August 25 Public Hearing and address the County Commissioners directly.

Written comments may be sent via email (CompPlanUpdate@co.orange.nc.us) or postal mail (Orange County Planning Board, Attn: Tom Altieri, Comprehensive Planning Supervisor, Orange County Planning and Inspections Department, 306-F Revere Rd., PO Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278). Comments received after July 9 but before August 13 will be seen by the County Commissioners and Planning Board before the August 25 Public Hearing.

The Comprehensive Plan guides the policy framework for a wide range of issues including land use, transportation, economic development, housing, energy conservation and production, and environmental protection. The County maintains a website for the Comprehensive Plan update. The draft plan is available in its entirety here (warning: large file!). To view specific sections of the draft plan, click on the links below.

Table of Contents
Plan Overview
Commissioners’ Planning Principles
Economic Development Element
Housing Element
Land Use Element
Natural and Cultural Systems Element
Parks and Recreation Element
Services and Facilities Element
Transportation Element
Appendices

This message is brought to you by the Orange County Comprehensive Plan Coalition, a group of 9 local organizations that joined together to monitor and give input on the Comprehensive Plan update. At our website, you can find our Vision Statement, the written comments we've submitted to date, and a list of participating groups. Our work is made possible in part by generous support from the Strowd Roses Foundation.

Throughout this summer, the Coalition will provide public education about the Comprehensive Plan at several community events. To be notified of these events, please email cpufeedback@gmail.com or call Rita Leadem at (919) 923-2535.

Thank you for your interest in the future of Orange County!

The Orange County Comprehensive Plan Coalition

Coalition Site