Public Hearing on proposed comprehensive plan for Orange County

Do you live, work or own land in Orange County? Are you concerned the increasing cost of housing? Do you want farmland and natural areas to be protected? Would you like the county’s commercial tax base grow? Do you want the soon-to-be-updated comprehensive plan to address climate change?

If so, you may want to attend the Public Hearing next Monday, May 19 (7:30 p.m., Gordon Battle Courtroom, Hillsborough) and express your views. County staff and planning board members will present a proposed update of the 1981 comprehensive land use plan.

The Comprehensive Plan update will direct how Orange County will develop through the year 2030. It guides decisions for a wide range of local issues: housing, economic development, transportation, land use, environment, parks & recreation, and community services & utilities. The draft comprehensive plan is available on line at http://www.co.orange.nc.us/planning/DRAFTCOMPPLAN050608.asp. Hard copies can be viewed at the public libraries in Carrboro, Cedar Grove, and Hillsborough.

While comments are best submitted on or before May 19^th, the county planning board is likely to take written comments until at least its June 4 meeting.

Making public comments is easy and can be done in several ways.
* You can submit written and/or verbal comments at the Public Hearing.
* You can email comments to County staff at CompPlanUpdate@co.orange.nc.us.
* You can call county staff with your comments at (919) 245-2575, or you can mail written comments to the Orange County Department of Planning and Inspections, 306-F Revere Road, PO Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278.

For more information on the planning process visit the Orange County Comprehensive Plan website: http://www.co.orange.nc.us/planning/compre_cpupdate.asp.

To learn about the Orange County Comprehensive Plan Coalition, visit http://thevillageproject.com/cpu/