Two Orange supervisors will work out details of big-box ordinance

BY ROBIN KNEPPER

Date published: 6/26/2008

BY ROBIN KNEPPER

In an attempt to get ahead of a big-box retailer who has submitted a site plan for a 141,487 square-foot store in the northeast corner of Orange County, supervisors passed a big-box ordinance two weeks ago.

But while it would require a special-use permit to build any retail establishment larger than 60,000 square feet, it lacked any standards for the new construction.

Community Development Director David Grover had included standards in the draft ordinance, but the supervisors took them out and told him to try again.

Grover presented his second try to the supervisors Tuesday night. This time, the standards were called guidelines, but they looked pretty much like what Grover had drafted the first time.

"It still feels like an ordinance," Supervisor Lee Frame said. "What we're looking for is attractive architecture to complement the county. But what looks nice is in the eye of the beholder."

It quickly became obvious that supervisors would never agree on what the guidelines should be--whether they should be suggestions or requirements, whether they should dictate good taste or accept practicality, whether they are a starting point for negotiations with developers or standards developers must meet.

Buffering big buildings with trees and other vegetation became another heated topic of conversation that supervisors could not settle. But the subject got succinctly explained by board Chairman Mark Johnson.

"The uglier the building," he said, "the more trees we want."

He then tapped Supervisors Zack Burkett, who is both pro-business and pro-rural conservation, and Frame, a former Planning Commission member fond of details, to work with Grover to come up with another set of guidelines for supervisors to consider.

In other business, the supervisors voted to sell the school system the playground equipment and indoor furnishings used by the county-sponsored Child Garden day-care center in the Taylor Education Administration Complex. The county has decided to get out of the day-care business and will close the Child Garden at the end of July.

The school system is planning to start a day-care program for the children of employees in the same place and offered the county $7,000 for the indoor and outdoor equipment.

Three supervisors agreed to the offer. Supervisor Teri Pace wanted $15,000 for the equipment, but her motion died for lack of a second. She abstained from voting on the final motion. Burkett opposed it.

The new day-care center will start operation Aug. 1.

Robin Knepper: 540/972-5701
Email: rknepper@earthlink.net

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Date published: 6/26/2008