HomeMy Public PortalAbout12-19-2019 Minutes PB Regular Meeting
Assistant Town Manager/Planning Director Margaret Hauth
101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278
919-296-9471 | margaret.hauth@hillsboroughnc.gov
www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov
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Minutes
Planning Board
7 p.m. Dec. 19, 2019
Town Hall Annex Board Meeting Room, 105 E. Corbin St.
Present
Board: Chair Dan Barker, Chris Johnston, Alyse Polly, Jeff Scott, Jenn Sykes, Scott Taylor and Chris Wehrman
Staff: Planning Director Margaret Hauth and Public Information Specialist Cheryl Sadgrove
1. Call to order and confirmation of quorum
Chair Dan Barker called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Planning Director Margaret Hauth confirmed the
quorum.
2. Agenda changes and approval
A. Welcome Oliver Child-Lanning
Hauth said Oliver Child-Lanning, a new member, could not be present this evening.
B. Announce new member for retiring Chris Wehrman
Hauth explained that the interview had been moved to the following day, so she did not have an
announcement about Wehrman’s replacement.
C. Approval of 2020 meeting schedule
Motion: Member Jenn Sykes moved approval of the 2020 meeting schedule. Member Jeff Scott seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
3. Minutes review and approval
Minutes from regular meeting on Nov. 21, 2019
Motion: Sykes moved approval of the minutes as submitted. Scott seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
4. Discussion
A. Unified Development Ordinance text amendment to allow electronic message signs in certain circumstances
Hauth reviewed that the board had previously heard a request from a merchant in the Boone Square
shopping center for an electronic message sign. The merchant had noted that using a ladder and truck to
change the message on the manual changeable message sign was dangerous and that the electronic message
sign would help increase visibility of some of the shops at Boone Square.
Hauth said she had gathered some information about how other municipalities regulate electronic changeable
message signs. That information is included in the agenda packet. The Town of Hillsborough does not allow
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such signs, but all gas stations have them anyway to display gas prices. The town attorneys have told Hauth
they are comfortable with the text amendment language she has crafted. She said the legal rule of thumb is
one should not have to read the sign to determine how it is regulated. The regulation is supposed to be
message neutral.
Hauth said she would want to include in the text amendment a length of time between message changes so
that the message is not constantly changing.
Hauth added she does not like these signs, but she can see they offer better technology, safety for the person
who changes the message, and ease of reading. She said folks make a good point that it is unfair that gas
stations use them.
There was some question of whether all the business owners at Boone Square want this or just one merchant.
There was interest in hearing from other merchants in Boone Square and in town.
Hauth added that regulating how often the message can be changed is important. The board would not want
to allow moving components and would want to specify that the message can only contain letters, numbers
and logos and not photographs. She added that lighting is an issue and that the regulation can stipulate the
message board has to be dimmed at night when the businesses are closed.
Member Alyse Polly would like the number of font colors restricted so there is not a rainbow of colors used in
the message.
Hauth suggested the message be limited to three colors including the background.
Barker pointed out that LED lights create many colors based on only four colors, so the wording would have to
be clear that the viewer is only to be able to discern three colors.
Scott expressed interest in restricting the use of these signs to certain types of businesses.
Hauth said it is better to allow such signs by zoning district rather than by individual use. She suggested
allowing such signs only in the high-intensity commercial zoning district. An exception could be made for gas
stations, or town staff could continue to ignore that gas stations use this type of sign.
There was interest from the board in restricting such signs to multi-tenant business areas. The board and staff
expressed a desire to receive input from the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce. The board
discussed sending this item to public hearing and encouraging business owners to share their thoughts at the
hearing. It was decided to send this text amendment to public hearing, with the addition of a multi-tenant
restriction and a stipulation that the message board will be dimmed or turned off after business hours and
with restricting of colors not used in a logo. The board also wanted any business park wishing to install such a
sign to bring all other signage into compliance.
Hauth will research other jurisdictions with language about the intensity of lighting not to exceed 1 foot
candle.
Motion: Sykes moved to send this text amendment to public hearing. Polly seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
B. Unified Development Ordinance text amendment to modify and clarify land use buffer requirements (Section
6.5)
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Hauth referred to the chart on Page 29 of the packet. The chart presents options for different types of buffers.
She noted this text amendment should drastically reduce waiver requests.
Barker suggested also addressing stub outs for future adjacent parcel connections, which need to be exempt
from the buffer requirements. Hauth noted that addition to the amendment.
Barker added that sight triangles are exempt from the buffer at a driveway entrance. Hauth noted that
suggestion and said she might make a reference to visibility. Sight triangles are not really exempt from the
buffer, but the landscaped area has to allow for those sight triangles. Hauth said sight triangles are one reason
that plant density along the buffer is measured every 100 feet instead of continuously.
When asked, Hauth said trails are allowed in a buffer and trails can cross a buffer.
There was a suggestion about addressing lighting for trails in a buffer. Hauth said the town does not want lit
trails and she may add language making it clear that no general site lighting should be in the buffer.
Motion: Sykes moved to send the amendment to public hearing. Member Scott Taylor seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
C. Unified Development Ordinance text amendment to modify setbacks for freestanding accessory dwelling
units
Hauth said she created some new standards in K and L of Section 5.2.9.1 for the board to consider. She
reviewed the newly crafted language and noted that no one is asking for these changes. She is just continuing
the conversation about accessory dwelling units started at a previous meeting.
The board briefly discussed a desire to avoid crafting language at a property owner’s request and also to see a
pattern of requests before crafting a text amendment.
Taylor noted that a word was missing in Standard K.
The board decided not to send a text amendment on accessory dwelling units to the public hearing in January.
5. Staff updates
A. Expected public hearing items (Jan. 16)
Hauth briefly named some public hearing items she expected on the Jan. 16, 2020, agenda.
6. Adjournment
Motion: Sykes moved to adjourn at 8 p.m.
Vote: Unanimous
Respectfully submitted,
Margaret A. Hauth
Secretary