JACKSON COUNTY PLANNING BOARD  MINUTES  Date: May 14, 2020 Time Begin: 6:00 p.m. Time End: 6:28 p.m. Location: ZOOM Members Emily Moss Sandy Davis Jeremy Hyatt Kirk Shufelt Staff) Present:  Present Absent X X X  Present Absent X X X X  Present Absent X X  Tamera Crisp Brad Waldrop X Mark Letson Zachary Newland  Joyce Cooper Steven Johannessen Tommy White  X  Michael Poston- Planning Director John. Jeleniewski- Senior Planner Caroline LaFrienier- Planner II Heather Baker- County Attorney Allison Kelley- Administrative. Assistant Call to Order and Quorum Check  Vice Chair Mark Letson called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and a quorum was present.  Public Comment  * Karen Kandl (Oak Forest Resident): Ms. Kandl thanked the Board for considering changing the number of unrelated individuals living in: single family housing to no more than three individuals in the Cullowhee zoned areas regardless of their location. It is disingenuous that single-family housing should mean a whole posse of unrelated people living in a single dwelling. She stated it should not matter whether or not the dwelling is close to or further from WCU. Ms. Kandl stated that some people suggest that the limit not be changed because limits such as these are impossible to enforce, which is not the case as the county has enforced this in the past. In addition, other communities enforce limits such as these, and believes this community can do the same. Others argue that these types of limits would hurt developers and people buying property for rentals. Not having these limits hurts the people that bought houses in the neighborhoods because those neighborhoods were quiet and relatively free from students. Ms. Kandl stated the Board is here to serve both the existing community and the future of the community. The limit of no more than three unrelated people in a single-family unit would serve the community well. It would help protect the quality and character of the existing neighborhoods, and would not harm developers if Pam Buskey (Oak Forest Resident): Ms. Buskey stated she would like to reiterate Ms. Kandl's public comment and the community would like the opportunity to reduce the number of unrelated Joseph Pechmann (Oak Forest Resident): Mr. Pechmann stated he is in support of the proposition to reduce the number of unrelated people than can live in a house, in an area zoned single-family from five to three unrelated people within 341 mile from WCU. Hel believes this amendment would make the definition of single family housing consistent across the Cullowhee Community Planning Area, and consistent with the regulations used in most places in Jackson County, the  theiri intent were to build single-family housing.  people in a single-family dwelling to three unrelated individuals..    State of North Carolina, and elsewhere. Mr. Pechmann stated he was surprised to learn a few months ago that single-family housing was defined differently in the area within %1 mile of WCU by zoning regulations. This area includes his entire neighborhood Oak Forest, and nearly all of the Cullowhee Community Planning Area designated as single family residential. He stated single-family neighborhoods near WCU, including Oak Forest should be treated the same way and given the same protections by zoning as other neighborhoods. He stated by limiting the number of unrelated people that can live in a single family zoned dwelling willl keep single family residential districts from becoming taken over by students or other renters. Students and other renters are transient and do not have the same investment as family homeowners do in the long- term good of their house and community, In addition, student lifestyles are often not a good mix with those of families. He stated a neighborhood that becomes dominated by student rentals becomes undesirable for single families, and housing prices would drop accordingly. Mr. Pechmann believes that allowing five unrelated people to share a single-family zoned house near WCU decreases the availability of affordable housing in Cullowhee. Those people that buy homes and rent to students are not renting at bargain prices. Rather, the landlords that turn these homes into student rentals will make money on them at the expense oft the availably ofa affordable family housing for the community. He asked the Board to please give the neighbors of WCU the same protections for the character and quality of our neighborhoods as others by eliminating this exception to the definition ofa family within three quarters ofai mile of WCU. Hiddy Morgan (Buzzards Roost Resident): Ms. Morgan encouraged the Board to vote in favor of the proposed change as recommended by the Cullowhee Planning Council. She asked the Board to amend Section 9.4.4, maximum number of unrelated person in a home shall be three unrelated persons ifi in a single-family housing neighborhood. In addition, to remove the requirement that five unrelated person if a home is % mile or less from WCU campus. Ms. Morgan asked the Board to consider their concerns as these neighborhoods need to be preserved, and to consider Catherine Carter (Oak Forest Resident): Ms. Carter stated she was in favor of reducing the number of unrelated people per single family dwelling to three unrelated people. In addition, she believes it is important to preserve the character of the existing neighborhoods, as a neighborhood changes when students move in to occupy single-family homes. In reference to Gene Norton, the community does not want single-family homes to become de facto frat houses. This is a possibility as itl has happened in other neighborhoods and they are against allowing this to happen and are for reducing the number of unrelated persons to three, as this would be a good safeguard. Brad Waldrop made a motion to approve the agenda as written. Sandy Davis seconded the motion, and it Brad Waldrop made a motion to approve the minutes from February 13th, 2020. Tommy White seconded  approving this text amendment.  Approval of the Agenda carried unanimously. Approval of the Minutes the motion, and it carried unanimously,  New Business  a) Text Amendment to Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Section 9.4.4 of the Cullowhee Mike Poston presented to the Board that the proposed text amendment from the Cullowhee Planning Council and from the Cullowhee standards in UDO Section 9.4.4. The Council had discussed at length over this standard regarding the number of unrelated people allowed to live in a single-family housing district. The existing language was problematic as it speaks about student rentals that they cannot discriminate against based on fair housing laws. However, staff can look at unrelated persons, which would include students that are attending  Community Planning District  2    schoolsi in the area. The current regulation also breaks downt the distance ofs single-family homes in the district based ont thec distancei from' WCU campus. The Council asked staff to review this standard to for more clarity andt to be consistent with the Cullowhee Small Areal Plan. This plan calls toj protect single-family existing gneighborhoodsand this text amendment wouldb be providing Staff changed "Student Rentals" to "Unrelated) Persons," ' removed the Xmile from WCU campus rule, and added therule that the maximumi number ofunrelated persons in a home shall bet three. Mr. Poston stated thisrule only applies to thes single-familyzonede districts and would notatfrectmuliramly housingdeyelopments that are student housingi in otherdistricts. Tamera Crisp made a motion to approve the text amendment and recommend. for adoption and the consistency statement. Tommy White seconded the motion, and it carried  the framework to doso.  unanimously. b) OathofOffice c) StaffUpdates  Agenda item tableduntil next Boardmeeting.  Mike Poston introduced new Board members Zac Newland and Emily Moss to the Planning Board and Planningl Department staff.) Hes stateds staffamidst the Stay at Home Order has been fully operating andi functioningt telecommuting! by reviewingplats, issuingzoning/sign permits, and responding to code çompliance: and complaints. Hei informedt the Board therey would bea) June meeting for a subdivision request and currently was unsure ifity would be virtual ori in- person and that would depend ont the guidance from theNC Governor's Office and1 local Public John. Jeleniewskii informed thel Board that theyl hadi reviewed and approveda Tiny) Homes Subdivision (Whiteside Cliffs) att the end of2019.The: applicant is planning to doa ai modification request as theyl have! been) having issues with the 321 lots/units and will be coming back to the  Health Officials.  Board ini the future to lessen the density.  Adjournment  Withi no further business, Kirk Shufeltr madear motion to adjourn. Tommy' White seconded the motion and  the meeting adjourned at 6:28p.m. Submitted by: Mblis Allison Kelley  Approved by:  dlle  Ak  Mark Letson  Administrative Assistant  Planning  Planning Board Vice Chairman  3