Title
Appointments to Board of Adjustment
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is for the Town Council to make appointments to the Board of Adjustment.
end
Department
DEPARTMENT: Town Clerk
end
Contact
CONTACT INFORMATION: Wesley Barker, wbarker@carrboronc.gov <mailto:wbarker@carrboronc.gov>, 919-918-7309
end
Council Direction
COUNCIL DIRECTION:
___ Race/Equity ____ Climate ____ Comprehensive Plan __X__Other
Council Direction Statement
Advisory Board appointments follows the Town’s Advisory Board Recruitment and Appointment Policy originally adopted by Council on 11-21-2017 and most recently revised on 3-16-2021. <https://www.carrboronc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5358/Town-of-Carrboro-Advisory-Board-Recruitment-and-Appointment-Policy-> This Advisory Board Recruitment and Appointment Policy is currently being evaluated using the Racial Equity Lens tool. The Council is scheduled to hold a work session on 3-14-2023 to discuss advisory boards and commissions in a broader scope, which will also include the Town’s Equity Tools pocket questions.
end
Information
INFORMATION: The Board of Adjustment shall consist of 9 members. Seven members, appointed by the Town Council, shall reside within the town. One member, appointed by the Orange County Board of Commissioners, shall reside within the Town's Extraterritorial planning area. One member, appointed by the Orange County Board of Commissioners, shall reside within the Town's Joint Planning transition area.
The Board of Adjustment currently has three (3) vacancies for in-town seats and one county-appointee seat up for re-appointment recommendation.
Due to a recent resignation by in-town Board of Adjustment member, Marcus Page, the Clerk’s office has been notified by the staff liaison that the Board of Adjustment runs the risk of not having a quorum at meetings.
A new application was received by Jenifer Wolfe for an in-town seat on the board. Ms. Wolfe has attended a meeting and Brian Hageman, Chair of the Board of Adjustment, has submitted the chair form.
Additionally, John Baker, who currently serves as an Orange County appointee, is up for re-appointment and is interested in continuing to serve. Mr. Baker was initially appointed to fill an unexpired partial term and has served one-full three-year term. The Council usually recommends a person to serve as the Orange County seat designee, which is appointed by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. The Clerk’s office corresponded with Orange County’s Clerks office on February 27, 2023, who stated they had advertised the position, but had not received any additional applicants for this seat. The town has also not received any new applications for this seat.
Applicant and chair information is attached as Attachment B.
A matrix of the Board of Adjustment is attached as Attachment C.
end
Fiscal and Staff Impact
FISCAL IMPACT: N/A
end
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that Council review and consider making an appointment to the Board of Adjustment’s in-town seat to alleviate potential quorum issues. It is also recommended that Council consider recommendation of John Baker for another term as the Orange County designee and send this recommendation to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners for consideration (Attachment A).
end