Orange County continues hearing on Fiddlehead Corner rezoning after packed public comment

Orange County commissioners opened a public hearing Feb. 4 on a rezoning and parallel text and comprehensive-plan amendments proposed for a 90-acre property at the intersection of Goldmine Loop and Morrow Mill Road but continued the hearing to March 6 after lengthy testimony and a late revision to the applicant’s plan.

The applicant seeks to rezone the site from agricultural-residential (AR) to a master plan development conditional district (MPD CD), to amend Appendix F of the county comprehensive plan to allow MPD CD within rural neighborhood activity nodes, and to amend the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) so family care facilities are a permitted use in the MPD CD. Planning staff told the board the UDO amendment to recognize family care facilities in residential districts is necessary to conform with state law.

Why it matters: The package would change how development is allowed in one of Orange County’s rural neighborhood activity nodes and would make the MPD CD zoning option available countywide in activity nodes. Planning staff said any future MPD CD rezonings would still require full legislative review, but opponents warned that approving these text changes would open rural nodes to higher-density projects in places without municipal water and sewer.

Most immediate actions and status - The public hearing for the rezoning and associated UDO and comprehensive-plan amendments was opened Feb. 4 and continued to March 6, 2025, at 7 p.m. at the Whitted Building (motion by Chair Bedford; second not specified; motion carries). The board directed that those who signed up at the Feb. 4 meeting be eligible to speak at the continued hearing. - Planning staff noted the county planning board previously recommended denial at its July 2024 meeting. No final vote on any of the applicant’s rezoning, UDO text amendment, or comprehensive-plan amendment occurred Feb. 4.

What was proposed and what changed Staff and the applicant described a multi-piece application. The property owner and applicant materials in the packet proposed a master plan for a residential community with supporting amenities, including two family-care facilities and community water and…