The Town of Pittsboro Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend a text amendment to the town Unified Development Ordinance that would change references from “planning director” to “development services director” in the code and related review tables.

Staff told the board the change is largely administrative but extensive: “There’s, 229 instances where it references Planning Director that need to be swapped to the Development Director,” the staff presenter said, and pointed to Exhibit A — the table of development review procedures — where an asterisk clarifies when an engineer or engineering manager would assume review responsibilities.

The amendment, labeled ZTA 2025-01, would update language across multiple sections (starting with 9.2 and continuing through associated sections) and adjust the review-authority table to show that, if the development services director is not a licensed engineer, the engineering manager or a licensed PE may perform engineer-specific reviews. A board member asked whether deleting certain language in section 9.3.0.1 would effectively remove the engineer’s role. Staff replied that the asterisk in the table and the proposed wording preserve the engineer’s review role either through the development services director (if that person is the engineer) or a designated PE.

Board members also sought and received confirmation that the planning director would serve as the designee for the development services director when the latter is absent. A board member asked whether this board was taking final action; the moderator clarified the planning board’s role: this vote is a recommendation to the Town Board, which will consider final adoption.

James Foster moved to recommend approval of ZTA 2025-01 with the amendment proposed by Alan Wilson; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously. The board’s recommendation will now be forwarded to the Town Board for review and final action.