TITLE
Title
UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE (UDO) TEXT AMENDMENT CASE #25-12-PLBD-00149: AN AMENDMENT TO APPENDIX 2 (MAP STANDARDS) OF THE UDO TO UPDATE CURRENT DOCUMENT SUBMITTAL PROCESSES, CLARIFY TECHNICAL TERMINOLOGY, AND MATCH EXISTING ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
J. Leslie Bell
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BACKGROUND
Background
Proposed Text Amendment Case #25-12-PLBD-00149 (attached) to Appendix 2 - Map Standards of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) updates current document submittal processes, clarifies technical terminology, and aligns with existing administrative practices.
Additionally, the amendment clarifies various terminology, including specifying that Riparian Buffers and associated Buffer Zones are to be indicated on plans submitted to the County for review. Stream buffers are currently covered in the Map Standards Table as “stream features” to be shown on plans submitted for review. While stream buffers are stream features, adding the specific language makes this clear in the Map Standard Table.
Riparian Buffers are regulatory areas that are currently required by state law and exist around perennial streams, intermittent streams, and other water bodies as outlined in Guilford County UDO Subsection. 9.1.I Stream Buffers and as required by 15A NCAC 02B .0267 Jordan Water Supply Nutrient Strategy: Protection of Existing Riparian Buffers, 15A NCAC 02B .0724 Randleman Lake Water Supply Watershed: Protection and Maintenance of Existing Riparian Buffers, and 15A NCAC 02B .0624 Water Supply Watershed Protection Program: Nonpoint Source and Stormwater Pollution Control (Subsection. 11 Vegetated Setbacks).
The amendment also makes various other grammatical edits and adjusts procedures in accordance with current administrative practice listed below.
At its February 11, 2026 regular meeting, the Guilford County Planning Board unanimously recommended to the Board of Commissioners that Text Amendment Case #25-12-PLBD-00149 (minutes attached) be adopted, as presented herein. (Ayes: Alston, Donnelly, Gullick, Little, and Stalder. Nays: None).
A summary of the proposed amendment is below:
• Amend Section A-1 to remove the requirement for printed copies of maps and other review materials to be submitted physically to the County for review. This is no longer a requirement as the County now uses the Civic Access Portal and Enterprise Permitting and Licensing Software (EPL)for submittal and review of applications and associated documents.
• Amend Section A-2 to remove the word “Annexations.”
• Amend Table A-2, which details the current map standards and requirements, and is modified, as follows:
o Clarifies that riparian buffers and buffer zones, currently referred to in the UDO as “stream features,” are to be shown on all maps.
o Removes the Technical Review Committee (TRC) as a decision-making body from determining the requirement of front, side, and rear elevations of proposed buildings. This is consistent with a previous Text Amendment which removed TRC as a decision-making authority.
• Amend Section A-3, which provides the language for required Map Certificates, to make various technical and grammatical edits.
The full text of the proposed amendments is attached. The text to be removed is shown with a single strikethrough, and the new text to be added is underlined.
The staff report is also attached.
Consistency with Adopted Plans:
The proposed amendment is consistent with the Guiding Principles under the Future Land Use Framework for Sensible Growth under Guilford County’s Guiding Guilford Moving Forward Together Comprehensive Plan. The Vision states that “In order to house this growth, the County needs to begin implementing measures, policies, and regulations to ensure that future development patterns are reflective of the community’s Vision.” This text amendment aligns the Unified Development Ordinance with this statement to streamline County procedures for reviewing development applications and alignment with current state law.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDS REQUIRED
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Hold a legislative hearing, adopt the text amendments as proposed in Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Text Amendment Case #25-12-PLBD-00149, and adopt the aforementioned statement of plan consistency, as presented herein, to modify the UDO to update application submittal processes to align with current electronic submittal and review, amend Table A-2 to clarify technical terminology, map standards, and match existing administrative practices, and Amend Table A-3 with technical and grammatical edits for required Map Certificates.
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