One of the ways residents can positively impact the future of Orange County is to serve on a volunteer board or commission.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners needs applicants for the following boards and commissions:
Adult Care Home and Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee – This committee works to maintain the intent of the Adult Care Home and Nursing Home Residents’ Bills of Rights and promote community involvement and cooperation with these homes to ensure quality care for older and disabled adults. In addition to quarterly visits to facilities, this committee typically meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00 pm. There is an initial training period before appointment by the Board of County Commissioners. There are currently four (4) vacancies. View more about serving on the Adult Care Home and Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee in this video. Advisory Board on Aging – This Board acts as the liaison between older adults in Orange County and County government by making recommendations and suggesting polices to the Board of County Commissioners and the Orange County Department on Aging, particularly with respect to the needs for a comprehensive, integrated approach to the delivery of services in the fields of health, mental health, social services, recreation, employment and other programs for older adults. The Advisory Board on Aging typically meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 1:00 pm. There are currently two (2) at-large vacancies. Affordable Housing Advisory Board – The Affordable Housing Advisory Board advises the Board of County Commissioners regarding prioritizing housing needs, assessing project proposals, publicizing the County’s housing objectives, monitoring the progress of local housing programs, exploring new funding opportunities, and increasing the community’s awareness of, understanding of, commitment to, and involvement in producing attractive affordable housing. This board typically meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. There is currently one (1) at-large vacancy. Agricultural Preservation Board – This Board seeks to encourage the voluntary preservation of farmland from non-farm development, recognizing the importance of agriculture to the economic and cultural life of the county. It administers the County’s Voluntary Farmland Protection Program ordinance and advises the Board of County Commissioners on a wide range of agricultural topics. The Agricultural Preservation Board is a body comprised of up to eight (8) at-large members, plus one (1) member from each of the seven (7) Agricultural Districts in the county. This board typically meets on the third Wednesday of every other month at 6:30 pm. There is currently one (1) at-large vacancy. Animal Services Advisory Board – The Animal Services Advisory Board is charged to advise the Board of County Commissioners on matters of concern regarding animal issues and services within the county, and to work with Animal Services on various policy concerns and issues. This board typically meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. There is currently one (1) vacancy for an owner or manager of a for-profit business located in Orange County focused on companion or recreational animal welfare (e.g., pet supply stores, kennels, grooming salons, dog walking, etc.), and who is not engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine. Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool – The charge of the Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool is to hear appeals concerning violations of the Orange County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 4 (“Animal Control Ordinance”), as provided in the Orange County Code of Ordinances, Section 4-53 Appeals and potentially dangerous dog appeals as prescribed by N.C. Gen. Stat. §67-4.1(c). The pool conducts fair and impartial hearings for these appeals and receives training in law and proper procedures before participating in a hearing. Panels are convened on an as-needed basis for hearings. Applicants are needed to fill two (2) seats for residents living in the Town of Carrboro and one (1) seat for a resident living in the Town of Hillsborough. Arts Commission – The Arts Commission recommends strategies to promote the artistic and cultural growth of Orange County, advises the Board of County Commissioners on matters involving the arts, and acts as the granting panel for two annual funding programs available to individual artists and non-profit groups sponsoring arts projects in Orange County. This commission typically meets on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. There is currently one (1) at-large vacancy. View more about serving on the Arts Commission in this video. Board of Health – The Board of Health is the primary policy-making and adjudicatory body for the Health Department and is charged to protect and promote the public health of Orange County. The Board is mandated by state law and is composed of professionals representing specified health-related fields in addition to several at-large members. This board typically meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm. There is currently one (1) vacancy for an optometrist who resides in Orange County. Carrboro Board of Adjustment – The Carrboro Board of Adjustment hears and decides appeals from any order, decision, requirement, or interpretation made by the Zoning Administrator. It also hears and decides on applications. This board typically meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm. There is currently one (1) vacancy for a resident of the Carrboro Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). Applicants who reside in the Carrboro Transition Area are also encouraged to apply. Please review the map at the following link to see the boundaries of the Carrboro ETJ: http://orangecountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/16597/Chapel-Hill-and-Carrboro-Boundaries-Map. You may also confirm the zoning information of your address by visiting: http://aries.orangecountync.gov/Aries/ZoningInformation.aspx. Commission for the Environment – This commission advises the Board of County Commissioners on matters affecting the environment, with particular emphasis on protection. It educates the public and local officials on environmental issues and performs special studies and projects. It also recommends environmental initiatives and studies changes in environmental science and local and federal regulations. The Commission for the Environment typically meets on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 pm. There are currently four (4) at-large vacancies. Economic Development Advisory Board – The charge of the Economic Development Advisory Board is to work cohesively with the County’s Economic Development staff and other economic development partners to position Orange County as a competitive location for business opportunities. This board typically meets on the second Tuesday of every other month at 12:00 pm. There is currently one (1) vacancy for a member of the Orange County business community. Hillsborough Board of Adjustment – This board hears and decides on applications for special use permits and variances, as well as appeals from decisions and determinations of the Town of Hillsborough Planning and Economic Development Division staff. The Hillsborough Board of Adjustment typically meets on the second Wednesday of each month, as needed, at 6:00 pm. There are two (2) upcoming vacancies for residents of the Hillsborough Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). Please review the map at the following link to see the boundaries of the Hillsborough ETJ: http://orangecountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/16598/Hillsborough-Boundaries-Map. You may also confirm the zoning information of your address by visiting: http://aries.orangecountync.gov/Aries/ZoningInformation.aspx. Hillsborough Planning Board – This board acquires and maintains information in order to understand past trends, prepare and amend the comprehensive plan for the development of the area, and prepare and recommend ordinances promoting orderly development. The Hillsborough Planning Board typically meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm. There is currently one (1) vacancy for an applicant residing in the Hillsborough Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). Please review the map at the following link to see the boundaries of the Hillsborough ETJ: http://orangecountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/16598/Hillsborough-Boundaries-Map. You may also confirm the zoning information of your address by visiting: http://aries.orangecountync.gov/Aries/ZoningInformation.aspx. Human Relations Commission – The Human Relations Commission studies and makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners concerning problems in the field of human relationships. This commission seeks solutions to community issues that may create animosity and unrest, makes recommendations designed to promote goodwill and harmony among groups in the county, and addresses and attempts to remedy the violence, tensions, polarization, and other harm created through discrimination, bias, hatred, and inequity. The Human Relations Commission typically meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. There is currently one (1) vacancy for a resident of Carrboro and one (1) at-large vacancy. Juvenile Crime Prevention Council – The N.C. Department of Public Safety partners with the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) to galvanize community leaders, locally and statewide, to reduce and prevent juvenile crime. JCPC supports prevention and intervention programs that are making a difference for young people and their communities. Programs are typically focused on youth with behavioral issues and/ or involved in the court system. Responsibilities of the JCPC include: 1. Review the needs of juveniles in the County, who are at risk of delinquency or who have been adjudicated as undisciplined or delinquent; 2. Review the resources available to address those needs; 3. Prioritize community risk factors; 4. Increase public awareness of the causes of delinquency and strategies to reduce the problems; 5. Develop strategies to intervene, respond to, and treat the needs of juveniles at risk of delinquency; 6. Through a grant process, distribute North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice funds to local programs and services that address the identified strategies. The JCPC typically meets on the first Friday of every other month at 12:00 pm. There are currently two (2) at-large vacancies, one (1) vacancy for a member of the Orange County business community, and one (1) vacancy for a representative of a non-profit in Orange County. Opioid Advisory Committee – The Opioid Advisory Committee is charged to discuss opioid-related health concerns and issues impacting the residents of Orange County and advise the Board of Commissioners on options to expend funds to remedy opioid impacts. The committee also plans and hosts an annual meeting open to the public to receive input from municipalities on proposed uses of the settlement funds and to encourage collaboration between local governments. This committee typically meets on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. There is currently one (1) vacancy for an employment provider. Orange County Housing Authority Board – The goal of the Orange County Housing Authority Board (OCHA Board) is to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing for low and moderate-income families in Orange County. The OCHA Board oversees the running of all OCHA programs, chiefly the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV/Section 8) program, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Board monitors all HCV processes and approves major policy changes and updates. This board typically meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 6:00 pm. There is currently one (1) vacancy for a participant of Orange County’s Housing Choice Voucher Program. Orange County Board of Adjustment – The Board of Adjustment hears and decides on variance applications, appeals submitted related to official decisions/determinations made by the Planning Director, reviews and takes action on Special Use Permit (SUP) applications, as well as matters required to comply with the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). This board typically meets on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 pm. There is one (1) upcoming at-large vacancy. Orange County Planning Board – As authorized in Chapter 160D-301 of the General Statutes of North Carolina and adopted in Section 1.6.3 of the Unified Development Ordinance, the Orange County Planning Board shall have the following powers and duties: |
