Orange County did not have to look far for its next Planning Director. County manager Bonnie Hammersley announced May 20th that Cy Stober, who is currently the Development Director for the City of Mebane, would fill the position created by the retirement of Craig Benedict.
“We are thrilled to find someone so well-qualified who is also familiar with the issues facing Orange County,” Hammersley said. “Cy’s background includes experience with state, federal, local and regional governments, which will be a tremendous asset for Orange County.”
“As Planning Director of Mebane, I have witnessed the county’s commitment to innovative and progressive planning,” Stober said. “In order to meet the challenges of unprecedented growth, Orange County will need to maintain its role as a proponent of economic development, regional partnerships, transportation efficiency, and sustainability while also maintaining its emphasis on equity, accountability and environmental protection.”
As Mebane’s Development Director, Stober oversees development and growth for a fast-growing city of 18,000 residents. His duties included approval and oversight of the construction of hundreds of houses and millions of industrial square feet, from the initial permits through the issuance of the certificate of occupation.
Under his leadership, Mebane created a historic downtown small area plan; implemented a bicycle and pedestrian plan; and managed regional and local transportation plans to construct multimodal infrastructure for a growing city.
“My role has required me to cultivate a familiarity with Orange County’s Unified Development Ordinance,” said Stober. “I have collaborative working relationships with the Orange County Planning, Transit, Soil and Erosion Control, Land Records, and Management departments as well as staff at the NCDOT and other municipalities in the county and region.”
Stober earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Ohio University and a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University.
He has worked with the City of Mebane since 2017. Prior to that, he served as a Source Water Assessment Program Manager for the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality and was a Senior Regional Planner for the Piedmont Triad Regional Council, which provided services to 74 local governments throughout 12 counties, including Alamance. He began his career as Environmental Education/Outreach Coordinator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Region 3) as part of an Americorps Service Year.
Stober replaces Benedict, who retired April 1 after 23 years of service to the county. Stober’s first day on the job will be June 21