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22 <br />Additional Information: <br />Proposed Amendments. to Flexible Development Provisions of the Orange <br />County Subdivision Regulations <br />Since the institution of the flexible development program, the majority of <br />applications submitted for major subdivision concept plan approval under the <br />flexible development provisions have used the .conservation option (during FY <br />1997-98, five of the eight submitted a concept plan using the conservation <br />option). The conservation option provides advantages of locating septic systems <br />within the conservation areas, reducing minimum lot width to 100', and reducing <br />the minimum lot frontage. Those provisions allow more lots to be established <br />along subdivision roads thus reducing the cost of road construction per site. The <br />conservation option allows subdividers to incorporate the open space within <br />individually owned lots; thus, eliminating the need for establishment of <br />homeowners associations charged with owning and preserving the established <br />open space. Because the open space is incorporated within the individual lots, <br />the open space has often been designated in the required front, side and rear <br />setbacks. Such open space is fragmented with no area(s) large enough to <br />render any of the intended benefits. <br />The Orange County Planning Board Ordinance Review Committee convened in <br />December, 1998, to consider amendments to the flexible development provisions <br />to remedy the inadequacies of the conservation approach. The Committee first <br />identified the following issues of concern with development plans submitted <br />using the conservation option. <br />1. The majority of plans submitted using the conservation option include <br />required front, side and rear setbacks as part of the open space. Open <br />space scattered along front, side and rear setback areas does not meet <br />the flexible development objective to create compact neighborhoods <br />accessible to open space amenities and with a strong identity. <br />2. Subdivisions submitted using the conservation option look like conventional <br />subdivisions and provide no buffering or open space along the outside <br />boundaries of the subdivision to shield the view of the development from <br />the public roads. (Fails to meet the flexible development objective to <br />preserve scenic views and elements of the county's rural character, <br />and to minimize .perceived density by minimizing views of new <br />development from existing roads.) <br />3. A 40,000 square foot lot is not large enough to accommodate adequate <br />area for building site, accessory buildings, septic system and repair area <br />when a portion of the lot is restricted for conservation purposes. <br />g:\may99ph1flexdev.nnt\5-13-99\kl <br />