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STRATEGIC GROWTH AND RURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM <br />Draft (10.1.2007( <br />Chapter ~ . Strategic Growth and Conservation Program <br />This chapter <br />1.1 SGRC Program Feasibility Study discusses in brief the <br />This report is the result of the third phase of Orange County's Planning process <br />development of a Strategic Growth and Rural Conservation used to determine <br />(SGRC) Program. The first two phases, collectively known as the the feasibility of <br />creating and <br />Feasibility Study, were conducted during 2005 and 2006. The operating a <br />overall purpose of the Feasibility Study was to address and development credit <br />avide--FeEeaar~en~lations o~ ~P~A~ry~ issues critical to the program in Orange <br />feasibility of an SGRC program in Orange County. Additional County. <br />detail on the Feasibility Study can be found in the Phase II Report <br />(www co orange nc us/planning/TDR files/Phase II ReDOrt Final 10.13.06 .adf). <br />The major issues addressed in the Feasibility Study were the legal, administrative, design, <br />and economic feasibility of a Transfer of Development Rights (TDRj program in Orange <br />County and North Carolina in general. Background legal and economic research was <br />conducted, as well as interviews with key stakeholders that included developers, <br />elected officials from municipalities, and Orange County staff. A Task Force of <br />stakeholders was appointed to assist the consultants in evaluating the results of the <br />research. Case studies of similar programs in other locations throughout the country <br />were conducted. Generalized maps of potential strategic growth and rural <br />conservation areas were created, and various options for how to calculate credits were <br />offered. In addition, the Feasibility Study evaluated the effects, positive and negative, <br />that an SGRC program may have on existing programs and services in Orange County. <br />One important conclusion of the Feasibility Study was that a traditional TDR program <br />would require additional authority from the state of North Carolina. Consequently, the <br />charge to Staff and Consultants in the third phase of the process was to develop <br />recommendations fora Strategic Growth and Rural Conservation Program that <br />achieves similar objectives as a traditional TDR program, but relies on existing County <br />authority. <br />A summary of the SGRC Program development during the first two phases, in terms of <br />contracting and in terms of results produced, are detailed in the following two tables. <br />Orange County, North Carolina <br />