NS Contract - Strategic Growth Rural Conservation Consultant Implementation Update Amendment

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STRATEGIC GROWTH AND RURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM Draft ~ 10.1.20071 Design Requirements. Design requirements will be incorporated into eventual SGRC ordinance provisions based on the County's design guidelines developed for the • Efland-Mebane area. These will apply to all Growth Area properties participating in the SGRC Program and will serve to ensure that the increased development intensity does not negatively impact nearby land values or quality of life. 2.3 SGRC Administrative Design In addition to the considerations of how the SGRC Program will be operated from the perspective of the users (participants) of the program, the project team also considered hc~w SGRC would operate internally. The following two sections illustrate a rocess workflow for both residential and commercial properties, highlighting areas t a p would be applicable only to proposed projects using SGRC conservation credits. Frst, it is useful to understand how residential and commercial planning review processes operate in Orange County now, described briefly in the following section. 2.3.1 Existing Planning Process Affer the initial contact with the Orange County Planning 8, Zoning Department staff ("staff"), the developer prepares a description of the location of the site, which staff then reviews to determine if the site is within a managed area (e.g., critical watershed), the suitability of the soils for in-ground septic treatment, and if the proposed use "fits" the existing zoning code. This is a followed by a Preapplication Meeting, which describes the site in more detail, notably determining the "yield" or number of residential units (or commercial square feet of floor area) that the proposed development site could contain. Different requirements will be placed on the developer depending if the proposed residential subdivision is a minor, major, Special Use, or Planned Development application, which in tum depends on the number of units .being proposed and if the site is located in an urban or rural area. If the subsequent Application Fee and Application are- furnished, then the staff must review the application and approve or disapprove with comments. Once approved, the developer then prepares a conceptual site plan, noting important features of and near the site, but not necessarily having all lot lines surveyed. This concept plan is then reviewed at a Neighborhood Meeting, adrop-in style meeting of nearby residents that are notifed of the proposal and meeting opportunity by staff. The Planning Board then gets to review the (modified, if needed) concept plan, and can approve, disapprove, or disapprove unless corrective actions are taken by the developer. Once the concept plan has gained approval, the developer then must prepare a preliminary plat (surveyed), present the proposal again at a Planning Board meeting, at a quarterly public hearing (if the proposal has 20 or more residential units), and then obtain approval from the Orange County Board of Commissioners. The Final Plan is subsequently submitted, recorded, and fees submitted by the developer. Commercial developments typically undergo a slightly less lengthy process, notably omitting the Neighborhood Meeting requirements, but are still required to be presented at a quarterly public hearing for official comments. Commercial sites using the Economic Development District (EDD) designation would also be required to adhere to the EDD Design Manual specifications, which may be somewhat more costly and time consuming to meet. • Orange County, North Carolina