Orange County NC Website
15 <br />secured when sewer right-of--way is acquired so that an additional acquisition is not <br />necessary in the future. <br />7. A streetscape plan should also be developed in conjunction with the sidewalks program. <br />Trees are needed for shade along sidewalks and landscaping for aesthetic purposes should <br />also be incorporated into the streetscape. <br />8. The ability to have a commuter train station in the future should be preserved, preferably <br />within the vicinity of the Efland village core near Mt. Willing Road or Efland-Cedaz <br />Grove Road Extension. A station could serve the existing Amtrak service or a station <br />could be incorporated into the proposed Triangle commuter rail system. <br />9. The county should work cooperatively with Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) to provide <br />bus service in the area. <br />10. Mace Road should be planned to connect through to Lebanon Road. <br />11. An Interstate pedestrian overpass should be planned in the future to connect azeas north <br />of Interstate 40/85 with Gravelly Hill Middle School and West Ten Soccer Park. <br />12. A Buckhorn Road Access Management Plan should be explored. <br />D. Housing <br />Objective: Provision of a mix of housing choices that includes decent, affordable housing <br />for "the workforce: ' <br />Housing affordability is a significant issue throughout the nation, including within the Triangle <br />region and Orange County. Housing prices in Orange County are notably higher than within <br />other areas of the Triangle. Historically, Cheeks Township has enjoyed somewhat lower prices <br />than much of the county, but prices of the homes in the newer subdivisions within the planning <br />azea aze still higher than many people working in Orange County can afford to pay. Working <br />towards ensuring the provision of housing opportunities affordable to a broad spectrum of <br />citizens should be a priority for Orange County. The following are recommendations pertaining <br />to housing issues: <br />1. Residential development that is consistent with the character, size, scale, and price range <br />of existing surrounding homes should be encouraged. Since home prices aze directly tied <br />to the square footage of the home, Orange County should consider offering incentives <br />such as expedited review or density bonuses for developments that offer smaller sized <br />homes. <br />2. Orange County should consider adopting a policy requiring that a certain percentage of <br />new homes within a subdivision be affordable and under the control of an organization <br />73 <br />