ORD-2010-025 Upper Eno Watershed Critical Area-Zoning Ordinance

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Approved 2/3/10 Attachment 6 43 1 SURfiMARY NOTES 2 ORANGE COUNTY PLANNING BOARD 3 JANUARY 6, 2010 q' ORDINANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE 5 6 NOTE: A quorum is not required for Ordinance Review Committee meetings. 7 8 MEMBERS PRESENT: Brian Crawford, Eno Township At-Large (Chair); Judith Wegner, Bingham Township Representative (Vice- 9 Chair); Mary Bobbitt-Cooke, Cheeks Township Representative; Jeff Schmitt, Cedar Grove Township Representative; Earl McKee, 10 Little River Representative; Peter Hallenbeck, Cheeks Township At-Large; Larry Wright, Cedar Grove Township At-Large; 11 12 STAFF PRESENT: Craig Benedict, Planning & Inspections Director, Tom Altieri, Comprehensive Planning Supervisor, Michael Harvey, 13 Zoning Enforcement Officer; Perdita Holiz, Planning Systems Coordinator; Tina Love, Administrative Assistant II 14 15 16 AGENDA ITEM 1: CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL 17 18 19 AGENDA ITEM 2 WATER SUPPLY WATERSHED CRRICAL AREA REVISIONS 20 To receive and comment upon the proposed Land Use Element (text and map) and Zoning Ordinance (text 21 and map) Amendments regarding °critical areas° designations. 22 23 Presenter: Craig Benedict, Planning & Inspections Director 24 25 Craig Benedict presented a PowerPoint presentation on the water supply watersheds. He gave the Board a history of how the lines 26 got put on the map and the 1987 study for potential reservoirs done by Hazen& Sawyer. 27 28 Jeff Schmitt gave the Board information on the Board of Adjustment's rulings regarding the lines and the subsequent appeal the 29 Superior Court. 30 31 Craig Benedict stated staff is planning to have the amendments on the February Quarterly Public Hearing. 32 33 The Planning Board discussed the growth of Orange County and Craig Benedict advised that the 84% of the entire County is rural 34 and only 16% is planned to have an urban style growth. He advised it is the growth pattern that will be held for the foreseeable 35 future; the undeveloped areas within the future growth area can accommodate the population growth anticipated for Orange County 36 in the next twenty years. 37 38 Judith Wegner noted the problems with Jordan Lake and water quality and also advised that with the growth of Wake County there 39 may be a chance that Orange County will have a better locale for a reservoir and sell water to other counties to supplement their 40 water supplies and it would supplement Orange County's income. She asked how the County can look at the broader picture and 41 how to know the water quality if there is tightening provisions at the federal level. 42 43 Craig Benedict advised the Board that staff could write up thoughts to cover the points suggested by the Board. Craig continued with 44 pointing out several areas on the map regarding watersheds and the possible future reservoirs. 45 46 Judith Wegner noted that if there is a water supply and you design a reservoir, even if it takes time to fill, it is still a holding site. If 47 you build a holding capacity and it fills up whatever isn't lost to evaporation, still has an economic value. 48 49 Craig Benedict advised that some of the reservoirs are 'shallow water' reservoirs and the impoundments are maybe 40 feet deep and 50 therefore the water capacity is light. He noted that the recommendation reflects that it will roughly be the preservation of land for 51 future water supply the same areas as current minus the small area in Efland north of 85. Craig advised that staff will check with 52 Durham for any potential reservoir sites in the Little River or Lower Eno where there is a potential intake. He noted Little River has 53 lower density. 54 55 Michael Harvey reminded the Board there is a quarry site on Highway 57 which is on the boarder of Durham County is a future site of 56 a reservoir. 57 58 Craig Benedict advised that staff can pull together anything dealing with Orange County's potential or future reservoir sties and also 59 make sure there is some level of protection for the future. He. noted the recommendation reflects that even though staff recommends