Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ORANGE COUNTY PLANNING BOARD <br /> PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: May 21, 2007 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. C.5 <br /> SUBJECT: Amendments to the Orange County Stormwater Ordinance for Lands within the <br /> Neuse River Basin <br /> DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) Yes <br /> Erosion Control Division <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): <br /> 1. Required Amendments to Orange INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> County Stormwater Ordinance <br /> Craig Benedict 245-2592 <br /> Ren Ivins 245-2586 <br /> Terry Hackett 245-2588 <br /> PURPOSE: To receive public comment on required amendments to the Orange County <br /> Stormwater Ordinance for Lands within the Neuse River Basin to reflect changes in the Nitrogen <br /> Reduction Offset payment calculation. <br /> BACKGROUND: To protect water quality at the local level and provide a higher level of service <br /> to citizens and clients, Orange County adopted the State's model stormwater ordinance in <br /> March 2001. The title of the ordinance as adopted is, "Stormwater Ordinance for Lands within <br /> the Neuse River Basin." The Neuse basin covers most of northern Orange County including the <br /> Town Hillsborough. The Neuse Basin does not include the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area which lies <br /> in the Cape Fear River Basin. <br /> Control of nitrogen runoff, or export, from development projects is a key feature of the program. <br /> As an option, developers can pay an in-lieu fee to the North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement <br /> Program (NCEEP) to offset nitrogen runoff. In March 2006, The NC Department of <br /> Environment and Natural Resources Division of Water Quality (NCDQWQ) changed the <br /> Nitrogen Offset Payment Fee calculation method for in-lieu payments to the NCEEP to reflect <br /> increased costs. The County subsequently amended the Stormwater Ordinance for Lands <br /> within the Neuse River Basin to reflect this change. <br /> The new calculation method resulted in a significant increase in fees paid by developers to <br /> NCEEP. In response the development community lobbied the NC General Assembly to review <br /> the fee increase. Subsequently the General Assembly passed a session law in August 2006 <br /> that rescinded the increased fee. The law required NCDWQ to revert to the previous fee <br /> . tnrrt.:cnF <br /> ituemal_. i a:_.,'"r<: ;,,,,L <br />