Orange County NC Website
~: +] <br />~o'u.~.a a number of our problems through this one negotiating process." <br />Presentation b Judith We ner Alder erson Town of Carrboro <br />"Y am going to explain to you briefly what the focus of tonight's ~_,-.,a <br />discussion is. As you see on the flyer that Mr. Godschalk referred to, item <br />number seven is in capital letters and that principally is what we are going: <br />to be talking about tonight. I want to try to clear up some fairly abstract <br />concepts here so you all have basic information, and you will know what the <br />terminology means that we are using. <br />The first issue that we're talking about tonight has to do with the <br />boundary line between the transition area and the rural buffer area as <br />indicated on the map on the other side of the flyer.. You should first <br />understand that the transition area is a concept being used in the joint <br />planning process by the various jurisdictions. It means a designated land <br />that is in the process of changing from its rural character to land that may <br />also be served by utilities and be developed at a somewhat higher density <br />during the planning period in question (approximately a twenty year period). <br />You should know that the plans for the area designated the .transition area <br />would be that these be used for residential purposes only and that. they <br />would be developed at a density of no more than five units per acre. A <br />lower level of density would be possible, depending on the. .carrying capacity <br />and character of the land. That would be determined at a later point when <br />we finally get down to the specific development of the zoning ordinance. <br />- You should also know that the process for resolving the regulations <br />and the application of regulations within areas designated as transition <br />areas. It specifies in the joint planning agreement that the County would <br />adopt the Town development regulations in a transition area. The Town would, <br />then handle the permit applications that might come in for land in that area' <br />and would be responsible for enforcing regulations within that area. The' <br />County, however, would have what is called courtesy review which is a time <br />period in which they could comment on and respond to any permit applications <br />in that area. The transition area may be compared to what is called a rural <br />buffer area. The rural buffer is adjacent to the transition area and is <br />rura]. in character and is to be maintained in that character at a very low <br />density. zn this area, the process used for decision making would be that <br />of the County, including the approval of applications in that area. Permit <br />application and enforcement would be handled by the County but the Town <br />would have an opportunity to comment on any permits that are sought in that <br />area. <br />one question for discussion tonight is where the line should be drawn <br />between the transition area and the rural buffer area. The recommendation <br />from the committee that has been working on this. is to see that. two basic <br />principles should be observed.- First, there should be sufficient area <br />specified for transition areas to ensure that there is no undue pressure on <br />the University Lake watershed and no undue pressure to the developments <br />within the rural buffer area. Secondly, we hope that there could be a <br />permanent line drawn between the transition area and the rural buffer area <br />so that as time goes on we don't see a roll back of erosion of the rural <br />buffer area. We hope that rural buffer could be established with permanent <br />rural development protected far a long time. The committee has therefore <br />recommended that the line be returned to where it had been earlier before <br />the latest change by the County, back to the Bolin Creek watershed line. The <br />reason for this in part is that where you have the Bolin Creek watershed <br />line, there would be no extensions of water and sewer lines across the <br />drainage divide, and OWASA would not provide water and sewer service to the <br />rural buffer area beyond that line. We feel that could be a permanent line <br />