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' ~ °:~ af'`~he postcards. Yt was decided to send them out late rather than not send them at all. ' OPENING STATEMENTS Marvin Collins explained that there are two items scheduled for public hearing. The first item has to do with a rural buffer study that was prepared by the Orange County Planning Department at the request of the Board of Commissioners. The second item has to do with a citizens' petition that was presented to the Board of Commissioners on January 5, 1987 which requested the Joint Planning Land Use Plan (plan for the southeastern portion of_the County) which was jointly adopted by the Board of Commissioners and the Town o.f Chapel Hill be amended to change the text. The specific text provision requested for amendment is the minimum lot size standard~in the Rural Buffer. That minimum lot size standard was set at one dwelling unit per two acres when the plan was jointly approved on October 13, ]:986. The requested amendment is to reduce that standard back to the original one dwelling unit per 40,000 square feet (0.92 acre). Because both items are separate but interrelated they will be considered at the same time. Collins recognized the planning staff members who would be involved in the presentation -- Greg Szymik (current planning), Gene Bell and Brad Tongan (comprehensive/long range planning), and Emily Crudup (current planning). He announced that following the Orange County presentation, the Chapel Hill Planning Director Roger Waldon would make a brief presentation of the Chapel Hill perspective regarding the"Rural Suffer concept. Collins began the presentation highlighting some of the points in the history of joint. planning. On October 13, 1986, the Orange County Board of Commissioners and the Town of Chapel Hill adopted the Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan. On November 24, 1986, a public hearing was held by the Orange County Board of Commissioners to consider the amendment of the Zoning ordinance and Zoning Atlas to create the Rural Suffer District and to apply that district designation to 38,000 acres of land surrounding the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area. The most significant change proposed was an increase in the minimum residential lot size requirement from 40,000 square feet (0.92 acre) to two (2)-acres. One of the concerns of the residents who live within the rural buffer was the issue of property rights. The property owners felt that the two acre minimum lot size requirement denies them reasonable use of their land. The concern presented by the County Attorney previously was also raised by some of the residents. Nonconforming lots is another concern. Many owners felt it was unfair to require the .combination of contiguous lots to meet the two--acre minimum lot. size .since these lots had been created under existing legal ordinances. Affordable housing was another major issue. With the increase in minimum lot size requirement and the increase in land cast, many families would be unable to create building lots for children. Environmental impacts was another concern. Soil conditions in the Rural Buffer are limited with regard to their capacity to absorb septic tank effluent. It was felt that with these limitations, there would be a real threat for groundwater contamination. It is the current policy not to allow public water and sewer rota the rural buffer except in emergency situations. - ....,,