Shaping Orange County's Future Final Full Report

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■ Recommendation : Develop a countywide plan to focus two- thirds of future growth into Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, Mebane, and "transition areas" and to limit growth in rural areas. Parallel to this planning process, equal thought and efforts should be given to the current and as yet untested growth management "tools" and policies in order to control the negative and unwanted side effects of this growth. Action Strategies: A. Create an inter - governmental "Growth Management Board" with representatives from all designated "future" growth areas in the county to cooperatively develop: • fair formulas for accommodating future growth in the designated areas; • growth targets for each area; • estimated growth budgets (using realistic "carrying capacity" estimates for each area); and • a five year time horizon for each plan. The basic intent of this general concept is to seek full participation of all sections of the county to cooperatively plan for the pressures of growth in the county. B. The second major aim of this Board is to explore existing and new ideas for growth management and to recommend to local planning boards their findings to: • Evaluate and explore the range of zoning options to use for managing orderly growth. (There are many unique cases that often do not easily and equitably fit this sometimes rigid formulation. It is important to look at zoning theories that are partially based on performance standards and requirements.) • Limit extension of water and sewer; to work together with the county and region to establish boundaries for extending these services. • Evaluate Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances to manage growth and encourage development to pay for its real costs. • Encourage a program for voluntary purchase of development rights and also of lands to preserve contiguous areas of environmental importance (including farmlands) that should not be developed. ■ Seek to establish a Transfer of Development Rights program. • Provide positive incentives to developers who build in targeted areas. • Pursue infill and redevelopment of land in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough and Mebane, but only where appropriate to: • be compatible with and enhance the neighborhood; • protect, strengthen and nurture existing neighborhoods, their associations and community life; • encourage the addition of small -scale commercial enterprises compatible with neighborhood character and which provide services or products; and, where possible, are within walking distance; • consider vertical expansion (building up, not out), where it is in keeping with the surrounding areas and the environment; • encourage redesign and redevelopment of existing buildings instead of demolishing and rebuilding new ones; • assure new development meets design standards. 43