Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
made reference to page 3 of the abstract, which lists the decisions to be made on this issue. <br /> These are shown below: <br /> Decisions to be Made: <br /> In order to proceed with the design guidelines for the Efland core area, staff needs <br /> direction from the BOCC on the sidewalk issue. Design guidelines for areas with a pedestrian <br /> network are quite different from areas without sidewalks. Additionally, preliminary research <br /> shows there could be particular challenges in the Efland area because public (NCDOT) right-of- <br /> way is much narrower in some areas than the current standard of 60 feet (or more, depending <br /> on roadway type), and in some cases parcels actually extend to the centerlines of streets and <br /> the public road is located within an easement. <br /> Questions staff has included: <br /> 1. Does the BOCC want to proceed with the county "getting into the sidewalk business" <br /> at this time? <br /> 2. If so, is staff authorized to begin development of a sidewalk program for certain <br /> areas of the County (i.e., the Efland-Buckhorn-Mebane corridor to start). Does the <br /> BOCC have direction on any of the funding and maintenance issues discussed <br /> above, particularly the issue of providing sidewalks in an area that is already partially <br /> developed (the Efland core area)? (Note: a sidewalk program is likely to result in <br /> amendments to development regulations). <br /> Options for providing sidewalks include: <br /> a. Orange County or developer (for new construction) pays for and builds the sidewalks <br /> and either Orange County contracts with a city for maintenance or a Property <br /> Owners Association (setting up a POA would be a requirement for new construction) <br /> is responsible for maintaining the sidewalk. County general funds would be used <br /> under this option. Note that NCDOT would require a maintenance agreement with <br /> the County and NCDOT is willing to enter into third party agreements with the County <br /> as a "back-up" signatory for maintenance. <br /> b. Orange County creates a special assessment district for sidewalk. Property owners <br /> within the district would be required to pay into the special district and a fund would <br /> be created for sidewalk construction and maintenance. Orange County would be <br /> responsible for maintenance, likely through contracting with another city for <br /> maintenance tasks. <br /> c. Other options as the BOCC decides. <br /> 3. If not, should staff proceed with the Efland core area design <br /> requirements/guidelines? The requirements/guidelines will be more minimal than <br /> what the Small Area Plan recommended because of the differences in urban form a <br /> sidewalk network brings to an area. <br /> Commissioner McKee said that he does not have a problem with major developments <br /> having sidewalks but he does not want to get Orange County in the business of building and <br /> maintaining sidewalks. <br /> Commissioner Yuhasz said that he agreed with Commissioner McKee for not wanting <br /> Orange County to get into the sidewalk business. He said that if they look at large subdivisions, <br />