Orange County NC Website
226 <br />Chapter 5: Land Use Element <br />use policies, plans, regulations and ordinances. And it is this Comprehensive Plan <br />and implementation of its objectives that will guide the development of Orange <br />County's future land use ordinances, regulations, and a coordinated land use plan <br />that is based on community values. <br />Much has been accomplished in planning for future land use patterns in Orange <br />County, but more needs to be done. Specific needs follow: <br />The County's Future Land Use Plm Map needs to be updated <br />and re -drawn to reflect current policies and plans, to provide <br />guidance and information to residents and property owners. The <br />revised Future Land Use Map needs to be drawn to include the <br />following: <br />— Chapel Hill - Carrboro joint Planning Area Land Use Plan; <br />— Hillsborough- Orange County Strategic Plan; <br />— Most Current Economic Development Districts; <br />— Most Current Rural Activity Nodes and other growth <br />opportunity areas; <br />— Most Current Inventory of Natural and Cultural <br />Resources; and <br />— Identification of Preservation Areas. <br />Inter -local Agreements are needed between the County and the <br />Towns of Hillsborough and Mebane, similar to the agreements <br />with Chapel Hill and Carrboro, to jointly plan for and regulate <br />development on the edges of those municipalities. <br />Following updates to the Future Land Use Map, the County's <br />Zoning Unified Development Ordinance will need to be <br />assessed for necessary adjustments. These zoning changes <br />should encourage meeting the objectives that promote <br />sustainability including mixed -use development patterns, <br />transportation linkages, economic development, and diversity in <br />housing opportunities. <br />Adjust zoning regulations and apply zoning categories in <br />preservation areas to discourage intensive and unsustainable <br />development. <br />■ Continue to study mechanisms for transfer of development <br />rights from preservation areas to areas targeted for growth. <br />The County needs to refine policies to encourage green building <br />practices for public and private construction projects. This may <br />entail an assessment of current building codes and development <br />ordinances to identify barriers to using green construction <br />practices, and /or creating incentives for private developers to use <br />more environmentally friendly construction and demolition <br />techniques. Deconstruction for the purpose of reuse is preferred <br />over demolition. <br />Ora lq&County Co- nVrehe4i&ive/PZv w <br />Page 5 -38 <br />