Orange County NC Website
this. She said that this should be enforced. Craig Benedict said that he agreed that we <br />need to look at the landscape standards. He said that they have added the concepts of <br />xeri-scaping, which is using native trees and low water use trees to reduce overall water <br />consumption. <br />Rachel Preston said that there are nurseries in the area that provide plants <br />native to Orange County and non-native plants that are not invasive. She suggested <br />putting in phrases that encourage people to purchase plants within Orange County - <br />both native and non-native. <br />Commissioner Brown asked about setbacks from creeks. Craig Benedict <br />said that storm water, drainage, and erosion control refer back to the stream buffer <br />requirements that are in other sections of the code. There are very good standards in <br />this area. There is a minimum of 50 feet on either side of the stream. In the Neuse <br />River Basin, there are additional requirements. The hope is to use these rules in the <br />Cape Fear Basin. <br />Chair Jacobs made reference to landscaping and Orange County becoming a <br />non-attainment area for air quality. He said that maybe we could take a leadership role <br />with landscaping requirements to be more energy efficient. <br />Commissioner Brown asked if the ordinance will actually protect open space <br />in terms of design. She asked how this ordinance would affect design in terms of open <br />space. Craig Benedict said that in the analysis, we define primary and secondary <br />conservation areas. Primary conservation areas are stream buffers, wildlife corridors, <br />etc. Secondary conservation areas could be a wooded area or an open field. This <br />amendment will ask developers to do a more elaborate analysis of an inventory of a <br />native tree area and an open space analysis. <br />Commissioner Brawn said that a smaller developer is going to need <br />assistance in understanding what this says. <br />Craig Benedict said that there is an example that will be used for the general <br />public and property owners that is called Above and Beyond. It will be air photos <br />showing how subdivisions fit or do not fit into the landscape. Also, it will show what <br />happens over time to inappropriately placed open space areas. This was a very good <br />study of things that happened in the Vermont/New Hampshire area. <br />Discussion ensued about open space design in subdivisions. <br />Chair Gooding-Ray said that she did not see anything about light pollution. <br />Craig Benedict said that it is in the ordinance. He said that there is a Dark Skies <br />initiative coming forward. <br />There was no public comment on this item. <br />d. Amend Section IV-B-10.B to allow all Flexible Development options <br />except the village option in the Rural Buffer. <br />Craig Benedict said that this amendment is to allow flexible development <br />within the rural buffer. He referred to the County map. Presently, in the rural buffer, <br />there is only the conventional plan allowed. The amendment is that any developer within <br />the rural buffer would provide two plans. In the rural buffer, it is suggested that flexible <br />development standards be identical to all other areas in County jurisdiction. Developers <br />could either bring in an estate option (four-acre lots) or a conservation cluster option, <br />which would be at least 33°~ open space. This is an effort to have the rules be similar, <br />both in the rural buffer and in other sections of the County. <br />Commissioner Brown asked about the village option and Craig Benedict said <br />that it is an option of flexible development. It is a very dense development. It is more <br />appropriate for transition areas. <br />