Orange County NC Website
4 <br /> 1 This slide denotes the site plan. You will note the land use buffer here, the 30-foot land use <br /> 2 buffer around the perimeter of the property. Lots 23-26 will be served by off-site septic, which is <br /> 3 in this general area of the project. We have two open space lots here, which is where the <br /> 4 community well is proposed to be located. This area down in here where there is an existing <br /> 5 stream, as I previously articulated to you, the County completed what we call a surface water <br /> 6 identification inspection to not only verify the location of this stream, which is shown buffered on <br /> 7 the site plan, but verify that the stream actually will have to be buffered in accordance with <br /> 8 Article 6 of our land use standards. The applicant is showing a potential storm water basin in <br /> 9 this general area that will have the storm water for the project. The storm water system has <br /> 10 been designed for a 6,000 gallon detention basin. <br /> 11 Within the site plan, the applicant is also showing the proposed street system that will have to <br /> 12 be installed along the project. They have also identified areas where foliage will be installed in <br /> 13 between proposed lots. Interior lot plantings will have to be planted in order to bring the project <br /> 14 into compliance with Article 6 of our Unified Development Ordinance. As you will all remember, <br /> 15 the UDO does require in between lot planting designed to preserve the aesthetic of the area. <br /> 16 The applicant has already the trees that they are going to try and preserve to meet this <br /> 17 requirement, and they have also identified the planting of approximately 60-70 trees that will be <br /> 18 planted in between various lots in order to ensure compliance with the code. <br /> 19 Our comments, which are contained throughout pages 5-11 of the abstract is that the project's <br /> 20 density is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan of the Joint Planning Land Use Plan; i.e., one <br /> 21 unit for every two acres of property. As contained within Attachment 3, Orange County Erosion <br /> 22 Control has already tentatively approved the proposed storm water plan and grading plan. Final <br /> 23 approval will not be received until the formal Erosion Control and Grading Plan is submitted for <br /> 24 review. <br /> 25 We also have the memorandum from Orange County Environmental Health within Attachment 3 <br /> 26 articulating that they have found suitable soils supporting septic system development in each of <br /> 27 the lots of these 1-22 and that the main lot to serve as the central depository for lots 23-26 <br /> 28 appears to be sufficiently sized. They also stipulate that the community well that is currently <br /> 29 proposed will have to be reviewed and approved by the State. <br /> 30 We held a neighborhood information meeting on this project on August 6th. We had good <br /> 31 attendance from local residents and the concerns can be summarized as follows. There was a <br /> 32 lot of concern on the community well and whether or not that would have a negative impact on <br /> 33 adjacent property. Although not mentioned here, I believe you have a copy of a letter sent to <br /> 34 Commissioner Pelissier outlining a local residents' concern over the use and installation of <br /> 35 geothermal wells that utilize the pump and dump system. That concern is not necessarily <br /> 36 associated to this project, it is a countywide concern. The concerned resident has asked that <br /> 37 the County begin a comprehensive review on whether or not there should be limits or outright <br /> 38 bans on the use of geothermal wells, specifically focusing on pump and dump and geothermal <br /> 39 wells in general. Given the fact that Orange County does not had a true aquifer, that most of <br /> 40 our water resources are taken from fractures within the ground, and that by eliminating <br /> 41 geothermal wells would help to alleviate some of the identified concerns over ensuring the <br /> 42 availability of adequate water supply for personal use and not for the heating or cooling of a <br /> 43 residence. <br />