Agenda - 05-05-1997 - 9b - Laserfiche WebLink

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47 from the new right-of-way line. Where buffers are required and/or open space must be preserved,no building or parking area may extend within those areas. Where off-street parking does extend to within 10 feet of a property line, a 36-inch high opaque screen consisting of landscape materials, rolling earth berms, or low screen walls or combinations must be provided within the 10-foot landscape area. The EDD Design Manual encourages parking areas at the side or rear of buildings. to leave the front accessible for pedestrian and transit systems. The 25-foot front yard setback standard also seeks to encourage building placement closer to these systems. As noted previously,the intent of the 100-foot buffer is to create transitions between neighborhoods and areas of differing development intensities, and separate incompatible land uses. The issues identified to date have focused more on"entranceway" character, particularly that Old N.C. 86. If the 100-foot buffer is viewed as the means through which to provide an appropriate entranceway,the buffer is only applicable in that portion of the EDD extending from Oakdale Drive to Cates Creek. The remaining "entranceway" from Cates Creek to 1-40 and beyond is not addressed. If design standards are desired to provide an attractive and functional entranceway,they would be better addressed by specific design standards rather than by the perimeter buffer requirement. August 28, 1995 Public Hearing On August 28, 1995, a proposal to eliminate the buffer requirement between two adjacent EDDs was presented for public hearing. Comments received at the public hearing included the following: • A Cornwallis Hills property owner requested clarification of which portion of the EDD perimeter would be affected by the proposed amendment. • Property owners along the west side of Old N.C. 86 supported the amendment. • Several Commissioners and Planning Board members indicated concern about the possibility of strip development along Old N.C. 86 and the effect of eliminating the 100-foot buffer on open space. Commissioner Willhoit suggested the possibility of increasing the buffer width adjacent to Cornwallis Hills if the buffer along Old N.C. 86 was eliminated. On September 18, 1995, the Planning Board recommended approval by a 7-5 vote. On October 2, 1995, the Board of Commissioners tabled the item. There has been no further Board action. The issue of the perimeter buffer was raised again by affected property owners during the recent development of a proposed site plan f or the Local Government Employees Credit Union. (A Special Use Permit request for the Credit Union is also included on 5/27/97 public hearing agenda). A letter received from property owners in the EDD is