PH ORD-1997-043 Orange County Functional Road Classification Comprehensive Plan and Ordinance Amendment

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/f- 2tV 9 *7 • Clarify definitions for Major Variance, Minor Variance, and Discharging Landfill. C ca. QUESTIONS AND/OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS None. QUESTIONS AND/OR COMMENTS FROM THE PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS None. QUESTIONS AND/OR COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS None. A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, second by Commissioner Halkiotis, to refer this item to the Planning Board for a recommendation to be returned to the Board of Commissioners no sooner than January 20, 1998. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 4. Comprehensive Plan Amendment Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Subdivision Regulations Text Amendment a) Functional Road Classification This item was presented by Planner Slade McCalip in order to receive comment on the draft ordinance and Comprehensive Plan Amendments for the update to the Functional Road Classifications of the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan. On June 4, 1997 staff presented to the Planning Board a process and schedule for updating the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan including an update to the road functional classifications. An amendment to update the functional classifications is necessary because the maps in the Transportation Element to the Comprehensive Plan depict planned roads that are no longer planned. Some of the current functional classifications are not referenced by other adopted plans and ordinances and the existing classifications have been applied to every road in the county's land use planning jurisdiction outside the thoroughfare planning jurisdictions for the municipalities. This has made it difficult to clearly and quickly identify the most important roads and also apply urban road classifications to the roads in 45°x6 of the county's land use planning area. As a part of the Functional Road Classification System update,the planned major thoroughfares adopted by Orange County municipalities which are outside of a municipality's land use planning jurisdiction will be presented for consideration and adoption by Orange County. In this way Orange County can classify the proposed thoroughfares and then protect the rights-of-way for those thoroughfares that are consistent with the County's Comprehensive Plan. QUESTIONS AND/OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Commissioner Gordon asked for clarification about how the roads inside the municipal jurisdiction and the roads in Orange County compare on the colored map. She asked if they were using the same definition. She asked for clarification about how they would be used together with the municipal plan. Slade McCalip indicated that they were not using the same definitions. Chapel Hill and Carrboro use the definitions in the existing plan and Hillsborough is using the States functional classification. DOT was responsible for doing the classifications, some of which are based on maintenance. A lot of the DOT roads in urban areas were classified as major thoroughfares which relate to arterial roads out in the County. He agreed that there was a change at the Town boundaries but it is coordinated in this plan. He felt that using this designation would simplify identification so that the same classification would be used throughout the county. This would not be a Transportation Plan. It would help in the consideration and design when the traffic projects are identified next year. Commissioner Gordon asked what Chapel Hill's classification was for Old Lystra Road. Slade indicated that he would have to look at Chapel Hill's classification for that information. There was further discussion about specific roads. Slade McCalip stated that this plan was not intended to direct traffic but rather to indicate how roads are actually being used. Commissioner Gordon pointed out that if the system called for certain roads to be upgraded then that would encourage traffic. She mentioned that if the assumption was that Old Lystra, 15-501 and Smith Level are all at least collectors,then in order to get around laterally you would have to classify Damascus Church Road . She requested that additional consideration be given to Damascus Church Road and Old Greensboro out to White Cross. 4