Orange County NC Website
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br /> On December 5, 1994, the Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted the <br /> following charge: "To prepare a land use plan, including recommendations for <br /> implementation,for the Stoney Creek Basin Planning Area southeast of the town of <br /> Hillsborough." Since that time a 22 member Planning Group has worked on a land <br /> use plan for the 4,700 acre area that achieves two goals: <br /> 1. Preserve landowners' rights to get fair value for their property; and <br /> 2. Protects the area's "rural character." <br /> The Planning Group identified key resource areas and then identified three levels <br /> of land-use intensity that would help protect these resources. The resources <br /> include Duke Forest, the Stoney Creek Wildlife Corridor, scenic road corridors, <br /> and existing farmland and neighborhoods. Lower intensity areas lie adjacent to <br /> most of the resource areas and best typify the area's remaining rural character; <br /> intermediate intensity areas are intended to provide a transition between lower and <br /> higher intensity; and higher intensity areas are adjacent to areas experiencing <br /> urban growth pressures and at some future date will likely be annexed by a <br /> municipality. <br /> The Planning Group has recommended against traditional plan implementation <br /> strategies such as rezoning, opting instead for the voluntary Flexible Development <br /> Options (adopted by the County Commissioners on May 1 and effective July 1 as <br /> an alternative to conventional subdivision development) with the following <br /> modifications applicable within the Stoney Creek Basin Planning Area: <br /> 1. Projects preserving 33% to 50% open space can use half of their density bonus <br /> in the area while those preserving more than 50% can use it wherever desired. <br /> 2. Lower intensity areas are to be "sending" areas for density bonuses; <br /> intermediate intensity areas are to be "sending" and "receiving" areas; and <br /> higher intensity areas are to be "receiving" areas. <br /> I Density bonuses created in the Stoney Creek area can be sent out, but density <br /> bonuses from other areas cannot be transferred into the area. <br /> 4. Expedited review and approval of projects that preserve large amounts of open <br /> space and enhance rural character should be included as an incentive. <br /> i <br /> . :..............:::..:............:::.......r:................:.>.....:..:.:...................:.«....:.>..::.>...: ... .................. ..................................................r...................e.......:.�.. <br /> ..... <...... . . ?> < ?: < ..........................................<..........r........x... <br /> ..... <br /> ............................ <br />