Orange County NC Website
17 <br />*Rural Residential and Agricultural <br />*Amended <br />4/2/90 <br />The Rural Residential category is a low- density area consisting of single - family <br />homes situated on large lots with a minimum lot size of two acres, except when part of a cluster <br />subdivision and then adhering to a density limit of 1 unit for every 2 acres of property. +`"'°-Fin <br />Qize °F ^F°° Cluster subdivisions, reducing parcels to at least 1 acre in area, are allowed to as <br />long as density limits for the entire subdivision are maintaineds. The Rural Residential <br />designation is identical to the Rural Buffer category contained in the current Orange County <br />Land Use Plan. The Rural Buffer category is described in the Plan as land adjacent to an <br />Urban or Transition area which is rural in character and which should remain rural; contain <br />very low- density residential uses and agricultural uses; and not require urban services <br />(water and sewer) during the Plan period. <br />Agricultural areas existing within Transition Areas are expected to change <br />from rural to urban uses as Chapel Hill and Carrboro continue to grow and as public <br />water and sewer services are expanded. Agricultural areas are located principally in <br />University Lake Watershed but are also prominent along the northern perimeter of the <br />Planning Area boundary. As development occurs in these areas, it will be of very <br />low - density in nature and will generally consist of farm dwelling and outbuildings in <br />support of agricultural operations. <br />To the north of Chapel Hill and Carrboro in the New Hope Creek drainage basin, low - <br />density residential development has taken place along Whitfield Road, Sunrise Road and <br />Erwin Road. Residential developments similar to Sedgefield, Stoneridge, Oak Hills, <br />Birchwood Lake Estates and Falls of the New Hope are expected to continue, relying on <br />wells and septic tanks for water supply and sewer disposal. <br />To the west of Carrboro, Rural Residential development is also expected in <br />University Lake Watershed. However, only low- density residential and agricultural uses are <br />anticipated. FeF this r°°°°^ resi. eRti °4 Development will continue to rely on wells and <br />septic tanks for water supply and sewage disposal. <br />The remaining area designated for Rural Residential and Agricultural development is <br />the Southern Triangle area in the extreme southeastern portion of the County. The area <br />drains to the southeast toward Jordan Lake and is beyond the ridge line of the Morgan <br />Creek basin, an area which can be served by gravity sewer lines. The Southern Triangle is <br />also characterized by environmental constraints such as steep slopes, flood plains and soils <br />with poor stability, so low- density development is projected. <br />There are approximately 9,260 acres of land designated for Rural Residential and <br />Agricultural purposes in the Land Use Plan. If developed at an average density of one <br />dwelling unit per two acres with 15% of the area subtracted out for streets and roads, the <br />holding capacity of the area in terms of dwellings is 3,935. If multiplied by the 1980 Census <br />figure for population per household (2.6), the estimated population would be 10,231. <br />6 As previously indicated we are modifying existing language to ensure required minimum lot sizes and <br />density limits are observed. As previously indicated staff has incorporated comments from the County <br />Attorney's office and the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill into this section. <br />