Orange County NC Website
B <br /> • Stoney Creek flows in a northeasterly direction through the area bounded by the <br /> Concept Plans.Approximately 130 acres along the creek and its tributaries consist <br /> of floodplain,wetlands,natural areas,and steep slopes.These features are located <br /> generally in a wildlife corridor designated in the Inventory of Natural Areas and <br /> Wildlife Habitats.In addition,five sites have been identified as part of the Orange <br /> County historic inventory. <br /> These features were considered extensively as part of the University Station <br /> Planning Group initiative(see attached descriptions and maps).They are currently <br /> under consideration by the Stoney Creek Basin Planning Group (see attached <br /> vicinity map and Planning Group chronology). For the purpose of this report, the <br /> features have been combined into a composite overlay to show their relationship <br /> to the approved Concept Plans (see attached composite map). <br /> • The Master Recreation and Parks Plan proposes a community park in the vicinity <br /> of New Hope Church Road and NC 10.The minimum size needed for such a park <br /> is 25 acres,and the average service radius is 1-2 miles.Such parks generally serve <br /> several neighborhoods,providing active recreation opportunities such baseball and <br /> softball, tennis, volleyball, basketball, and jogging. A water body is a component <br /> typically located in a community park as well as natural areas for passive activities <br /> such as picnicking and hiking (see attached Master Plan and schematic diagram <br /> of Community Park). <br /> The Concept Plan approval for each of the subdivisions containing area along Stoney <br /> Creek includes a condition that floodplain,wetlands,and other natural areas be preserved. <br /> The approvals did not address the issue of parkland dedication or payment-in-lieu of <br /> dedication. Normally, the size of a subdivision is not sufficient to require dedication of <br /> land. However, in the case of a single, unified development, or, in the case of several <br /> contiguous subdivisions, parkland dedication rather than payment-in-lieu would be <br /> considered. <br /> Options to Address Resource Protection <br /> Although the Concept Plans are contiguous and interconnecting, the land included in the <br /> Concept Plans is in separate ownership, and each tract may be developed independently <br /> of the others.As noted previously, each Preliminary Plan must provide protection for the <br /> natural resources along Stoney Creek. There are several options which may be used to <br /> accomplish this goal, including the following. <br /> • Inclusion of the natural features within the boundaries of individual lots, with <br /> protection provided through recordation of a conservation easement held by <br /> Orange County, a non-profit land conservancy or a homeowners association. The <br /> boundaries of the conservation easement would be set to include those features <br /> warranting protection. The easement agreement would contain provisions to <br /> insure protection of the resources and would be enforced by the holder of the <br /> easement. <br /> • Creation of a separate parcel which includes those features warranting protection, <br /> with dedication of the land to Orange County, a non-profit land conservancy or a <br /> homeowners association. <br /> • Some combination of the above such as a situation where a separate parcel is <br />