Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
STRATEGIC GROWTH AND RURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM <br />Draft (10.1.2007) <br />Advisory Board -provided review and comment on the initial recommendations. The <br />public was then invited to give feedback on the draft SGRC Program Design at an <br />informal SGRC Open House. A final draft of the SGRC Program Design <br />recommendations were then forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners for <br />public hearing and eventual consideration of adoption. (See section 2.2.3 for final draft <br />SGRC Program Design recommendations.) <br />Analysis of Previous Findings and Additional Assessment. Planning Department staff and <br />Consultants reviewed the findings from the Feasibility Study and the SGRC Goals set by <br />the Board of Commissioners. These key program design issues were identified for initial <br />analysis and deliberation: <br />^ Designation of Growth and Conservation Areas: whether to use mapped areas or a <br />parcel-specific criteria-based designation <br />^ Eligibility criteria: whether to use any eligibility criteria, and if so, what criteria to use <br />^ Partial participation: whether Conservation Area properties must participate by <br />placing all undeveloped property under easement or may choose to protect only <br />part of the property <br />^ Reversal of participation: whether to allow Conservation Area owners to "buy <br />back" the conservation easement on their property <br />^ Economic Factors: a closer look at the economic factors that influence <br />Conservation Area sales of conservation easements and Growth Area development <br />project proposals <br />^ Conservation Area Points Allocation: fixed formula or merit based? Per acre or per <br />housing unit? Exclude existing structures or overlook them to provide an extra <br />incentive? <br />^ Growth Area Development Intensity Bonus 8~ Bonus Limits: fixed formula or merit- <br />based? One-to-one ratio? Density limits fixed orcriteria-based? <br />^ Allowing Commercial uses of Points: define a formula for commercial development <br />intensity bonuses? <br />^ Incentives for Participation: points allocation/translation. bonuses? Downzoning? <br />Streamlined approval process? <br />^ Growth Area design guidelines: what amenities/buffer or other design requirements <br />should be specified? <br />For a listing of all issues and the rationales for and against each available option, please <br />see Appendix X. Note that administrative design issues and options are included in the <br />list in Appendix X and are discussed in Chapter 2.3 of this report. <br />The issues associated with designation of areas and eligibility criteria were tackled first. <br />Consultants conducted analysis using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to <br />evaluate the number and extent of properties that would qualify for SGRC Program <br />participation under different area designation and eligibility scenarios. <br />Recommendations were developed for presentation to an SGRC Working Group (see <br />below for composition of the Working Group.) <br />Planning Department staff and Consultants then examined the second set of program <br />design issues, associated primarily with awarding of Conservation Area Points and <br />Growth Area Development Intensity Bonuses. Consultants conducted analyses using <br />GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to evaluate the distribution of Conservation Area <br />Points under different points awarding formulas, and the resulting possible impacts on <br />Orange County, North Carolina <br />