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29 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION ®EPARTMENT <br />1VIEMORANDUM <br />To: Jennifer Leaf, Orange County Planner <br />From: Rich Shaw, Land Conservation Manager <br />Date: November 14, 2006 <br />Re: Union Grove Church Road Subdivision Proposal <br />Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on the proposed Union Grove Church <br />Road subdivision. The current proposal is to create five lots on 20 acres located east of <br />Union Grove Church Road in Chapel Hill Township. <br />ERCD comments on subdivisions are generally to a) address any concerns with respect to <br />potential impacts on important natural or cultural resources pursuant to Section IV-B-2-d of <br />the Orange County Subdivision Ordinance, and b) identify any areas that might be desirable <br />for possible dedication for public rec./open space per Section IV-B-7-b of the Ordinance. <br />The concept plan (10/17/06) shows over eight acres of open space (42% of the site)-much <br />more than the required 33%. That open space is comprised of two linear strips associated <br />with two streams that flow through the tract before entering Lang Branch-a principal <br />tributary of New Hope Creek. Long Branch (also known as "Long Creek's flows along the <br />far northwestern property boundary. The western portion of the open space is a 300'-wide <br />riparian corridor comprised largely of mixed hardwoods, which includes a mapped 100-year <br />floodplain. A cleared strip (utility easement) divides that area into two parts. The eastern <br />open space is a 100'-wide wooded riparian corridor leading to a 2-acre forested area in the <br />SE corner of the site. The open space would serve as a small wildlife refuge and provide <br />residents with woodlands for walking and nature study. <br />Overall, the proposed site plan appears consistent with the County's desire to minimize <br />adverse environmental impacts with respect to the protection of floodplains, wetlands, <br />natural areas and wildlife habitat. I will defer to the Erosion Control stafF and their on-site <br />stream evaluation for determining the adequacy of stream buffers and building setbacks. <br />The Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan ('PA LUP) identifies the Long Branch <br />stream corridor (a IVew Hope Creek tributary) for a potential future greenway <br />trail. To help implement the 7PA Plan, I recommend that the County consider <br />requesting that. a portion of the proposed open space be dedicated to Orange <br />County for "Recreation and Open Space" pursuant to Section IV-B-7-b of the <br />Subdivision Ordinance. I suggest that the dedication be comprised of that <br />portion of the proposed open space located south of Long Branch and west of the <br />existing cleared utility right-of-way. I estimate the sine of that area to be <br />approximately one acre. See attached map. <br />Environment and Resource Conservation <br />PO Box 8181 / 306-A Revere Road <br />Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />(919) 245-2590 <br />