Blackwood Farm Master Plan - final report (adopted 3-3-2011)

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Future Blackwood Farm Park—Master Plan Report Adopted March 3, 2011 II. Site Analysis / Opportunities & Constraints Report In order to adequately develop a master plan for the site, it is helpful to understand the context, setting and resources that exist on the property. To this end, an Opportunities and Constraints Report was created that explored the natural and cultural setting of the property, its history, and the challenges and opportunities that will be found in designing a park. Prior to this report, three surveys were conducted in July-September 2006 to specifically assess certain attributes and resources. These were: ❑ A biological resources assessment, to evaluate the flora and fauna of the site along with other natural resources, ❑ A cultural/archaeological survey, to explore and evaluate the historic and archaeological resources present, and ❑ A topographic/tree location survey, to provide detailed information about the lay of the land and all trees of 18-inch caliper and greater (for future design purposes). This section summarizes the findings in the Opportunities and Constraints Report, which in turn used the findings of the three surveys. (The full report is provided as Appendix 1). Most of the original farm remains intact with the old farmhouse and outbuildings surrounded by agricultural fields and mature woodlands. Some of the rural character and setting was compromised by the construction of NC 86 in the early 1950s and Interstate 40 in the early 1990s. The land was not actively farmed after the 1980's, other than hay production by a nearby farmer. Despite those changes, the general character of the neighborhood remains much as it was over the past century. From a planning and zoning perspective, the property is located within the Orange County-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Joint Planning Area, inside the Rural Buffer that surrounds Chapel Hill and Carrboro on the north and west. Surrounding land uses include New Hope Church Road to the south, NC 86 to the east (across from New Hope Elementary School), a large-lot residential subdivision to the north, and Interstate 40 and a large undeveloped tract to the west. The 152-acre site is a mixture of woodland and open farm fields, on which hay continues to be grown. The old Chapel Hill-Hillsborough Road ran directly in front of the farmhouse and is still clearly visible as a sunken travel way traversing the property from south to north. The original house (ca 1827) has been remodeled many times over the generations. Several farm outbuildings remain, including a large barn, smokehouse, milking shed, corncrib and garage. 3