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4 <br /> land. The concern presented by the County Attorney previously was also ammI <br /> raised by some of the residents. Nonconforming lots is another concern. <br /> Many owners felt it was unfair to require the combination of contiguous <br /> lots to meet the two-acre minimum lot size since these lots had been <br /> created under existing legal ordinances. <br /> Affordable housing was another major issue. With the increase in <br /> minimum lot size requirement and the increase in land cost, many families <br /> would be unable to create building lots for children. <br /> Environmental impacts was another concern. Soil conditions in the <br /> Rural Buffer are limited with regard to their capacity to absorb septic <br /> tank effluent. It was felt that with these limitations, there would be a <br /> real threat for groundwater contamination. It is the current policy not to <br /> allow public water and sewer into the rural buffer except in emergency <br /> situations. <br /> Tax increases and the ability to fund services in the Rural Buffer was <br /> another concern. <br /> There was also a concern that the more stringent requirements of the <br /> Rural Buffer would encourage leap frog development. <br /> On January 5, 1987, the Board of Commissioners approved the Rural <br /> Buffer zoning district designation and applied that designation to the <br /> 38, 000 acres of land. Also at that meeting, a petition was presented by <br /> approximately 650 citizens asking that the two- acre minimum lot size be <br /> reduced to 40, 000 square feet (0. 92 acre) . <br /> Collins stated that because the Rural Buffer is a part of the Joint <br /> Planning Area Land Use Plan and because of the existence of the Joint <br /> Planning Agreement between the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County, both <br /> Boards were required to sit jointly at the hearing and both Boards were <br /> required to take action on the requests. <br /> Collins explained that the Rural Buffer Study was broken down into <br /> three main sections, DATA AND ANALYSIS, POLICY ANALYSIS, and IMPLEMENTATION <br /> PROGRAM. <br /> Concurrent with the preparation of the study, a new Joint Planning <br /> Agreement was signed by Orange County and the Town of Chapel Hill on <br /> February 3 , 1987 . The agreement established within the Rural Buffer, the <br /> Chapel Hill Joint Development Area (CHJDA) which lies north of I-40 and <br /> east of a north-south line adjacent to the eastern boundary of the <br /> Blackwood Division of Duke Forest. Within this area, Orange County <br /> standards and ordinances are in effect and the Town of Chapel Hill is <br /> granted courtesy review. Orange County may not vote to issue or deny a <br /> development permit until it has received the recommendations of Chapel Hill <br /> or until the expiration of forty-five (45) days after Chapel Hill has <br /> received the application, whichever occurs first. The new agreement <br /> becomes effective upon adoption of a zoning map and the Chapel Hill Land <br /> Development Ordinance by Orange County. <br /> The first draft of the Rural Buffer Study was completed on February 27, <br /> 1987 and distributed to the Orange County Planning Board and Chapel Hill <br /> and Carrboro Planning Department for review. Following this review, a <br />