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12 <br /> Land Use f Lement <br /> Issue: Residential development in the Rural Buffer Zone is <br /> occurring on lots larger than currently required by <br /> the zoning ordinance. The average subdivided lot <br /> size for Chapel Hill Township for the last three <br /> years is 2. 43 acres. The required two acre minimum <br /> lot size may cause large subdivisions to have fewer <br /> lots but will have a limited effect on overall <br /> development activity. <br /> Recommendation : Supplement Orange County LAn. alA Plan <br /> policy 5 .7 and Rural Buffer proposal on page <br /> 3. 12. 11 with the underlined text. <br /> Designate the rural , low density land surrounding <br /> the Chapel HillJCarrbgr9 urban areas, but beyond <br /> the Transition Areas, as Rural Buffer. This area <br /> will remain rural in character, will not require <br /> urban services and will maintain farming or rural <br /> non-farm residential development as the most <br /> appropriate land use. Future consideration will be <br /> given to designating Rural Buffer areas around <br /> other Towns in the County. <br /> RURAL BUFFER. The Rural Buffer extends from the <br /> western boundary of the Towns / planning jurisdic- <br /> tions to the outer edge of the University Lake <br /> Watershed. To the north, the Rural Buffer extends <br /> to the outer boundaries of the New Hope Creek <br /> drainage basin and includes most of the major Duke <br /> Forest tracts in Chapel Hill Township . To the <br /> southeast. the Rural suffer encompasses the area <br /> known as the 1411thern Triangle. This area defines <br /> the outer boundary of the Joint Planning Area and <br /> the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro' s corporate <br /> limits/extraterrltQrja) jurisdictions defines the <br /> inner boundary . It will remain rural in character, <br /> contain very low density rural and agricultural <br /> uses and never require urban services during the <br /> plan period. <br /> Issue: Together with slope, topographic relief is a direct <br /> influence on the water table and the location of <br /> streams and waterways, as well as soil erosion. <br /> Therefore any alterations in topographic relief or <br /> slope gradient may have far reaching effects on the <br /> entire area. <br /> Recommendation : New policy statement for inclusion under <br /> Goal 1 in Orange County Land 1LaQ Plan . <br /> Areas 9t greater then fifteen percent ( 15%) slope <br /> are environmentally sensitive and development in <br /> such areas shall be in strict conformity to appli- <br /> cable ae;imentation and erosion controls. <br />