Agenda - 05-19-1987 - Laserfiche WebLink

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074 4 of the residents. Nonconforming lots was also a concern. Many owners felt it was unfair to require the combination of contiguous lots to meet the 'wo-acre minimum lot size since these lots had been created under existing legal ordinances. Affordable housing was another major issue. With the increase in minimum lot size requirement and the increase in land cost, many families would be unable to create building lots for children . Environmental. Impacts was another concern. Soil conditions in the Rural Buffer are limited with regard to their capacity to absorb septic tank effluent. It was felt that with these limitations, there would be a real threat for groundwater contamination . It is the current policy not to allow public . water and sewer into the rural butter except in emergency situations. Tax Increases and the ability to fund services in the Rural Buffer was another concern. There was also a concern that the more stringent requirements of the Rural Buffer would encourage leap frog development. On January 5, 1987, the Board of Commissioners approved the Rural Buffer zoning district designation and applied that designation to the 38,000 acres of land. Also at that meeting, a petition was presented by approximately 650 citizens having to do with the reduction of the two-acre minimum lot size to 40,000 square feet (0.92 acre) . Collins stated that because the Rural Buffer is a part of the Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan and because of the existence of the Joint Planning Agreement between the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County, both Boards were required to sit jointly at the hearing and both Boards were required to take action on the requests. Collins explained that the Rural Buffer Study was broken down into three •maln sections, DATA AND ANALYSIS, POLICY ANALYSIS, and IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM. • Concurrent with the preparation of the study, a new Joint Planning Agreement was signed by Orange County and the Town of Chapel Hill on February 3, 1987. The agreement establis$ ithin the Rural Buffer, the Chapel Hill Joint Development Area (CHJDA) which lies north of I -40 and - east of a north-south line adjacent to the eastern boundary of the Blackwood Division of Duke Forest. . Within this area, Orange County standards and ordinances are in effect and the Town of Chapel Hill Is granted courtesy review. Orange County may not vote to issue or deny to development permit until it has received the recommendations of Chapel Hill or until the expiration of forty-five (45) days after Chapel Hill has received the application, whichever occurs first. The new agreement becomes effective upon adoption of a zoning map and the Chapel Hill Land Development Ordinance by Orange County. The first draft of the Rural Buffer Study was completed on Februar 1987 and distributed to the Orange. County Planning Board and Chapel ell ' and Carrboro Planning Department for review. Following this review, a revision of the study was produced on March 4, 1987 . Major recommendations