Orange County NC Website
3 <br /> o A "cluster" approach where lot sizes are reduced and the land <br /> saved through such reductions is dedicated to the County or a land <br /> conservancy, or owned and maintained by a homeowners' <br /> association; or <br /> o A "conservation" approach where all land is subdivided into lots, <br /> and open space is preserved through the use of conservation <br /> easements held by the County or a land conservancy; or <br /> o An "estate lot" approach where all land is subdivided into lots four <br /> (4) acres or greater in size, building limits (50%) are established <br /> for each lot, and the open space outside such limits is preserved <br /> through restrictive covenants and/or conservation easements; or <br /> o Some combination of the above, including the use of "density <br /> averaging" to allow flexibility in areas where two-acre minimum <br /> lot size requirements exist. <br /> • Density bonuses are provided, based on compliance with design guidelines <br /> rather than the amount of open space provided. Bonuses are also limited <br /> by the type of water supply/sewage disposal service available to the <br /> development. <br /> • Water supply/sewage disposal service may include, where permitted by <br /> local policy: <br /> o Individual wells and septic systems on each lot, including <br /> subsurface disposal or spray irrigation on open land; or <br /> o A community water and/or sewage disposal system, including <br /> subsurface disposal or spray irrigation on open land, designed, <br /> constructed, and maintained in conformity with all applicable state, <br /> federal, and local rules and regulations; or <br /> o Connection to a water and/or sewage disposal system operated by <br /> a municipality, association, or water or sewer authority. System <br /> extensions will be sized only to serve the open space development <br /> for which the system is extended. <br /> The "Flexible Development" option has been prepared in the format of an <br /> amendment to the Subdivision Regulations. The basic strategy is to substitute it <br /> for the current "Cluster Development" standards. Associated with the amendment <br /> would be the preparation of a Rural Design Guidebook to illustrate, through a <br /> case study approach, how to use the option is designing open space or "flexible" <br /> developments. <br />