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12 ATTACHMENT TO OBJECTIVE 3 OF RURAL CHARACTER STUDY GOAL A PROPOSAL TO THE N.C. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH,AND NATURAL RESOURCES FOR ASSISTANCE IN THE PREPARATION OF DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR OPEN SPACE DEVELOPMENTS NOTE:: The proposal has been revised to reflect discussions with the N.C. Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources as well as the N.C.Association of County Commissioners and the Natural Lands Trust. Revisions as a result of the discussions are highlighted in a text. INTRODUCTION Since June, 1987, Orange County, through its Rural Character Study Committee, has been working to develop strategies which would allow development to occur in rural portions of the county while preserving significant farm and forest land, natural areas, wildlife corridors, wetlands, scenic vistas, and historic sites. The Study Committee concluded its work by presenting a set of draft strategies to the Board of Commissioners at public hearing in December, 1992. The strategies are modeled on the work of Randall Arendt of the Natural Lands Trust,formerly with the Center for Rural Massachusetts. Mr. Arendt is nationally known for his promotion of cluster development design to preserve open space of all types.A final set of strategies is to be presented to Orange County's seven Township Advisory Councils this winter.A decision on adoption of the strategies by the Board of Commissioners is scheduled for March, 1994. Recently, the Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution supporting the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Conservation&Management Plan(CCMP)of the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine Study.During the course of reviewing the CCMP, the Orange County staff was struck by the consistency between the goals and objectives of the CCMP and the adopted goals of the Board of Commissioners, particularly the promotion of local and regional planning that protects the environment and allows for economic growth. Orange County's current initiatives in areas of farmland preservation,watershed protection,rural character/natural areas preservation,and economic development are evidence of that consistency. Subsequent to the adoption of the resolution of support, the Orange County Planning Director was asked by Randall Arendt to review and comment on his first draft of an open space development design guidebook prepared for the Sussex County, Delaware Conservation District. Sussex County encompasses nearly half of the small state as well as the majority of Delaware's farmland, woodlands, natural areas, beaches, dunes, and tidal estuaries. From the review of the design guidebook emerged the proposal outlined below. PROPOSAL • Simply stated, this proposal suggests that the Natural Lands Trust; e.g., Randall Arendt,be employed to : <:>:::::>;:,.>:.:<.�..::;:.,:.:.:.::.. : ;::.::i:;>;:.;t:,:..<,:;.:>::><:::::<:::..:.::.:::>:::>.::::.::.:::::<:::>:::>:::<:tudie one a headwaters prepare d...... f for open space development## i ***0 ;: :< ,......,...r, or inland county such as Orange County, sigtogg representing coastal or tidewater counties such County. thus prepared would serve as a model for the other 34 counties in promoting local planning which protects the environment yet allows for economic growth. The design guidebook would be organized similar to the Sussex County study: - Purpose of the Handbook - The: . 1t# : An Inventory - Conventional vs. Open Space Designs: Comparisons& Contrasts -Advantages of Open Space Design Economic Environmental and Ecological Social and Recreational