Orange County NC Website
14 <br /> 14, 1992 . <br /> In October, 1990 the Chapel Hill Town Council <br /> appointed a Small Area Plan Work Group to develop a <br /> recommended long-range plan for the Southern Area. <br /> This area is located generally south of Morgan Creek <br /> and includes land on both sides of U.S. 15-501 South <br /> to the Chatham County line. To the east, the <br /> boundary is a natural ridge line. To the west, the <br /> boundary is 250 feet east of Smith Level Road. Bell <br /> indicated the location on the JPA Land Use Plan Map. <br /> The majority of the southern area is located within <br /> Chapel Hill 's extraterritorial planning jurisdiction <br /> (ETJ) . However, an area of approximately 205 acres <br /> bounded generally by U.S . 15-501 to the west, the <br /> ETJ line to the north, Old Lystra Road to the east, <br /> and the Chatham County line to the south is in the <br /> JPA. <br /> This area is currently designated as Chapel Hill <br /> Suburban Residential Transition in the JPA Land Use <br /> Plan. The Plan describes such areas as: <br /> Suburban Residential Areas are designated for <br /> housing densities from one ( 1) to five (5) <br /> dwelling units per acre. Such areas are located <br /> where land is changing from rural to urban, <br /> suitable for urban densities, and to be provided <br /> with public utilities and services . Housing <br /> types range from single-family homes to duplexes <br /> to multi-family dwellings. <br /> In general, the Southern Small Area Plan <br /> concentrates development in areas of environmental <br /> suitability nearest the existing Town limits. <br /> Density is lower in areas of environmental <br /> constraints and in areas farthest from being served . <br /> by public facilities. Residential densities for the <br /> Southern Area range from four houses per acre to one <br /> house per five acres. The area contained in the JPA <br /> is shown as having a future residential density of <br /> one unit per acre for areas off 15-501 and one unit <br /> per five acres for areas off Old Lystra Road. Thus, <br /> substantially lower densities are proposed for the <br /> area than were originally envisioned in the JPA Land <br /> Use Plan. <br /> The Southern Small Area Plan attempts to balance <br /> preservation and development objectives. <br /> Preservation objectives include protection of <br /> environmentally sensitive areas, natural beauty, <br /> area character, and existing neighborhoods. <br /> Development objectives focus on providing a range of <br />