Agenda - 02-07-2017 - 8-a - Durham Chapel Hill Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization Comprehensive Transportation Plan

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2 the MPO for future transportation needs. The presentation, provided in Attachment 1, will provide more information about the CTP, its relationship to other plans, and its importance with respect to reserving right-of-way. Relationship to Other Plans The CTP is the overarching transportation plan for the DCHC MPO. As a State requirement, the CTP replaces the Thoroughfare plans that have been conducted in North Carolina since the 1950s. With a focus on multi-modal transportation, the CTP is designed to work within a planning framework, which includes the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). Projects included in other Orange County transportation plans, including the Orange County Bus and Rail Investment Plan, must be included in the CTP. While CTPs are not regularly updated, they can be amended. If local projects and priorities change and projects are specifically removed from local plans, the CTP can be amended. It is, however, important to note that the CTP represents an aspirational, non-fiscally constrained, long-range transportation network and includes all possible transportation improvements. While some of these transportation improvements may never come to pass based on funding or feasibility, this plan indicates a long-range vision that supports a robust multi-modal transportation network and provides a diversity of projects for programming in subsequent fiscally constrained plans and funding programs. Products The final CTP will contain two distinct elements, the CTP Maps (Attachment 2) and the CTP Study Report. The CTP Study Report contains a great deal of background information including problem statements for specific projects and a summary of the CTP process. The Highway Minimum Problem Statements document is provided as an example (Attachment 3). The entire draft document, all of the maps, and explanatory tables for each mode can be found at this link: http://bltJy/2bv3ROV. It is important to note that the NCDOT Board of Transportation only approves the CTP maps; this body does not approve the CTP Study Report. CTP Footnote In many communities, the dedication of right-of-way to support associated cross-sections for the construction of new facilities or the enhancement of existing facilities is handled using subdivision/land development ordinances or special zoning entitlements. In Orange County, however, land is often developed "by right" under existing zoning. In order to compel developers/sub-dividers/etc. to dedicate right-of-way for new streets/highways or to improve existing streets/highways, an adopted CTP is required. The CTP requirement would, however, only apply if the jurisdiction is interested in acquiring the dedication through its zoning processes, subdivision control ordinances, and/or special zoning entitlements. It is the opinion of the County Attorney that no other planning policy guide (e.g. small area plans, locally adopted corridor plans, special district plans, etc.) can legally compel right-of-way dedication when the dedication is being sought through zoning, subdivision, or any other land use control ordinances. With this in mind, staff has worked with the MPO and with NCDOT Transportation Planning branch for over two years to create language linking local access management plans and small area plans to the CTP, i.e. to ensure that the roadway alignments in these plans are equivalent to CTP alignments. This will provide solid footing to support requiring the dedication of the right- of-way in development projects that are programmed "by right." The following language has