Agenda - 08-23-1993 - C 1-4 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

- (Page 3 . 12-3 ) Natural Environmental Constraints Chapel Hill Township north of the Joint Planning Area contains 0 97 the following environmental constraints to development activity; floodplains, steep slopes, and poor soils . Floodplains: Virtually all of the area's 100-year floodplain acreage lies along Stoney Creek and its tributaries. The stream flows through a relatively narrow valley so the extent of flooding during 100-year floods is not great. The floodplain rarely extends further than three hundred feet from' the center of the stream and covers only sixty-seven acres, less than 2% of the area. Poorly drained soils associated with floodplains cover an additional 129 acres or another 3% of the region's land area. Steep Slopes : Steep slopes present a constraint to development by creating the potential for increased runoff and erosion. Steep slopes and the soils associated with them also pose problems in the use of septic tanks. ,Steep slopes in the portion of Chapel Hill Township north of the JPA are fairly extensive, encompassing some 787 acres or almost 19% of the total land area. Most of the steep slopes are confined to the Couch Mountain tract of Duke Forest and the stream valleys of Stoney Creek and its tributaries. Soils : Two soil associations predominate in the area; Appling- Helena to the east and Georgeville-Herndon-Tatum to the west. The soils of the latter association tend to be well-drained and are suitable for most land uses. Appling-Helena soils, however, are somewhat more clayey, posing problems for septic tank absorption fields and many building types because of poor absorption and shrink-swell problems. . wOitWtaL r Supply _ fi tershed s Portions +of irc wa r;<;sup ;l. ateriha.:. s ;;;::.;: ce ;';;darner:;>:Q: e:::.Ta+ aa •....:;:>' ;»:. : '.. :: : :. >.: ;.;r:: . ,.•��■■!!.'.,yy�}}:.: :iS: ::i:::'. ii•: ::�. :(.,.�.sue.;... W;. .......:{s. :..:..•::4Y ` ':.':::::....,v:::;::::;'::.,.,;::•..:5:::•i:::::i•ii>i:4i'••i:"•yYy':�p:i:::::<:ii::::•::•::;:::.:, • :. .. :::': .::: .. ,..n.4>.....: .•.: :...:::. ...}.. •:::: .i:?fu•::;;::iT i:'::...}:i:::i::}1:.:.i:.:::.:::•:::•::::.:::::::::::':':'iii::::.::.:::::::: M .:: ......,.........n,.n.w..v....n..•nw.,.Y::St'#* Cultural and Natural Resources In northern Chapel Hill Township is a portion of the New Hope Creek Open Space Corridor which links the Eno River State Park with the U.S. Corps of Engineers land north of Jordan Lake. Elements of the corridor in this part of the Township are: Rhodes Creek Wildlife Corridor in the 100-year floodplain from south of Cornwallis Road-to Old NC 10; Bike/pedestrian trails along NC Highway 751, Old NC 10, and Mt. Hermon Church Road; and An unpaved nature trail along existing roads within Duke Forest. 3