Orange County NC Website
84 <br /> • <br /> that is consistent throughout the subdivision. The section of <br /> land in Orange County is so small and narrow that it is <br /> undevelopable on its own under either county's regulations. <br /> With or without. a plan amendment, this land is for all • <br /> practical purposes a part of a yard for three of these lots. • <br /> The sole purpose for the plan amendment appears to be to <br /> complete.the subdivision plan at the same density under which <br /> 94 percent of it has been constructed. At present, this <br /> cannot be done since the Orange County Rural Suffer <br /> designation will not allow any subdivision of land at all at <br /> ' lot sizes of less-than two acres. The closest Orange County <br /> designation that would allow this subdivision to be completed <br /> is Ten Year Transition, although most of the provisions of <br /> Ten Tear Transition are clearly not the ideal designation. <br /> At issue here is not only the approval of this 1.45 acre <br /> portion of land in Orange County. It is also a policy <br /> decision on how to treat these types of situations where land <br /> in two jurisdictions is developed at one jurisdiction's <br /> standards« Two options emerge from this proposed amendment. <br /> first, since there are no dwellings proposed for construction <br /> in Orange County, is a plan amendment really necessary? The <br /> matter appears to be academic, short of the problems that <br /> would be created for the three lots in question not being <br /> able to be subdivided as planned. This would leave the Orange <br /> County portion inconsistent with the Durham section, but with <br /> the knowledge that the Rural Suffer plan designation in <br /> Orange County has not been compromised. <br /> Or, secondly, should there be some "fitting together" of the <br /> Durham Plan with the Orange/Chapel Sill/Carrboro .Joint Land <br /> Use Plan, to ensure that these situations are dealt with <br /> consistently regardless of' which side of the county line they <br /> fall? An interlocal agreement might coordinate the two plans <br /> to reflect which standards should be in effect, and where. <br /> This type of policy might involve a form of joint planning <br /> With Durham County. It would compromise, in a sense, the <br /> appl#.catiop, of rural buffer - but it would do so in a <br /> planned, knowledgeable manner that might protect the concept <br /> • 'and would be more flexible than two independent plans. This • <br /> regional concept might allow for better overall planning <br /> along the county line. <br /> The applicant states that "in real life, this subdivision is <br /> experienced as a Durham County subdivision. By a fluke of <br /> geography,' 6% of the tract, falls into .Orange County." <br /> While the issues are more complex than this, the above <br /> . statement is basically correct. If all county boundaries, or <br /> 'property lines, were reflective of natural features, this <br /> ' situation would have a clear and easy solution. . <br /> 11 <br />