Orange County NC Website
9 <br /> LAND USE <br /> Comments: The comment was made that thoroughfare planners needed to work more <br /> closely with land-use planners to assess the impacts of road plans on land use since road <br /> construction can influence changes in land. Another comment was made that if the <br /> thoroughfare plan was unacceptable, the land use plan should be modified to direct <br /> growth where it is wanted, and thus, a more acceptable thoroughfare plan could be <br /> prepared. <br /> Response: The recommended Thoroughfare Plan is based on adopted land use plans of <br /> all local jurisdictions and on projections of land use made by the local planners. The lan <br /> is an effort to reserve right-of-way p <br /> gh yin areas where it is anticipated that roads will be <br /> • needed in the future due to growth. Very rarely is a road constructed before it is needed. <br /> The plan is updated every five to ten years. If a revised land use plan is adopted, the <br /> thoroughfare plan should be revised to reflect those changes. Additionally, the <br /> Thoroughfare Plan is revised as thoroughfare proposals are changed by periodic land use <br /> changes. <br /> ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS (EIS) <br /> Comments: The continent was made that environmental impact statements should be <br /> prepared prior to the development of the recommended thoroughfare plan. <br /> Response: Environmental impact statements, when appropriate, are prepared after <br /> functional designs are drawn and alternative alignments are considered prior to <br /> construction. It would not be possible to undertake an environmental analysis until an <br /> idea of one or more alternative alignments has been developed. The alignments shown <br /> on the thoroughfare plan are only approximate and illustrate corridors, not details. To <br /> date, functional designs have been prepared for only a few of the proposed roads. An <br /> environmental impact study must look at the details of the functional design to evaluate <br /> • the specific impacts of the various alternatives. In addition, environmental impact <br /> statements (EIS) are very expensive, however an EIS will be prepared prior to <br /> construction of any major highway facility. Where facilities are proposed in extremely <br /> sensitive areas, it may be desireable to proceed with an EIS as soon as possible. <br /> 2.4 <br />