Agenda - 05-22-1989 - Laserfiche WebLink

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r7Th'') 'r e - UNIQUE NATURAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS environmentally sensitive areas historic sites The interaction between these elements are the foundation of the life supporting characteristics of the natural system. These elements, both individually and in combination, can place constraints on the ability of the land to support development. Some of these elements pose constraints throughout the entire County. Others are site specific. Where individual constraints to development overlap, the result may be a multiplier effect. The constraint to a site posed by a combination of several environmental features may be more than the sum of each factor considered separately. Often, the existence of a particular feature or features will lead to the designation of an area as environmentally sensitive or critical. This type of environmental information is used, along with other locational criteria, to suggest where and what type of development is most appropriate for Orange County. It is particularly important to identify constraints in the area most likely to be developed over the next twenty years. ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS AND CONSTRAINTS Geology Geology refers to the physical history of the earth, the materials of which the earth is composed, and the processes by which its features undergo change. The bedrock geology of Orange County is fairly complex, but can be discussed in terms of three major rock types: 1) Low grade metamorphic rocks of predominantly volcanic- sedimentary origin. These are part of a large distinctive rock unit that extends from central Georgia to southeastern Virginia, known locally as the Carolina Slate Belt, 2) Intrusive rocks of granitic composition that can be found in the northwestern corner, of Orange County and scattered throughout the Slate Belt, and 3) Triassic rocks, found in a small area of southeastern 2.2 text 2