Agenda - 03-02-2006-7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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As with other components of the OWASA system, our water distribution and wastewater collection needs are reviewed azid updated as new requirements or revised information, such as anticipated development density, become available. Recent and Anticipated Development Trends The plazming staffs of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and OWASA recently convened to discuss local development trends, water and sewer utility implications, azrd information issues related to growth and buildout forecasts for OWASA's Carrboro-Chapel Hill service area. Staff participants were in general consensus on the following: • Recent trends reflect the decreasing supply of raw land available for new residential and commercial development in the Cazrboro-Chapel Hill Urban Services Area. Traditional patterns are shifting toward infill and redevelopment at higher densities than we have historically experienced. • The number of detached single family homes constructed on relatively large undeveloped lots appears to be declining from the very stable rate of about .350-400 new homes per year observed since the early 1980s, More single family residential construction is occurring on smaller (undeveloped) lots; a greater number of older homes are being renovated and/or expanded; and, more requests are being filed for tear-down re-development and/or subdivision of existing in-town lots. • Similar trends toward buildout are occurring in both Canboro and Chapel Hill. Although there are still large tracts of currently open land in Canboro's Transition Area, development plans already exist or have been approved for a large portion of that area. The areas already spoken for include properties in perpetual conservation easements, large-lot subdivisions, public school/park property, a Town of Carrboro public works site, and several locations where development applications aze under review. Approximately half or less of the wrdeveloped/underdeveloped properties in Carrboro's Transition Area are not included in any of these categories and are therefore considered to be available for new development. • Consistent with these observations is an increasing proportion of new attached, townhouse style residential construction as well as applications for mixed-use (residential/commercial) projects. • Based on existing water use data, OWASA staff expects the shift towazd smaller residential lot sizes and more townhouse/multi-family construction to result in decreased demands per unit for water and wastewater service.. • Detailed plans are underway for mixed use redevelopment projects in Carrboro (the new Arts Center complex, Butler property, Calvin Mellott property, Concrete Plant Site (the undeveloped portion)) and in Chapel Hill (Wallace Parking Deck, Lot 5 Redevelopment, University Village, Greenbridge, and more). OWASA -Water mrd Se~oer Capacity Gnplicatious of hrcreased Development Density Page l.? of 31