Orange County NC Website
9 <br /> driveways, sidewalks, etc. with CDM standards. <br /> This is similar to #3 above in that Orange County does <br /> not include any unpaved surface in impervious surface <br /> calculations . This alternative would result in 100% <br /> compliance for both 5 and 2-acre lot scenarios . <br /> 5 . Establish design standards which assure/encourage <br /> compliance. <br /> Examples of design standards which would assure <br /> compliance include the placement of restrictions on <br /> driveway length and lot configurations. Since long <br /> driveways increase the impervious surface, limiting <br /> their length to a set maximum distance would assure <br /> compliance. Coupled with such a standard might be one <br /> which limits lot configuration to a "typical" or <br /> "square" shape, since such lots demonstrated greater <br /> compliance rates . <br /> 6. Increase the minimum lot size required. <br /> Of all the alternatives, this is least acceptable but <br /> still assures compliance with the CDM standards . For 5- <br /> acre lots, the minimum lot size would have to be <br /> increased to 7 . 6 acres . For 2-acre lots, the lot size <br /> would have to be increased to 4 . 0 acres. <br /> 7 . Permit lot size averaging. <br /> This alternative would require a 4% impervious surface <br /> ratio but would permit lot size averaging as long as the <br /> density did not exceed 1 unit/5 acres. This alternative <br /> is based on the fact that for all 5-acre scenarios, the <br /> average lot size was 5 . 05 acres, and the average <br /> impervious surface ratio was 4 . 03% . <br /> For 2-acre lots, the same solution is not possible. The <br /> average lot size for all scenarios was 2 . 35 acres and <br /> the average impervious surface limit was 7%. <br /> Recommendations <br /> Based on the above information, I believe that alternative #2 <br /> provides the best solution to the impervious surface limit <br /> problem in terms of permanent standards. For the interim <br /> standards, the fact that Orange County currently defines <br /> impervious surfaces to include only paved surfaces provides <br /> the relief needed for individuals to build. I would <br /> recommend, however, that any increases in impervious surface <br /> limits be coupled with design standards which required roads, <br /> home sites, and nitrification fields to be located outside of <br />