Orange County NC Website
D /A I� <br /> UNIVERSITY LAKE WATERSHED PRCTECTION <br /> . Vw V��VF\ <br /> At the March 8 , :990 meeting of the Chatham-Orange work Coup, <br /> the group failed to achieve a consensus for modification of the <br /> impervious surface provisions in the ;.3-point agreement . The <br /> Orange County Planning Director , Marvin Collins , has proposed <br /> changing the impervious surface limit from 4 , to 6% for 5-acre <br /> lots and a sliding scale for lots smaller than 5 acres . <br /> Ideas discussed at the March 8 meeting included: <br /> 1 . Reduction in the number of 2-acre lots permitted under point <br /> number 5 . a. <br /> 2 . Public acquisition of land or development rights s;._ficient <br /> to result in equivalent protection. <br /> 3 . Use of impervious coefficient somewhere between 0 and 2 . 0 to <br /> recognize that gravel driveways are not as impervious as <br /> roof tops or paved roads . <br /> 4 . Use 4% figure for new developments, 6% for existing lots . <br /> THE DEBATE <br /> Those in favor modifying the impervious surface limit argued <br /> that, according to Mr . Collins ' calculations, the number of non- <br /> conforming lots would be unacceptably high (approx. 40%) . Those <br /> opposed to modification argued that the CDM recommendations were <br /> aimed at minimizing f.._ ther pollutant loading of the Lake and <br /> that the I3-point agreement already included. compromises that <br /> were less stringent that recommended by CDM. <br /> CDM SHORT-COMINGS <br /> The CDM report recommended that impervious surfaces be limited to <br /> 4% if the non-structural approached were utilized. They failed <br /> to take Into account dirficul ties this approached would encounter <br /> in dealing with that portion of the watershed in Chatham County <br /> and with existing roads and lots smaller than 5 acres. <br /> RECONCILIATION <br /> The difference between the 13-point agreement and the Crange <br /> County start proposals is not as significant as has been thought <br /> if a distinction is made between <br /> average imperviousness and the <br /> maximum permitted for individual lots . Mr . Collins ' calculations <br /> indicate that , for an assortment of 5-acre lots, approximately <br /> 98% compliance can be achieved by use of an impervious surface <br /> maximum of 6% ter act and that the average for the assortment <br /> would be about 4`' Thus, the intent the , <br /> a. _._us, _r ...e ten. cr ...e _3-po:n: agreement <br /> was to limit impervious surface to an average of 4% , the two <br /> proposals are equivalent . <br />