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C35 <br />SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ORDINANCE <br />EXEMPTIONS <br />Certain types of development or activities are automatically exempted <br />from the provisions of the Ordinance, and do not require preparation of <br />an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement. <br />- any activity involving 2 acres or less; <br />- farming operations <br />(EXCEPT sludge disposal); and <br />- single - family residential development or subdivision <br />(EXCEPT Planned Developments); <br />Also exempted are routine repair or maintenance projects, and any <br />project located outside of the jurisdiction of Orange County Planning <br />regulations. <br />ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT <br />If a project is not automatically exempted from the Ordinance, then it <br />must be determined if an Environmental Assessment is required. <br />Projects Requiring an Environmental Assessment (EA) <br />An EA will be required for a project only if: <br />1) it does not meet any of the exemptions listed above; AND <br />2) it involves one or more of the following; <br />- generation or storage of hazardous wastes <br />- intensive water usage <br />- grading in excess of 40,000 square feet <br />(EXCLUDING roads, and single - family residential development) <br />- NC Mining Permit <br />- NPDES (Discharge) Permit <br />(from NC Division of Environmental Management) <br />- Environmental Documentation required by State or Federal <br />Agency <br />-- development within a water Quality Critical Area <br />0 - development of sites containing natural or other resources <br />