Agenda - 02-25-1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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4) Effects on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Historic Sites: This property, although zoned agricultural, is wooded and unsuitable for farming. There are no environmentally sensitive or historic sites on the property. 5) Transportation and Demographics: The location of this tract at the intersection of a principle arterial and a minor arterial road makes its development as a commerical property consistent with the intent of the Land Use Plan to focus such development in a concentrated manner at or near major intersections. I-40 access to Raleigh Durham International Airport, Research Triangle Park, Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and several major universities is a factor which currently supports central Orange County's negative net commutation pattern. Commercial development at the proposed site would be a step towards a more evenly balanced commuter flow in and out of the area and could at the same time help create a broader tax base for the county. 6) Population and Economic Projections: The county's existing in- migration pattern is a major factor in the negative commuter . flow out of central Orange County. This tendency to live in one area and work in another becomes significant when looking at projected growth for Hillsborough Township. Interstate access and the fact that 43% of the Orange County work force is employed by the government sector points to the conclusion that few opportunities exist for such employment in a township experiencing significant growth. Increased commercial opportunities, such as more available office space, are consistent with the land use plan strategy of evaluation and designation of new activity nodes. 7) Category Description: The Subject Property location, the existence of a water source and the existence of sanitary sewer within a mile of the proposed site points to its suitability as a 10 or 20 year Commerical Transition Activity Node. All locational criteria of this category are favorable for this proposal. 8) 'Trends Specific to Hillsborough Township: Hillsborough Township has experienced a growth rate higher than that of the county as a whole. - The existing land use shows a disparity between residential use- (13%) and commercial use (0.9%) which exceeds the ratio between the same two uses in both Eno and Bingham Townships. Although Chapel Hill Township has a similar ratio of 13.8% residential to 0.3% commercial, the intensive economic affect of UNC-CH offers employment opportunities which are unavailable within the Hillsborough Township limits. This proposal would be a step towards employment opportunities for Hillsborough residents which would not entail commuting. As Pollution and energy consumption concerns affect all county residents more and more, such commercial development becomes more attractive.