Agenda - 02-25-1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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0 5,, I. BACKGROUND A. ORIENTATION/PURPOSE OF STUDY The community of Efland is located in west-central Orange County, part of a linear suburban/urban extension that stretches into Alamance County and Burlington along a transportation corridor marked by Interstate 85/40, the Southern Railroad, and U.S. Highway 70. The community was established circa 1880 along the rail line as a tobacco-shipping outpost. In the early 20th century, textiles became a significant 'industry in the region and state, and mills in and around Efland spurred residential development in what is now considered the core of the community - between US 70 and the railroad. Although the dominance of both the railroad and textiles has diminished over the last half-century, the pattern of development from those years is still the backbone of Efland. Added to this are continued residential development and non-residential operations and commercial services that dot the US 70 corridor today. The village contains 700-1000 persons, and is unincorporated. There is no definitive answer to question of where Efland begins and ends. A survey of area residents has defined the boundaries for this study to be generally McGowan Creek on the north, Interstate 85 on the south, the Eno River on the east. These boundaries are relatively easy to see. The western boundary however, is not visually apparent because of the linear development pattern along U.S. 70. Asked to define a western boundary, most residents selected the Efland/Cheeks Elementary School with a significant minority indicating that Efland extended westward to Buckhorn Road (see Map 1) . The Efland Area Study began in July of 1990, after an 18-month delay to allow completion of the Economic Development Commission's Target Advisory Group Preliminary Report on the proposed industrial area west of Efland. The Efland Area Study was commissioned by the Orange County Planning Board in late 1988, and was precipitated by a proposed residential-to- commercial land use change that stirred community interest in 1988. Concerns on the part of many residents as to maintaining the community character of Efland were expressed in both verbal and written form to the Planning Board. As a result, the Planning Board proposed an area study to examine the greater issues affecting the comprehensive long-range plans for the Efland area, the location of non-residential development, and the protection of the community's character.