Agenda - 05-21-1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

r 9 Second, Chapel Hill Township is the most urbanized and populous portion of the county. Almost 70% of the county's approximately 54,000 citizens reside there. In addition, over 20% of all building permits issued since 1585 have been for new construction in the unincorporated portions of Chapel Hill Township. During the past decade, development has added 2,500 new residents to the unincorporated areas, most being housed in scattered, low- density subdivisions. The area's 22% growth rate is 5% higher than the remainder of the county as well as Chapel Hill. Third, since 1584, Orange County, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro have, through a mutually adopted agreement, jointly prepared and administered land use plans for the southeastern portion of the county. an area which inc=ludes Chapel Hill Township. Recently, joint planning efforts have focused on developing strategies for preserving the rural character of a designated Rural Buffer area. The strategies have been developed by a Study Committee comprised on farmers, developers, environmentalists, and preservationists, and range from conventional two -acre lot subdivisions to rural villages. The strategies have received enthusiastic support, and the Study Committee is now focusing on the remainder of the county. Using the same basic approach; e.g., township -to- county -wide expansion, Orange County would like to develop a means of identifying rural landscapes. The methodology is based on the master's thesis of the Project Coordinator and would utilize viewshed definition techniques; data from the on -going historic sites inventory; existing natural areas and landscape inventory data; local histories of area development; and property research. The methodology would then be used in subsequent inventory efforts to identify sites, structures, and landscapes. Finally, the Chapel Hill Township inventory will be the first of a four -phase project. The second phase will consist of an inventory of the