Orange County NC Website
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Governments is "any space containing unusual or <br />exemplary biological habitat, geologic feature, or <br />hydrologic location." This would include <br />endangered plant /animal sites, threatened <br />plant /animal sites, special plant /animal sites, <br />Plant communities and exemplary geologic <br />formations. Section 12.6 of Orange County Zoning <br />Ordinance states that buffers may be required on <br />developments adjacent to natural areas (as <br />inventoried). Buffer distance would be decided on <br />a case by case basis by the Planning Department. <br />An Environmental Assessment* and possibly <br />Environmental Statement would be required before <br />development could occur. (See Appendix). <br />S. Historic Sites <br />Appendix D in the Orange County Land Use Element is <br />an "Inventory of Sites of Cultural, Historical, <br />Recreational, Biological and Geological <br />Significance in the Unincorporated Portions of <br />Orange County." This includes churches, <br />cemeteries, historically significant <br />buildings /sites, recreation centers and other <br />natural areas also mentioned in the Natural Areas <br />Inventory. Although there are currently no <br />Historic Districts in unincorporated Orange County, <br />there are sites which are on the National Register <br />Of Historic Sites. Section 12.6 of the Orange <br />Count - Zoning Ordinance states that buffers shall <br />be required on developments proposed adjacent to <br />historic sites (as inventoried). Buffer distance <br />would be decided on a case by case basis by the <br />Planning Department. <br />9. Wetlands <br />Wetlands are areas characterized by hydric soils <br />(usually gray in color) and vegetation specific to <br />wetlands areas. Wetlands are considered a very <br />important natural resource because they provide <br />recharge areas for groundwater and they serve as <br />filter traps for sediment, pesticides, and other <br />types of pollutants. The Information Services <br />Division of the Orange County Planning Department <br />is currently working on a map of recognized <br />wetlands in Orange County. <br />* An Environmental Assessment is part of the Orange County <br />Environmental Impact Ordinance and is a form which must be filled <br />out when more than 40,000 square feet of land is disturbed. An <br />Environmental Statement is an additional form which must have <br />H <br />