Agenda - 11-14-2017 - D.1 - Zoning Atlas Amendment: Conditional Zoning —Master Plan Development

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84 Craig Benedict said that the regulations that the County has put together, in anticipation of this land use implementation that has been on the map since the '80s, takes into account the impacts that community members voiced. Traffic-wise, road capacity is evaluated by the TIAs. When traffic from this project meets certain thresholds, the developer has to make improvements. Mr. Benedict said that this is not a case where the project continues and someone else fixes the project later. Many residents raised concerns about lighting. Orange County has one of the best"dark sky" ordinances in North Carolina. The lighting program in Section 6.11 of the UDO requires that light be limited and directed down. In terms of the environmental issues, the site-by-site EIAs will be considered alongside master planning for stormwater management which protects the water table. Even though wells are permissible within the development, they may not necessarily have to install them. It could be the case that stormwater areas down to groundwater could provide the water for irrigation and other landscaping. Tony Blake asked if there is something that can be done to restrict the amount of water used from a well during a drought. He acknowledged the technical solutions but asked if verbiage could be added to address the issue. Craig Benedict responded the water table in Orange County is not in the typical stratospheric table seen in other parts of the country. It is in granite. The creation of a well is about hitting the right cracks in the rock. Since there are some adjacent properties with wells that are outside of this project, if there are wells are requested in the future for landscaping, Staff can direct the developer to an area with the least susceptibility of affecting nearby wells. Tony Blake said that there could be something codified about this issue. Craig Benedict noted that the protections as part of the MPD-CZ are more intense than in general use zoning. The amount of uses allowed in a master plan development is a restricted list from the full list in the Table. There are more precautions in a MPD-CZ, with traffic impacts, and more comprehensive development that is a value to everybody and to the surrounding Towns, and people who use the roads in the area. This type of project takes a better look at all of the impacts on-site and off-site. Kim Piracci said that she understands that it has been established that the County has and wants to develop this area, and this is a valuable area. She asked if developers tell Board members what they are planning to do with this. Craig Benedict replied that there is not going to be 272 acres of development all at once. The perimeters will be set with approved zoning and then the developer will market the property. In this case, there is not a specific site plan or use that says that an Ikea is coming here; it is not this type of proposal. This type of proposal develops the road pattern - the utility pattern, the use pattern, the buffer pattern, and other such patterns. Once something like this is established, there will be more activity and will be prepared to a higher level than in the past for the advent of the infrastructure being put into this area. In the early '80s, 1-40 was not there. The impact of 1-40 spurred interest in creating an interchange and jobs. This project will likely feed off of the interstate with people going to work from the rural areas of the County. The traffic here is interstate-related to a large degree. Kevin Nicholson said that he lives at 1006 Davis Rd. He said that he is part of the sixth generation living on his property; he lives in his grandfather's house. He raises chickens, cows and has a farm (farm use value program). This proposed development within a mile of the house. He said that he can remember a time when there was a proposal to widen Davis Rd. to 5 lanes. Everybody from his family and in community fought this proposal off. Is there a plan to widen Davis Rd.with this project? He knows that something will have to be done with Old 86 eventually. Jim Parker said that his project is not proposing the widening of Davis Rd. Craig Benedict said that there is long range planning for road patterns. Based on the long range planning going on, he can say that there are no long-range plans to widen Davis Rd. but there are plans to widen NC-86 over the long- term and short-term. The road between Old 86 and new 86 through the Waterstone development was part of the Planning Department's planning efforts 15 years ago. There may be a traffic light at Davis Rd. someday, when it meets NCDOT's needs.