Agenda - 6-a - Greene Tract Conceptual Plans

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Greene Tract Conceptual Plans Information on Factors Considered During Creation Process The staff-created conceptual plans for the Greene Tract are a result of several months of iterations and input from a variety of staff from the three jurisdictions. While planning staffs were the lead on creating the conceptual plans, input was also sought and incorporated from environmental and stormwater staffs. The following information addresses some anticipated questions regarding why the conceptual plans are presented as they are. Environmental Features Although the Greene Tract lies entirely within the planning jurisdiction of the Town of Chapel Hill, 104 acres of the Greene Tract are co-owned by Orange County and the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro while 60 acres are owned solely by Orange County. Planning staffs chose to apply the most stringent development regulation of the three jurisdictions when determining stream and wetland buffers and preservation of other environmental features such as forest types. For example, if one jurisdiction requires a 50-foot stream buffer and another requires a 65-foot stream buffer, a 65-foot stream buffer was used as the stream buffer on the conceptual plan. The Upland Hardwood Forest areas were slated for preservation as at least one jurisdiction would normally request/require preservation of these types of forests if a development proposal were made. Road Configuration All previous planning efforts of the Greene Tract/Rogers Road area have strongly stated that Purefoy Drive and/or Lizzie Lane should not be the only access to the Greene Tract. Connections to the south, north, and/or east must be made. The early iterations of maps (not included in materials) sought to avoid a stream crossing and connected to Merin Road, near the southeast corner of the Greene Tract, by traversing the area between two stream buffer areas. However, this configuration was revised as environmental and stormwater staff members stated that a stream crossing would be preferable to impacting the Upland Hardwood Forest areas while also bisecting preserve connectivity. Staffs have spoken with Norfolk Southern railroad representatives regarding a crossing on the east side of the Greene Tract. While Norfolk Southern is amendable to reviewing any requests, the railroad generally requires closure of at least one existing crossing for each new crossing. Staff has not been able to identify existing crossing(s) that could be proposed for closure in order to make a connection from the Greene Tract to Weaver Dairy Road Extension to the east. 3