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2 <br />3. Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments <br />As reported in August 2005, Planning staff has been reviewing the need to modify <br />existing landscaping and signage regulations to eliminate regulatory conflicts within each <br />individual section and attempt to make the regulations more user friendly for County <br />residents. The Churton Street Revitalization Plan (Town of Hillsborough and DCA two- <br />year project) with which the County participated creates a timely basis to bring forth <br />amendments to implement the enhanced signage and landscaping ideas of the plan. <br />Staff is prepared to present amendments to both Article Nine (9) Signs and Article <br />Twelve (12) Landscaping and -Buffer Requirements at the February 2007 Quarterly <br />Public Hearing for review by the County Board of Commissioners and Planning Board. <br />4. Traffic Impact Requirements <br />Questions have been raised regarding how and when the development review process <br />prompts traffic improvements (i.e. right and left turn lanes, traffic signals, etc.) Current <br />Orange County regulations, Article 13 of the Zoning Ordinance and Section IV-B-3-e of <br />the Subdivision Regulations require a traffic impact study for any Special Use Permit or <br />Site plan generating more than 800 daily trips (approximate number of trips generated by <br />an 80-lot residential subdivision). The current standards for traffic improvements for new <br />subdivisions deal with an analysis of existing traffic conditions and existing traffic <br />capacities, and do not consider the cumulative impact to the transportation system that <br />future development may have on the existing roadways. Proposed ordinance <br />amendments will include standards that capture the cumulative effects of development <br />so that public road improvement requirements for new developments can be employed in <br />a consistent manner at every level of the development review process, and the "first" <br />developments will riot be exempted from contributing to potential future needs. <br />Development of the amended traffic impact threshold criteria will take into consideration <br />the followin g factors: <br />1. Size, type and location of development <br />2. Functional classification of road; <br />3. Capacity of abutting roads to handle traffic; <br />4. The most recent traffic counts; <br />5. The volume-to-capacity (v/c) ratio; <br />6. Connectivity to other undeveloped properties; <br />7. Right-of-way requirements; <br />8. Impact Assessments; and <br />9. Mixed Use development. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: No County financial impact at this time with human resources being <br />used from existing departmental staff. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): Receive as information and provide direction as appropriate. <br />(i;`C`~~mnrehenvi~~. F'lani+ing t?i:~ t',(.:Nl:i`.2+iUti i9ihlu: T(ea~in,~s'hii~•,• 2Q C?I'}1`Nnii-i'1t Tnfu~?~atiunal iw.enrt~tion-Pu!~lic'1'l'eariuE~,ltc:ms:li~~;.(>C~C <br />