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Article 7: Subdivisions <br /> Section 7.8: Access and Roadways <br /> <br /> <br />Orange County, North Carolina – Unified Development Ordinance Page 7-15 <br /> <br />7.8.4 Private Roads – When Permitted <br />(A) A private road in a Conventional Subdivision Option Conventional Subdivision <br />Optionshall be deemed justified for a minor residential subdivision resulting in no more <br />than three lots provided: <br />(1) No new lots have been created from the parent tract, through subdivision or other <br />manner exempted from subdivision regulations, since the more recent: <br />(a) Date of adoption of this provision (September 18, 2001); or <br />(b) Ten years from the date of recordation of the parent tract if the lot <br />being subdivided was created using the three-lot private road <br />justification provision. <br />The parent tract, for the purpose of this provision, is the lot or tract of land that is <br />being subdivided. <br />(2) All resulting lots meet the minimum lot area per dwelling unit and maximum <br />density requirements for the zoning district, including any overlay district, in <br />which the subdivision is located. <br />(B) A minor residential subdivision of three or fewer lots shall be encouraged to provide a <br />private access easement for one adjacent lot to access the private road in order to <br />reduce the number of access points on a public road. <br />(C) Minor Subdivisions utilizing the Flexible Development – Conservation Cluster subdivision <br />oOption shall comply with Common Open Space requirements as detailed in Section <br />7.12 in lieu of the private road justification requirements and standards listed in this <br />subsection, 7.8.4.24 <br />(D) For all other subdivisions the Planning Board and the Board of County Commissioners (in <br />the case of major subdivisions) and Planning staff (in the case of minor subdivisions) <br />shall consider the design features in this subsection (87.8.4)25 when determining whether <br />to permit private roads. <br />(E) There is no right to a private road in any subdivision containing more than three lots. <br />(B)(F) At a minimum, a private road may be justified if the subdivision meets standards of (1) <br />below and at least two other design features (2 through 7) listed below. <br />(1) The location and design of the subdivision is such that it clearly preserves the <br />rural character of the County through: <br />(a) The provision of lot sizes and building setbacks significantly greater <br />than those required by the zoning district in which the proposed <br />subdivision is located, including any overlay district requirements, in <br />accordance with the following standards: <br />(i) Lot Sizes and Building Setbacks– Conventional Subdivisions: <br />a. All lots in the subdivision must be at least 80,000 square <br />feet if the minimum lot size or area per dwelling unit of <br />the zoning district is 40,000 square feet or less,. <br />b. All lots must be at least 120,000 square feet (2.75 acres) <br />if the minimum lot size or area per dwelling unit of the <br />zoning district is 80,000 square feet,. <br /> <br />24 The goal is to allow for a further reduction of minimum lot area with the preservation of open space  <br />incorporating adaptive wastewater treatment techniques.  Current design standards do not support stated  <br />BOCC/staff goals of allowing for the further clustering of lots with dedication of additional open space.  <br />25 Staff is correcting an erroneous section reference.  Section 8.8.4 deals with ‘non‐conformities’ and not  <br />subdivision road design standards.  <br /> 180