Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
<br />Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The property was acquired in 2004 and 2007 with 2001 <br />Orange County Parks and Open Space bond funds. <br /> <br />Staff and Civil Consultants, the Site-Civil Engineering Firm engaged to assist in the feasibility <br />analysis, has examined the physical, land record, land-use, operational, and financial <br />characteristics that would support the dual use. Representatives from Civil Consultants will <br />present summary findings (note Attachment 2 – “Civil Consultants Feasibility Summary”) of the <br />feasibility study to the Board. All primary feasibility reports and analysis can be found at: <br />http://www.orangecountync.gov/Millhouse%20Road%20Park%20Housing%20Options%20Feasi <br />bility%20Information.pdf <br /> <br />Transportation Infrastructure, Circulation, and Land Records Assessment. Adequate on- <br />site traffic circulation and off-site transportation infrastructure considerations appear feasible and <br />reasonable for a potential housing development. Land records assessments yielded no findings <br />that would inhibit the proposed development. <br /> <br />Environmental Considerations. An extensive set of environmental criteria have been <br />considered in this initial feasibility analysis, and would also apply to any design and operation of <br />a potential development. Initial environmental and cultural/archaeological assessments yielded <br />findings that would not inhibit the proposed development. <br /> <br />Soils, Hydrology, Public Water Supply Well, Wastewater, and Storm Water <br />Considerations. The most limiting set of factors emerging from this study involve soils, on-site <br />public well and wastewater capacity and wetlands. The available quantity and quality of on-site <br />soils for sanitary septic compatibility, in addition to the wells and wetlands pose significant <br />challenges to the development of a manufactured home park on this site. Based on a <br />preliminary site evaluation by a licensed soil scientist, there is insufficient area of usable soils for <br />a subsurface wastewater treatment and disposal system of adequate capacity to support the <br />contemplated development. An on-site septic system, if possible, would include a containment <br />lagoon for either a surface drip or surface irrigation system. <br /> <br />Delineation of jurisdictional and isolated wetlands onsite introduces considerable site planning <br />challenges and preliminary site grading analysis requires some soil import for site balancing. <br /> <br />Although constructing (multiple) public water supply wells is theoretically possible on the site, <br />County environmental health representatives opine that obtaining the flow volume required for <br />the contemplated development (minimum of 7,000 gallons per day for a 28 lot manufactured <br />home park alone) is questionable. The only definitive method for measuring water flow volume <br />is to dig test wells at a cost of approximately $45,000. Moreover, the North Carolina Public <br />Water Supply Section, as well as the Orange County Environmental Health Services Division, <br />must permit public water supply wells. The close availability of Orange Water & Sewer Authority <br />(OWASA) public water (within an estimated 500 feet) may be a negative factor in obtaining the <br />required state permit(s). <br /> <br /> <br />Alternative Wastewater Treatment Options. Because of the lack of adequate subsurface soil <br />to support a sanitary septic system, pre-treatment surface drip or spray irrigation system with a <br />containment lagoon or a state-approved innovative package sewer system could be considered <br />for this site. Stream discharge, which is required for the innovative package sewer type system, <br />is physically possible, but requires an exhaustive permitting process by the North Carolina <br />2