Meeting 012596 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

STONEY CREEK SMALL AREA PLAN LAND USE INTENSITIES REVISED DESCRIPTIONS Prepared for 1 -25 -96 Planning Group Meeting New Hope Basin Connection Corridors along streams such as New Hope and Stoney Creeks serve as "natural highways" for the movement of wildlife. For wildlife traveling from one drainage basin to another, sparsely developed areas and ridge lines take on added significance. The southern tip of the Stoney Creek planning area which borders the ridge separating the two drainage basins and also lies adjacent to the largely undeveloped Camp New Hope lands offers opportunities for inter -basin travel of wildlife. While there is development on the land between this area and Stoney Creek, it is relatively sparse and on large lots and tracts. Also, considerable vegetative cover continues to exist on these properties. This area has been designated on the map to recognize its significance. The recommended approach to protecting the area is to educate property owners about its significance and encourage them to provide an extra layer of protection by granting conservation easements to an organization such as the Triangle Land Conservancy; the intent is not to impose additional ordinance or governmental restrictions. The area is shown as an overlay and covers slightly over 200 acres. Lower Intensity Areas Lower Intensity Areas comprise a substantial part of the planning area and lie adjacent to most of the "Resource Areas" (dark green) delineated in the concept plan. The current character of these areas is residential development on relatively large lots, a considerable number of large undeveloped tracts (both open and forested), and the only active farm in the area. Lower Intensity Areas best typify the area's remaining rural character. These are the areas where many of the plan's protection goals (natural resource, visual, and neighborhood) will be achieved. Lower Intensity Areas are proposed to have the lowest average development densities in the future, to be determined in part by the character of existing development. Implementation tools that may be applied will probably go beyond limitations on density and could include features such as buffers and easements. Extension of water and sewer service to these areas is not envisioned.