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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS and PLANNING BOARD PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date : February 24 , 2003 Action Agenda Item No . C . 1 . b SUBJECT : Stream Classification and Buffer Amendments DEPARTMENT : Planning & Inspections PUBLIC HEARING : (YIN ) YES ATTACHMENTS } : INFORMATION CONTACT : Proposed Ordinance p . 3 Craig Benedict , Director , Ext . 2592 Stream Classification Checklist p . 5 Robert P . Davis , Planner III Ext . 2580 Reynolds Ivins , EC Supvr. Ext . 2456 TELEPHONE NUMBERS : Hillsborough 732 -8181 Chapel Hill 9684501 Durham 688 =7331 Mebane 336 =227 =2031 PURPOSE : To receive citizens comments regarding the proposed Stream Classification amendment within the Stream Buffer Section of the Zoning Ordinance . BACKGROUND : The North Carolina Division of Water Quality ( DWQ ) in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is the agency responsible for statewide regulatory programs in groundwater and surface water protection . The DWQ mission is to preserve , protect and enhance North Carolina' s water and groundwater resources through quality itting , responsible management , fair and effective monitoring programs , efficient perm enforcement and excellence in public service . This charge is carried out through resources at both the state and local levels . The statewide watershed protection program is an example of state and local government regulatory powers . The County' s watershed protection program requires stream buffers be established and enforced along all solid and intermittent blue line streams as identified on the United States Geological Survey ( USGS ) topographic maps . Presently , stream buffers within Orange County ' s zoning jurisdiction are only required along streams identified on USGS topographic maps . The USGS maps do not protect all water features that are important to water quality . The DWQ estimates that streams represented on USGS topographic maps underestimate the actual presence of streams by approximately 25 % . These underrepresented types of streams , which have a high level of impact on water quality , are not protected at all under the County zoning stream buffer regulations . Another major shortcoming of the sole use of USGS maps is that the streams , which are identified on the maps , are based on aerial photography with no field verification . This lack of field verifications by the USGS creates problems , acknowledged by the DWQ , with regard to enforcement of the stream buffer regulations on a lot- by-lot basis . G : currentplanning/eddie/streambuffer/abstract-streamciassificaton ( Feb24 , 2003)