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IV. Durham Inventory and Open Space Durham Senior Planner Jane Korest presented discussion on the status of Durham ' s Inventory of Natural Areas and plans for open space preservation . There was an inventory completed in 1996 resulting in five designated natural area corridors with the Little River Corridor being one of the more significant resources for Durham County residents . Korest explained the Little River Corridor Issues in regards to three primary points : ➢ The Little River corridor is one of five designated natural area corridors in Durham (new Hope Creek, Eno River, Flat River and Lick Creek are the other four) . Special open space protection plans will be prepared for each of these corridors . The New Hope Creek plan was prepared some time ago , and has provided the basis for a long term acquisition plan for the city and county . Background work is underway already on the Little River Corridor Plan, with a public involvement phase anticipated for later this year . The objective of the plan is to balance growth with preservation of the value of the Little River corridor for wildlife , botanical habitat, and potential recreation . ➢ The Little River corridor is strategically important to Durham for several reasons . The protection of the upstream portions of the Little River is important to help preserve the water quality for the Little River Reservoir . The existing high quality and purity of the water is evidenced by a number of rare mussel species that depend on very clean waters , including four species that are state listed as threatened and candidates for the federal endangered species list . The Little River corridor is also important for wildlife habitat and for its excellent potential for low impact recreation opportunities for Durham residents . ➢ The Durham Board of County Commissioners previously approved spending $ 400 , 000 in county park and recreation bond funds to acquire lands along the Little River corridor; of which $ 204 , 000 has been spent to acquire 50 acres of land along 501 north . Korest also addressed Watershed and Land Use Regulation Issues as follows : ➢ Landfills , (both sanitary and C & D ) are permitted only in the I - 3 industrial zoning category . Landfills are not permitted in the Little River watershed . ➢ Durham has adopted watershed overlay restrictions for the entire Little River drainage basin that require : ♦ 2 acre minimum lot sizes with 6 percent impervious surface maximums ; ♦ 150 foot stream buffers adjacent to perennial streams found on either USGS Topographic quad maps or Soils Survey maps ; ♦ 50 foot undisturbed stream buffers adjacent to intermittent streams shown on USGS topographic quad maps or on Soil Survey maps . ➢ Durham has a local Sedimentation and Erosion Control Ordinance that requires additional standards for High Quality Waters (HQW) , including the Little River . The Last updated 09/29/99 2