Agenda 06-04-2019 6-a - Major Subdivision Preliminary Plat Application

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83 Staff Response: The proposal includes the construction of two public roads and right/left turn lanes into the subdivision from US Highway 70. These designs were dimensioned and located in consultation with the NC DOT District Engineer. The applicant has also agreed to reserve 5 feet of additional right-of-way along the frontage of US Highway 70, which will accommodate planned NC DOT road improvements along US highway 70. Applicant Response: The project will include a street connection on the north side of US Highway 70, which will accommodate the traffic entering and leaving the development. Per the Orange County UDO, Section 6.17, subdivisions with 80 or more units or that generate more than 800 trips per day are required to provide a Traffic Impact Analysis. The Fairway Hills Subdivision is below the threshold of these requirements and as such should have minimal impact to the traffic along US Hwy 70. The biggest impact will be at the new intersection with the highway. However, this impact will be minimized per the improvements required to be installed as set forth by NCDOT. Our design will be in full compliance with these requirements. 7. What is the timeframe for construction? Staff Response: The applicant has indicated that the project will be developed with the initial infrastructure (roads, landscaping and SCMs) with one phase. Individual homes will be built as lots are sold, but the roads and stormwater features will be installed prior to plat recordation for the single-family lots. Applicant Response: As noted by staff, the entire infrastructure for the project will be constructed in one phase. It is anticipated that this will be done in late 2019 or during the first quarter of 2020. Following completion of the infrastructure, construction on the lots is anticipated to be completed over a period of 2-4 years, depending on the real estate market. 8. What is the potential visual impact to adjacent properties and US Highway 70? Staff Response: The development is required to conform with Section 6.8 of the UDO, which requires the preservation and/or installation of landscape materials within Land Use Buffers (e.g. the 75-foot wide buffer along US Highway 70), along streets and individual lots and jurisdictional streams. The applicant has also provided a 120-foot wide building setback along US Highway 70 and a 100-foot wide building setback along the perimeter. Along US Highway 70 the applicant has also proposed to preserve as much existing vegetation as possible and augment the 75-foot wide buffer with evergreen plant materials. Applicant Response: Per the required and proposed landscape buffers as noted, the visual impact to the adjacent properties will be minimal or no different than the current existing conditions. The four lots that are adjacent to US Hwy 70 will be screened as much as possible with preservation of the existing trees within the buffer, as well as additional plantings to be installed for further screening. Adjacent to the other properties, the 100-ft. building setback, Open Space preservation and stream buffers will provide for the least amount of visual impact as possible. 4