Orange County NC Website
3 <br /> OR <br /> ii. A minimum of 20% of the units are to be rented to families earning less <br /> than 50% of median income. <br /> b. A 25% density bonus for projects proposing single family units if proposed bonus <br /> units are sold to families earning less than 80% of median income; <br /> c. A 25% density bonus for single family residential projects proposing donation of <br /> land to Orange County for the purpose of developing affordable housing; <br /> STAFF COMMENT: Section 6.18.3 of the UDO requires donated land <br /> contain either suitable soils for development of septic systems or has <br /> access to public water and sewer. Further, donated land is required to <br /> contain sufficient land area for proposed new lots to comply with minimum <br /> dimensional standards (i.e. minimum lot area, width, etc.) for the general <br /> use zoning district in which the project is located. <br /> d. A 50% density bonus for projects of at least 20% of the units are to be occupied <br /> by families earning less than 50% of median income and the remaining 80% of <br /> units are occupied by families earning less than 80% of median income. <br /> STAFF COMMENT: This bonus does not apply to lands which have been <br /> donated to Orange County in exchange for a density bonus pursuant to <br /> Section 6.18.3 of the UDO. <br /> Per Section 6.18.2 of the UDO, project(s) proposing/requesting a density bonus, where <br /> property is not donated to the County, are required to submit a contract guaranteeing <br /> reserved units will either be purchased or rented to qualifying households. The terms of <br /> this contract are binding on the developer/owner and their successors for a period of not <br /> less than 15 years from the date on which the unit is first occupied' and must be <br /> reviewed and approved by both the County Attorney and the Orange County <br /> Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). <br /> Per the UDO, approval of an application proposing affordable housing shall not occur <br /> until the contract is approved and executed. Lots or rental units reserved for affordable <br /> housing are required to be denoted on the approved plan. <br /> ISSUE(S): <br /> A. WATER SUPPLY WATERSHEDS: Section 6.18.3 (A) Affordable Housing — <br /> Applicability indicates density bonuses are not viable for: `... a project located <br /> within any Water Supply Watershed designated in the Land Use Element of the <br /> Comprehensive Plan'. This, effectively, eliminates approximately 76% of the <br /> County's planning jurisdiction from consideration for density bonuses. <br /> Attachment 2 contains a copy of the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) of the <br /> adopted Comprehensive Plan denoting the areas designated as a Water Supply <br /> Watershed. These areas correspond to the Watershed Protection Overlay <br /> Districts (hereafter `Districts') where the County has established density <br /> limitations, summarized as follows: <br /> After the 15 year time period,the affected units are no longer obligated to comply with identified purchase/rental <br /> requirement(s). <br />