Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY <br />PLANNING BOARD <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date:February 5, 2020 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 8 <br />SUBJECT: Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Text Amendments – Modification of <br />Regulations Associated with Setbacks from the West Fork on the Eno Reservoir <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1. Aerial Photo of the West Fork on the <br />Eno Reservoir <br />2. Excerpt from November 6, 2019 <br />Ordinance Review Committee (ORC) <br />Meeting <br />3. Statement of Consistency <br />4. UDO Text Amendment(s) <br />Michael D. Harvey, Planner III (919) 245-2597 <br />Craig Benedict, Director (919) 245-2575 <br />PURPOSE:To review and make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners <br />(BOCC) on a Planning Director initiated Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) text <br />amendments revising existing guidelines associated with the enforcement of reservoir setbacks <br />for structures and septic systems. <br />Specifically the amendment seeks to formally establish the effective date for the expansion of <br />the West Fork on the Eno reservoir when determining required reservoir setbacks. This item <br />was first presented at the November 6, 2019 Ordinance Review Committee (ORC) meeting. <br />BACKGROUND: Section 6.13.4 Minimum Buffer Widths for Watershed Protection Overlay <br />Districts of the UDO establishes a 150 ft. wide setback around reservoirs. This area is intended <br />to be left in an undeveloped state. Section 4.2.9 Water Supply / Sewage Disposal Facilities of <br />the UDO establishes a 300 ft. setback for septic tanks and their nitrification fields from a <br />reservoir as well. <br />Section 4.2.2, specifically subsections (F) through (I), of the UDO establishes the applicability of <br />the various County watershed protection standards. These sections establish the criteria <br />utilized by staff defining those properties (developed and undeveloped) considered to be <br />‘grandfathered’ and outlines what standards they are allowed to adhere to with respect to <br />demonstrating compliance with applicable buffer (i.e. stream and reservoir) standards. <br />In the 1990’s The Town of Hillsborough began the necessary permitting processes at the State <br />level to construct a reservoir, specifically the West Fork on the Eno, within the Cedar Grove <br />Township of the county. This work has been broken down into 2 phases, with Phase 1 including <br />the Town purchasing property to begin the process of expanding the actual reservoir. At the <br /> 10