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LAND FEATURES IN THE VICINITY OF THE <br /> I - 40/OLD N . C . 86 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT <br /> INFLUENCING DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL <br /> Steep Slopes Steep slopes represent topographic constraints to development and are generally <br /> defined as areas with slopes equal to or greater than 15 percent . Stated another <br /> way, such slopes include those areas where the land falls a vertical distance of 15 <br /> feet in a horizontal distance of 100 feet . <br /> Industrial developments, including a large, single building, building complex, such <br /> as a shopping center , or an industrial park, are best located in relatively flat <br /> terrain to minimize grading and the associated costs . Attachment A illustrates <br /> general slope categories in the vicinity of the I-40/Old N . C . 86 interchange . <br /> Floodplains & The floodplains shown on Attachment B were defined by the Emergency <br /> Alluvial Soils Management Agency [FEMA] for use in administering the National Flood <br /> Insurance Program. The boundaries shown are those of the 100 -year floodplain; <br /> e . g. , the area which is projected to flood at least once in a 100 year period. <br /> Alluvial soils are also shown on Attachment B and are comprised of soil material, <br /> such as sand, silt or clay, deposited on land by streams . Such soils are normally <br /> located in flood prone areas and have been identified using the Soil Survey of <br /> Orange County, N. C. and consists of one principal soil type - Chewacla [ Ch] . <br /> Natural Areas Natural areas include wildlife and botanical habitats identified in the Inventory of <br /> the Natural Areas and Wildlife Habitats of Orange County, N. C. One natural area <br /> has been identified in that study in the vicinity of the I- 40/Old N . C . 86 <br /> interchange . Two others are located south of the interchange in the Rural Buffer <br /> portion of the Joint Planning Area. These sites are shown on Attachment C and <br /> described below. <br /> • Cates Creek Montmorillonite Forest . Located at the intersection of <br /> Cates Creek and Old N . C . 86 (west side) , this site is a good example of <br /> bottomland hardwood forest occurring over basic clay soils . This site does <br /> not have any rare or endangered animal or plant species but is a good <br /> representative of the natural diversity of the county . <br /> • Steep Bottom Branch . This site is located on the west side of Old N . C . <br /> 86 between Arthur Minnis Road and Davis Road. It is characterized by a <br /> deep ravine which contains a relatively undisturbed mixed mesic <br /> hardwood forest . This site also does not have any rare or endangered <br /> animal or plant species but is a good representative of the natural <br /> diversity of the county. <br /> • Camp Pipsissewa. Located on the north side of New Hope Church Road <br /> west of I-40 , this site possesses a stand of relatively undisturbed <br /> hardwood forest along New Hope Creek. One State-listed plant species <br /> considered significantly rare has been documented in this area. <br /> Water Bodies Water bodies in the vicinity of the I-40/Old N . C . 86 interchange are one of two <br /> types - Cates Creek and its tributaries , or farm ponds (see Attachment D) . Almost <br /> all of the study area drains through Cates Creek. Only the southeast portion of <br />