Planning Board - 080520 Agenda Packet

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MEMORANDUM To: Michael Harvey, Current Planning Supervisor, Planning and Inspections Dept. From: Christian Hirni, DEAPR Land Conservation Manager Peter Sandbeck, DEAPR Cultural Resources Coordinator Date: July 6, 2020 Re: Research Triangle Logistics Park Thank you the opportunity to review and comment on the proposed Research Triangle Logistics Park Commercial and Industrial rezoning proposal and draft site plans. The subject property is compiled of three separate parcels (PIN’s 9863-71-8857, 9863-91-6573, 9862-99-8894), located south of Hillsborough on the south side of an unnamed frontage road to I-40; spanning to the north side of Davis Road at the intersection with Old NC 86. Two of the parcels were part of the Settlers Point MPD-CZ reviewed and approved in 2018 by the County. All three Parcels drain into Cates Creek which flows directly to the Eno River. DEAPR comments on subdivisions are generally intended to a) address any concerns with respect to potential impacts on important natural or cultural resources, and b) identify any areas that might be desirable for possible dedication to the County for public recreation/open space pursuant to Section 7.11.5 of the Unified Development Ordinance. Natural Resources Review Comments: The planned development would set aside areas of open space consisting of protected riparian buffers along Cates Creek, an Eno River tributary stream, roadside buffers adjacent to the service road and Davis Road, and adjacent property buffers along all aspects of the property boundaries. All parcels remain wooded although Parcel 1 has been recently harvested per state forestry standards in the last two years. Parcel 2 in the site plans of the property remains wooded and includes a portion of a site identified as the Cates Creek Hardwood Forest in An Inventory of Mafic Natural Areas in the North Carolina Piedmont (Oakley, et al., 1995) and recognized again in the Orange County Inventory Update in 2004 (Sorrie, Shaw, et al., 2004). The natural area contains a large, mature, high quality oak-hickory forest dominated by Carolina shagbark hickory, white ash, post oak, and white oak. The entire site is comprised of around 160 acres, of which Parcel 2 of the Research Triangle Park site plan contains a very small portion (approx. 5.6 acres). With the presence of a Natural Heritage site on the property, it is in the County’s and the public interest to have this area protected in its current condition, as an extension of the site’s open space, and to assist the landowner toward that end. If the landowners wish the area to remain in private ownership, they could grant a conservation easement to the County. As the easement “grantee” the County would be responsible for monitoring the site at least once each year to make sure that the terms of the easement are not violated. Advance notice would be provided to the landowners before County staff entered the property. 258