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<br />2 <br /> <br />1.4 Was this area consistently planned for economic <br />development and relevant land use types? <br />Yes. The proposed project is located within the Hillsborough <br />Economic Development District (EDD), which was identified for <br />economic development purposes in the 1981 Orange County <br />Land Use Plan and reinforced in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan <br />(adopted in 2008). Based on the 2030 Comprehensive Plan and <br />Future Land Use Map, approximately 150 acres of the site are <br />classified as Economic Development Transition Activity Node. <br />This is defined as areas of the County which have been <br />specifically targeted for economic development activity <br />consisting of light industrial, distribution, office, service/retail <br />uses, and flex space (typically one story buildings designed, <br />constructed, and marketed as suitable for use as offices, but <br />able to accommodate other uses such as a warehouse, <br />showroom, manufacturing assembly, or similar operations). <br />Such areas are located adjacent to interstate and major arterial <br />highways and subject to special design criteria and performance <br />standards. <br /> <br />Prior to the approval of the Settlers Point Master Plan <br />Development – Conditional Zoning (MPD-CZ) District application <br />in January 2018, the majority of this area was zoned as EDH-5, <br />Economic Development Hillsborough Research and <br />Manufacturing. The purpose of the Economic Development <br />Hillsborough Research and Manufacturing (EDH-5) District is to <br />provide locations for a wide range of research, assembling, <br />fabricating and light manufacturing activities, and such ancillary <br />industrial activities as warehousing and distribution in the <br />designated Hillsborough Economic Development District Area. <br /> <br />1.5 What efforts have been made to develop this area for <br />economic development? <br />For decades, Orange County has been diligently working <br />towards developing this site and other immediate areas for <br />economic development purposes. The selection of this area was <br />to support the development of properties located along key <br />transportation corridors, including highway corridors, near <br />urban areas for commercial or industrial development, and <br />access to public water and sewer service. This area of the <br />County has been designated an Economic Development District (EDD), but unfortunately has not seen <br />the development originally envisioned at this time due to past delays in constructing water and sewer <br />infrastructure in order to support development. However, Orange County, in partnership with the Town <br />of Hillsborough, have continued efforts to support economic development in this area as intended. <br />Significant milestones illustrating these efforts over the last three decades include: <br /> Designation as Commercial Industrial Transition Activity Node (CITAN) in the 1981 Orange County <br />Land Use Plan. <br /> Creation of the Economic Development Districts (EDDs) in 1994. <br /> Continued designation as Economic Development Transition Activity Node in the 2030 <br />Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted in 2008. <br />552