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<br />areas viable for the extension of utilities (i.e. sewer) in <br />support of high intensity residential and non-residential land <br />uses. <br />The requested rezoning will allow development consistent <br />with the overall spirit and intent of the adopted <br />Comprehensive Plan as well as applicable joint planning <br />efforts completed by the County and the City with respect to <br />providing utility (i.e. sewer) services. <br />This area was part of a small area plan, specifically the <br />Efland-Mebane Small Area Plan (hereafter ‘the Plan’), <br />adopted by the County in 2006. The purpose and intent of <br />the Plan was to identify areas for urban style development <br />focusing on viable locations for housing, community <br />services, open space areas, and non-residential <br />development. <br />Upon adoption, the UDO was amended creating various <br />overlay districts designed to implement the goals/policies of <br />the adopted Plan. <br />One of these districts was the Efland Interstate Overlay <br />District. <br />Per Section 4.4 of the UDO the intent of the overlay district is <br />to: ‘… provide for a more urban style of development in an <br />area of the county served, or intended to be served, by <br />public water and sewer systems’. <br />The properties subject to this rezoning request have been <br />pre-determined to be suitable for urban style development <br />and higher intensities consistent with the Plan. <br />• Objective LU-1.1: Coordinate the location of higher intensity / high <br />density residential and non-residential development with existing or <br />planned locations of public transportation, commercial and <br />community services, and adequate supporting infrastructure (i.e., <br />water and sewer, high-speed internet access, streets, and <br />sidewalks), while avoiding areas with protected natural and cultural <br />resources. This could be achieved by increasing allowable <br />densities and creating new mixed-use zoning districts where <br />adequate public services are available. (See also Economic <br />Development Objectives ED-2.1, ED-2.3, ED-2.10, and Water and <br />Wastewater Objective WW-2.) <br />The atlas amendment is consistent with this goal and <br />objective with the approval of a rezoning of property creating a <br />district allowing for the development of high density non- <br />residential land uses in an area of the County designated for <br />the location of adequate supporting infrastructure (i.e. water <br />and sewer). <br />The rezoning is also consistent with the goals/policies of the <br />Efland-Mebane Small Area Plan, which identified the area in <br />question as being suitable for higher intensity, urban scale, <br />development due to the proximity to the Interstate and <br />availability of utility services (i.e. water/sewer). <br />164