Orange County NC Website
Ordinance as recommended by Planning Board and Administration 5 <br />The primary way to achieve these open space design goals is by the application of <br />standards to three fundamental land characteristics defined below. <br />Composition -The natural and constructed ~e features of land <br />indicate what types of open-space goals it can support. For each of the <br />listed open space goals, certain characteristics are required or preferred. <br />Compositional requirements and preferences are stated throughout this <br />section. <br />• Accessibility -All Flexible Development plans shall, unless the open space <br />is to preserve conservation values that require minimal disturbance, <br />provide open space access to the public at large and/or subdivision <br />residents, in accordance with Section C.4. <br />Size and Shape -The usefulness of open space can be lessened when it is <br />fragmented or shaped in long narrow segments. The most functional <br />open space is large enough to maximize the benefits to ecological, <br />environmental, cultural, recreational and/or visual uses. Size and shape <br />requirements are listed in Section F.1. <br />An open space plan may use other land characteristics as well, if a direct link to the <br />goals of Section C.2 is shown. <br />C.3G~Types of Open Space <br />The types of open space conserved through Flexible Development shall be consistent <br />with the following standards: <br />a. Open space shall be comprised of two types of land: "Primary Conservation Areas" <br />and "Secondary Conservation Areas ". <br />b. Primary Conservation Areas These areas <br />have sensitive environmental features and/or significant cultural resource <br />areas, which may make them legally or practically unbuildable. These areas <br />are the first open spaces to be chosen towards meeting the minimum 33% <br />requirement. Secondary Conservation Areas may not be counted towards the <br />33% requirement unless all potential Primary Conservation Areas, other than <br />expansion areas as defined below, have been set aside. <br />Wetlands, including, but not limited to, streams, creeks, ponds, reservoirs, <br />stormwater management facilities for watershed protection purposes, and <br />adjoining land areas identified as part of: <br />0 The National Wetlands Inventory Maps for the county, prepared by the <br />U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; <br />