Agenda - 12-15-2020; 5-b - Zoning Atlas Amendment - Master Plan Development Conditional Zoning District (MPD-CZ) for Efland Station (formerly Beaver Crossing)

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78 ORANGE COUNTY Department of Environment, Agriculture,Parks&Recreation MEMORANDUM To: Michael Harvey, Current Planning Supervisor, Planning and Inspections Dept. From: Christian Himi,DEAPR Land Conservation Manager Date: October 13, 2020 Re: Beaver Crossing Thank you the opportunity to review and comment on the proposed Beaver Crossing rezoning proposal and draft site plans. The subject property is compiled of three separate parcels (PIN's 9854-16-1576, 9854-36-3711), located west of Hillsborough on the north side of I-40/85 and service road;between Mt. Willing Road and the I-85/US-70 Connector in Efland. Both Parcels drain into two unnamed tributaries that drain south to Seven Mile 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 the two tributaries,roadside buffers adjacent to the service road,Mt Willing Road, and interstate connector, and adjacent property buffers along all aspects of the property boundaries. Both parcels have been utilized in active agriculture,primarily beef cattle production, for the known history of ownership. Over half of the total project area is in some stage of early successional forest, having been left to fallow at some point over the last 20-30 years. On the western and southern borders of the property lie two ephemeral streams that drain into two unnamed tributaries as they flow south. Both of the tributaries drain directly into Seven Mile Creek,part of the Upper Eno watershed, a class WS-II,High Quality Watershed,with Nutrient Sensitive Water designation. The streams lay within the Upper Eno Protected Watershed on the property and the Upper Eno Critical Watershed corridors immediately after leaving the property. The property and the streams mentioned are approximately 1 mile north of the County's Seven Mile Creek Natural Area and less than '/z mile from the Seven Mile Creek Natural Heritage Area as is inventoried in the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. Due to the importance of these tributaries to the water quality and species of the Seven Mile Creek watershed,it is in the County's and the public interest to have the areas around the two tributaries protected as an extension of the site's open space, and to assist the landowner toward that end. Staff recognizes the site plan submitted shows the developer's effort to this effect. 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 for easement monitoring.