Orange County NC Website
1 <br />Habitat for Humanity Orange County <br />Rusch Hollow <br />JULY 17, 2003 <br />Statement of Justification for Rezoning <br />In its request for approval of a zoning map change, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County <br />voluntarily agrees to include 100% of the housing units in Rusch Hollow as long-term affordable <br />housing. Twelve of the units will be sold to households earning at or below 50% of the area <br />median income. These homes will remain affordable for at least ninety-nine years, through the <br />use of deed restrictions in accordance with the provisions of Orange County's Affordable <br />Housing Bond Program. These deed restrictions require that the homes be sold over a 99 year <br />periodonly to households that earn 80% or less than the area median income. The five rental <br />units will also be affordable for households at or below 50% of area median income, and will <br />have similar deed restrictions that will ensure that they remain affordable over a 99 year period, <br />also in accordance with the provisions of Orange County's Affordable Housing Bond Program. <br />From Section 4 of the Land Use Management Ordinance <br />Section 4.4 Intent <br />`7n order to establish and maintain sound, stable, and desirable development within the <br />planning jurisdiction of the Town it is intended that, this chapter shall not be amended <br />except a) to correct a manifest error in the chapter, or b) because of changed or <br />changing conditions in a particular area or in the jurisdiction generally, or c) to achieve <br />the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan. <br />It is further intended that, if amended, this chapter be amended only as reasonably <br />necessary to the promotion of the public health safety, or general welfare, and in <br />conformance with the Comprehensive Plan. " <br />Habitat for Humanity of Orange County (HHOC) is requesting approval of a zoning map <br />change applicable to the Rusch Road Subdivision application. The Land Use Plan shows the <br />property as low density residential, 1-4 units per acre. This site is currently zoned R-1, 3 <br />units per acre. We are requesting rezoning to R-SS-C, under which we are proposing a <br />density of less than six units per acre. The zoning change is required to accommodate the <br />density proposed in our Special Use Permit application. The proposed higher density is <br />justified on the basis of the Comprehensive Plan's housing goal and objectives, and the <br />accompanying strategy to provide incentives to develop affordable housing. <br />The Goal of the Comprehensive Plan on Housing is to "increase the availability of well- <br />designed, affordable, safe, and sanitary housing for all citizens of Chapel Hill". The <br />Objectives of this section of the Comprehensive Plan include `Housing Availability', <br />`Housing Quality', and `Housing Variety'. This project will clearly further the overall goal as <br />well as the objectives as outline below: <br />