Agenda - 03-16-2021; 8-a - Minutes

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23 1 Attachment 2 indicates the suitability criteria and values used in the scoring analysis contained 2 in the study. Through the scoring analysis, five potential areas for growth based on size, 3 access, and needs are identified in Attachment 3. The identification of these five potential 4 growth areas is the key outcome of the Buckhorn Area Plan (Study). If and how all five potential 5 growth areas or a sub-set are further pursued through any changes to County land use plans or 6 agreements is vet to be determined. 7 8 Growth Studies or Small Area Plans are researched based documents, which can recommend 9 or inform future land use plan or ordinance amendments. The adoption of such a study would 10 provide a more formal planning and agreement process (could include multiple implementation 11 options), which would need to be decided upon in accordance with the Unified Development 12 Ordinance. 13 14 MEBANE PLANNING BOARD MEETING/FIRST PUBLIC MEETING: 15 The Mebane Planning Board reviewed the Buckhorn Area Plan and accepted public comment 16 on November 9, 2020. This meeting was available to join online via Zoom, in-person (limited to 17 7 members of the public due to coronavirus protocols), and available to stream and re-watch on 18 YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ci2UakUtAD8). A notification of the 19 Planning Board and first virtual public meeting was mailed to all property owners within the 20 Buckhorn Focus Area. A short presentation was given by the Piedmont Triad Regional Council 21 outlining the planning process, parcel analysis, and recommendations. The Mebane Planning 22 Board passed a motion to adopt the Buckhorn Area Plan and to amend the Mebane 23 Comprehensive Land Development Plan. The same night, the Planning Board recommended 24 approval of the Buckhorn Area Plan to the Mebane City Council. 25 26 MEBANE/ORANGE COUNTY OPEN HOUSE MEETING: 27 On Tuesday, November 10, 2020, the City of Mebane and Orange County held a public meeting 28 on the Buckhorn Area Plan. The meeting was held on Zoom and welcomed guest questions, 29 comments, and concerns after a short presentation on the overview of the plan. These 30 questions and comments were taken into consideration, and changes were made to reflect the 31 needs and concerns of property owners. Primary concerns were about development standards 32 such as traffic, buffering, noise, and lighting. The meeting was two hours long, and 25 people 33 attended. 34 35 MEBANE CITY COUNCIL MEETING: 36 The draft Buckhorn Area Plan was presented at the December 7, 2020 Mebane City Council 37 meeting, and a public hearing was held and continued to January 4, 2021. At the January 4, 38 2021 Mebane City Council meeting, the Council continued the public hearing before closing it 39 that evening. A decision was deferred until the January 7, 2021 City Council meeting. During 40 the meeting on January 7, 2021, the City Council agreed to take NO action on the Buckhorn 41 Area Plan until Orange County reviews the Plan and offers comments. 42 43 In the interim and in response to recent developer initiated requests for annexation and Mebane 44 utility connections, the City of Mebane has amended its Comprehensive Land Development 45 Plan (LDP), Mebane By Design, to include three properties south of West Ten Road and Future 46 Growth Area "A". Maps are provided as Attachment 4 illustrating the LDP before the recent 47 amendment and after. Growth Area "A" is labeled in Attachment 3. While the Mebane City 48 Council believes that the Buckhorn Area Plan offers good guidance in determining the economic 49 development potential of additional properties in the utility service area, the Council is not in 50 favor of increasing the geographic extent of its LDP to include any portions of Areas B, C, D, or 51 E without explicit Orange County support.