Agenda - 04-20-2021; 6-a - Buckhorn Area Plan Study

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2 recommended further technical land development regulation review, as well as subjective economic development viability criteria (such as topography, proximity to interstate, and environmental constraints). As development pressures continued in this area, as evidenced by Medline, Orange County and the City of Mebane embarked on a joint technical study known as the Buckhorn Area Plan with the hiring of the Piedmont Triad Regional Council. The technical study is available at: https://www.ptrc.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=10489. The focus moving forward will be to concentrate short term efforts on the areas identified in the Study with known developer interest. These areas include Growth Area A, as identified in the Buckhorn Area Plan Study, which is presently within the County's Economic Development area, and Growth Area B. Large parcels within Growth Area B have recently been under contract. Buckhorn Area Plan areas C, D and E were ranked in the study, but no known development interest at this time. Further public engagement and analysis of those Growth Areas may occur in the future following direction from the Board of Commissioners. 1. Overview of County Wide Planning Framework In 1994, the County designated three distinct areas in the County outside of the incorporated municipalities where water and sewer service may be extended and where more dense, primarily non-residential would occur. ➢ The Eno Economic Development District (EDD) is approximately 600+ acres located along Highway 70 bordering Durham County. The City of Durham provides utilities in this area, and annexation of the served parcels into the City is possible. Staff is currently working on a proposal to reduce the general size of the Eno EDD to the approximately 200 acres that are suitable for development based on the SWOT analysis conducted in 2018 and property owners/developers are willing. ➢ The Hillsborough EDD is approximately 370 acres located along the southern boundary of the Town of Hillsborough. The Town is the utility provider in this area, and annexation by the Town upon development is possible. ➢ The Buckhorn EDD (includes areas from Efland west to Mebane) is approximately 1500 net acres along the eastern boundary of the City of Mebane. The City is the utility provider in this area, and annexation is possible upon development. ➢ Overall, 13% of the County's total land area is located in the incorporated areas of Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Mebane ➢ Three percent (3%) of the County's total land area is in the County's planning jurisdiction (OCPJ) and currently authorized for utility extensions and the accompanying more urban intensities and densities. Utility extensions in these areas are limited by the Water and Sewer Management and Planning Boundary Agreement (WASMPBA). Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough and Orange County are parties to that agreement. Utilities in these areas are further guided by interlocal agreements with local governments. ➢ The remaining eighty-four percent (84%) in Orange County's Planning Jurisdiction is limited to low density, low impervious rural residential, agricultural uses, preservation, and watershed protection areas. 96.6% of Orange County's Planning Jurisdiction has limited development potential.