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ORANGE COUNTY <br />PLANNING BOARD <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: February 3, 2021 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 7 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Buckhorn Area Plan (Study) <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1. Buckhorn Area Plan Focus Map <br />2. Suitability Values Table <br />3. Potential Future Growth Map <br />4. Future Growth Area and Primary <br />Industrial Area Map in Mebane <br />5. Draft Process for BAP Consideration <br />Craig Benedict, Director (919) 245-2575 <br />Tom Altieri, Planner III (919) 245-2579 <br />Tom Ten Eyck, Planner II (919) 245-2567 <br />Steve Brantley, Economic Development <br />Director (919) 245-2326 <br />Amanda Garner, Assistant Economic <br />Development Director (919) 245-2330 <br /> <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To receive a presentation, an update on Mebane’s actions to date, a <br />process/schedule for Orange County’s adoption and to accept/receive the technical study. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: In recent years, the City of Mebane has experienced increased interest in the <br />development of properties in Orange County that were not addressed by its existing 2017 <br />Comprehensive Land Development Plan (LDP), Mebane By Design. Per North Carolina <br />General Statutes, the City of Mebane has an obligation to update its long-range plan so that its <br />actions on development proposals, rezoning and annexations are consistent with its adopted <br />plans. The City of Mebane and Orange County have coordinated to provide utilities in the <br />greater Buckhorn area (Efland and westward to Mebane city limits) and have a Utility Service <br />Agreement (2012 was the most recent update) that identifies a service area that, to a significant <br />degree, coincides with the scope of the Buckhorn Area Plan which could also be considered a <br />‘growth strategy’. This Agreement is in need of an update due to new developments and growth <br />pressures in and around the existing Mebane LDP, Efland Mebane Small Area Plan, and City of <br />Mebane/Orange County Utility Service Agreement. The Buckhorn Area Plan is intended to help <br />inform future agreements or amendments. <br /> <br />As suggested by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) in late 2018, staff was to <br />research the development potential of existing designated economic development zones, as <br />well as other viable sites. A prior engineering analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, <br />and threats (SWOT analysis) by Timmons Group of the economic development districts <br />bolstered the need for further examination. Orange County’s Planning and Economic <br />Development departments worked together with their Mebane counterparts on this plan. As <br />such, both jurisdictions funded a planning study of future land use and potential utility service <br />that would be mutually beneficial. <br /> <br />15