Orange County NC Website
47 <br /> EXISTING POLICIES AND ORDINANCES <br /> Review and synthesis of planning documents, ordinances, and spatial data revealed a set of underlying <br /> elements relevant to landscape corridor planning and protection,which can be organized into four general <br /> categories: natural resources protection, land use and development,planning and collaboration, and <br /> transportation. The results of this review, organized by jurisdiction, are presented as a resource that can be <br /> cross-referenced with other jurisdictions,the corridor analysis results,and the recommendations in this <br /> report,which can help identify opportunities for ensuring landscape habitat connectivity through specific <br /> policies, ordinances, incentives,processes, and collaboration. Official documents should be consulted for <br /> additional information. A list of documents reviewed is provided in Appendix D of this report. <br /> CHATHAM-CARY <br /> The Chatham County Town of Cary Joint Land Use Plan (2012, amended 2016) envisions that the <br /> western Cary/eastern Chatham County area should remain rural and provides for a rural buffer that limits <br /> water and sewer services to help achieve this vision. This plan also calls for the creation of parks and <br /> greenways in this area. <br /> DURHAM-ORANGE-CHAPEL HILL <br /> The New Hope Corridor Open Space Master Plan and its appendices(199 1)were reviewed. <br /> Appendix B provides a joint resolution"to Preserve a Corridor of Open Space Connecting New Hope <br /> Creek with the Eno River Through Orange and Durham Counties"that was passed by the elected boards <br /> of Orange County,Durham City-County, and the Town of Chapel Hill. This resolution states, "Therefore, <br /> Be It Resolved that the jurisdictions...support the following: 1. The preservation of a corridor of public <br /> open space linking New Hope Creek with the Eno River, including the 100-year floodplain of New Hope <br /> and Mud Creeks and a 200' wide corridor connecting the Duke Forest Divisions to the Eno River State <br /> Park through Orange and Durham Counties, as shown conceptually on the attached map. 2. Each County <br /> and the municipalities within will support and fund the project in a proportionate manner. 3. The <br /> Administration of each jurisdiction is directed to prepare more detailed plans for this project, including <br /> identifying the exact route,the amount and location of land and easements to be preserved, developing a <br /> preservation plan, identifying possible funding sources, and preparing a timetable for completion." <br /> The full plan,which was adopted by Orange County and the Town of Chapel Hill and adopted in concept <br /> by Durham, contains more detailed recommendations and protection priorities(see the Existing Land <br /> Protection Priorities section in this report). <br /> This plan established a multi jurisdictional advisory committee,the New Hope Creek Corridor Advisory <br /> Committee,to help guide conservation efforts by the four jurisdictions and to monitor progress <br /> periodically,which has continued to the present day. The presence of this advisory committee since 1991 <br /> has provided historical context and continuity that helps the four jurisdictions adhere to the plan's policies <br /> and priorities in a changing environment. <br /> ORANGE-CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO <br /> The Orange-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Joint Planning Agreement(1987, last amended 2015) and Joint Land <br /> Use Plan(1986, last amended 2015)were reviewed. <br /> The Joint Land Use Plan indicates that the county's Resource Protection Areas overlay should,in the <br /> Joint Planning Areas, "form the basis for a comprehensive parks and open space system which provides <br /> 34 A Landscape Plan for Wildlife Habitat Connectivity <br />