Agenda 03-19-24; 4-a - Eno-New Hope Landscape Conservation Plan Presentation

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51 Space Master Plan identifies critical environmental areas, including the stream course, adjacent floodplains, steep slopes(defined as 20%or greater) adjacent to floodplains,larger tracts of particular historic, educational, or recreational value(open space anchors),and the NC 751 Scenic Road (designation and some acquisition),and recommends they be protected through easements or fee-simple acquisition. LAND USE& DEVELOPMENT The Durham Comprehensive Plan establishes land use and development policies and strategies to protect natural resources,including: • A development review process that encourages developers to choose conservation subdivisions, infill development,planned developments, cluster developments, and other means to avoid impacting important natural areas, including NHNAs • Regular update and maintenance of NCNHP data by the planning department • Restriction of land uses near protected lands to minimize impacts to recreation. In particular,the plan restricts uses adjacent to Eno River State Park to those compatible with recreational uses. • Protection of undisturbed,naturally vegetated stream buffers and prohibition of most development activities within stream buffers. The earlier Durham County Open Space Corridor System plan established related policies,including: • Encouraging clustered development away from natural areas • Requiring inclusion of open space in new developments Article 8,Environmental Protection of Durham's UDO provides natural resource protections to minimize impacts of developments on the environment, including streams and wetlands, steep slopes,and,through conservation subdivisions,Natural Heritage Inventory sites and defined conservation areas, as follows: Stream and wetland buffers Minimally,the UDO requires developments to protect an undisturbed,naturally vegetated,buffer of at least 50 feet on intermittent and perennial streams, including modified natural streams. In watershed protection overlay areas, such as Eno River and Jordan Lake,the buffer for perennial streams is widened to 150 feet in watershed critical areas and 100 feet in watershed protection areas. While acknowledging the pre-eminence of Federal and State identification and regulation of wetlands, Durham requires at least 25-foot buffers around the perimeter of wetlands 1 acre or greater in size. Steep slopes Except in the Patterson Place Compact Neighborhood Tier,the steep slopes ordinance limits grading to no more than 15%of the steep slope area on the tract. Land disturbance solely for the purpose of public right-of-way is exempt from this limit. A residential density credit is provided for the amount of land designated as steep slopes. Steep slopes are defined as areas with a natural grade of 25% or more, an area of 5000 square feet or greater, and located within 200 feet of any floodway fringe or perennial stream or within 100 feet of an intermittent stream. In the Patterson Place Compact Neighborhood Tier,which is adjacent to and includes portions of the New Hope Creek Corridor designated in the New Hope Corridor Open Space Plan, grading of any portion of steep slopes is prohibited. In addition, "The only allowed disturbance shall be unpaved walking paths and foot trails constructed with minimal disturbance of tree roots and existing vegetation.No tree eight inches dbh [diameter at breast height] or greater shall be removed for the construction of the trail." Steep slopes here are defined as areas with a natural grade of 15% or more, an area of 2500 square feet or greater, and located within 200 feet of any floodway fringe or perennial stream or within 100 feet of an intermittent stream. Development within this tier must conform to adopted plans,including specifically the New Hope Corridor Open Space Plan. 38 A Landscape Plan for Wildlife Habitat Connectivity