Orange County NC Website
60 <br /> developers for the planning of routes. The Orange-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Joint Planning Agreement <br /> requires the town to coordinate with Orange County and the Town of Chapel Hill in the town's <br /> development transition areas and the county's rural buffer zone. <br /> TRANSPORTATION <br /> The Transportation section of Carrboro Vision 2020 and the transportation-related objectives of the <br /> Facilitated Small Area Plan for Carrboro's Northern Study Area do not address wildlife habitat,habitat <br /> connectivity, or corridors. <br /> Town of Chapel Hill <br /> The Town of Chapel Hill's Land Use Management Ordinance as well as the following plans were <br /> reviewed: Chapel Hill 2020 Comprehensive Plan (2012), Chapel Hill Comprehensive Parks Plan (2013), <br /> Greenways Master Plan (2013), Rogers Road:Mapping our Community's Future(2016), and Central <br /> West: Small Area Plan (2013). <br /> At the time of this report,the town is in the process of rewriting its Land Use Management Ordinance and <br /> refining the Future Land Use Map. <br /> NATURAL RESOURCES PROTECTION <br /> The Chapel Hill 2020 Comprehensive Plan has several goals that directly aim to protect wildlife corridors <br /> and habitats. Most significantly, Goal NOC.3,to "protect, acquire,and maintain natural/undeveloped <br /> open spaces and historic sites in order to protect wildlife corridor,provide recreation and ensure safe <br /> pedestrian and bicycle connections. These spaces could include,amongst other things Significant Natural <br /> Heritage Areas(SNHA)lands adjacent to and connecting various properties like riparian lands, etc.", <br /> directs the Town to implement many actions that the Eno-New Hope Landscape Conservation Project can <br /> support,including: <br /> • Create a comprehensive conservation plan that includes a green print map, addressing streams, <br /> floodplains,wildlife corridors,natural heritage areas, open space, steep slopes, entranceways and <br /> scenic views,tree cover, and farmland <br /> o Determine priority areas for riparian protection and restoration <br /> o Work with Orange County to develop an inventory of natural/undeveloped spaces, <br /> especially those that serve as wildlife corridors <br /> ■ Develop wildlife area map including known endangered species <br /> o Determine vulnerable habitats and spaces/places for preservation such as Significant <br /> Natural Heritage Areas and other areas within the town necessary to maintain and uphold <br /> Chapel Hill's distinct balance between people and the natural landscape <br /> • Protect,acquire, and maintain natural/undeveloped spaces for parks,greenways, and community <br /> gardens and protect the quality of the community's waterways and air resources <br /> o Protect the rural buffer established through the Orange County Land Use plan <br /> o Encourage conservation easements to ensure permanent protection <br /> o Ensure that the spaces identified in the Green Print Map are protected when development <br /> is proposed in surrounding areas <br /> Goals NOC.2 and GPNS.7 also support the protection of wildlife corridors and ecosystems. <br /> Connected parks through natural area greenways(minimum 50-feet wide) are a key piece of parks and <br /> recreation development in Chapel Hill, and the Chapel Hill Comprehensive Parks Plan aims to continue <br /> A Landscape Plan for Wildlife Habitat Connectivity 47 <br />