Orange County NC Website
Staff Comment: Not applicable. <br /> <br /> Planning Principle 8. Preservation of Community Character: Future growth and <br />development should occur in a manner that preserves and enhances the existing <br />character of the County, its townships, and rural crossroads communities. <br /> <br />Staff Comment: According to Appendix F: Relationships Between Land Use <br />Classifications and Zoning Districts, the proposed R-CD (Residential Conditional <br />District) zoning district is consistent with the Rural Community Activity Node land use <br />classification, defined in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan as “land focused on <br />designated road intersections which serves as a nodal crossroads for the surrounding <br />rural community and is an appropriate location for any of the following uses: church, <br />fire station, small post office, school, or other similar institutional uses and one or <br />more commercial uses.” The eligible zoning districts in the Rural Community Activity <br />Node future land use classification include R-CD (Residential Conditional District). <br /> <br /> Land Use Overarching Goal: Coordination of the amount, location, pattern, and <br />designation of future land uses, with availability of County services and facilities <br />sufficient to meet the needs of Orange County’s population and economy consistent <br />with other Comprehensive Plan element goals and objectives. <br /> <br />Staff Comment: <br />The zoning atlas amendment with a site-specific plan as proposed for conditional <br />approval is consistent with the 2030 Comprehensive Plan’s stated goals. The <br />development pattern for the proposed future subdivision will follow a Conservation <br />Cluster model, with considerations that balance the dedication of Common Open <br />Space and minimized environmental impacts with creating housing. <br /> <br />Should approval of the zoning atlas amendment be granted, the Major Subdivision <br />process and Residential Building Permit review following the rezoning are in place to <br />ensure all development is in accordance with the UDO and remains compatible with <br />minimal negative impacts to the immediate area. <br /> <br /> Land Use Goal 2: Land uses that are appropriate to on-site environmental conditions <br />and features, and that protect natural resources, cultural resources, and community <br />character. <br /> <br />Staff Comment: The binding site-specific plan proposes Common Open Space on <br />25.11 acres. This open space is divided between Primary Open Space, which is <br />undisturbed areas including water features and tree preservation areas, and <br />Secondary Open Space, which provides outdoor recreational amenities, such as <br />unpaved walking trails for residents. Both considerations prioritize the preservation of <br />valuable existing site features and ensure development is clustered outside of these <br />sensitive areas. <br /> <br />The parcel contains floodway, streams, Special Flood Hazard Area (100 Year <br />134