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development proposals in the Rural Buffer shall be submitted, reviewed, regulated, and <br />processed in the same manner as are other major subdivision projects within the County's <br />planning jurisdiction. <br />A second provision integrated into the existing Flexible Development guidelines is an <br />amendment that requires staff to post an informational sign intended to give public notice of the <br />Neighborhood Information Meeting (NIM) on major subdivision tracts. The sign will give area <br />residents information about the subdivision proposal as well as the Planning Department <br />telephone number to call for more information. Presently, the subdivision regulations do not <br />require a sign posting for the NIM anywhere within the County's zoning jurisdiction. <br />The final change in the amendment is to increase the percentage of lots in the "Yield" plan that <br />would have to be evaluated by a soil scientist for soil suitability of septic systems when a <br />Flexible Development is being prepared. The current percentage is 10 -15% of the proposed <br />lots; the recommendation is to raise the percentage to 50% of the proposed lots. This higher <br />percentage will require the design of a subdivision to reflect the available soils within a project <br />at the concept plan stage, not at the preliminary stage. <br />Notification Procedures in Joint Planning Area Agreement for Courtesy Review <br />The Joint Planning Area (JPA) Agreement specifies how notification to Carrboro and Chapel Hill <br />is to be carried out for developments, text and map amendments in the Rural Buffer. County <br />notification procedure has been to send the entire application to Chapel Hill and Carrboro in <br />packet form, just as it is sent to the various boards as a part of the County approval process. <br />Each year, the Planning Department creates a meeting schedule calendar for the Planning <br />Board. This calendar integrates the BOCC meeting dates into the Planning Board meeting <br />schedule. By following the proper meeting sequence and dates listed on the yearly board <br />calendars, the County is assured that no project is approved counter to JPA agreement. <br />Subdivision Regulation Changes: <br />A. Allows the Flexible Development Option (NOTE: Excludes the Village Option) to be used for <br />all major subdivisions located in the Rural Buffer, but only in accordance with the Joint <br />Planning Area agreement and rules. <br />B. Amends Concept Plan application requirements for all major subdivisions within the <br />County's Jurisdiction <br />1. Maintains the mail notification process to adjoining property owners for the NIM <br />2. Requires Planning Staff to post a sign on proposed subdivision a minimum of seven (7) <br />days prior to the Neighborhood Information Meeting (NIM) <br />a. States date, time and location of the NIM <br />b. States total number of lots <br />c. States the Planning Department Telephone Number <br />C. Raises the percentage of residential lots on the "Yield" plan to show soil suitability for at <br />least 50% of the potential lots rather that 10 -15% as currently required. <br />These Subdivision Regulation amendments were originally a part of the proposed Special Use <br />Permit process for Major Subdivisions that was presented at the public hearing in November <br />2002. Because other parts of the proposed Public Hearing ordinance are being processed <br />independently, this recommendation and ordinance have been removed from the Public <br />Hearing ordinance and are proceeding along a separate track. <br />