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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONSENT AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 20, 2003 Action Agenda Item No. ~" J'~ ~~ ~n IC~`T. C~ro~m rl~ecifiratinn AmPndrrlP.rltS DEPARTMENT: Planning & Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): Proposed Ordinance Planning Board Minutes April 2, 2003 Public Hearing Mnts. Feb. 24, 2003 Ordinance Review Min. April 2, 2003 Keith Feather Letter Handouts GIS Sample Maps INFORMATION CONTACT: p. 5 Craig Benedict, Director, ext. 2592 p. 8 Robert P. Davis, Planner II,I ext. 2580 p. 13 Reynolds Ivins, EC Supvr., ext. 2456 p. 16 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: p. 21 Hillsborough 732-8181 p. 22 Chapel HiIN 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To close the Public Hearing and to make a decision regarding the proposed Stream Classification Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance. BACKGROUND: The North Carolina Division of Water Quality (DWQ) in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is the agency responsible for statewide regulatory programs in groundwater and surface water protection. The DWQ mission is to preserve, protect and enhance North Carolina's water and groundwater resources through quality monitoring programs, efficient permitting, responsible management, fair and effective enforcement and excellence in public service. This charge is carried out through resources at both the state and local levels. The statewide watershed protection program is an example of state and local government regulatory powers. The County's watershed protection program requires stream buffers be established and enforced along all solid and intermittent blue line streams as identified on the United States Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps. Presently, stream buffers within Orange County's zoning jurisdiction are only required along streams identified on USGS topographic maps. The USGS maps do not protect all water features that are important to water quality. The DWQ estimates that streams represented on USGS topographic maps underestimate the actual presence of streams by approximately 25%. These underrepresented types of streams, which have a high level of impact on water quality, are not protected at all under the County zoning stream buffer regulations. Another major shortcoming of the sole use of USGS maps is that the streams, which are identified on the maps, are based on aerial photography with no field verification. This lack of field verifications by the USGS creates problems, acknowledged by the DWQ, with regard to enforcement of the stream buffer regulations on a lot-by-lot basis.