Agenda - 11-06-2002 - 9a - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 The preamble to the WSMPBA states the following purposes: 1. To provide a comprehensive, County-wide system of service areas for future utility development and interest areas for dealing with private water and wastewater system problems in areas without public water and sewer service. 2. To complement growth management objectives, land use plans and annexation plans in existing agreements, such as the Orange County-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Joint Planning Agreement and Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan. 3. To resolve in advance and preclude future conflicts about future service areas and annexation areas. 4. To provide for predictable long-range water and sewer capital improvement planning and financing. 5. To provide for limitations on water and sewer service in certain areas, as defined. Sections III and VI of the WSMPBA contain several provisions essential to understanding public facility locational issues. Excerpts from these sections include: Section III — Definitions • Primary Service Area: An area where water and/or sewer service is provided, or might be provided according to adopted plans (this area is consistent with that shown inside the USB for the Chapel Hill portion of the service area). • Long-Term Interest Areas: Areas where water and/or sewer service is not anticipated, but if provided, OWASA or Orange County will be responsible for coordinating the provision of service. • Essential Public Facility. A publicly owned facility (e.g., school, fire station, or solid waste convenience center) that provides a service for the health, safety, and/or general welfare of county residents. • Adverse Public Health Condition: A situation where a wastewater system is failing and no on-site repair area is available or a well water supply system is contaminated and options to remedy the situation do not exist. Section VI - Limitations on Service • No extension of public water and sewer lines into interest areas except to address adverse public health condition or essential public facility. • Public water and sewer lines extended into an interest area shall be sized so as to serve only the intended use; cannot be used for other purposes. In the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area, primary service areas are restricted to existing urban areas, some ETJ, and most of the Joint Planning Transition Areas. Long-term interest areas are in the Rural Buffer. Recent Actions At the April 17, 2002 Joint Planning Public Hearing, a proposed amendment linking the WSMPBA with the Joint Planning Agreement was presented as part of an overall strategy to align local government land use decisions with public water and sewer permitted areas. Accordingly, inconsistent requests for land use amendments by third persons seeking connection to public water and sewer systems would not be recommended for approval. This method is used in other areas around the country