Agenda - 11-09-1999 - 4 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of Durham, North Carolina August 25,1999 Memo To: ~ . ~ P. Lamont Ewell, City Manager. Through: Gregory A. Bethea, Assistant City Manager From: Dick Hails, Interim Planning Director ~~.~- Subject: Public Hearing=Urban Growth Area Boundary . Executive Snmmarv One important tool for managing the City's physical growth is the Urban Growth Area (UGA) boundary. The UGA represents the area where the City intends to allow the extension of public sewer and water services, and where the City eventually intends fo annex. The UGA amendments implement the changes proposed in the Durham 2020 Comprehensive Plan, respect service area agreements with adjacent murricipalities and implement policies for watershed protection. Three major amendments are proposed. • First, the UGA boundary would expand in the vicinity of Russell Road in northwest Durham. to take advantage of improvements in the water distn~bution system. This expansion would not push the UGA farther into the Little River Reservoir drainage basin. • Second, the UGA boundary would contract in the vicinity of Hamlin Road in northeast Durham to exclude portions of the Falls Reservoir Critical Area. This would not contract the UGA boundary in the Ellerbee Creek basin where the County is presently surveying the location of the Reservoirs' normal pool. Third, the UGA boundary would contract in southeast Durham in the area between NC 98 and US 70.. The intention is to prevent a pattern of "leap frog" development, i.e:, new . development away from the edge of the present City limits. Three options are offezed for City Council consideration, including maintaining the present UGA, contracting the UGA to the line identified in the 2020 Plan and contracting to a line mid-way between the two. In:addition; several Honor amendments are proposed to take advantage of new development . opportunities with little impact .on planned utility services. The Planning Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the amended UGA boundary, including the northwest expansion, the northeast contraction, the southeast contraction (Option 3) and the minor amendments ,all descn~bed in the report and pn display maps. ~ . Background For years, Durham has used the Urban Growth Area (UGA) boundary as a tool to manage its physical growth. The Durham 2020 Comprehensive Plan defines the UGA as the portions of Durham County (and the edges of surrounding counties) that are appropriate for urban and suburban land uses. The UGA represents the area around the City that can expect public sewer