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CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA
Monday, February 21, 2000
AGENDA ITEM
1. Joint Public Hearing: Greene Tract — Application for a Zoning Atlas Amendment
2. Public Hearing: Development Ordinance Text Amendment — Materials Handling
District Bufferyard
Agenda #1
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
COPY: Orange County Commissioners
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Joint Public Hearing: Greene Tract — Application for a Zoning Atlas Amendment
DATE: February 21, 2000
INTRODUCTION
An application has been filed seeking approval of a Zoning Atlas Amendment to rezone
approximately 169 acres of land from the Rural Transition zoning district to the Material
Handling zoning district. The property, referred to as the Greene Tract, is located on the west
side of the Railroad Right -of -Way between Eubanks Road and Homestead Road. The property is
identified as Chapel Hill Township Tax Map 24, Lot 17A. Tonight's Joint Public Hearing has
been scheduled to receive information in support of and in opposition to approval of the
application.
This package of material has been prepared for the Town Council's consideration, and
is organized as follows:
F
♦ Cover Memorandum: Summarizes the application, reviews procedures for review
and offers a preliminary recommendation for Council action.
♦ Attachments: Includes an ordinance approving and resolution denying the rezoning,
and advisory board recommendations on the application.
PROCESS
This is an application for a Zoning Atlas Amendment filed in accordance with the Joint
Planning Agreement. The Joint Planning Agreement requires a Joint Public Hearing between the
Town Council and the Orange County Commissioners with a favorable action by both
jurisdictions for the new zoning district to become effective. Attached are comments from the
Orange County Planning Director.
The Development Ordinance requires the Town Manager to conduct an evaluation of this Zoning
Atlas Amendment application, to present a report to the Planning Board, and to present a report
and recommendation to the Town Council. We have reviewed the application and evaluated it
2
against Article 20 of the Development Ordinance, we have presented a report to the Planning
Board, and tonight we submit our report and preliminary recommendation to the Council.
ZONING ATLAS AMENDMENTS
Zoning determines the type and intensity of uses and development which are allowable on a piece
of land. A rezoning involves a change to the zoning of the land. In Chapel Hill, a rezoning may
be requested in two ways: general use and conditional use rezoning requests. A general use
rezoning request is to change the zoning to a different zoning district in which any of several
kinds of developments and uses are permissible. A conditional use rezoning request is to allow
development and uses only with approval of a Special Use Permit. This rezoning application is a
general use rezoning request.
The zoning designation of a property determines the range of land uses and development
intensities permitted on the property. Article 20 of the Development Ordinance establishes the
intent of Zoning Atlas Amendments by stating that, "In order to establish and maintain sound,
stable, and desirable development within the planning jurisdiction of the Town it is intended that
this chapter shall not be amended except:
a) to correct a manifest error in the chapter; or
b) because of changed or changing conditions in a particular area or in the jurisdiction
generally; or
c) to achieve the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan."
Article 20.1 further indicates:
It is further intended that, if amended, this chapter be amended only as reasonably
necessary to the promotion of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and in
conformance with the Comprehensive Plan.
The Council has discretionary authority to approve or deny a rezoning request.
REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION
Our review of this application is organized around the requirement that the Development
Ordinance shall not be amended except a) to correct a manifest error in the chapter; b) because of
changed or changing conditions in a particular area or in the jurisdiction generally; or c) to
achieve the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan.
Following is a description of the evidence in the record thus far regarding the three required
considerations of the Council:
3
A) A rezoning is necessary to correct a manifest error.
Staff Comment: We believe the information in the record to date can be summarized as follows:
Arguments in Support: We were unable to identify any arguments in support of a manifest error.
Arguments in Opposition: To date, no evidence has been submitted in opposition to this
finding.
B) A rezoning is necessary because of changed or changing conditions in a particular area
or in the jurisdiction generally.
Staff Comment: We believe the information in the record thus far can be summarized as follows:
Arguments in Support: To date, no evidence has been submitted in support of changing
conditions in this area.
Arguments in Opposition: To date, no evidence has been submitted in opposition to changing
conditions in this area.
C) A rezoning is necessary to achieve the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan.
Staff Comment: We believe the information in the record thus far can be summarized as follows:
Arguments in Support: Arguments in support of this finding are offered in the applicant's
Statement of Justification.
From the Applicant's Statement of Justification
The Statement indicates that the proposed rezoning would achieve the Community Facilities
Goal of the 1989 Comprehensive Plan which is to provide facilities and services which meet
the physical, social and cultural needs of the population and which are available to all
residents. Solid waste collection and disposal facilities and services are includes as part of that
objective. Please refer to the applicant's complete Statement of Justification, provided as an
attachment to this memorandum.
The adopted 1986 Chapel Hill Land Use Plan, a component of Chapel Hill's Comprehensive
Plan, designates this site as "Potential Landfill Pending Further Study." Chapel Hill's
Comprehensive Plan includes the following policy statement:
4
"Solid Waste/Hazardous Materials
The Town shall cooperate with other jurisdictions in: the maintenance and operation of
regional sanitary landfills and other disposal projects; In the reclamation of non-
hazardous landfills for parks and other uses; and in projects for solid waste recycling and
composting."
In addition, we note that the draft Comprehensive Plan identifies portions of this tract for landfill
activities, parks /open space, high density residential, and mixed use with an office emphasis.
Arguments in Opposition: To date, no evidence has been submitted indicating that this
development would not be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
PROTEST PETITION
Chapel Hill's Development Ordinance provides a process for submittal of a protest petition
whenever a rezoning proposal is being considered. If a petition protesting a proposed
amendment to the Zoning Atlas is filed and determined to be sufficient under the law as to the
land to be rezoned, such amendment shall not become effective except by favorable vote of not
less than seven (7) members of the Council.
We have received a protest petition and have not completed our evaluation as to its sufficiency.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations are summarized below:
Planning Board Recommendation: The Planning Board considered this application on February
1, 2000, and voted 6 -1 to recommend denial of the Zoning Atlas Amendment application. Please
see the attached Summary of Planning Board Action.
Manager's Preliminary Recommendation: We believe that this rezoning could be justified based
on finding C, as described above. Our preliminary recommendation is that the Council adopt
the attached Ordinance, rezoning the property from Rural Transition to the Materials Handling
zoning district.
The attached resolution would deny the rezoning request.
5
Attachments:
Area Map (p. 8)
Summary of Planning Board Action (p. 9)
Applicant's Statement of Justification (p. 10)
Certification of Notice to Nearby Property Owners (p. 13)
Memorandum from Orange County Planning Director (p. 14)
C1
ORDINANCE
(Rezoning to MH)
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CHAPEL HILL ZONING ATLAS FOR THE
GREENE TRACT (Chapel Hill Tax Map Number 24, Lot 17A)
WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill has considered the application of The Town
of Chapel Hill to amend the Zoning Atlas to rezone property described below from Rural
Transition to Materials Handling zoning, and finds that the amendment is warranted in order to
achieve the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the
Chapel Hill Zoning Atlas be amended as follows:
SECTION I
That the portion of the property identified as now or formerly Chapel Hill Township Tax Map
24, Lot 17A, that is currently zoned Rural Transition, located on the west side of the railroad
corridor between Eubanks Road and Homestead Road, shall be rezoned to the Materials
Handling zoning district. The description of the portion of this property to be rezoned is
indicated on the attached map.
SECTION 11
That all ordinances and portions of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.
This the day of , 2000.
7
RESOLUTION
(Denying MH Rezoning)
A RESOLUTION DENYING AN APPLICATION FOR A ZONING ATLAS
AMENDMENT FOR THE GREENE TRACT (Chapel Hill Tax Map Number 24, Lot 17A)
WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill has considered the application of the Town
of Chapel Hill to amend the Zoning Atlas to rezone property described below from Rural
Transition to the Materials Handling zoning district, and fails to find that the amendment:
a) corrects a manifest error in the chapter, or
b) is justified because of changed or changing conditions in the area of the rezoning
site or the community in general, or
C) achieves the purposes of the Comprehensive Plan.
For the reasons that:
Insert reasons here
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the
Council hereby denies the application of the Town of Chapel Hill to amend the Zoning Atlas to
rezone the property identified as Chapel Hill Township Tax Map 24, Lot 17A, from Rural
Transition to the Materials Handling zoning district. The description of the entire property is as
indicated on the attached map.
This the day of 2000.
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February 21, 2000
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SUMMARY OF PLANNING BOARD ACTION
Sub'ect: Greene Tract - Application for a Zoning Atlas Amendment
Meeting Date: February 1, 2000
Recommendation: That the Town Council deny the rezoning request.
Reason: The Planning Board failed to find that the application meets the
requirements of Article 20 of the Development Ordinance. No justification was
given that rezoning of the entire Greene Tract was needed to correct a manifest
error, or because of changing conditions in the area, or to achieve the purposes
of the Comprehensive Plan.
Vote: 6 -1.
Issues Raised: The Board's recommendation was based on the following:
• The Planning Board questions the need for rezoning more than 60 acres of land;
• The Planning Board is concerned about the lack of specificity of the location of the 60 acres;
• The Planning Board questions why the rezoning is being requested before solid waste
management plans have been determined;
• The Planning Board noted that at the Council work session on the draft Comprehensive Plan on
January 31, 2000, some Council members indicated they wanted 109 acres of this land to be
available for parkland and/or affordable housing; and
• The Planning Board believes its function does not include making political decisions.
Explanation of Dissenting Vote: The dissenting member indicated trust in the Solid Waste Department
staff and the staff recommendation supporting the rezoning.
Prepared by: Gay Eddy, Planning Board Chair ,k^ �Y- G,�-
J.B. Culpepper, Development Coordinator
W
Applicant's
Statement of Justification
The Town of Chapel Hill operates the Sanitary Landfill located on Eubanks Road in
accordance with a 1972 agreement between the landfill owners - Orange County and the
Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Recently, the three owners signed a new Interlocal
Agreement (Agreement) whereby the operation and ownership of the landfill and assets
are to be turned over to Orange County.
One of the requirements of the Agreement requires that 60 acres of the Greene Tract be
included as part of the transfer. The 60 acre parcel can be used for any solid waste
purpose except burial of any material. Chapel Hill has been requested to Amend the
Town Zoning Map to reflect this fact.
Chapel Hill's Comprehensive Plan adopted in 1989, identified a Community Facilities
Goal which is to provide facilities and services which meet the physical, social and
cultural needs of the population and which are available to all residents. Solid waste
disposal facilities and services are included as part of that objective.
Chapel Hill solid waste policies include:
• The Town shall cooperate with other jurisdictions in: the maintenance and operation
of regional sanitary landfills and other disposal projects; in the reclamation of non-
hazardous landfills for parks and other uses; and in projects for solid waste recycling
and composting.
• The Town shall encourage solid waste reduction
• The Town shall seek to recycle 25% of the solid waste managed by theTown by the
year 2000.
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TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL
January 27, 2000
To Whom It May Concern:
We, J.B. Culpepper and Michael Klein, hereby certify that on January I 91 and 27`h, 2000, in
compliance with State statutes, notices of the proposed rezoning identified as the Greene Tract
Zoning Atlas Amendment, were sent by first -class mail, postage pre -paid, to all owners of
property abutting the property proposed to be rezoned. The list of owners and addresses was
prepared from Orange County tax records.
Certified:
Development Coordinator
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Michael R. Klein
Secretary to the Planning Department
306 N. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 (919) 968 -2700
manager @town.ci.chapel- hill.nc.us FAX (919) 967 -8406 GTE Exchange (919) 682 -8636
02/16/2000 01:24 , 9196443002 OR. CTY. PLANNING PAGE 02/03
3 M, I
To: John Link, County Manager
From: Craig Benedict, Planning Director
Date: February 1, 2000
Re: . Greene Tract Rezoning - Consistency with Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan,
I have reviewed the January 11, 2000, Greene Tract rezoning application supplied by the
Tmvn of Chapel Hill and find it consistent with the adopted Joint Planning Area Land Use
Plan. The application requests rezoning of the property from the Chapel Hill RT -1 (Rural
Transition) zoning district to the Chapel Hill Materials Handling (MH) zoning district. The
Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan designates the Greene Tract as "Future Potential Lan.n.df ll
Site (Pending Further Study)." The 1MH district will allow solid waste management activities,
but no burial of waste on the site. The phrase, "Pending Further Study" is particularly
appropriate since the intent is to initially include all 169 acres in the rezoning application and
then reduce it to 60 acres (as specified in the interlocal agreement) once the results of
additional environmental and archaeological studies on the site become available.
I have also reviewed the Draft Chapel Hill Comprehenshv Plan for recommendations specific
to the Gre=w Tract and note the following concern. The northem third of the tract (which
would be approximately 60 acres) is designated for "landfill activities." The southern two -
thirds of the tract are identified as a "Development Opportunity Arcs" and three uses are
shown: parlWopen space, high density residential (8 -15 units/acre), and mixed use (office
emphasis). Please see Exhibit 1 which is a blow -up of the area from the draft plan. If the plan
were adopted as shown, only the northern third of the tract would be available for "landfill
activities." This seems unnecessarily restrictive since we don't know at this point what
portion of the tract may be best suited to "landfill activities" until the results of the
environmental and archaeological studies are available.
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EXHIBIT 1
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Agenda #2
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Public Hearing: Development Ordinance Text Amendment — Materials Handling
District Bufferyard
DATE: February 21, 2000
INTRODUCTION
This Public Hearing has been scheduled for the Town Council to consider a proposed
Development Ordinance text amendment. The proposal would change the landscape bufferyard
provision of the recently created Materials Handling zoning district. The Orange County
Commissioners have requested that the Town Council revisit this buffer requirement, and ask that
the requirement be changed (please see the attached letter).
The Town Council and the Orange County Commissioners have also scheduled a Joint Public
Hearing for tonight to consider a rezoning proposal that would apply the recently created
Materials Handling zoning district to the Greene Tract.
BACKGROUND
On November 8, 1999, the Town Council adopted a Development Ordinance text amendment
which:
• added a definition for a new land use called a a Solid Waste Management Facility;
• established a new Materials Handling zoning district and associated land use regulations; and
• amended the provisions of the Development Ordinance regarding the location and process for
approval of such a facility.
The text amendment was related to the transfer of responsibility and ownership of the Greene Tract
described in the recently executed Interlocal Agreement. The Chapel Hill Town Council, along
with the Carrboro Board of Aldermen and the Orange County Board of Commissioners, has
approved and executed an Interlocal Agreement for management of solid waste. The Interlocal
Agreement describes the transfer of responsibility for and ownership of solid waste management
functions to Orange County. The Greene Tract is a 169 acre landfill asset. Final negotiations
concluded that the Greene Tract will be divided into two parcels. A sixty acre parcel is to be deeded
to Orange County, after execution of the new Interlocal Agreement. The remaining approximate
109 acres is to be maintained under joint ownership until its future status is resolved.
2
The Interlocal Agreement provides that the County may use 60 acres of the Greene Tract property
for solid waste management purposes, including location of solid waste management facilities.
Included in the proposed definition of solid waste management facilities are transfer stations and
materials recovery facilities (MRF). A transfer station is a facility that receives local waste and then
transports the waste to a distant disposal facility. A materials recovery facility receives recyclables
collected through local recycling programs and prepares them for marketing.
We note that the property that is the subject of this initiative, the Greene Tract, is located outside
of Chapel Hill's corporate limits, in the Joint Planning Transition Area. A separate application
has been submitted which proposes to rezone land to the new Materials Handling zoning district.
The rezoning proposal must go through a separate process that involves a Joint Public Hearing
with the Orange County Commissioners. Following such a hearing, both the Chapel Hill Town
Council and the Orange County Board of Commissioners, in separate actions, would need to
consider the rezoning proposal. If the property is rezoned, an application for a Solid Waste
Management Facility could be received and acted upon by the Chapel Hill Town Manager.
AMENDMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE
The proposal would amend the Development Ordinance provisions regarding landscape
bufferyard provisions for a Solid Waste Management Facility.
Following is the language that would effect the proposed landscape bufferyard change to the
Chapel Hill Development Ordinance as requested by the County Commissioners:
AMEND Article 14 of the Chapel Hill Development Ordinance to read as follows:
"A buffer is a strip of land together with the screening required thereon. Except as
otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, the type of buffer required between a
proposed development and adjacent streets, land uses or zoning designations shall be as
specified in Subsection 14.12.6, Schedule of Required Buffers. Where the proposed
development site and the adjacent land are both located within either Town Center
District, no buffer shall be required. Where the proposed development site is located in
the Residential - Special Standards- Conditional zoning district, no buffer shall be required.
Where the proposed development site is located in the Materials Handing (MH) zoning
district, a 100 2-00 foot Type "E" landscape bufferyard shall be required. between the
proposed development and all residential land uses with no landscape bufferyard
required between the proposed development and non - residential land uses including
railroad corridors."
RECOMMENDATIONS
Planning Board Recommendation: On February 1, 2000, the Planning Board voted 7 -0 to
recommend that the Council adopt Ordinance B, which would change the perimeter buffer
requirement to 100 feet with no exceptions. Please refer to the attached Summary of Planning
Board Action.
3
Manager's Preliminary Recommendation: At the time of creation of the Materials Handling
zoning district, we recommended that the Town establish a 100 foot bufferyard. During the
Public Hearing for the text amendment, the Council increased the bufferyard width to 200 feet.
We recommend the proposal included in Ordinance A, which would change the perimeter
bufferyard to 100 feet and not require a bufferyard next to non - residential land uses and the
railroad corridor.
Attachments:
Summary of Planning Board Action (p.6)
Letter from County Commissioners with attached map (p.7)
4
ORDINANCE A
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CHAPEL HILL DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE
REGARDING LANDSCAPE BUFFERYARD REQUIREMENTS IN THE MATERIALS
HANDLING DISTRICT
WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill has considered the proposed amendment to
the Chapel Hill Development Ordinance to change the landscape bufferyard requirement in the
Materials Handling zoning district, and finds that the amendment is appropriate due to changed
or changing conditions in a particular area or in the jurisdiction generally and achieve the
purposes of the Comprehensive Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill as follows:
Section 1. The first paragraph of Section 14.12.2 of the Chapel Hill Development Ordinance is
hereby amended to read as follows:
"A buffer is a strip of land together with the screening required thereon. Except as
otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, the type of buffer required between a
proposed development and adjacent streets, land uses or zoning designations shall be as
specified in Subsection 14.12.6, Schedule of Required Buffers. Where the proposed
development site and the adjacent land are both located within either Town Center
District, no buffer shall be required. Where the proposed development site is located in
the Residential- Special Standards- Conditional zoning district, no buffer shall be required.
Where the proposed development site is located in the Material6 Handing (MH) zoning
district, a 100 298 foot Type "E" landscape bufferyard shall be required.- between the
proposed development and all residential land uses with no landscape bufferyard
required between the proposed development and non - residential land uses including
railroad corridors."
Section 2. That all ordinances and portions of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed.
Section 3. That these amendments shall become effective upon adoption.
This the _ day of 2000.
ORDINANCE B
(Planning Board Recommendation)
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CHAPEL HILL DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE
REGARDING LANDSCAPE BUFFERYARD REQUIREMENTS IN THE MATERIALS
HANDLING DISTRICT
WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill has considered the proposed amendment to
the Chapel Hill Development Ordinance to change the landscape bufferyard requirement in the
Materials Handling zoning district, and finds that the amendment is appropriate due to changed
or changing conditions in a particular area or in the jurisdiction generally and achieve the
purposes of the Comprehensive Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill as follows:
Section 1. The first paragraph of Section 14.12.2 of the Chapel Hill Development Ordinance is
hereby amended to read as follows:
"A buffer is a strip of land together with the screening required thereon. Except as
otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, the type of buffer required between a
proposed development and adjacent streets, land uses or zoning designations shall be as
specified in Subsection 14.12.6, Schedule of Required Buffers. Where the proposed
development site and the adjacent land are both located within either Town Center
District, no buffer shall be required. Where the proposed development site is located in
the Residential- Special Standards- Conditional zoning district, no buffer shall be required.
Where the proposed development site is located in the Materials Handing (MH) zoning
district, a 100 280 foot Type `B" landscape bufferyard shall be required."
Section 2. That all ordinances and portions of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed.
Section 3. That these amendments shall become effective upon adoption.
This the _ day of 2000.
d
SUMMARY OF PLANNING BOARD ACTION
Subject: Development Ordinance Text Amendment - Materials Handling District
Bufferyard
Meeting Date: February 1, 2000
Recommendation: That the Town Council approve the text amendment to reduce the bufferyard
from 200 feet to 100 feet with no exceptions for non - residential or railroad
property.
The Planning Board believes that the Development Ordinance should require a
buffer on all sides of a Materials Handling zoning district.
Vote: 7 -0
Prepared by: Gay Eddy, Planning Board Chair a7) 'vl 3 c% `=
J.B. Culpepper, Development Coordinator
0
NOOSSCVWYJR.,CNA/R ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
STWINENH.HALMO"S.00KCjwR P.O. BOX 8181
AUMaWrW. BROWN
AUCEhL GO'wow 200 S. CAMERON STREET
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. 27278
December 9, 1999
The Honorable Rosemary Waldorf, Mayor
Town of Chapel Hill
306 N. Columbia St
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Dear Rosemary:
At the most recent work session of the County Commissioners on November 22, we
discussed some of the steps necessary to accomplish the planned transfer of solid waste
management responsibility from the Town to the County on March 20, 2000. Of particular
importance to our two boards Is the completion of all steps that will lead to rezoning a portion
of the Greene Tract, as provided for in the solid waste management interlaced agreement, to
permit certain solid waste management facilities and activities.
We acknowledge the preference expressed by the Town Council in your November 16 letter
that sites other than the Greene Tract be considered for future solid waste activities. The
Board of Commissioners would likewise prefer not to use the Greene Tract for solid waste
activities. When the time comes for siting decisions, we will certainly consider all reasonable
alternatives. However, the interlocal agreement. reflects the reality that the Board of
Commissioners' best choice may be to use a portion of the Greene Tract for solid waste
facilities essential to our collectively meeting our established solid waste reduction goals.
The County staff has attached a proposed timetable to review a zoning application for the
Greene Tract With a March 20 handover as a planned deadline, the staff has worked
backwards through the zoning application process to establish other public meeting
requirements such as the joint planning area public hearing (JPAPH). Town and County
zoning processes are somewhat different, but they will of necessity intersect at the JPAPH,
which is proposed to take place on February 21, 2000.
At the request of the Board of Commissioners, the Solid Waste Department is collaborating
with the County's Environment and Resource Conservation Department to contract for
several surveys of the Greene Tract. These Include biological resources, archeological, and
cultural surveys of the entire 169 -acre parcel that will help determine the most appropriate
60 -acre site for the eventual 'materials handling district. The exact 60 -acre delineation of
the proposed zoning area will not be known until approximately March 1, 2000, so we
propose that during the first stages of review, including the February 21 JPA public hearing,
that the 169- acre area (less a portion that is explained below) be considered with a clear
statement that only 60 acres will be designated before final adoptions. We also propose that
this request for rezoning be given expedited review.
You Count In Orange County
(919)246 -2130. FAX(919) 644 -0246
The Honorable Rosemary Waldorf, Mayor
December 9, 1999
Page 2
The Board of Commissioners also requests that the Town Council entertain an expedited
process to consider text amendment changes regarding the buffers specified in the recently
established materials handling district We believe that a requirement for a 200 -foot
perimeter buffer within the 60 -acre portion of the Greene Tract, particularly as that would
apply to the 60 -acre portion of the Greene Tract under consideration, would unnecessarily
constrain the County from making the best possible use of the property. The 60 -acre
property would effectively be reduced by about 53% with the imposition of a 200 -foot
perimeter buffer. By way of example, there is already extensive buffering in place along the
railroad track on the eastern portion of the tract and in the northwest portion of the property
adjacent to the Neville Tract
In developing the formal rezoning request, we propose that the 169-acre parcel noticed for
possible rezoning be reduced by a 100-foot area around its perimeter in certain places, as
noted on the attached map. This will reduce the likelihood of a rezoning protest petition by
creating what is essentially and practically a 100 -foot buffer in the areas surrounding the
Greene Tract, abutting areas where the adjacent property owners would want such a buffer.
Presumably, the buffers that are or will be adopted by the Council surrounding the 60 acres
could be located in this 100-foot perimeter area. We also propose that the buffer
requirement elsewhere be limited to 100 feet and not be required adjacent to the Neville
Tract and the railroad.
Please review the proposed schedule with the Town Council and your administration to
determine the feasibility of this timeline. The County Manager and his staff are available to
meet with the Town Manager and his staff to discuss the scheduling and substance of this
proposal. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to accomplishing a timely and
effective transfer of solid waste management responsibilities on March 20, 2000.
Sincerely
Moses Carey Jr., Chair
Board of County Commissioners
Enclosures
xc: John M. Link, Jr., County Manager
r
Legend
11 Greene Tract
0 O - 'P R-2 Chapel Hill Zoning
R-1
JPA Joint Planning Area, Chapel Hill Zoning
RCD/Floodplain
^64 Urban Services Boundary
M Chapel Hill City Limits
vJ
A
N
1000 0 1000 2000 Feet
Greene Tract
Vicinity Map
GIS/ArcView Map
prepared by Chapel Hill Planning
February 21, 2000
V
3
O'
MU-R-1
rn
Inactive
JPA
0
Landfill
IRT
to I
JPA
JPA
A^
r
Legend
11 Greene Tract
0 O - 'P R-2 Chapel Hill Zoning
R-1
JPA Joint Planning Area, Chapel Hill Zoning
RCD/Floodplain
^64 Urban Services Boundary
M Chapel Hill City Limits
vJ
A
N
1000 0 1000 2000 Feet
Greene Tract
Vicinity Map
GIS/ArcView Map
prepared by Chapel Hill Planning
February 21, 2000