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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-28-1996 - C2(b) ORANGECOUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 28, 1996 Action Agenda Item# C 2 C 1 SUBJECT: LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT CP-3-96 Buckhorn Road Economic Development Activity Node Expansion ZONING ATLAS AMENDMENT Z-3-96 Buckhorn Road Economic Development District Expansion ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT DESIGN MANUAL AMENDMENT DEPARTMENT: PLANNING PUBLIC HEARING_X—Yes No BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUIRED Yes_X—No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Willis Map of Proposed Expansion Extension 2583 Proposed EDD Design Manual Amendement Citizen Comments from Information Meetings TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough -732-8181 Durham -688-7331 Mebane -227-2031 Chapel Hill -967-9251 PURPOSE: To receive citizen comment on expanding the boundaries of the Buckhorn Road Economic Development District to include area at the southeast quadrant of I-85 and Buckhorn Road. BACKGROUND: The Board of Commissioners adopted as one of its goals for the 1995-96 fiscal year the possible expansion of the Buckhorn Road EDD to include area on the south side of I-85. The total study area considered for inclusion in the EDD is bounded by Buckhom Road to the west, West Ten Road to the south, I-85 to the north and the boundary of the Upper Eno Critical Area to the east. The study area is now designated in the Land Use Element of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan as a Commercial/Industrial Activity Node, which allows property owners to request rezoning to certain commercial and industrial zoning districts. Property included in an Economic Development District will not need to be rezoned at the time of development if it is developed in accordance with the Economic Development District Design Manual. Expansion of the EDD west of Buckhom Road, south of I-85, will be considered after obtaining input from Mebane concerning cooperative planning efforts. 60 Input from Community Meetings Community meetings to discuss the possible expansion of the Buckhorn Road EDD were held on March 12 and April 23, 1996. Notices of the meetings were sent to about 200 property owners. Twenty-seven citizens attended one or both meetings. A summary of their comments is attached. Most of the comments related to effects on the existing residential character, and the extension of water and sewer service. • Some of the group supported expansion of the EDD and the rezoning of their property. • Some of the group did not want to see any change to the residential character of the area, and indicated that they would support changing the Land Use Plan designation to allow only residential use. • , Others were not opposed to non-residential development, but wanted some assurance of when development would occur before rezoning the property. They did not want to lose the potential for residential development if it would be a long time before non-residential development would happen, • There was considerable discussion about water and sewer extension. Several believed that the County should extend water and sewer to the area in order to attract business. A summary of comments and questions from each meeting is attached. Water and Sewer Buckhorn Road is the approximate boundary between Haw Creek and Upper Eno Watersheds. The east side of Buckhorn Road is in the Upper Eno Watershed, and service by the Efland sewer system would maximize gravity flow. The area on the west side of Buckhorn Road would best be served by the Mebane sewer system for the same reason. Only the area on the east side of Buckhorn Road is proposed to be included in the EDD at this time. The possible inclusion of area on the west side of Buckhorn Road will be considered at a later public hearing, after coordination with the City of Mebane on cooperative planning issues. Inclusion of the area between the I-85 and West Ten in the EDD could result in more efficient and cost-effective sewer service. Four intermittent streams in the EDD on the north side of I-85 converge on the south side of I-85 near West Ten Road. If sewer service is provided only on the north side of I-85, then as many as four pump stations could be required to convey wastewater to a discharge point in a gravity section of the Efland sewer system. If sewer service is planned for both the north and south side, then gravity lines could carry wastewater from throughout the district to a single pump station in the vicinity of West Ten. A system which relies on gravity flow to the greatest possible extent, minimizing the number of pump stations needed, would be more cost effective, even considering that the gravity lines would need to be extended underneath I-85. 61 A major concern raised at the public information meeting held for area residents on March 12, 1996 concerned the lack of existing infrastructure as an incentive for development. Although all of the Economic Development Districts are expected to develop over a number of years, there were concerns with value in the near future, since residential development would no longer be an option. Impacts on Neighborhood Staff has identified 17 single-family residences and mobile homes within the boundaries of the proposed expansion. Clearview Subdivision, approved in 1994, is the only subdivision located on the north side of West Ten, and is not proposed to be included in the EDD. Five of the subdivision's 30 lots have been developed. A resident of the subdivision was concerned with impacts of the EDD on the neighborhood, as was the owner of the adjoining mobile home park. Several property owners in the portion of the Study Area near Mt. Willing Road and West Ten indicated that they preferred maintaining the existing residential character of the area. Most of those individuals owned property in the Critical Area of the Upper Eno,which would not be included in the EDD. Recommended Expansion The Planning Staff and Economic Development Commission Staff recommend the following: 1. Designate the 587-acre area shown on the attached map as EDD Primary Development Area, subject to the same set of permitted uses as the portion of the EDD on the north side of I-85. The area of the recommended expansion is bounded by Buckhorn Road to the west, West Ten Road to the south, I-85 to the north, and the boundary of the Upper Eno Critical Area to the east, excluding Clearview Subdivision and the adjacent mobile home park. The owner of the existing service station located at the souheast corner of Buckhorn Road and I-85 has requested that his property be excluded from the district. (see attached letter) 2. Provide a 150' buffer around the perimeter of the Clearview subdivision and adjacent mobile home park. (A 100' buffer is required on the remainder of the perimeter by the standard provisions of the EDD Design Manual.) 3. Update the EDD Design Manual to include reference to and general discussion of the expanded area. The only proposed change to the existing design standards is the inclusion of a 150-foot buffer around Clearview Subdivision and the adjacent mobile home park. 62 RECOMMENDATION: Article 20 of the Zoning Ordinance requires that the Zoning Officer's recommendation for Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Atlas and Zoning- Ordinance text amendments be presented to the Planning Board within 30 days of receipt of an application. However, Article 20.4 exempts any application for amendments to the Zoning Ordinance by either the public or the County from the provisions of Article 20.3. In either case, though, the public hearing is the time scheduled for presentation of the Zoning Officer's recommendation. Zoning Officer Recommendation Provided that the Planning Board and Board of Commissioners find in the affirmative, the Zoning Officer recommends approval of the proposed text amendment. Administration Recommendation The Administration recommends that the proposed amendment be referred to the Planning Board for a recommendation to be returned to the Board of Commissioners no sooner than August S, 1996 PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT DESIGN MANUAL Section 2.1 Development Areas - Schematic Plans I-85 Buckhorn Road District The I-85/Buckhorn Road Economic Development District is comprised of 400 M acres located on the northe c of the interstate interchange. This acreage is distributed among the three principal land use categories in the schematic plan as follows: Primary Development Area 2406(&Acres Open Space Area 3-� i Q Acres Rights-of-Way 29 Acres Access to interior of the northern portions of the district is proposed through the extension of a service road being constructed as part of the I- 85/I40 widening. The service road will terminate on the west side of Buckhorn Road, and any collector road extended to serve the district must align with it. All of the lots in the southern quadrant have direct frontage on either.West Ten Road or Buckhorn Road. Thenumber of access points onto Buckhorn Road and West Ten Road should be minimized b, creating internal access roads where possible. The extent to which internal access roads are feasible na__d the points at which internal roads would intersect with West Ten_ will depend in part on which I s)is(are) first developd,_and how lots are combined as development occurs Transit access is also proposed through a eemWly lee ated park-and-ride lot or similar facility located in the northern Quadrant, with access to both rail and thoroughfare systems. A sidew lk aiong Buckhorn Road to provide access between the transit station and the southern Quadrant will be needed. Design criteria for these systems are presented in section 3.3, Circulation and Parking. Land uses in and adjacent to the district range from single-family residential to a variety of non-residential uses. The Southern Railroad crosses the district as does a Duke Power transmission line and a Public Service Company gas pipeline. The area is also served by the Orange- Alamance Water Corporation,and sewer service would be available through extension of the Efland sewer system owned by Orange County. Because the district is bordered or bisected by so many transportation and utility systems,the entire district has been designated as Primary Development Area. The district is characterized by gently rolling topography with few building constraints. However, soils unsuited for development are found along intermittent streams which flow south beneath I-40/1-85 to join Seven-mile Creek, a tributary of the Eno River. Because of its location on the western edge of the Upper Eno Watershed, land uses in the district are subject to watershed protection standards governing impervious surface and the control of stormwater. The total amount of impervious surface covered by buildings and parking lots is limited to 70%of a building site. As shown on the schematic plan, stormwater control for multiple sites may be provided through construction of several detention basins.located along individual streams draining the district, particularLy on the north side of the interstate(ac shown on the schematic p1=). Alternatively.a larger_, single detention basin could be constructed on the south side of 1-85 at or below the confluence of he streams Detention basins may also be constructed on individual sites. . Impervious surface limits and standards for detention basin construction and maintenance are discussed further in Section 2.3 - Land Intensity and Appendix C- Wet Detention Basin Standards., respectively. Section 2.4 Environmental Factors I-85/Buckhorn Road District The I-85 Buckhorn Road Economic Development District has three potential service providers-the Orange-Alamance Water Corporation, Orange County(through the Efland sewer system),and the City of Mebane. Water Supply. Service to this District is available from the Orange Alamance Water Corporation by-way-of an existing 12-inch water line along U.S. Highway 70. From this distribution main extend the following lines: 6-inch water line West side of Buckhom Road from U.S. Highway 70 to south side of Southern Railroad sj 3-inch Water Line West side of Buckhorn Road from south side of Southern Railroad to I-85 2-inch and 12-inch water lines From U.S. Highway 70 down Redman Road to south side of Southern Railroad Extending the 12-inch water main along U.S. 70 to the approximate center of the northern quadrant of the District would cost approximately $62,500. This cost includes 2,000 linear feet of 12-inch ductile iron water line at $25 per linear foot plus contingencies and engineering costs (25%). Another potential provider is the City of Mebane (Graham-Mebane Water System) through an existing 12-inch water main which terminates at the Pak-Lite plant on Washington Street south of the Southern Railroad 0.3 mile from Buckhorn Road. Sewage Disposal Orange County's E11and sewer system has an 8-inch gravity line on the north side of U.S. Highway 70 which terminates 400 feet west of Richmond Road. Any service west or south of thai point would have to be pumped, and flows of up to 100,000 gallons per day (GPD)could be accommodated in that line. Plants with flows of greater than 100,000 GPD would have to pump farther to the east to a section of 12-inch gravity sewer line. The four intermittent streams in the northern quadrant flow south underneath_I-85 and converge in the southern quadrant of the EDD Sewer construction which will occur as the EDD develops should rely to the extent possible on gmyity flow in order to minimize the number of pump stations and associated costs by the use of gmyity lines along the intermittent streams in the north Quadrant and underneath I-85 to West Ten Road. A single pump station near the stream crossing at West Ten could then convey wastewater from the entire EDD to a gravity section_of the Eflaud sewer system. Otherwise.several_pump stations could be necessary in the northern quadrant of the EDD because the top.Q by there generally runs pe=jWicular to the gravity sewer on High=70. Cost estimates for constructing a grayiV system along the streams and a pump station at West Ten may be developed to determine potential funding scenarios. statien having 100,000 GPD avefage and 250,000 peak eapaei4ies. iCj � 4 bV Sewage &wq;e the pump swien weuld then be pwaped by way of Se%Vr-8-YS4Via7 1fistWiatien of the pump swien and sewer-fer-ee main weWd duetile ime sew r-fer-ee line at $16 per-kneaf feet, a$100,000 GPD pwap � �wssf. n4S (2544). �rab� Section 3.2 Landscape Design Buffering Neighboring Uses Well-designed landscape treatments lessen adverse visual impacts between different types of land uses,reduce noise levels, increase privacy levels, and mitigate effects from fumes, glare,and vibration. To create transition between neighborhoods and areas of differing development intensities, and separate incompatible land uses, a buffer of 100 feet in width( xcCpt where otherwise snecif ed)is to be provided at the boundary of the Economic Development District as well as between Primary and Secondary Development Areas within the Districts. In the Buckhorn Road Economic Development District_a buffer of 150 feet is required on the-Portion of the boundary adiacent to th_e Clearview Subdivision wd a4ioiningresidential area on the north side of West Ten. Section 3.3 Circulation and Parking - Thoroughfare Planning I-85/Buckhorn Road District: Aside from I-85/1-40,W.;e jh=roads have been included in the Orange County Thoroughfare Plan. • U.S Highway 70 has been classified as an arterial road. It has a 22- foot pavement width(two lanes)located in a 60-foot right-of-way. It is currently capable of handling 8,500 vehicles per day and had an average daily traffic volume of 4,000 vehicles per day in 1987. By the year 2010,traffic on the road is expected to reach 7,500 vehicles per day. • West Ten has been classified as collector road. It has a 20-foot pavement width(two 1 ne )located in a 60-foot right-of-way. It is currently capable of handling 7500 vehicles per day and had an average traffic volume of 500 vehicles e� r day in 1987. By the year 2010,traffic on the road is expected to reach 900 ner dU. • Buckhorn Road has been classified as collector road. It has a 20-foot pavement width(two lanes) and is currently capable of handling 7500 vehicles=day and had an average daily traffic volume of 400 vehicles per day in 1987. By the year 2010.traffic on the road is expected to reach 1.000 per day. Although the roadway and right-of-way width are considered adequate to handle the projected traffic,the widening of Buckhorn road to a 24-foot pavement width is preferred to matching the cross-section being installed as part of the I-85 widening, Grade crossing improvements at the Southern Railroad are warranted. Also warranted are the installation of turn lanes and im=ved turn radii for easier and safer truck �rni g movements at the intersections of US 70/Buckhorn Road, Buckhorn Road/West Ten Road, and West Ten Road/klt. Willing Road. i r -.` — n_: ■d � �f►/ I III � / .�� won - s SOUTH BUCKHORN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT Comments from March 12 Community Meeting Efland-Cheeks Community Center • What if property owner wants to do residential development? Residential value of property is being taken away, yet the County is doing anything to get new businesses here, and it will be a long time before the property has any commercial or industrial value. • Water and sewer needs to be extended first. Without it,no development will occur. • Who will pay for water and sewer?In other places, towns and counties pay for extending services to attract industry. We need a plan to develop water and sewer so that businesses will come. • If a good industry were to want to locate in Orange County,then the Board of Commissioners would work to get the water and sewer to the site. • Several property owners indicated that they do not want to see any changes, and want the area to remain residential, and would support changing the Land Use Plan designation to residential so that business would not be allowed at all. • The Board of Commissioners should make NCDOT build retaining walls or other types of buffers to protect adjacent property from the impacts of widening I-85. • Orange County already has high taxes and impact fees. It should go ahead and extend water and sewer so that property owners would get more for their tax money. • Uses such as shopping centers would be good at the interchange of Buckhom and Mt. Willing Roads. This would be compatible with and help residential development farther down West Ten Road. • Property owner with 1400 feet of frontage on I-85 would like to be able to sell to an employer who would pay good wages. • Residents who have lived in the area a long time do not want to see any changes. • Residents need to be able to work near their homes and not travel a long distance into another county to work. • What is Orange County doing to promote economic development? • Will tax value increase if property is rezoned? Would like to see written assurance from Assessor that tax is based on use value,not just on zoning district. 70 • Need to have water and sewer on the north side of I-85 east of Mt. Willing Road (Sim Efland) in area shown as Critical Area for Seven-mile Creek. Water and Sewer was supposed to be extended there 10 years ago. It should not be designated as Critical Area. Water is needed there as well as in the rest of the County. • Would the flea market at Buckhorn/I-85 still be non-conforming? • Need to get rid of planners and buy backhoes to extend water and sewer. • Who bought Kirkpatrick land and why? (Discussion indicated that area was leased for hunting purposes). • Property owner wants to be able to create new residential lots (small number). • Clearview homeowner was surprised to learn that the current Land Use Plan designation would allow the property to be rezoned to commercial or industrial use. She was not aware of that when she purchased the property. She expected that it would remain rural, and does not want to see any changes. Straw poll: about 1/3 do not like idea of expanding EDD. (most owned property within the WQCA and would not be included in the district) about 1/2 wanted to continue the process of developing an EDD. 71 SOUTH BUCKHORN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT Comments from April 23, 1996 Community Meeting Planning and Agricultural Center Height limit for signs is too restrictive along interstate. What are interior setbacks? What uses would be permitted? What are plans for water and sewer extensions? There should be lower impact uses (secondary area)around Clearview. 150' buffer is not enough. What role does EDC play in marketing lots? What are reasons for including small lots in the EDD? What if property owner wants to include or remove property from EDD later? Water should be extended from Mebane Oaks Road West Ten and down West Ten to Hillsborough. 73 Hatch, Little & Bunn, L.L.P. _ Harold W. Barry,Jr. J.Wilbur Bunn(1882-1969) Attorneys at Law Thomas D. Bunn William T. Hatch(1905-:979) Tina L.Frazier lames C.Little(1917-1977) Robin M. Hammond John N.McClain,Jr. 327 Hillsborough Street David H.Permar POSt 0111C®Box 527 A.Bartlett White Raleigh,North Carolina 27602 Douglas Q.Wickham 919/6563940 William D. Young IV Fax 919/856-3950 April 25, 1996 Ms . Mary Willis Orange County Planning Department 306F Revere Road Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278 Re: Proposed Expansion of the Buckhorn Road Economic Development District Dear Ms. Willis : As we discussed when I visited your office on April 22, I represent Venture Capital Group - Project No. 4 which owns a two and one half acre site in the southwest intersection of Buckhorn Road and I-40/85. Since the 1960s, the site has been occupied by a service station dispensing petroleum products, selling convenience food items, operating a repair facility and a towing and wrecker service. As the I-40/85 expansion project is completed in this vicinity, the property owner desires to upgrade and renovate the facility, including a possible expansion of highway services that are typically available at interstate exchanges. The site is currently zoned NC-2. The property owner has asked me to review the Economic Development District proposal and determine what the best approach is considering the present and future development of the site. While we certainly think that an Economic Development District is appropriate for this area, an economic development district is designed primarily to preserve large acreage tracts for industrial park type development. Due to the increased buffers and higher development standards, it can be counter productive, and indeed prohibitive on a small acreage tract developed for interstate highway services . For example, current zoning on the site only requires a 50-foot buffer on Buckhorn Road. The proposed EDD would require a 100-foot buffer. In addition, while most highway service businesses are permitted as of right in the NC-2 zoning district, all uses which are appropriate for the site would require a Type A special use permit under the EDD zoning. Accordingly, I request that you remove tax parcel number 20A as shown on the enclosed zoning map from your proposed Economic 7 4 Development District. As an alternative solution, I request that you reduce the required buffer from 100 feet to 50 feet along Buckhorn Road and that you allow "storage and distribution of petroleum products", "motor vehicle service stations", "restaurants (carry-out, drive-in, and general) ", and "retail trade, sales and rental of durable and convenience goods, merchandise, and equipment" as a permitted use of right in the Buckhorn Road Economic Development District. I note that these uses have much less of an impact than many of the other manufacturing, transportation and wholesale uses which are currently permitted in the proposed Economic Development District as a matter of right. Since there might be some concern that these highway service uses might not be appropriate throughout the Buckhorn Road Economic Development District, you could also limit them to within 500 feet of an interstate highway interchange, thus assuring that they remain clustered around the interchanges. I appreciate your assistance in helping me to understand the Economic Development District proposal. I do intend to appear and speak at the May 28 public hearing. If you wish to discuss this matter further, I will be happy to meet with you at any time. Sincerely yours, HATCH, LITTLV & BUNN David H. 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