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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-20-1993 - VII-B 1 O R A N G E C O U N T Y BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 20, 1993 Action Agenda Item # V-0-13 SUBJECT: REPORT ON UTILITY SERVICE AREA BOUNDARIES DEPARTMENT: COUNTY MANAGER PUBLIC HEARING: Yes X No ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT: MANAGER' S OFFICE, EXTENSION 2300 UTILITY SERVICE AREA BOUNDARIES: (A) RECOM- TELEPHONE NUMBERS: MENDATIONS; (B) JUSTIFICA- Hillsborough - 732-8181 TION; (C) RESOLUTION Durham - 688-7331 Mebane - 227-2031 Chapel Hill - 967-9251/968-4501 PURPOSE: To receive a report on the status of a Utility Service Area Boundary Agreement for Orange County and consider the adoption of the attached resolution regarding a process to reach a long-term agreement. BACKGROUND: On April 15, 1989, an Assembly of Governments meeting was held to consider several issues, including a proposal to establish utility service area boundaries. Attached to this memorandum is the recommendation of an ad hoc committee of municipal and county represen- tatives, and utility providers concerning the proposal. (Attachment A) Also provided are the justifications for the definition of various service areas. The justifications identify many of the issues which were under consideration during that period and ultimately influenced the boundary definitions. (Attachment B) No action was taken on the recommendation, based on the emphasis from OWASA that service area boundaries be based more on a utility enterprise rationale. From the enterprise standpoint, carefully planned and timed expansion of utility service is an important component of a utility' s overall fiscal viability and capacity P Y to provide quality utility service at reasonable cost to customers. In locales where utility service availability is desired, the limits of utility expan- sion are generally determined by a variety of factors including environmental considerations, legislative 2 restriction, engineering and economic feasibility and resource availability. However, local governments in Orange County have worked very diligently over the years to preserve open space and rural character and to manage development Accordingly, a significant portion of inter-local planning strategy has involved comprehensive planning agreements and utility extension policies which emphasize limiting utility expansion. Since 1989, other issues have arisen which may alter the definition of service area boundaries. These include: (1) a court-imposed growth boundary between Chapel Hill and Durham; (2) a revised service area boundary between Hillsborough and Durham contained in their water service agreement; (3) the State's classification of local watersheds and requirement to adopt minimum protection standards; (4) proposals to extend utilities into defined "open space" areas around Hillsborough in return for open space set asides; and (5) the adoption of a water/ sewer policy by the County. The suggested resolution (Attachment C) calls for a renewed effort on the part of local jurisdictions to reach consensus on defining long-term utility service area boundaries. RECOMMENDATION: Manager recommends that the Board consider adoption of the resolution. 3 RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING PROPOSED UTILITY SERVICE AREA BOUNDARIES FOR ORANGE COUNTY, N.C. On February 13, 1989, a committee of County and municipal representatives, and utility service providers met to consider proposed water/sewer service area boundaries for Orange County. The committee agreed in principle to the following provisions: General Service Areas 1. As a departure point, general service area boundaries would be based on watershed/drainage basin ridge lines. Future refinements will be responsive to land use plans, present twenty-year service areas, and the considerations recommended by the orange Water & sewer Authority. 2. Orange county would be divided initially into northern and southern service areas. The dividing line between the two areas is the northern boundary of the Cane Creek watershed and New Hope Creek drainage basin. The New Hope Creek drainage divide is also the northern boundary of the orange County-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Joint Planning Area. 3. The northern portion would be served by the following utility providers: Town of Hillsborough city of Durham Orange County Orange-Alamance Water System Town of Mebane 4. The southern portion would be served by the orange Water & sewer Authority (OWASA) . 5. The southern portion or OWASA service area includes the following subareas: OWASA 20-Year Service Area Rural Buffer Extended Service Area (Remainder) Twenty-Year Service Areas 1. As a departure point, twenty-year service area boundaries reflect the justifications contained in following attachment. The final delineation of boundaries will be responsive to land use plans, present twenty-year service areas, and the considerations recommended by the Orange Water & Sewer Authority. 4 JUSTIFICATION FOR PROPOSED UTILITY SERVICE AREA BOUNDARIES ORANGE COUNTY, N.C. 1. JOINT PLANNING (OWASA) SERVICE AREA (Single Provider) a. Boundaries are based on service area designated on strategy maps contained in Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan. b. Adjustments (1) Land Use Element of Comprehensive Plan designates extraterritorial planning and zoning jurisdiction areas as Transition Areas. (2) Appendix of Joint Planning Agreement adopted November 2, 1987 limits approval of water and sewer extensions into University Lake Watershed. (3) Town of Chapel Hill Interim Land Use Plan designates areas within extraterritorial area but beyond ridge lines as Rural Residential - Density of one unit per two acres of land and outide water and sewer service areas. Areas include land north of 1-40 and north of Southern Triangle. 2. HILLSBOROUGH SERVICE AREA (Single Provider) a. Boundaries are based on twenty-year service area denoted in Town of Hillsborough Comprehensive sewer Service Plan b. Adjustments (1) Land Use Element of Comprehensive Plan designates extraterritorial planning and zoning jurisdiction areas as Transition Areas. 3. DURHAM SERVICE AREA (Single Provider) a. Boundaries are based on Durham Growth Boundary denoted in Durham 2005 Comprehensive Plan. b. Adjustments (1) Land Use Element of Comprehensive Plan designates extraterritorial planning and zoning jurisdiction areas as Transition Areas. 4. ORANGE COUNTY-ORANGE ALAMANCE SERVICE AREA (Two Providers - Sewer service by Orange County - Water service by Orange-Alamance Water System) a. Boundaries are based on Future Planning Area Boundaries denoted in Water and Sewer Extension Report-Cheeks Township by John R. McAdams Company and information provided by the Orange-Alamance Water System. b. Adjustments (1) Land Use Element of Comprehensive Plan designates extraterritorial planning and zoning jurisdiction areas as Transition Areas. (Continued on next page) 5 5. MEBANE-ORANGE ALAMANCE SERVICE AREA (Two Providers - Water/sewer service by Town of Mebane - Water service by Orange-Alamance Water System) a. Boundaries are based on Future Planning Area Boundaries denoted in Water and Sewer Extension Report-Cheeks Township by John R. McAdams Company and information provided by the Orange-Alamance Water System. b. Adjustments (1) Land Use Element of Comprehensive Plan designates extraterritorial planning and zoning jurisdiction areas as Transition Areas. • 6 A RESOLUTION REGARDING A PROCESS FOR CONSIDERATION OF DEVELOPING A LONG-TERM WATER AND SEWER SERVICE AREA BOUNDARY AGREEMENT FOR ORANGE COUNTY WHEREAS, Orange County initiated discussion with other jurisdictions in 1989 to define long-term water-sewer service areas; and WHEREAS, those discussions were deferred due to other issues; and WHEREAS, the present agreements regarding Joint Planning for Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Orange County; the Cooperative Planning Agreement between Orange County and Hillsborough; the Durham-Hillsborough pipeline agreement; the Chapel Hill- Durham annexation area agreement and the OWASA-Durham service area agreement have already established a foundation for seeking a more comprehensive County-wide agreement; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the that the desires to participate in the following process with the objective of reaching agreement among the local governments and other water and service providers on long-term, County-wide utility service area boundaries. First, Orange County, Hillsborough, Carrboro, Chapel Hill and OWASA would seek to reach consensus on defining long-term service area boundaries. To begin this phase, the managers of the local governments and OWASA would jointly develop a proposal for submittal to each of the boards. In this phase and succeeding stages, there would be an emphasis on sharing each party's interests and objectives, developing a base of factual information and other principles for achieving agreement. Second, the City of Durham, Town of Mebane and the non-profit Orange-Alamance Water System would be invited to join in discussion to seek a County-wide agreement in principle. Third, if the first two phases are successful, a formal agreement would be drafted for discussion by each entity, consideration of any revisions proposed by the parties, and final action. This the day of , 1993 .