HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Open House 032196As currently envisioned, expedited
review would entail review and
approval of projects by County staff
as opposed to the more lengthy
process of Planning Board review and
County Commissioner approval.
Currently, minor subdivisions (the
creation of five lots or less) and
projects consistent with Economic
Development District guidelines
receive expedited review. Care must
be taken when considering activities
for expedited review because an
important element of public oversiLht
is foregone
The one area in which the group has
consensus regarding expedited review
is for developments that preserve
70% open space. Another idea
discussed extensively by the Planning
Group, but still lacking consensus is
expedited review for low density,
rural subdivisions with lot sizes
averaging five acres or more.
Next to s
Following the open house, the
Planning Group will:
• Review open house comments and
incorporate as appropriate;
• review Rural Design Guidelines as
soon as they are available;
• refine the boundaries of the land -
use intensity levels on the map;
• finish implementation discussions
and recommendations; and
• pull together public hearing
package for presentation on May
28, 1996.
More Information
Contact Gene Bell, Planner III, in the
Orange County Planning Department
at extension 2589 at the appropriate
phone number: 688 -7331 (Durham),
732 -8181 (Hillsborough), and 967-
9251 (Chapel Hill).
Stoney Creek Small Area Plan Group
(* Denotes Alternate)
Verla Insko, Facilitator
Curtis Bane
Bob Hall
Steve Price
Bill Bracey
Gary Hanker
Lee Rafalow
James Bumphus
Dan Kenan*
Trish Rafalow*
Clint Burklin
Ken tilaynard*
John Ringland*
Keith Cook
Meg McKean
Elio Soldi
Trudy Cuffe
Bobby Nicholson
Bob Strayhorn
Judd Edeburn
Kim Price*
Dan Teichman
Steve Halkiotis
Renee Price
Irene VanDyke*
Michael Warner
Don Willhoit
Thea Wilson*
David Yelton
Dean Zehnder
STONEY CREEK SMALL AREA PLAN
Community Open House at New Hope Elementary School
March 21, 1996
Introduction
In the past year a group of 22 citizens
has worked on a land use plan for the
Stoney Creek area that achieves two
goals:
• Protects the rights that
landowners have now to derive
value from their Iand. The plan
does not take away any of the
development options a landowner
now has and does not downzone
the area; and
• Protects the area's "rural
character" by adding new,
voluntary options for how
landowners can develop their land.
What is a Land Use Plan?
It is a statement of the County's
goals, policies, and recommendations
regarding future land development.
As an official public document
adopted by the Board of County
Commissioners, it reflects general
consensus about how, when, and
where the County should encourage
or discourage future development and
is embodied in map and text form.
The Orange County Commissioners
appointed the Stoney Creek Small
Area Planning Group (see roster at
end) to develop a land use plan - and
recommendations for how it might be
implemented - for the 4,700 acre area
southeast of Hillsborough. Before the
plan can be considered for adoption
by the County Commissioners, it
must be presented at public hearing
and receive Planning Board review.
The Stonev Creek Plan
Citizens lobbied to get this planning
process started because suburban -
style conventional developments are
spreading and could overtake the
remaining rural aspects of the Stoney
Creek area.
The Planning Group identified key
resource areas and then identified
levels of land -use intensity that would
help protect these resources. The
resources include Duke Forest, the
Stoney Creek Wildlife Corridor, New
Hope Presbyterian Church lands,
scenic road corridors, and existing
farmland and neighborhoods. Three
levels of land -use intensity (lower,
intermediate, and higher) are being
recommended for different parts of
the Stoney Creek area and are
described as follows (see map):
• Lower intensity areas lie adjacent
to most of the resource areas and
best typify the area's remaining
rural character. These areas are
proposed to have the lowest future
development densities and
extension of water and sewer
service is not envisioned.
• Intermediate intensity areas are
intended to provide a transition
between lower and higher
intensity. They are envisioned as
being predominantly residential
with density being determined
largely by the character of existing
development. Water and sewer
extension is unlikely.
• Higher intensity areas are adjacent
to areas experiencing urban
growth pressures and at some
future date will likely be annexed
into Hillsborough or Durham. A
mix of land uses is possible and
these areas will eventually be
served by water and sewer.
Implementation Options
The Planning Group explored
traditional legal tools for plan
implementation such as changes in
zoning (County regulations that
govern land -uses, the location and
number of uses on a lot, and lot size
By offering incentives, the plan aims
i.e., bonus units resulting from
among other things) to promote
to encourage types of development
open space preserved here cannot
consistency with recommendations in
that protect rural character and the
be used here, but must be
the plan. However, a goal of the plan
landowner's economic value.
transferred elsewhere;
is not to take . away any options
the intermediate intensity area is a
landowners currently have, so no
Plate Group Recommendations
sending and receiving area, i.e.,
zoning changes are recommended.
density bonuses originating here
The Planning Group suggests the
can be used here as well as density
In making recommendations on
following modifications to Flexible
from lower intensity areas;
implementation, the Planning Group
Development to make it specific to
• the higher intensity area is a
has relied extensively on a set of
the Stoney Creek area:
receiving area for density
Flexible Development Options (a
transferred from the lower and
separate handout which gives
1) Flexible Development allows a
intermediate areas; and
additional detail is available)
density bonus of an additional
density bonuses created in the
currently under review by the County
housing unit for every acre of open
Stoney Creek area can be utilized
that have the following features:
space preserved above the 33%
as stated above, but density from
minimum. For Stoney Creek:
other areas cannot be transferred
• Each option involves setting aside
into the Stoney Creek area.
at least 33% of the land in
• Up to 50% open space allows half
preserved open space;
of the bonus units to be used in the
3) Flexible Development allows 50%
• the number of buildable units is
Stoney Creek area (for example,
of active recreation land to count
based on what current zoning and
if two bonus units are allowed, one
toward open space. The Planning
health regulations allow;
can be used in the Stoney Creek
Group recommends that active
• the layout of the buildable units
area, but the other has to be used
recreation uses continue to be
follows a set of Rural Design
outside the area); and
permitted in the lower intensity areas,
Guidelines for the creation of
• preserved open space in excess of
but that they not count toward open
estate lots, conservation lots, or
50% permits the owner to use the
space.
cluster lots; and
bonus units wherever desired (for
• in certain areas, a landowner can
example, if two bonus units are
4) To encourage the use of Flexible
get additional housing units
allowed, both can be used in
Development, a package of
(density bonus) by increasing the
Stoney Creek, or one inside and
incentives has been included (see
amount of preserved open space
one outside, or both outside).
page 12 in the Flexible Development
beyond the 33% minimum.
handout). As an added incentive the
2) Where density bonuses can be
Planning Group recommends
It is important to remember that these
used:
expedited review and approval of
are voluntary options and landowners
projects that preserve large amounts
still have the choice of conventional
• The lower intensity area is a
of open space and enhance rural
subdivision development!
sending area for density bonuses,
character.
Stoney Creek Basin Planning Area
Orange County
Planning d Inspections
Department
Information Services Division
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Conceptual Land Use Plan
Preliminary Design Comittee
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Legend
0 Lower Intensity Land Uses
Intermediate Intensity Land Uses
Higher Intensity Land Uses
® Resource Protection
Scenic Road Corridor