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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMeeting follow up 041195APR -11 -95 TUE 12 :56 PSI ORANGEOOUNTYPLANNING FAX NO, 9196440002 FAX COVER PAGE TO: John Link 0 FAX # 614 -3004 FROM: Gene Bell a FAX # 644 -3002, Orange County Planning Department SUBJ: Follow -up to Second Meeting of Stoney Creek Planning Group DATE: April 11, 1995 PAGES: 3 P. 1 As follow-up to our meeting last Thursday I have, prepared a draft newsletter that I thought your might wish to review before I mail it. As with the first newsletter, I have kept it to two pages so it can be copied. on a single double -sided sheet, This will help reduce copying costs and simplify distribution. I plan to send out the same number of newsletters (500) as before. My goal is to have them in the mail tomorrow afternoon. Please call (extension 2589) or FAX if you have questions, corrections, or concerns. Thank you. cc: Dori Willhoit, County commissioner Dr. Stephen I1alkiotis, County co=issione r verla Insko, Director, center for .Peace Education Marvin colline, Planning Director APR -11 -95 TUE 12;56 PSI ORANGEOOUNTYPLANNING FAX NO, 9196443002 P. 2 STONEY CREED SMALL AREA FLAN NEWSLETTER This is the second newsletter for the Stoney Creek Basin Small Area plan. Newsletters will follow each meeting of the Stoney Creek Basin Planning Group and will be distributed by gaup members from the Stoney Creek neiglhborhoods. B11r,kgroi nd On December 5, 1994, the Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted the following charge: "To prepare 4 &wd use plan, inc&ding recommendations for implementation, for the Stoney Creek Basin Planning Area southeast of the town of Hillsborough. " A Planning Group of neighborhood representatives plus elected and appointed officials was appointed. There are currently 21 members and six alternates. The first meeting was on March 16. Preparation of the Stoney Creek Basin SmdI Area Plan calls for the development of four alternative plans. The Status Quo, Open Space, and Neotraditional alternatives will be developed by graduate planning students from UNC. The fourth plan (Rural Character) will be developed by Orange County planning staff. The second phase of the planning process will involve a critical review of the alternative plans. Desirable features of the various alternatives will be retained and eventually incorporated into a recommended plan. Where warp Meeting two of the Planning Group was held on the evening of April b at New Hope Elementary School. Attendance was very good with 18 Planning Group members and two alternates present. verla, Insko, group facilitator, called the meeting to order and announced that the purpose was to hear presentations from the students on the tree plan alternatives. She said there would be time for questions, but no group recommendations would be r uired. The status clue►, or conventional development alternative is characterized by single- family homes on large lots accessed by curvilinear streets, many of which end in cul -de -sacs' These low - density, residential areas are separated completely from ether types of non - residential land uses. Most existing development in the Money Greek basin fellows conventional lines with single family residences occurring on lots ranging from less than one to over 10 acres. Water supply and sewage disposal is handled by on -site wells and septic tanks. APR -11 -95 TUE 12 :57 PSI ORANGEOOUNTYPI.ANNING PAX CIO, 9196443002 P, 3 Using the County's average subdivided lot size of 1.85 acres as their starting point, the students identified areas of varying density (one, two, and five units per acre) depending on environmental constraints and adjacent development. Their design resulted in 879 additional housing units in the area. A 5O acre community park was also proposed at Old NC 10 and New Dope Church Road. The open space, or density - neutral alternative refers to a type of development that reserves 50% of the buildable land as undivided., permanent open space. The same number of houses are built as in conventional development, but they are clustered together on smaller lots to leave at lest 50% of the land open. This type of development allows direct access to open space and natural areas. It also allows lots to be placed with more consideration for environmentally sensitive areas, thus preserving streams, trees, and other amenities for the enjoyment of presidents. The open space design team used the same average density as the conventional team (ore dwelling per 1.85 acres) . Their design resulted in $99 additional dwellings and 1,171. acres in open space. Neo- traditional development aims to reproduce the strong feeling of communi ty found in alder, established neighborhoods by creating pedestrian - friendly, mixed-use environments. Development is centered around a village core, featuring a vibrant mix of shops and residences. Surrounding the core are residential areas with densities decreasing with distance from the core. Public gathering spaces, human - scaled streetscapes, and appropriate architecture link neighborhoods together. The students proposed the village core adjacent to the rail line slightly northeast of the New Hope Church Road /Old NC 10 intersection. A transit stop serves as the focal point. Residential densities of 22 units per acre are proposed adjacent to the core and decrease to seven units per acre as distance from the cure increases. These areas of high and medium density would be served with water and sewer. The students' design would result in 3,307 additional residential units in the area. MSUDSMore Information The Planning Group will meet again on April 27 to consider impact analyses prepared by the students for the three plan alternatives. If you have questions, please call Gene Bella Planner Iii, in the Grange County Pimming Department. He can be reached at extension 2589 at 732 -8181 (Hillsborough), 967 -9251 (Chapel Hill), and 68$ -7331 (Durham). ,Money creep small Area Plan - Newsletter 2 1 4 -110-95 DRAFT 1 STONEY CREEK BASIN SMALL AREA PLANNING GROUP APRIL 6, 1995 MINUTES The Stoney Creek Basin Small Area Planning Group met on Thursday, April 6, 1995 at 7:30 p.m. at the New Hope Elementary School, NeTx Hope Church Road, Chapel Hill, Forth Carolina. MEMBERS PRESENT: Cherie Rosemond, Mike Warner, Lee Rafalow, Dean Zehnder, Gary Hanker, Elio Soldi, Trudy Cuffe, Bob Strayhorn, Town Commissioner Evelyn Lloyd, County Commissioners Steve Halkictis and Don Willhoit, Clint Burklin, Curtis Bane, Steve Price, Dan•Teichman, Bob Hall, David Melton, Keith Cook, Meg McKean, ALTERNATE MEMBERS PRESENT: Trish Rafalow and Irene VanDyke MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: Cindy Negly, Isabel Daye, Harold Daye, Sr. .and James Bumpus STAFF PRESENT: Gene Bell, Planner, Miriam Coleman, Planner. Kathy Baker, Deputy Clerk to the Board; and Planners Emily Cameron and Don Belk FACILITATOR: VERLA INSKO MINUTES: The minutes of the March 16, 1995 meeting were accepted by consensus. Verla Insko convened the meeting and mentioned that the color maps in the packets will be used at future meetings. She asked that they be brought to each meeting. Color copies are very expensive and no extra copies. Commissioner Halkiotis introduced Hillsborough Town Commissioner Evelyn Lloyd and thanked her for attending. Merla Insko turned the meeting over to Tracy Swagler, a student with the Land Use Workshop Class, Department of City and Regional Planning, UNC- Chapel Hill. She presented an evaluation of the Land Use Alternatives. The design options to be presented include the Conventional, Density- Neutral and Neo- Traditional Developments. She presented a general geographic orientation of the planning area and mentioned that developable land in the planning area consists of 1916 acres and that Duke Forest consists of 550 acres. Bell clarified that the entire planning area consists of 4,696 acres. The gray areas on the map indicate land that not available for development and the white areas represent land that is available. She indicated that areas were considered available for development if 1) they were not in existing subdivisions, 2) they were large, unused parcels, or 3) they consisted of 10 acres or more with no more than one house an the parcel. Slides were shown to orient the group to the entire area. 2 It was suggested that prior to completion of this project it would be helpful to present other information, such as, what are Hillsborough's current transition area boundaries, and what are the Joint Planning boundaries. Jennifer Zadwick introduced the members of the Suitability Analysis Team. She indicated that a suitability analysis is a process used to determine the appropriateness of a given tract of land for a specified use. When viewed collectively the hydrology, geology, and biology of the land yield insights into the types of uses suitable for a particular parcel of land. For the purposes of this project, the suitability of land for residential uses was the primary concern. The following three steps were followed in developing this suitability analysis: 1)Identify important land features which may constrain development, 2) Map the land available for development, and :3) Map specific development constraints for each design group. The colored maps, showing development constraints for Conventional, Density- Neutral and Neo- Traditional, were explained and reviewed. Verla Insko mentioned that it is possible that there are also local Ordinances which impart on development options in parts of this area. That will be clarified at future meetings. In response to a question regarding soils, Gene Bell indicated that the sail in Orange County is overall not the best for possible perk sites. The Health Department would have to actually test the individual parcel to determine if it is actually suitable for a septic system. A M - UNC student, Jeff Bandini, presented the design concept for Conventional Development. He indicated that the term Conventional Development refers to the'type of neighborhood design that has predominated in this country since World spar II. Conventional Development incorporates primarily single - family homes into neighborhoods characterized by large lots and curvilinear streets, many of which terminate in cul -de -sacs. These low - density, residential areas are separated completely from other types of land uses: including commercial and office centers. Most of the existing residential neighborhoods in the Stoney Creek Basin incorporate the basic principles of the Conventional Development design. For instance, individual lot sizes range from one acre to o ver ten acres per unit. Also, existing single - family and mobile homes in the basin are served by on -site. sept i c tanks and wells. All grater supply and wastewater treatment needs of new neighborhoods will be served similarly. The total passible dwelling units in "Scenario I" would require water and sewer being present. In response to a question, the methods available for dedicating land for recreational activities were discussed. It is possible to 3 dedicate land or money. The requirement for land is 1/35 of an acre of land for each dwelling unit. Jean Robbins presented the Density - Neutral Development design concept. She mentioned that "density-Neutral Or refers to a type of open -space oriented development that reserves 50/ of the buildable land as undivided, permanent open space. In a density - neutral development, the same number of houses are built in a subdivision as permitted under existing zoning, but the houses are clustered together an smaller lots to leave at least 50% of the land open. Half of the open space in such a development is left in a natural state, while the other half can be used for more active recreation such as community greens, parks, or ballfields. density- neutral subdivisions are often described as "golf courses without the golf course" ( Designing Open Space Subd i-,ri s i ens . Density - Neutral developments allow residents immediate access to open space and natural areas. Comparative studies show that property values in such subdivisions appreciate faster than conventional subdivisions, even though the lots are significantly smaller. In addition, density- neutral designs allow lots to be placed with more consideration for environmentally sensitive areas and other constraints. Thus, in this type of development, streams, trees and forests, historic sites, habitats, and other amenities can be preserved for the enjoyment of the residents. At the same time, lots can be sited away from negative impacts of major roads or railroads. UNC student Ron Sissems discussed how this process was applied to the study area. The potential number of dwellings using the Density - Neutral Design would be 899 units. He revieTxed the map showing how the dwelling units are place in this type of design and mentioned that the 50% open space is removed from possible development prior to determining how many units can be built. The options of community systems, individual sept i c and city sewer will be considered. NEO- TRADITIONAL DEVELOPMENT: UNC student Heidi Merkel introduced the members of this team and then presented the Neo- Traditional Development design concept. She mentioned that this concept should be considered as a long -term option rather than something that could be used in the near future. Interest in nee- traditional design has been growing in recent years as the negative effects of low- density sprawl are becoming more apparent in the farm of traffic congestion, loss of open space and social isolation. The primary aim of neo- traditional development is to reproduce the strong feeling of community found in older, established neighborhoods by creating pedestrian - friendly, mixed -use environments. This goal can be accomplished by-emphasizing: "Reduced automobile dependency 'Integration, not separation, of land uses 4 Inward neighborhood focus, not dispersal of destination 'Streets as focal points , not mere thoroughfares, "Revival of social interaction and shared community vision "Flexible design guidelines, not rigid engineering standards Applying these principles results in a de- relopment pattern centered around a village core, featuring a mix of shops and residences. Surrounding the core will be residential neighborhoods with decreasing densities as distance from the core increases. The development design can accommodate a variety of single and multi-family options. Public gathering spaces, human- scaled streetscapes, and appropriate architecture will link neighborhoods throughout the development together. TNC student Eric F1adager mentioned that in order to create this design concept it was necessary to determine the most suitable location for the village core. After that was determined, other neighborhood sites were identified. The success of this concept relies on strong connections between visual and pedestrian focal points. It is also necessary to develop independent pedestrian and automobile networks and define the neighborhoods. Wherever possible, greenways are used to define these neighborhoods. NOTE a FurVf - deta • MM!` __ tY,e +`_om, aT`1. _ agenda file in packets th distributed f_ . mee ing At the next meeting the students will present Impact Analyses for each of these proposed design concepts. Also, questions directed at staff will be answered. The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 p.m. The next meeting of this group will be held on Thursday, April 27, 1995 at 7:30 p.m. at the New Hope Elementary School, on New Hope Church Road. Respectfully submitted, Kathy Baker, Deputy Clerk Air Quality Introduction Air quality is an important component of environmental quality in the Stoney Creek Basin. Currently, air quality is well within acceptable ranges in the Stoney Creek Basin. However, air quality is of regional concern in the Raleigh - Durham area. The Triangle is currently in a state of "moderate non - attainment" for Carbon Monoxide, which means that air quality violates federal standards by no more than 82 percent. While this is not a desirable condition, it is not a uncommon state for an urban area of this size. This designation means that the region must use re- formulated gasoline during the winter months and must coordinate its transportation improvements with its air quality goals. If air quality in the entire region were to deteriorate significantly, the area would be re- classified as a "serious" non - attainment zone. Areas in this category must enact strict transportation control measures to bring air quality down within EPA's standards. The additional vehicular traffic generated by development in the Stoney Creek Basin will produce higher levels of vehicular emissions, potentially having adverse effects upon the health and property of residents of the area. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has promulgated standards for acceptable air quality in urban and rural areas. This analysis will determine whether the expected air quality in Stoney Creek Basin will meet EPA's standards. EPA's standards for carbon monoxide in this area are 9 parts per million (ppm) for concentrations over an eight hour period and 35 ppm for a one -hour period. Methods This impact analysis focuses on carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations at the intersection of NC 10 and New Hope Church Road. Carbon monoxide is most closely associated with automobile traffic because, unlike other pollutants, it directly impacts locations adjacent to its source (i.e. vehicles). Therefore, this analysis focuses on the air quality in areas directly adjacent to a major transportation facility, such as a widely used intersection. The NC 10 and New Hope Church Road intersection was selected because of its proximity to concentrations of proposed development in the area, specifically the Village Core, parks, and residential housing. The analysis was conducted with the CAL3QHC model, which is developed and distributed by the U.S. EPA. The model required three main inputs: the layout of the intersection and adjacent street network; the projected traffic flows through the intersection at buildout; and the location of "receptors ", or points at which the carbon monoxide concentrations would be tested. Separate analyses were conducted for both the Conventional /Density Neutral and Neo- Traditional design scenarios. Projections for the Conventional and Open Space designs were done together because the two have nearly identical traffic flows. Because the transportation capacity analysis indicated that the existing NC 10 and New Hope Church intersection would operate under capacity in the Conventional and Open Space designs, the intersection was modeled as an unsignalized intersection, as it currently exists. However the air quality impacts of the Neo- traditional design were modeled as a signalized intersection, as proposed by the transportation capacity analysis. Findings The analysis indicates that carbon monoxide concentrations at the NC 10 and New Hope Church intersection will be well within EPA's standards for acceptable air quality under both design scenarios. The findings of this analysis are presented below: Co��c ntrations EPA Standards Conventional\ ®pen Neo- Traditional Space (in ppm) 1 hour 35 2.4 -2.7 2.7 -3.2 8hour 9 1.8 -2.0 2.0 -2.4 As demonstrated by these results, none of the development scenarios will have significant adverse impacts upon the air quality at this intersection. Because of its central location and its proximity to proposed commercial and residential development, the air quality at this intersection is representative of the air quality impacts throughout the entire area. Even with slightly higher levels of traffic, it seems unlikely that carbon monoxide concentrations will exceed federal standards.