HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-15-2020; 12-2 - Information Item - Memorandum Regarding Buckhorn Area Plan and Next Steps 1
ORANGE COUNTY
NORTH CAROLINA
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of County Commissioners
Bonnie Hammersley, Orange County Manager
Travis Myren, Orange County Deputy Manager
FROM: Craig N. Benedict, Planning Director
Tom Altieri, Comprehensive Planning Supervisor
DATE: November 23, 2020
SUBJECT: BOCC Information Item — Buckhorn Area Plan and Next Steps
ATTACHMENT(S): Buckhorn Area Plan Focus Area Map
BACKGROUND: The City of Mebane and Orange County have coordinated to provide
utilities in the greater Buckhorn area (Efland and Westward to Mebane city limits) and
have a Utility Service Agreement (2012 was the most recent update) that identifies a
service area that, to a significant degree, coincides with the scope of the Buckhorn Area
Plan which could also be considered a `growth strategy'. This Agreement is in need of
an update due to new developments and growth pressures in and around the existing
Mebane LDP, Efland Mebane Small Area Plan and City of Mebane/Orange County
Utility Service Agreement. The Buckhorn Area Plan is intended to help inform future
agreements or amendments. As such, both jurisdictions funded a planning study of
future land use and potential utility service that would be mutually beneficial.
Orange County utilized monies available in the FY 2019-2020 budget to reimburse the
City of Mebane for half of the consulting expenses of the Buckhorn Area Plan; the
original goals have been to work together with a consultant to further analyze areas
within Orange County—adjacent to and near Mebane—and to develop
recommendations for a growth strategy. In January 2020, Piedmont Triad Regional
Council (PTRC) was selected as the consultant, and beginning on February 6, 2020,
Orange County, Mebane, and PTRC have met monthly to discuss the geographic area
of the study, the parcel development suitability criteria and mechanisms for feedback on
the analysis. While both local governments agreed to work together with the consultant
to prepare the Plan, the implementation of the Plan would be accepted for consideration
by both local governments independently depending on the possible recommendations.
The Buckhorn Area Plan is a technical study of future land use and potential utility
services to identify properties that could be zoned for nonresidential purposes that best
support economic development, all while balancing the cost, feasibility, and location of
utility service extensions. This report uses GIS mapping to determine parcels most
suitable for development within the study area. The process allows for a technical
review of multiple development factors including: developable acres, preservation
areas, mean slope, watershed, sewer infrastructure, water infrastructure, interstate
access, interstate visibility, roadway access, and access to existing rail. In addition to
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the parcel-level scoring based on objective suitability criteria, there are a few areas of
clustered parcels that have been recommended for long-term growth based on a
combination of final score and high economic development use potential.
The study area (see attached map) for this plan was defined after significant
consideration of existing land uses, environmental impacts, and economic development
potential. This did not mean that all areas in the study are proposed for potential change
but just an area/base element of research. The City of Mebane and Orange County
Planning, Administrative, Public Works, and Economic Development staffs worked with
the Piedmont Triad Regional Council to ensure parcels with the highest potential were
included in the analysis; it is worth noting, however that parcels with significant public
utility (schools, churches, cemeteries) were marked as not available for development,
regardless how well they scored on the parcel suitability criteria. The boundaries for this
plan focus area are the rail line to the North; Ben Wilson and Mattress Factory Roads to
the west, Mt. Willing Road and parcels along the 1-85 connector to the East; Bushy
Cook Road and Seven Mile Creek to the South.
During the course of the study, there have been developments in Orange County
brought to Mebane with a focus to rezone and to annex into Mebane. Any development
proposals that are in Orange County and that fall within the study area have been noted
as such in Orange County Planning's feedback to Mebane during the courtesy review
process. While Mebane has the ability to annex properties that are willing to be annexed
pursuant to state law without county `approval', Orange County Planning Staff's review
of proposals has included language that recommends Mebane delay any further
development of parcels that fall within the Buckhorn Area (but outside the existing utility
service agreement) until the Plan is finalized and has been shared with the public and
elected officials.
CITY OF MEBANE STEPS: A copy of the draft Study that was presented at the
November 10, 2020 Virtual Open House, can be accessed via the following
link http://ptrc.org/Buckhorn. The draft will be updated in response to comments
received. The City of Mebane Planning Board met on November 9, 2020 and is
recommending approval of the Buckhorn Area Plan to the Mebane City Council
following its public hearing on December 7, 2020. The City Council deferred action on
the plan pending review and feedback from the Board of County Commissioners.
NEXT ORANGE COUNTY STEPS:
County Planning staff intends to provide additional information to the Planning Board
and BOCC in 2021, including an overview of the Study and possible recommendations
for short and long-term next steps. The final study will be informed by the City of
Mebane Council, Orange County Planning Board, Orange County BOCC and public.
Following are some initial thoughts:
• Meeting with Mebane Planning staff on a more regular basis;
• Review and update of the Utility Service Agreement with Mebane whether by
area change or protocol on how to address development inquiries in various
locations with or without annexation;
• Continuation of courtesy review on any development applications the City of
Mebane receives within Orange County's planning jurisdiction;
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• Continued coordination between the Departments of Planning, Economic
Development, Housing and DEAPR as necessary;
• Regarding identified growth potential areas; Identify of areas where Orange
County Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map amendments could occur if
the BOCC decide it prudent in advance of Mebane's annexation. This could also
include amendments to other County plans/agreements;
• Gain additional support/consideration from the Economic Development Advisory
Board and Planning Board on any plan and zoning regulatory changes (i.e.
development standards); and
• Obtain BOCC approval before embarking on any plan amendment process;
• Continued conversations between Orange County management and Mebane
management with regard to the possibility of siting future school facilities if some
areas are not suitable for non-residential development. In this case medium- to
high-density workforce housing maybe better suited. However, consideration of
residential location and its possible incongruity with industrial commercial
locational pursuits is permeant;
• Developing a plan for how to thoroughly assess residential development in areas
of the Buckhorn Area Study where non-residential development is suboptimal but
higher-density residential development is plausible.
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