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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 02-15-24; 2 - Consultant Briefing on Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 15, 2024 Action Agenda Item No. 2 SUBJECT: Consultant Briefing on Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: A. Memo from Clarion Associates with Tom Altieri, 919-245-2579 Attachments Cy Stober, 919-245-2592 PURPOSE: To receive a briefing from Clarion Associates, LLC, on the Land Use Plan 2050 for discussion and feedback. BACKGROUND: At its January 16, 2024 Business meeting, the BOCC received an information item with a short briefing from Planning staff and Clarion Associates. At the Board's last work session in November 2023, the consultant presented preliminary outcomes of the first community workshop; an overview of additional opportunities for the public to provide input during Community Engagement Window-1; progress on the technical analysis and Community Policy Profile; and next steps. Following is a link to the agenda materials from this meeting: http://server3.co.orange.nc.us:8088/WebLink/0/doc/71190/Pagel.aspx Tonight's presentation will be the Board's second from Clarion and will include, among other items, a review of community engagement outcomes to date and project deliverables. Additional information is provided in Attachment A (referenced deliverables also attached for convenience). A PowerPoint presentation will be provided at the meeting. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There is no Orange County Social Justice Goal impact associated with this item. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: There is no Orange County Environmental Responsibility Goal impact associated with this item. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: 1. Receive the briefing from Clarion Associates; 2. Discuss; and 3. Provide any feedback. 2 CLARION Clarion Associates 919.967.9188 101 Market Street, Suite D Chapel Hill, NC 27516 www.clarionassociates.com MEMORANDUM TO: Tom Altieri, Senior Planner, Long-Range Planning and Administration, Planning & Inspections Department FROM: Leigh Anne King, Director& Emily Gvino, Project Planner, Clarion Associates DATE: December 29, 2023 RE: Comprehensive Land Use Plan Project Briefing to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners This memorandum outlines the Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 project presentation and discussion that will be conducted at the February 15, 2024, Orange County Board of County Commissioners meeting to brief the Board on the project. 1. The first objective of the meeting is to brief the Board on project progress. The presentation will provide an overview of Phases 1 and 2 work completed and the Phases 2 and 3 work that is underway.The graphic below provides an overview of the Land Use Plan 2050 phases. �I 3 • Phase 2: - Phase 5: Launch Identify New Evaluate Develop the Adopt the Project Issues and Planning Plan Plan Opportunities Influences Mur +� Months Months Months 1 2-7 3-8 9-20 21-26 w W �J" F_ -I �7tlngsrm"IgsMeetings: Meetings: Meetings: taff Meeting Staff Working Group Staff Working Group Staff Working Group Staff Working Group St aff Working Grou p Meetings#2-#5 Meeting#6 Meetings#7-15 Meeting#16 Meeting#1,in-persor Community Community Public Adoption Reconnaissance Engagement Window Major Deliverables: Engagement WlnclowHearings(2) Tour #1 . Fact Book #2_#3 Major•- Stakehotde�Interviews Major Major�. • • g Draft of Draftsliveralates: Current Poiicy Profile Staff,Staff Working Plan Public Final Adopted Plan Engagement Window Review Project Management Community Group, � Context Mapping #1 presentation and Comprehensive Plan Lard Use Plan and Project Branding materials Public engagement Transmittal of Final Summary of Summary of materials for Source Flies ProjectWebsite #1 Results Engagement Wlndorw� �... Summary of Phase 4 Public Input Results Planning I Zoning&Land Use I Sustainability&Resiliency Page 1 3 2. The second objective is to brief the Board on the preliminary outcomes of the first Community Engagement Window: Confirming Community Aspirations. This will include outcomes from the Community Workshop conducted on October 26, 2023, and community meetings conducted on January 19 and 20, 2024.A summary of publicity efforts, workshop participants, engagement activities, and a list summarizing outcomes from the meeting will be shared in a full report,called the New Issues and Opportunities Report. 3. The fourth objective is to share with the Board progress made on technical analysis and preparation of the Fact Book. 4. The fifth objective is to share two project deliverables available on the project website: a. The Stakeholder Summary Report:summarizes inputs collected from stakeholders interviewed during Phase 1 of the project.These insights were used in the development of the Community Engagement Window#1 activities and polling questions. b. The Community Policy Profile: an existing policy summary document that synthesizes the policy guidance included in relevant plans. 5. The fifth and final objective is to share with the Board the next steps for completing Phases 2 and 3 work. �Z AN 0 (* QO Planning I Zoning&Land Use I Sustainability&Resiliency Page 2 ORANGE COUNTY LAND USE PLAN 2050 Phase 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary Report Ad psi t rd- r • i f � =n 1 \spy 't '.�' y 3 r 6 sem~ .. z+ ORANGE COUNTY "S • LAND USE PLAN • Zoso Guiding Our Future Prepared by: • Associates November 2023 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS About the Summary Report ..............................................................3 List of Stakeholder Interviews.........................................................................................3 Approachfor Interviews....................................................................................................4 Stakeholder Interview Themes .........................................................4 Continue Land and Water Conservation Efforts and Address Climate Concerns..................................................................................................................................5 Increase Local Employment Opportunities and Improve Fiscal Health.........6 Facilitate Development of Affordable Housing.......................................................9 Grow Transit Service........................................................................................................ 10 Enhance Rural Area Assets............................................................................................ 11 Plan with Jurisdictional Partners................................................................................. 11 Community Engagement Recommendations ............................. 13 Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 2 6 ABOUT THE SUMMARY REPORT This document summarizes inputs collected from stakeholders interviewed during Phase 1: Project Launch. The purpose of this summary is to share the key takeaways from these inputs with the County's project management team. These insights were used in the development of the Community Engagement Window#1 (CEW#1) activities and polling questions. List of Stakeholder Interviews Throughout July and August, the Project Team conducted kickoff interviews with 57 people, in small groups or individually. In addition, email surveys were shared with stakeholders who could not attend in person or virtual interview appointments. Approximately 45% of those invited to participate completed an interview, and the remaining 55% were invited to participate in the email survey. In-person or virtual interviews included the following: Elected and Appointed County County Partners and Utility Providers Representatives • Board of County Commissioners • Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools • Planning Board • Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors • Affordable Housing Advisory Board Bureau • Agricultural Preservation Board • Carrboro Planning Department • Economic Development Board • Chapel Hill Planning Department • Commission for the Environment • Chatham County Planning Department • Parks and Recreation Council • Durham Planning Department • Historic Preservation Committee • Mebane Planning Department • County Department Leadership . Hillsborough Planning Department • Community Relations • Hillsborough Utilities • County Manager • Mebane Utilities • Emergency Services . OWASA • Economic Development • Orange County Public Schools • Planning and Inspections • Sheriff • Solid Waste Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 3 7 Approach for Interviews Each interview lasted between forty-five minutes and two hours. During the interviews, the Project Team asked stakeholders questions about their perspective and opinions on: • The role of their organization or agency, • Key long-range opportunities and challenges facing Orange County and the Triangle Region, • The current comprehensive plan and their organization's/department's use of it in day- to-day work, • How current land use decisions impact their organization/department and its mission, • Desires for what ought to be included in the new comprehensive plan, • Long-term infrastructure needs, • Public engagement strategies, education opportunities, and relevant "hard-to-reach" contacts, • Other key plans/strategies/documents that would be important for the Project Team to see, and • Areas of common interest/opportunities for collaboration (with partner agencies). Stakeholders were encouraged to be candid with their responses to provide the most granular possible understanding to members of the project team. STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEW TH EM E-S The following is a general, topical summary of interviews that provide the key themes from these discussions. Its intent is to provide an understanding of the state of the County as it stands in 2023 from the perspective of stakeholders, and to identify an initial list of key policy issues that need to be addressed during this effort. These themes will help inform the community engagement approach to include community members in the processdeveloping the plan that will govern land use in Orange County for the next twenty-five years. Six themes, presented here in no priority order, emerged from the interviews: • Continue Land and Water Conservation Efforts and Address Climate Concerns - Rural and farmland conservation and environmental protection is strongly supported in Orange County, particularly as it relates to watersheds. More can be done to prepare for severe weather events, reduce the county's carbon footprint, and support sustainable development. • Increase Local Employment Opportunities and Enhance Fiscal Health- Increasing economic development, local job opportunities, and the local tax base are important Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 4 8 objectives that can lead to more living wage jobs for residents and maintaining a healthy fiscal future for the County. • Facilitate Development of Affordable Housing - There is strong concern over the lack of affordable housing for the workforce and residents and that limited land and infrastructure available for development further challenges this issue. This includes housing for lower-income households that hold many jobs in the county as well as the growing challenge for middle-income households to find affordable housing. This is a regional issue that no local government jurisdiction can tackle alone. • Grow Transit service - Tied to affordable housing is the need to create better transit options that connect workers to employment and other destinations, in and between towns and rural areas. This includes creating "last mile" connections to transit by providing walkable and bikeable developments that provide access to transit. • Enhance Rural Area Assets - There is interest in providing more assets to rural residents, such as broadband, living-wage employment opportunities in the county, accessible daily service needs, and better road connectivity. • Plan with jurisdictional Partners - Interjurisdictional planning is likely needed in areas of common interest near jurisdictional boundaries to ensure common visions are being developed and successful outcomes are achieved. This also offers the opportunity for partnerships to leverage shared resources, particularly related to land conservation, transit service and transportation planning generally, economic development, and affordable housing production. The following sections provide more detail on the insights shared during interviews that led to development of the themes. Continue Land and Water Conservation Efforts and Address Climate Concerns • While many people move to Orange County because of UNC/UNC Health, many come for other reasons, predominant among those being the natural beauty and rural character of the county (especially relative to surrounding counties). • The Rural Buffer is seen by many environment-focused stakeholders as the primary facilitator of preserving Orange County's rural character outside Chapel Hill/Carrboro, and the main reason why Orange County doesn't resemble Chatham, Wake, or Alamance counties. • There are worries that Mebane's growth eastward, if not managed, will cause unmitigated growth into Orange County and endanger the environment. • Progressive environmental regulations in Orange County helps further land conservation and have allowed for continued watershed protection. Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 5 9 • Chatham County (and potentially others) could be regional partners in providing recreational facilities, habitat protection, and conservation efforts. • Environmental justice issues are important, especially because historically minority populations have been subjected to worse environmental conditions than their more advantaged counterparts. The historically Black Rogers Road community, for instance, was located next to an active landfill by virtue of that community having less political voice. Making sure that all populations receive equitable health outcomes, as well as access to natural spaces, which can be key to maintaining and improving mental health, was mentioned by many stakeholders as a key agenda item for the upcoming Plan. • Making sure that there are more opportunities for passive recreation in the environment (or low-impact transportation, like bicycling) is important. • There is a strong need to start monitoring and reducing PFAS and PFOA pollution. • Climate change is seen as a real threat by almost all stakeholders, but there is debate as to whether the county is doing enough to mitigate and adapt to climate change or whether it is doing too much and neglecting some of its other responsibilities, such as economic development. • Agricultural landowners who are interested in maximizing the return on their land are concerned about zoning limitations and environmental protections that restrict development potential. This problem is especially notable around the Rural Commercial Activity Nodes (RCANs), where much of the surrounding property is currently agricultural or owned by farmers, and the current comprehensive plan projects for commercial development that is difficult to develop. • Similarly, schools, sanitation services, and utilities can find it difficult to find property to locate their services on by virtue of that land being reserved for conservation purposes or required for set aside by environmental regulations. • The County could be doing more to support climate action, resiliency, and sustainable development on public and private lands. One concern is being prepared for severe droughts exacerbated by being at the headwaters of the Neuse and Cape Fear River basins. Increase Local Employment Opportunities and Improve Fiscal Health • Businesses typically gravitate to Alamance and Chatham Counties because Orange County is seen as less business friendly. Some are concerned that the County does not do enough to change this narrative, which results in businesses exploring other communities in the Triangle. Concerted marketing efforts and clearer regulatory structures that inform businesses of what they should expect when they come to partner with Orange County are important if this narrative is to change. Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 6 10 • Of the four municipalities in Orange County, Mebane is the only one that is actively pursuing larger-scale economic development. While some stakeholders view this as a threat, others consider it to be a good model for how development could look in the county at large. • Some stakeholders do not believe Orange County is responding competitively to development opportunities throughout the Triangle and Triad regions. Continued industrial development in Chatham and Siler City provides opportunities for Orange County to pursue recruitment of businesses that will be crucial in the supply chains for those industrial hubs. If these businesses locate in Orange County, it is possible that the county would see significant job growth, which would further diversify the economy. • Emphasis was placed not on Orange County "becoming like Alamance or Chatham counties" but on defining clearly what "valuing conservation" means to businesses. A business that only hears "valuing conservation" might be discouraged from locating in Orange County. If those values are spelled out, then a business can develop plans that comply with those rules, rather than anticipating sunk costs and inevitable rejection. • Neither UNC nor UNC Health (two of the county's largest employers and landholders) pay property taxes; however, these entities have provided funding in the past to local governments in Orange County to offset development impacts on services. Limited funding from these institutions impacts the fiscal health of the County government. • The historical economic center of the Triangle is moving west as Wake County and Cary grow, which could potentially make Chapel Hill/Orange less important overall in regional conversations. However, there is also significant economic growth occurring in Chatham and Alamance, which may result in Orange County finding more economic opportunities in relation to western and southern neighbors with a draw towards the Triad. • The Rural Buffer (especially along the NC-86 corridor and the area between 1-40 and I- 85) is one of the primary inhibitors to outward growth in the county and would be extremely in-demand if there was opportunity for commercial development along those corridors. The stretch of 1-40 between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill through the Rural Buffer is one of the last undeveloped (and without utilities) stretches of interstate between the western Triad and the eastern Triangle. • Development permitting (environmental, especially) in Orange County makes it more challenging to locate a business in Orange County, especially when similar benefits can be derived from locating the same business in Chatham or Alamance counties with fewer requirements. Stakeholders used the Walmart just south of the Chatham County line and Buc-ee's pivot to locating in Alamance as examples of this phenomenon of mixed sales tax revenues. • Economic development is often contingent on the provision of adequate utilities. Since sewer is typically the most expensive and challenging utility to provide, and since much Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 7 11 of unincorporated Orange County is not connected sewer lines, any future economic development in the county must either require a utility company's partnership and agreement to extend their service or have minimal wastewater needs allowing the business to operate on septic. It has resulted in much of the county's economic development occurring in the west along 1-85 and 1-40 and producing uses that don't require significant utility service, such as warehousing and distribution, which does not in turn provide a significant amount of new, higher paying jobs. • Relatedly, there have been various discussions with the City of Durham's water/sewer utility about developing the easternmost economic development area (Eno EDD), but the costs to install gravity mains in areas with significant slopes and challenges related to interjurisdictional goals led to a breakdown in discussions between the county and city. Consequently, it now looks like this EDD will no longer be developed, reducing Orange County's total functional EDDs to two. However, it may be possible for current elected officials and staff to start discussions anew. • Agritourism (and other local agribusinesses) offer a new way to make farms economically resilient in a modern era where small-scale farming is not as profitable. These uses are supported by the broader county community (generally) and many serve as landmarks in Orange County. Furthermore, these alternative uses of agricultural property allow for their owners to keep those properties in their family, rather than being pushed out by rising property values. • Economic development stakeholders do not feel like their interests are given as much consideration by decisionmakers as those of environmental groups. • While the County (and the region) have good jobs for individuals with higher educations, individuals from lower-income, typically minority backgrounds have a harder time finding work, and an even harder time finding work a reasonable distance from affordable housing. Focusing only on technology and research jobs in terms of economic development (instead of industrial or infrastructural labor) can potentially create jobs only for new transplants to the county rather than for the people who already live here. • The County remains a highly desirable place to move to but has comparatively high taxes relative to other places in North Carolina. Rising taxes could discourage wealthy residents, whose residential property taxes currently make up the largest portion of the County's revenue, from continuing to move to Orange County. Anecdotally, some residents move to Orange County for a time and then move to more affordable areas, in the region, such as Chatham County. This could be exacerbated if taxes continue to rise. • If wealthy residents left Orange County and started "voting with their feet", the burden of paying for services would fall more to lower-income individuals who might not be able to pay those taxes and would thus also have to leave after a period of paying those higher taxes. Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 8 12 • Nevertheless, people moving from the northeast United States to Orange County do not actually find the cost-of-living as high as people who are from the southern United States. These residents are generally happy to pay the "higher" tax rate since it is lower compared to the tax rate from where they are moving. • Historically, tax assessment has not been equitable across racial groups of landowners. White residents' properties are often undervalued, and Black residents' properties are often overvalued. Assessors have been working to correct this inequity. • A solid commercial tax base allows for a more diverse revenue base and does not put as much pressure on residents to provide tax funding for services. Commercial property taxpayers are also typically more capable of weathering price shocks, like a tax hike caused by debt servicing a utility system overhaul or upgrade. • Funding public schools is the County's largest expense. Based on continued growth in parts of the County, decisionmakers should anticipate having to build (and fund) new schools. • Environmental stakeholders (and those interested in protecting community character and aesthetics) often oppose economic development that is not compatible with their vision for the county. This often includes chain retail, dollar stores, and other non-local businesses or businesses that do not themselves seem interested in conservation. • The Buc-ee's proposed development along 1-40 in Mebane is seen as a key example of environmental groups thwarting significant economic development because of a business' mission being out-of-step with the mission of major county stakeholders. Facilitate Development of Affordable Housing • Rising housing costs have made it difficult for service industry workers to be able to live in Orange County. This has created worker shortages for various businesses in the county (especially in Hillsborough). In some cases, businesses have shortened their workweeks to account for employee unwillingness to drive from their homes in other counties to businesses in Orange County. • Rising home values raise property tax rates and can make even lower priced housing unaffordable. • Development of affordable housing in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area might be more difficult because the Rural Buffer limits available, affordable land and Chapel Hill/Carrboro regulations do not allow for the level of density that would be necessary to offset the limitations created by the Rural Buffer. • Recent UNC graduates do not have the money to stay in Orange County after graduation. Rising tax rates and limited affordable housing choices do not create any further incentives for them to do so. Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 9 13 • While finding housing for students is important, there are strong worries that any affordable housing in the county will immediately be leased by student renters who do not themselves have an income but who have parents who are willing, able, and have the right credit mix for an expedited renting process. Making sure that there is affordable housing not just for UNC students but also for community members who are experiencing housing insecurity and do not have as much of a social safety net is especially important. • One affordable housing idea is to reinvigorate the Mobile Home Task Force to support the protection of naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) and look for ways to support these households to stay in their homes. • Chatham County is now working with the Community Home Trust through its Housing Department. This presents a potential opportunity for regional affordable housing partnerships. Grow Transit Service • Regional transit to major employment centers where residents work and to employment centers in Orange County where workers living outside travel to is limited. Improved and new services could alleviate traffic congestion and reduce VMTs. • Lack of/inadequate/slow public transit disproportionately affects lower income individuals who find it difficult to afford personal vehicles. This is especially poignant with school buses, where parents who have the ability are dropping their children off at school while those children whose parents cannot have hour-long (or longer) one-way commutes, and even get to school late. This is partially due to transportation infrastructure but is also a symptom of a labor shortage for school bus drivers. • Hillsborough is planning to start construction on a train station in 2027. This station will connect into the Amtrak's Piedmont rail network and is slated to be the anchor for a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in Hillsborough, which will likely create a sharp increase in service and utility demand due to the increased population. • Development in Chatham County has sparked discussion about bus rapid transit between Chatham Park and Chapel Hill, partially to reduce congestion along 15-501. There is much interest on the part of both communities to support this service. • Bicycling is very popular in Orange County and quite unsafe in the rural areas due to the lack of dedicated bike infrastructure. No dedicated bike lane/easement exists between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill/Carrboro, which requires individuals to share the road with vehicles often going over 50 miles per hour. • Similarly, pedestrian infrastructure between the two urban cores is nonexistent, forcing individuals to walk on the shoulder of the road, which is often muddy or narrow. Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 10 14 • Hitchhiking is also common at rural nodes like Calvander. The County has historically "not been in the business of sidewalks." Enhance Rural Area Assets • Broadband expansion and reinforcement of broadband infrastructure offers an opportunity for opening up rural parts of the northern county to development and for taking advantage of telecommuting opportunities. However, increased services (broadband or otherwise) to historically rural areas could raise property values to the point that current residents no longer being able to afford their homes. • Community septic systems typically face strong regulatory scrutiny, further limiting alternative development and rural density. These regulatory, inspection, and process hurdles often prevent landowners from building accessory dwelling units (ADUs) which are critical to maintaining multigenerational communities and allowing long-time County residents to age in place. • Many residents living in northern Orange County do not shop in the county but instead shop near where they work or in Roxboro or Durham, where it is easier to access and has less traffic congestion than Hillsborough. • Connectivity in rural areas of the county is not strong. A road blockage on one road can create a 20+ minute detour because of a lack of cross-streets between large rural "blocks". This creates problems for school buses and emergency services vehicles. • Large local service delivery vehicles have trouble navigating/fitting vehicles on narrow private rural roads. A discrepancy between the fire code and the zoning ordinance as to proper road width is one of the sources of this conflict. Plan with jurisdictional Partners • The DRCHO Work Group— Durham/Chapel Hill/Orange was a regional planning group that formerly met and discussed topics of relevance across jurisdictional boundaries. This model could be considered for other neighboring jurisdictions that share common interests (regional transit, road infrastructure, land use planning in edge areas, utility service across boundaries, etc.) • With the exception of Mebane, utility limitations and growth management controls limit the amount of potential development in the municipalities. Planning for the remaining developable areas to achieve the highest and best use is paramount. • The Rural Buffer and the joint Protection Agreement was built to last. Getting the four jurisdictions (Hillsborough, Orange County, Chapel Hill, Carrboro) back to the table to discuss whether or not it should be revised is perceived by almost all stakeholders to be nearly impossible. Nonetheless, several stakeholders identified opportunities within the Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 11 15 Rural Buffer and just outside that should be reconsidered when updating the County's Future Land Use map: o NC-86 Corridor between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill, New Hope Market could be a successful mixed-use node o Northeastern most "triangle" of the Rural Buffer between Chapel Hill and Durham (north of 1-40 and including Mt. Moriah Road) —would have impact on Arrowhead area in Durham o Southeastern most "triangle" between Chapel Hill ETJ and Chatham County line o Millhouse at railroad tracks (County-owned land outside of USA and OWASA service area) o White Cross and Rural Industrial Activity Node o Greene Tract (ongoing effort to be coordinated with) • Stakeholders from Mebane who understand attitudes in Mebane have a much more reserved stance on development than stakeholders from Chapel Hill/Carrboro and Hillsborough seem to think. While Mebane is likely more friendly to development than other jurisdictions, it is not an "approve anything"jurisdiction. Encouraging communication between the traditional three Orange County municipalities and Mebane will be critical to maintaining (and exploring) an identity for the county over the horizon of the plan. • Limited utility service areas or service capacity is having an impact on economic development and affordable housing production in the county. o Hillsborough's sewer utility is at capacity, likely to shrink, and without extra funding. It is also 10-15 years away from any new expansion by virtue of needing to dedicate any revenue surpluses to maintaining an aging, complex (60+ pump stations for less than 20,000 customers) system. Additionally, since Hillsborough drains its effluent into the Neuse River Basin, it is required to comply with the regulatory authorities governing Falls Creek Reservoir. If the effluent is even more tightly governed than it is now, the utility will likely need to invest in a stronger treatment plant, which will require even more investment that would not otherwise go to assisting new development. o Water-wise, Hillsborough does have a substantial allocation from Jordan Lake that it is currently unable to use and would likely require a partnership with Durham's water utility to use that water allocation. Other than that allocation, and the water presently drawn from the Eno, there is not much more available water for use in Orange County because of the county's unique hydrology and water table. Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 12 16 o Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) is not at capacity, but, per the terms of the Joint Protection Agreement, cannot run services through the Rural Buffer, thus limiting OWASA's ability to provide services to parts of the county outside of Chapel Hill/Carrboro. o Mebane Water and Sewer and Orange-Alamance Water supply water to some of western Orange County. The remainder of the unincorporated portions of the county are served by on-site septic systems. • Many different organizations would like to be included before a development proposal is nearing approval. Utilities companies, partner jurisdictions, various committees, etc., especially those who have a say in whether or not a development occurs, feel like they are often left out of these discussions, and that a lot of time gets wasted pursuing projects for which the resources do not exist to make them happen. • The State government is not viewed as a partner but as a hindrance to County objectives. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Provided here are insights from stakeholder interviews regarding public engagement approaches that should be used in the planning process. To the extent possible, specific DEI groups identified during stakeholder interviews were included in the DEI database and will be notified and encouraged to share planning engagement opportunities with their communities and members. • Stakeholders mentioned many different community groups that the project team should reach out to because of the unique perspective they would bring to the planning process. These included the Chapel Hill/Carrboro NAACP and Northern Orange NAACP branches, the Burmese immigrant community, the Eubanks/Rogers Road community, the Efland community, the Hispanic/Latino communities in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough and EI Centro Hispano, and the Marion Cheek Jackson Center which does a lot of work with Black community members, etc. • Indigenous Occaneechi tribe members exist and do not want to be forgotten about in conversations regarding their ancestral lands. • Stakeholders also emphasized that while racial equity is important, there is a substantial portion of low-income white residents in the county who have challenges and need representation in the process. • The Handy Andy's northeast of Schley is a key gathering point in the northern part of the county for a lot of rural residents. This is an important location for advertising community events. Orange County, North Carolina - Land Use Plan 2050 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary 13 ORANGE COUNTY LAND USE PLAN 2050 COMMUNITY POLICY PROFILE R�r 14 ft • s F ♦r w� ����f�-.Tjp�i'r. q ji�+� � tl of •. j J ...r tl ORANGE COUNTY - ' LAND USE PLAN ' 2050 Guiding Our Future Prepared •y: Clarion Associates November 2023 18 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................3 Documents Included in the Community Policy Profile.........................................................................................................................................................3 SpecialTopic Plans...............................................................................................................................................................................................................6 OrangeCounty Climate Action Plan........................................................................................................................................................................................6 One Orange Countywide Racial Equity Framework..............................................................................................................................................................7 Environment,Conservation,and Hazard Mitigation........................................................................................................................................................8 Eno-Haw Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan............................................................................................................................................................................8 Stateof the Environment............................................................................................................................................................................................................9 Strategic Growth and Resource Conservation Program Report........................................................................................................................................9 Land Use,Development,and Infrastructure.....................................................................................................................................................................11 MasterTelecommunications Plan Map...................................................................................................................................................................................11 BuckhornArea Study.................................................................................................................................................................................................................12 Eno Economic Development District Water and Sewer System Project Master Plan Report....................................................................................12 OrangeCounty 2030 Comprehensive Plan,.........................................................................................................................................................................13 Eno Economic Development District Area Small Area Plan..........................................................................................................,...................................14 NCHighway 57 Speedway Area Small Area Plan...............................................................................................................................................................15 Efland-Mebane Small Area Plan..............................................................................................................................................................................................16 Investigation of Ground-Water Availability and Quality in Orange County,North Carolina....................................................................................16 StoneyCreek Basin Small Area Plan.......................................................................................................................................................................................17 InterlocalAgreements and Plans.......................................................................................................................................................................................18 GreeneTract Interlocal Agreement........................................................................................................................................................................................18 Central Orange Coordinated Area Land Use Plan..............................................................................................................................................................19 Mebane-Orange County Utility Service Agreement...........................................................................................................................................................19 Hillsborough-Orange County Strategic Growth Plan.........................................................................................................................................................20 Water and Sewer Management,Planning and Boundary Agreement...........................................................................................................................21 joint Planning Agreement.......................... ..............21 jointPlanning Land Use Plan...................................................................................................................................................................................................22 Transportation.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................23 OrangeCounty Transit Plan Update......................................................................................................................................................................................23 Efland-Buckhorn-Mebane Access Management Plan........................................................................................................................................................24 Orange Grove Road Access Management Awareness Project&Report......................................................................................................................25 Parksand Recreation.........................................................................................................................................................................................................26 BlackwoodFarm Park Master Plan..........................................................................................................................................................................................26 Little River Regional Park&Natural Area Master Plan.......................................................................................................................................................27 Eno-New Hope Landscape Conservation Plan....................................................................................................................................................................27 2030 Parks and Recreation Master Plan,Orange County.................................................................................................................................................28 Orange County Mountains-to-Sea Trail(MST)Route........................................................................................................................................................29 New Hope Corridor Open Space Master Plan.....................................................................................................................................................................29 Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 2 19 INTRODUCTION The Community Policy Profile is a product of the Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 planning process. For more information about the planning effort, go to https://www,orangecountylanduseplan.com/ This report summarizes land use policy guidance from Orange County plans and other policy documents. These documents provide the foundation of adopted policies which the Land Use Plan 2050 will build upon. This guidance is organized into seven categories: 1. Special Topic Plans 2. Environment, Conservation, and Hazard Mitigation 3. Land Use and Development (Unincorporated Orange County) 4. Interlocal Agreements and Plans 5. Transportation 6. Climate Action and Infrastructure 7. Parks and Recreation The report contains brief descriptions and summaries of each of these documents and highlights the key policy topics addressed in the reports. The documents used in preparing this report are listed below. Documents Included in the Community Policy Profile Special Topic Plans Document Date Geographic Area Orange County Climate Action Plan 2023 Orange County Orange County Climate Action Plan One Orange Countywide Racial 2022 Orange County Equity Framework One Orange Countywide Racial Equity Framework Environment, Conservation, and Hazard Mitigation Document Date Geographic Area Eno-Haw Regional Hazard Mitigation 2020 Orange County and surrounding counties Plan State of the Environment 2019 Orange County Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 3 20 Strategic Growth and Resource 2009 Orange County Conservation Program Report Land Use, Development, and Infrastructure Document Date Geographic Area Master Telecommunications Plan 2020 Orange County Mao Buckhorn Area Study 2020 Buckhorn Economic Development District Eno Economic Development District 2013 Eno Economic Development District Water and Sewer System Project Master Plan Report Orange County 2030 Comprehensive 2008 Orange County Plan Eno Economic Development District 2008 Eno Economic Development District Small Area Plan NC Highway 57 Speedway Area Small 2007 Orange County near the Orange County Area Plan Speedway Efland-Mebane Small Area Plan 2006 Orange County near the Mebane ETJ Investigation of Ground-Water 2001 Orange County Availability and Quality in Orange County Stoney Creek Basin Small Area Plan 1996 The triangle created by 1-85, NC-86, and the railroad Interlocal Agreements and Plans Document Date Geographic Area Greene Tract Interlocal Agreement 2021 Greene Tract Central Orange Coordinated Area 2013 Area within Hillsborough's Urban Service Land Use Plan Boundary Mebane-Orange County Utility 2012 East Mebane and nearby unincorporated Service Agreement Orange County Hillsborough-Orange County 2006 Hillsborough and nearby unincorporated Strategic Growth Plan Orange County Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 4 21 Water and Sewer Management, 2001 Orange County, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Planning and Boundary Agreement Hillsborough Joint Planning Agreement 1987 Joint Planning Area (just outside the ETJ of Chapel Hill and Carrboro) Joint Planning Land Use Plan 1986 Joint Planning Area Transportation Document Date Geographic Area Orange County Transit Plan Update 2022 Orange County Efland-Buckhorn-Mebane Access 2019 Area along 1-85/1-40 between Efland and Management Plan Mebane Orange Grove Road Access 2003 Orange Grove Road corridor Management Plan Parks and Recreation Document Date Geographic Area Blackwood Farm Park Master Plan 2023 Blackwood Farm Park Little River Regional Park & Natural 2021 Little River Regional Park and Natural Area Area Master Plan (Appendices) New Hope Corridor Open Space 2019 The City of Durham, Durham County, Orange Master Plan County, and The Town of Chapel Hill 2030 Parks and Recreation Master 2018 Orange County Plan (Appendices) Orange County Mountains-to-Sea 2018 Orange County Trail (MST) Route(Progress Reports) New Hope Corridor Open Space 1991 The City of Durham, Durham County, Orange Master Plan County, and The Town of Chapel Hill Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 5 22 SPECIAL TOPIC PLANS Document Date Geographic Area Orange County Climate Action Plan 2023 Orange County One Orange Countywide Racial 2022 Orange County Equity Framework Orange County Climate Action Plan r Date Published: November 2023 Geographic Area: Orange County a Prepared By: Orange County _ Purpose: Guide greenhouse gas reductions in County operations . �� a • u� and community-wide. PLAN Key Objectives: Unify existing climate work under one strategic framework to equitably transition Orange County to a low-carbon, climate-resilient community. Top 10 Things the County Should Do: 1. Expand County funding to include climate expenditures and additional full time sustainability and grant administrator staff 2. Integrate sustainability as a framework within the overall County's planning process 3. Identify and prioritize actions targeted to vulnerable populations within the County 4. Be prepared for climate emergencies 5. Decrease vehicle miles traveled (VMT) 30% from a 2019 baseline by 2050 6. Increase community EV adoption to 50% by 2035 and 100% by 2050 7. Achieve 50% emission reduction target of all Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and 100% by 2050 using a 2005 baseline 8. Achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2050 in municipal operation and community-wide 9. Increase community-wide solar capacity by 25% by 2035 to 33.66 MW 10. Complete an electrification study and establish a long-term implementation plan (Phase 1 and Phase 2) by 2025 This plan emerged as a result of an extensive review of both environmental state mandates, the commitments of local and regional jurisdictions, and existing public private partnership structures. Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 6 23 Planning Topics: • Future land use and community character • Natural hazards resilience • Regional collaboration • Preserving natural resources • Multimodal transportation One Orange Countywide Racial Equity ONE ORANGE CWERpORO-Ci-IAPEL HILL-HILL580R000H-ORANGE COUNTY Date Published: 2022 The plan(enters five major pillars of: Geographic Area: Orange County M Training AWO Prepared By: Orange County, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Community Engagement Hillsborough Racial Equity Index Purpose: Uncover and address implicit biases in Orange Racial Equity County to ensure that race no longer can be used to predict 11M Evaluation/Accountability life outcomes in the Orange County community. Each junsdictlon will use rho trannewodies guidance to take arlion on a county and JunsdictioroM level.Infemnattorcaribeviedtoto(k it spardy,nfonstratqipsgmntapplintiom,semiopmvision or Key Objectives: Our data,much like otherluouslicti4ru,shms 1hal people of iolc The plan has five pillars, which jurisdictions use as a are having dIfferent experiences across systems, foundation for local action. The five pillars are: training and organizational capacity, community engagement, racial equity index, racial equity assessment lens, and evaluation and accountability. The Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 engagement process can embody the community engagement pillar by engaging residents and employees of color as subject matter experts. As part of the One Orange effort, Orange County collaborated with Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough on the Racial Equity Index. The Racial Equity Index, in the form of a dashboard, can be used to provide awareness, track disparity, or inform strategies, grants, and services. The dashboard includes statistics on public health, education, economic opportunity, living conditions, infrastructure, and voting. Planning Topics: • Diversity, equity, and inclusion • Regional collaboration • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Employment opportunities Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 7 24 ENVIRONMENT, CONSERVATION, AND HAZARD MITIGATION Document Date Geographic Area Eno-Haw Regional Hazard 2020 Orange County and surrounding counties Mitigation Plan State of the Environment 2019 Orange County Strategic Growth and Resource 2009 Orange County Conservation Program Report Eno-Haw Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan Date Published: September 2020 qP - .i Geographic Area: Orange County, Alamance County, Eno-Haw Regional Durham County, Person County (including the Hazard Mitigation Plan municipalities and unincorporated areas) Maw ` J Prepared By: Orange County, Alamance County, Durham County, Person County Purpose: Ensure all jurisdictions in the Eno-Haw region remain eligible for federal disaster assistance from the I M l II Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the S,p­ber 2010 wood. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program, and the Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program. Key Objectives: Perform a risk assessment and capability assessment to evaluate the potential impacts of hazards within the region and assess the participating communities' existing capability to reduce disaster losses. Identify policies, actions, and activities to reduce the impact that future natural hazard occurrences will have on people and property in the planning area. This includes long-range mitigation goals and short-term mitigation actions. Planning Topics: • Natural hazards resilience • Regional collaboration • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 8 25 State of the Environment 2019 Date Published: 2019 STATE OF THE Geographic Area: Orange County Prepared By: Orange County Commission for the Environment Purpose: Research key issues affecting land water, and P Y 9 air/energy resources and recommend related actions for the _=: Orange County government and decision makers, including newthe Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), as well as , Orange County residents. _ • c6 5 Reflect on and recognize the County's environmental achievements, review environmental indicators, discover knowledge gaps, and think creatively on policies and actions for the future. Important Notes: Recommendations include developing a tree policy across all County-owned property, expediting efforts to reduce the county's carbon footprint, setting new goals for land protection, and considering a conservation land acquisition bond to expand the Lands Legacy program. Planning Topics: • Preserving natural resources • Growth management • Future land use and community character Strategic Growth and Resource Conservation Program Report (Orange County Transfer of Development Rights Feasibility Orange County Transfer of Development Rights Study, Phase III Report) FeosiNlityStudy Phase 111 Report Date Published: 2009 Geographic Area: Orange County Prepared By: Orange County Purpose: Formulate a complete implementation plan for a Strategic Growth and Resource Conservation Program, and Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 9 26 address how program performance should be measured and tracked. Key Objectives: Establish the legal, administrative, design, and economic considerations of a strategic growth and resource conservation program in Orange County. A traditional transfer of development rights (TDR) program was determined to require additional authority from the state of North Carolina, so this program was developed to achieve similar objectives while relying on existing County authority. Program recommendations include: designated growth areas, designated conservation areas, conservation points, development intensity bonus, and design requirements. Address and provide recommendations on several issues critical to the feasibility of a Strategic Growth and Resource Conservation Program in Orange County. The goals of this program are rural preservation, strategic urbanization, and monitor program performance. Planning Topics: • Growth management Future land use and community character • Preserving natural resources Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 10 27 LAND USE, DEVELOPMENT, AND INFRASTRUCTURE Document Date Geographic Area Master Telecommunications Plan 2020 Orange County Map Buckhorn Area Study 2020 Buckhorn Economic Development District Eno Economic Development District 2013 Eno Economic Development District Water and Sewer System Project Master Plan Report Orange County 2030 Comprehensive 2008 Orange County Plan Eno Economic Development District 2008 Eno Economic Development District Small Area Plan NC Highway 57 Speedway Area Small 2007 Orange County near the Orange County Area Plan Speedway Efland-Mebane Small Area Plan 2006 Orange County near the Mebane ETJ Investigation of Ground-Water 2001 Orange County Availability and Quality in Orange County Stoney Creek Basin Small Area Plan 1996 The triangle created by 1-85, NC-86, and the railroad L Master Telecommunications Plan Map Approued Master Telecommunications Plan Map Date Published: October 2020 Geographic Area: Orange County Prepared By: Orange County Planning and Inspections Purpose: Show existing, proposed, and approved telecommunications tower locations. Key Objectives: Identify fifteen tower locations for telecommunications. Planning Topics: pn • Future land use and community character • Community infrastructure Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 11 28 Buckhorn Area Study Date Published: December 2020 (Draft) Geographic Area: The Buckhorn Economic Development District and surrounding area, near 1-40 and Buckhorn Road Prepared By: City of Mebane and Orange County Purpose: Identify properties that could be zoned for _- nonresidential purposes and support economic development. Key Objectives: BUCKHORN ve�utte Perform a technical study of future land use and potential AREA PLAN utility services. DRAFT Determine parcels most suitable for development within the study area. Provide necessary information for Mebane to amend its comprehensive plan to include the Medline site and other areas previously not within its Future Growth Area boundary line. Planning Topics: • Growth management, annexation, and ETJ • Future land use and community character • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Employment opportunities • Community infrastructure Eno Economic Development District Water and . Sewer System Project Master Plan Report Date Published: 2013 CITY OF DURHAM& IJ Geographic Area: Eno Economic Development District ORANGE COUNTY DEVELONMC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT WATER AND SEWER (Orange County near the Durham County line, along US-85 SYSTEM PROJECT and near the Eno Rock Quarry) Prepared By: City of Durham and Orange County Purpose: Construct the backbone of a water and sewer system within the Eno Economic Development District that will promote an effective growth pattern in the County with respect to location and phasing. Key Objectives: Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 12 29 Develop water demand and sewer flow projections. Determine the appropriate size and location for sewer infrastructure. Develop conceptual opinions of probable cost for the recommended improvements. Planning Topics: • Growth management • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Employment opportunities Orange County 2030 Comprehensive Plan Date Published: 2008 Geographic Area: Orange County 203p Comprehensive Plan Prepared By: Orange County g`°o Purpose: Guide the County's future policy decisions related to growth and development through 2030. Key Objectives: AUOP'TM Address a wide range of interrelated planning areas, including economic development, housing, land use, natural and cultural systems, parks and recreation, services and community facilities, and transportation. Promote sustainability within Orange County— develop a community that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Important Notes: Economic Development Overarching Goal: Viable and sustainable economic development that contributes to both property and sales tax revenues and enhances high-quality employment opportunities for County residents. Housing Overarching Goal: Opportunity for all citizens of Orange County to rent or purchase safe, decent, accessible, and affordable housing. Land Use Overarching Goal: Coordination of the amount, location, pattern and designation of future land uses, with availability of County services and facilities sufficient to meet the needs of Orange County's population and economy consistent with other Comprehensive Plan element goals and objectives. Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 13 30 Natural and Cultural Systems Overarching Goal: A sustainable balance and appreciation of natural, cultural and agricultural resources. Parks and Recreation Overarching Goal: Regionally coordinated park facilities that provide healthy opportunities for recreation and exercise for all citizens of Orange County, and that preserve important cultural and natural resources. Services and Community Facilities Overarching Goal: Growth consistent with the provision of adequate and sustainable County services and facilities while managing the impacts upon the environmental infrastructure and effectively protecting the County's natural and cultural resources. Transportation Overarching Goal: An efficient and balanced transportation system that uses multiple motorized and nonmotorized modes of transportation. Planning Topics: • Future land use and community character • Housing affordability, diversity, and accessibility • Preserving natural resources • Recreation opportunities • Multimodal transportation • Employment opportunities Eno Economic Development District Area Small Area Plan Eno Economic Development District(EDD)Area Date Published: 2008 Small Area Pian A C°Ilalnratrv®Plan by--Wty Representatives.EI" d Off k Geographic Area: Orange County near the Durham County line, °"ds'°"d^"°."a°°°°""R°° °°°,--o—'"c-1, t�mDeve�apmem neee,v„em a•„❑oinm aryre°""ry wan""a along US-85 and near the Eno Rock Quarry en�rosm P:j; Prepared By: Orange County and Durham County t Purpose: Evaluate the existing Land Use Element of the County's Comprehensive Plan, as it pertains to the Eno EDD area, and offer +" local perspective on whether the existing Land Use Element Map and roadways are adequate to address changes that are occurring Ad°Meda°^e2',20°a in the area. Key Objectives: Address land use, infrastructure, and local government jurisdictional issues. Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 14 31 Make recommendations relating to water and sewer, land use and zoning, transportation, housing, and intergovernmental/community issues. Goal: "In the future, the Focus Area should be well served by reliable infrastructure to accommodate orderly, planned growth. An efficient multi-modal transportation system will operate in the area and commercial and light industrial uses will provide job opportunities to area and County residents." Planning Topics: • Future land use and community character • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Multimodal transportation • Employment opportunities NC Highway 57 Speedway Area Small Area Plan Date Published: 2007 Geographic Area: The Northeastern corner of Orange County near the Person and Durham County lines, along NC 57, near the Orange County Speedway Prepared By: Orange County and Durham County Purpose: Make recommendations for future land use in the area. Key Objectives: Analyze existing conditions and make recommendations regarding acceptable development trends and land uses within the area, the need for additional community services, and transportation issues and concerns. Maintain the rural character and high environmental quality of the area. The four planning principles of this report are: preservation and protection of rural character and nature, minimization of negative impacts to natural systems/environmentally sensitive areas, restrict growth and development so that it complements the rural character and lifestyles, and maintenance of present service levels for existing infrastructure. Planning Topics: • Future land use and community character • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Preserving natural resources • Community infrastructure Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 15 32 Efland-Mebane Small Area Plan Date Published: June 2006 Efland-Mebane Small As Plan Geographic Area: Orange County near the Mebane ETJ; roughly north of West Ten Rd, south of Lebanon Rd, west of Buckhorn Rd, and east of the 1-85/US-70 connector Prepared By: Orange County Planning Department and e County Efland/Mebane Small Area Plan Task Force oningDepartm Planning Department \I Purpose: Evaluate the existing Land Use Element of the County's Comprehensive Plan as it pertains to the Efland/Mebane area. June 2006 Adopted June 27,2008 Key Objectives: Envision future land use and make recommendations relating to water and sewer, land use, transportation, housing, economic development, and intergovernmental/community issues for the planning area. The vision for this area includes a core village area, an efficient multi-modal transportation system, commercial and light industrial uses, a mix of housing types and sizes economically accessible to a broad spectrum of working people, and a system of parks and greenspace connected by greenways. Planning Topics: • Growth management • Future land use and community character • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Housing affordability, diversity, and accessibility • Recreation opportunities • Multimodal transportation • Employment opportunities Investigation of Ground-Water Availability and Quality in Orange County, North Carolina Date Published: 2001 Geographic Area: Orange County Prepared By: U.S. Geological Survey Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 16 33 Purpose: Provide County managers and planners with critical information on the availability and quality of groundwater. Key Objectives: Quantify groundwater availability, determine the quality of the groundwater, and estimate the susceptibility of groundwater to contamination from the surface and shallow subsurface. Present the results of this investigation and describe the methods used. Planning Topics: • Growth management • Community infrastructure Stoney Creek Basin Small Area Plan Date Published: 1996 Geographic Area: The triangle created by 1-85, NC-86, and the railroad (southeast of New Hope Church Road) Prepared By: Orange County Purpose: Prepare a land use plan, including implementation recommendations, for the planning area. Key Objectives: Identify levels of land-use intensity to help protect key resource areas. Recommend implementation strategies like Flexible Development Options (density bonuses to preserve the Stoney Creek Basin Area). Goals: preserve landowners' right to receive a fair return on investment for their property, and protect the area's "rural character." Planning Topics: • Future land use and community character • Preserving natural resources Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 17 34 INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS AND PLANS Document Date Geographic Area Greene Tract Interlocal Agreement 2021 Greene Tract Central Orange Coordinated Area 2013 Area within Hillsborough's Urban Service Land Use Plan Boundary Mebane-Orange County Utility 2012 East Mebane and nearby unincorporated Service Agreement Orange County Hillsborough-Orange County 2006 Hillsborough and nearby unincorporated Strategic Growth Plan Orange County Water and Sewer Mana,e� ment, 2001 Orange County, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Planning and Boundary greement Hillsborough Joint Planning Agreement 1987 Joint Planning Area (just outside the ETJ of Chapel Hill and Carrboro) Joint Planning Land Use Plan 1986 Joint Planning Area Greene Tract Interlocal Agreement Greene Tract Munity Map Date Published: June 2021 Geographic Area: Greene Tract (104 acres jointly owned by Orange County, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro, 60 acres owned by Orange County); in Chapel Hill's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) Prepared By: Orange County, Town of Chapel Hill, Town of Carrboro Purpose: Agree upon future land uses and next steps for the Greene tract. Key Objectives: Provide for the future land uses of the Greene Tract, including affordable and mixed-income housing, a school site, recreation, and environmental preservation. (Commercial uses were notably not included in this agreement.) Express intent to initiate a development agreement and set forth parameters for development regulations. Important Note: Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 18 35 For more information, see the Greene Tract project page on the Planning & Inspections department website or the Greene Tract StoryMap. Planning Topics: • Growth management, annexation, and ETJ • Future land use and community character • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Preserving natural resources • Recreation opportunities Central Orange Coordinated Area Land Use Plan Date Published: 2013, amended 2016 Geographic Area: Area within Hillsborough's Urban Service Boundary Prepared By: Hillsborough and Orange County Purpose: Create a tool to determine the consistency of any proposed rezoning request with the Town's and County's future land use visions. Key Objectives: Develop land use policy direction through future land use classifications for the area within Hillsborough's Urban Service Boundary. Produce a map showing these future land use classifications. Planning Topics: • Growth management, annexation, and ETJ • Future land use and community character • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest Mebane-Orange County Utility Service Agreement Date Published: July 2012 Geographic Area: East Mebane and nearby unincorporated Orange County Prepared By: Orange County and Mebane Purpose: Expand the area to which Mebane will provide water and sewer services. Key Objectives: Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 19 36 Provide assurance that Orange County would construct the water and sewer lines and would then transfer ownership to Mebane, which would provide the water and sewer service. Delineate the area to be serviced by this agreement. Planning Topics: • Growth management, annexation, and ETJ • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Community infrastructure Hillsborough-Orange County Strategic Growth PlanH111abwough and Orange Counh,NC Date Published: December 2006 STRarEGic GRowrH PLAN Geographic Area: Hillsborough and Orange County in the immediate environs of the Town Prepared By: Hillsborough and Orange County f' Purpose: Create a recommended land use pattern and a recommended structure for an Interlocal Agreement. A� Ke Objectives: ` ` ' R ' ° " Y J i;,Wren Identify the desired type, rate, timing, and location for future growth occurring over the next 20 years within and around the Town of Hillsborough. Create the framework to define and implement an Urban Services Area within which public water and sewer services will be expected to be available, and outside of which the expectation would be for low-density residential and/or agricultural uses. Important Notes: Goals are: 1) Preserve and enhance the Hillsborough core area, 2) Preserve significant cultural and natural resources, 3) Coordinate growth with water/sewer availability, 4) Grow in a fiscally responsible way, 5) Keep existing businesses healthy, and 6) Assure continuity in public service provision. Planning Topics: • Growth management, annexation, and ETJ • Future land use and community character • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Preserving natural resources Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 20 37 • Community infrastructure Water and Sewer Management, Planning and Boundary Agreement Date Published: 2001 Geographic Area: Orange County, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough Prepared By: Orange County, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, Orange Water and Sewer Authority Purpose: Provide a comprehensive, County-wide system of service areas for future utility development and identify solutions to challenges of private water and wastewater systems in areas without public water and sewer service. Key Objectives: Facilitate predictable long-range water and sewer capital improvement planning and financing and provide for limitations on water and sewer service. Lay out procedures for the provision of service and limitations on service. Planning Topics: • Growth management • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Regional collaboration • Community infrastructure point Planning Agreement Date Published: Adopted September 1987, most recently amended December 2015 Geographic Area: The Joint Planning Area (area within the rural buffer and transition areas, outside the ETJ of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, designated on the Joint Planning Area Land Use Map) Prepared By: Orange County, Chapel Hill, Carrboro Purpose: Provide procedures and clear jurisdiction over land use decisions in thejoint planning area. Key Objectives: Place limitations on the ability of the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro to annex within the Rural Buffer areas and within each other's Transition Areas. Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 21 38 Planning Topics: • Growth management, annexation, and ETJ • Future land use and community character OPPN ECOUNTY-CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO joint Planning Land Use Plan JOINT PLANNING LAND USE PLAN Date Published: Adopted October 1986, most recently amended December 2015 Geographic Area: The Joint Planning Area (area within the Rural Buffer and Transition areas, outside the ETJ of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, designated on the Joint Planning Area Land Use Map) " r Prepared By: Orange County, Chapel Hill, Carrboro Purpose: Establish future land use for the joint planning area. w� Key Objectives: Designate Rural Buffer areas, transition areas, and general land uses for Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Orange County. The four major elements of the Land Use Plan development phase are natural environment, infrastructure and public services,joint planning operating principles, and sociological characteristics. Planning Topics: • Growth management, annexation, and ETJ • Future land use and community character • Preservation of natural resources • Community infrastructure Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 22 39 TRANSPORTATION The County is currently undertaking development of a Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) that will assess all transportation plans that affect Orange County. The information and recommendations included in the forthcoming CTP will be considered and used in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2050 planning process. Document Date Geographic Area Orange County Transit Plan Uodate 2022 Orange County Efland-Buckhorn-Mebane Access 2019 Area along 1-85/1-40 between Efland and Management Plan Mebane Orange Grove Road Access 2003 Orange Grove Road corridor Management Plan Orange County Transit Plan Update I) Date Published: 2022 Geographic Area: Orange County �a Prepared By: Orange County �s �U Purpose: Allocate Orange County's Transit Tax District revenues over the next 20 years based on the community's needs, values, and priorities. 2022 w,� Key Objectives: orange county transit plan update Project selection was guided by five values: equity, environmental ° Ce""°`°°"°""°°"'°°°"°°"°° "'°°°"'°'°`"°° sustainability, economic prosperity, affordable & attainable quality of life, and transportation & access for all. The plan recommended several capital projects: Crossing and shelter improvements at US 15- 501 at Ephesus Church Road, Fordham/Manning queue jump and shoulder running improvements, and additional funding for the North-South BRT. The plan also recommended service improvements for the CW, HS, and NS bus routes and mobility on-demand service expansion for Orange County Public Transportation. The Plan ensures that public transportation investments support those most reliant on transit service, and that public transportation investments support resilient, sustainable, and attainable land use and development. Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 23 40 Planning Topics: • Multimodal transportation Efland-Buckhorn-Mebane Access Management Plan Date Published: March 2019 Geographic Area: 4.25 square miles along 1-85/1-40 between Efland and Mebane and is bounded by the following US Highway 70, West Ten Road/Bowman Road, 1-85/US-70 Connector, and Ben Wilson Road. Prepared By: Orange County Planning Department Purpose: Serve as a long-range transportation vision for the area, illustrating roadway alignment and corridor width necessary to serve future land uses and address traffic impact as development occurs. Key Objectives: Maintain and improve the functionality of the transportation network as the Efland-Buckhorn- Mebane (E-B-M) Study Area develops. Assist the County in promoting economic development through its development review process by encouraging developers to dedicate rights-of-way necessary for future roads. Use the 2017 Transportation Report to renew and replace the original 2011 Efland-Buckhorn- Mebane Economic Development District Access Management Plan. Planning Topics: • Growth management • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Multimodal transportation Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 24 41 Orange Grove Road Access Management ; . Awareness Project & Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Acc4e-wMa%a1g m Awarew,w Date Published: March 2003 prcarwteTReport ©ram.�u6rov�RoncZ Geographic Area: Orange Grove Road corridor from Churton Street to New Grady Brown School Road, includes areas bounded by 1-40, 1-85, and Oakdale Drive s Prepared By: Town of Hillsborough and the Board of County Commissioners, Orange County, NC Purpose: Provide recommendations to alleviate unsafe conditions and to manage potential congestion from future March,3001 development in the Orange Grove Road corridor. Key Objectives: Pursue funding to implement recommendations in this study. Provide pedestrian facilities along Orange Grove Road. Implement recommendations into local plans and regulations. Pursue future studies as recommended in the plan, including a Feasibility Study for South Churton Street and the Oakdale Drive corridor. Planning Topics: • Growth management • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Multimodal transportation Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 25 42 PARKS AND RECREATION Document Date Geographic Area Blackwood Farm Park Master Plan 2023 Blackwood Farm Park Little River Regional Park & Natural 2021 Little River Regional Park and Natural Area Area Master Plan (Appendices) New Hope Corridor Open Space 2019 The City of Durham, Durham County, Orange Master Plan County, and The Town of Chapel Hill 2030 Parks and Recreation Master 2018 Orange County Plan (Appendices) ndices) Orange County Mountains-to-Sea 2018 Orange County Trail (MST) Route (Progress Reports) New Hope Corridor Open Space 1991 The City of Durham, Durham County, Orange Master Plan County, and The Town of Chapel Hill Blackwood Farm Park Master Plan Date Published: May 2023 i Geographic Area: Blackwood Farm Park Prepared By: Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation Purpose: Show planned layout of uses in Blackwood Farm Park. Key Objectives: Adopt a plan for future structures and uses at Blackwood Farm Park. Planning Topics: • Preserving natural resources glackw^od Fam Park Master Rlan•. • Recreation opportunities Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 26 43 Little River Regional Park & Natural Area Master Plan ,},;S -' Little River Regional Park Date Published: October 2021 &NaturalArea Geographic Area: Little River Regional Park and Natural Area MASTER PLAN ("Little River Park„) A DA-10-9,fainly PW­hip Prepared By: Durham County and Orange County Purpose: Establish a 20-year vision for the park and provide guidelines for its land management and any future developments ORANGE COUNTY for continued public use. Key Objectives: Guide future park improvements, like expanding the paved loop trail, increasing areas of pollinator habitats, adding a "natural playground", and renovating park infrastructure. Serve as tool for public presentations and applications for outside funding. Goals fall into the categories of protecting and conserving nature, connecting with nature, providing recreational experiences, and collaboration and cost-effective management. Planning Topics: • Future land use and community character • Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest • Preserving natural resources • Recreation opportunities Eno-New Hope Landscape Conservation Plan Date Published: December 2019 Geographic Area: Eno River and New Hope Creek-Jordan Lake watersheds (including portions of Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties; the City of Durham; and the towns of Apex, Carrboro, Cary, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough) Prepared By: Eno-New Hope Landscape Conservation Group; this was a Partners for Green Growth project funded by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and Orange County, and administered by the North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation Purpose: Provide an actionable plan for ensuring wildlife habitat connectivity across the landscape of the Eno River and New Hope Creek-Jordan Lake watersheds in North Carolina Key Objectives: Identify and map priority wildlife habitat and corridors Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 27 44 Review existing land protection, wildlife habitat, and corridor conservation priorities, policies, and ordinances Develop recommendations to inform land protection, land use, and transportation decision- making Important Notes: Recommendations include committing to landscape conservation and wildlife habitat corridor protection; using Green Growth Toolbox guidelines; prioritizing and incorporating landscape corridor protection into local land conservation programs and initiatives; incorporating landscape corridor protection into planning documents to increase the likelihood of implementation and funding; and coordinating with other jurisdictions, government agencies, conservation partners, and funding entities in pursuing landscape conservation and corridor protection goals. Planning Topics: Growth management, annexation, and ETJ; Regional collaboration; Planning in multijurisdictional areas of common interest; Preserving natural resources 2030 Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Orange County 2030 Date Published: November 2018 Parks&Recreation Orange County,North Carolina Geographic Area: Orange County Prepared By: Orange County Purpose: Guide the future of Parks and Recreation in Orange County. l�' - Key Objectives: Synthesize relevant reports, studies, surveys and needs assessments. Project community needs and desires into a vision for the future that ensures a legacy of parks and public open spaces for current and future generations. Make recommendations based on the findings identified in the master plan, including building the planned future parks, formalizing and building a support structure for multi-partner capital facilities, and developing a master plan for the Orange County segment of the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST). Important Notes: Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 28 45 Overarching Goal: Regionally coordinated park and recreation facilities that provide healthy opportunities for recreation and exercise for all citizens of Orange County, and that preserve important cultural and natural resources. Planning Topics: • Preserving natural resources • Recreation opportunities Orange County Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) Route Date Published: January 2018 Geographic Area: Orange County �r.. Prepared By: Orange County Purpose: Show existing and proposed portions of MST - =- route in Orange Countyfs Key Objectives: Adopt a conceptual route for the MST in Orange County. Planning Topics: • Recreation opportunities New Hope Corridor Open Space Master Plan Date Published: April 1991 Geographic Area: Area along potions of New Hope Creek, Dry Creek, Mud Creek, and Sandy Creek in eastern Orange County and western Durham County Prepared By: Town of Chapel Hill, City of Durham, Orange County, and Durham County Purpose: Create an open space corridor linking Eno River State Park, New Hope Creek, Corps Lands, and Durham and Chapel Hill Key Objectives: The plan recommends protection of these creeks and adjacent areas and proposes phases of corridor acquisition and trails and access areas construction. Planning Topics: Future land use and community character, Preserving natural resources, Recreation opportunities Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 1 Community Policy Profile 29