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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-08-2025; 1 - Follow-up Information and Next Steps on Draft Orange County Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2050 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 8, 2025 Action Agenda Item No. 1 SUBJECT: Follow-up Information and Next Steps on Draft Orange County Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2050 DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: A. BOCC Request for Additional Information Tom Altieri, 919-245-2579 B. PowerPoint Presentation Cy Stober, 919-245-2592 Perdita Holtz, 919-245-2578 PURPOSE: To receive a presentation from Planning staff to include next steps and a tentative calendar for responding to the Board's request for additional information. BACKGROUND: At its March 11, 2025 work session, the BOCC received a presentation from Clarion Associates on the preliminary Public Review Draft of the Land Use Plan 2050 for BOCC review and feedback. Board review and feedback on the draft was requested to inform any changes to the draft required prior to the opening of the next Community Engagement Window. Subsequently, the Board requested additional background information from County staff for the purpose of further informing its review. The additional information requested by the BOCC is anticipated to be collected and presented to the Board over the course of its meetings and/or retreat(s) to be determined. Community Engagement Window #3, which was scheduled for May — July of this year, has been postponed to allow additional time for the Board's review and Clarion Associate's professional services paused. Attachment A is the BOCC request for additional information, color coded for establishing a timeframe for response and scheduling of Board meetings/retreat(s). A PowerPoint presentation will be provided at the work session (Attachment B). Additional information about the project, including e-mail sign-up for project updates, are available on the project website: .https://www.orangecountylanduseplan.com. Completed project deliverables, including Fact Book; outreach summaries; and more, are also available on the project website: https://www.orangecountVIanduseplan.com/resources FINANCIAL IMPACT: Financial impacts, if any, related to pausing the consultant contract are still to be determined. At this time, existing Planning staff is responding to the BOCC requests for additional information. Some of the requests are for information from independent experts and there may be costs associated with procuring the requested information. 2 ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: This item supports: • GOAL 1: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND CLIMATE ACTION OBJECTIVE 4. Incentivize and promote sustainable agriculture and local food systems development through supportive policy, funding, farmland protection and educational outreach. OBJECTIVE 5. Review land use policies to promote and connect Town, County, and private trails and open spaces. OBJECTIVE 6. Protect water supply/watersheds. OBJECTIVE 7. Conserve and protect high priority open space, including Natural Heritage sites, nature preserves, watershed riparian buffers, and prime/threatened farmland. OBJECTIVE 8. Include environmental stewardship objectives in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. • GOAL 2: HEALTHY COMMUNITY OBJECTIVE 7. Invest in services and programs that improve the health and quality of life of the community (e.g., recreation and public open spaces, arts, etc.) • GOAL 3: HOUSING FOR ALL OBJECTIVE 5. Review County ordinances, policies, agreements, and the regulatory processes to streamline practices, and increase opportunities and reduce barriers to construct housing. OBJECTIVE 7. Expand resources and invest in housing designed for our aging and disabled residents. OBJECTIVE 9. Increase representation of people with lived experience on housing related matters. • GOAL 4: MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION OBJECTIVE 1. Identify priorities and resources necessary to implement the Orange County Transit Plan. • GOAL 5: PUBLIC EDUCATION/LEARNING COMMUNITY OBJECTIVE 1. Foster collaborative relationships with formal and informal educational organizations and agencies to provide opportunities for community members to meet, connect, and learn together. • GOAL 6: DIVERSE AND VIBRANT ECONOMY OBJECTIVE 2. Review and revise County policies and regulations to support business investment in Orange County. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the presentation and provide feedback. 3 Attachment A Following is the BOCC request for additional information, as received March 18,2025. To begin establishing a timeframe for response,scheduling of Board meetings, and establishing expectations, Planning staff has color coded requests as follows: Yellow: Within Planning staff purview and can be completed in the near-term and with no financial impact; Blue: Within Planning Staff purview and requires coordination beyond the Planning Department. Completion timing to-be-determined;and - Beyond Planning Staff purview and may have financial impacts. BOCC Land Use Plan 2050 The BOCC needs additional meeting time to refresh or learn about several topics. We expect the calendar for this update process to change because of these needs. We would like these presented over several meetings so that we can "digest" them. Then we can make informed comments so that the plan draft can be updated and released for public comment. Couple of general remarks/input: • We like Future Land Use Map (FLUM) and not the new wording. • The statistics supporting the "Need for a New Plan" can be misleading if taken out of context.A brief analysis with appropriate statistics would be more informative and provide a rationale for the updated Plan. E.g.Yes growing 8th or whatever in aging, but need to know how fast all of NC is growing. • At least one expressed uncertainty re "vision themes." We should go over that later. I spoke with all commissioners and this is a draft attempt to organize the information we need. It is not in order except near the end. We highlight that we need maps that can be made bigger on our screens. 1) Remind us about the rural buffer/Joint planning and distinguish that from the WASMPBA(Water and Sewer Management, Planning, and Boundary Agreement). a) What is the rationale for each? b) Who are the Agreement partners? c) Which includes policies and practices that would be implemented if there were failing wells and septic systems and/or a water/sewer emergency? d) What can be built and/or operated in the rural buffer? e) What are the processes to make changes to the agreements? 2) Show us map view of watersheds and boundaries a) Include any known/potential changes due to regulations. b) Review the differences between watersheds and how that impacts what can be built or operate within them 4 3) Show us map views of the county and the OWASA, Hillsborough water/sewer, Durham water/sewer, Orange Alamance water/sewer, Mebane water/sewer and any other public providers with their current boundaries and any proposed boundaries. a) Where does the WASMPBA interact? b) Within these providers' service areas, where is water now?Where is sewer now? Plans under development for extension? (Planning Staff Note:Release of specific locations of water and sewer utility lines and connections is prohibited by the utility providers) 4) WHY does Hillsborough want to constrict their water/sewer boundary? a) Cost? Of what? Maintenance? Expansion? Other? b) Lack of water supply? c) Or combination of factors? E.g., Choosing to be denser in smaller footprint not related to water supply? d. Seem like density should be near the train station. 5) On that map of Carrboro Transition and/or ETJ area, is that blue dot in the rural buffer? 6) Rural Activity Nodes a) Remind us why there are two, what uses are allowed in each of them, and for which sizes of population. b) What uses are currently in the existing rural activity nodes? c) Why combine them? d) If commercial is allowed,what specific commercial uses? e) Additional residential?What types? 7) Input from Developers a) What do developers suggest to build more housing? b) Types of housing? c) CH Chamber big bold ideas summary for housing w their builders and developers info; Include Hillsborough Chamber d) What do nonprofit developers say?What's different for them? 7A) County attorney or SOG to explain the limits General Assembly places on planning and development (Response provided by County Attorney via e-mail on 3/19/2025) a. ex. can county require affordable units? b. Explain density bonus and when/if that can be used a. So does more housing lead to affordable housing in our county? 5 b. How to think about this issue of supply/demand, elasticity and limits on resources. 8) a. Provide the report, and go over a summary b. The number of units needed and does the report say the town can meet that growth within town boundaries? HOW? c. Do Carrboro, Hillsborough and/or Mebane have any similar studies? How are they then planning? 9) a. How do the types of rocks matter for water supply to wells b. Can any portion of our county be predictable or not for water supply/aquifer? c. Can well be tested ahead of approval for zoning change or building? Guildford Co ordinance was referenced with Fiddlehead?? d. What is the science re community wells? Impacting other wells? Costs to drill? Costs to Maintain? Reliability? Failure rates?What is known and what is not known? In face of climate change?? e. What else do we not know about wells that we should for health and for ample water supply? 10) a) Costs to build?Costs to maintain? Failure rates? What can be done if fail? b) What else do we not know about community septic that we should know to make decisions for our current residents and our grandchildren/future generations? 11) Conservation Subdivisions a. Are they allowed in the rural buffer now? What parameters? b. Are they allowed in any area of the county now?What parameters? c. Are there large parcels remaining in the rural buffer? d. Distinguish the policy aspect and the zoning aspect where density or# units could be limited? e. Can we put the clustered housing on land in the area least favorable for"farmable" land? 12) Preserving Farmland and Open Space a) We want to receive the preserving farmland report before we make comments on the Land Use Plan 2050 b) Concept of"farmable" land c) Refresh or update from Jan on "smaller" farms in OC 13) Give us a map view of the existing EDDs a) Where is water and sewer now and who is the provider? b) What is proposed to change? 6 c) How many residential units are in existing EDDs. d) Was Blackwood Station dropped from water/sewer expansion? Please explain the project and the outcome. 14) Anything we missed? 15) Near the end, then go over the proposed ACTIONS from the consultant. 16) Now pull it together and go with map view of county to go over area by area to consider all of the competing trade-offs (Planning Staff Note:Requires some scoping) a. What are current rules for that area? b. What is there now? c. Pros and Cons of plan suggested changes? Segment or small area by segment and tie these changes to our strategic plan. d. Housing; Focus on Housing plus Transit/Transportation; Climate Change 17) Please explain how a land use plan is drafted to reflect changes that may be far in the future and how it can be amended to be a living document. Please include examples from the 2030 Comprehensive Plan and the proposed 2050 Land Use Plan. If appropriate, please reference other joint agreements with the towns and utility providers. a. Should we change the policy document (Land Use Plan 2050)(Comprehensive Plan)to include proposed changes that could take years to work out? Or do not do that; make sure the Plan is current policy? b. Do not tie our hands in the Plan c. Could amend the Plan?After working through a change with the towns? d. If the Board does wish to have an action item say to explore expanding water/sewer at some location on the map where it is not currently allowed,then is that in the Land Use Plan 2050? Or is that a separate work as petitioned by the Board? What is the order of doing things?Seems like it matters? What would that process look like? 7 0R_ _A_NGE COUNTY NORTH CAR(3LINA Item 1 Follow-up Information and Next Stepson Draft Orange County Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2050 8 Purpose • Review resources currently available • Grouping of BOCC request for additional information (Attachment A) • Provide a tentative calendar for next steps and receive Board feedback ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Resources Available Project iResources and Documents Resources • Land Use Alternatives Evaluation Report • New Issues and Opportunities Report • The grange County Land Use Plan 2454 Fact Book • Phase 1 Stakeholder Interviews Summary Report orangecountylanduseplan.com • Community Policy Profile Community Engagement Materials Community Engagement Window#2 Materials • NEW! Community Engagement Window#2 Engagement Summary • Engagement Toolkit • Meeting Flyer (English). • Meeting Flyer (Spanish)_ Download a PDF of the presentation from the September and October 2424 public meetings. • Clink here to watch a video sharing an overview of the Orange County Land Use Plan 2454,the modeled land use alternatives,and information on how to participate. • Click here to watch an overview video in Spanish. Community Engogement Window#1 ,"Materials • Community Engagement Window#1 Summary Report • Download a PDF of the presentation from the October 2023 public workshop • Click here to view a narrated video in English (click here for Spanish)-of the presentation from the workshop. Board of County Commissioner and Planning Board Meeting Materials Board of County Commissioners • BOCC Work Session Presentation - March 11, 2425 • BOCC Briefing Presentation - November 12, 2024 10 ORANGE • ► ! USE PLANi NEW ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ii.M REPORT•,i About the New Issues and Opportunities Report......................................................................................---,--.3 CHANGES SINCE THE 2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Key Planning Themes From Engagement.................. ... ...................... ... ............................... .............4 Charging Conditions and Trends Grange County's 203-0 Comprehensive Fir was adopted in 2DOS.The 2030 Plan noted that From Changes Since the 2030 Comprehensive Plan..,....,.„..................-.....„...............................................................4 1970 to 20W.Orange County's population more.`a-i doubled However,tfw county's population has experienced modest growth bet-A s-the tirrxrframe of the 2030 Comprehensive Changing Conditions and Trends......---,........................_.................._....,.... ............,...........................4 Plan and:[fes current 2050 Land Use Plan,wi:-_ _”=-ince of about 2396 between 2005 (population of 121.991)arxi 2022 F150.4771-Frur _ ' 2020,the greatest increase in Agriculture............................................................................................. ... ........................... ... ......5 population numbers in Change County was in the_- corpcuated area--Ttye portion of Mebane in Orange County experienced the"test Pence'change in papulation growth from 2010 to Natural and Water Resources............................_.. ...,............................. ... ............................. .............5 2020 compared to the ot!=-—- !';'it s-[Far mexe infarrnaborr.see the Fact Book on the Resources nage of'he v­-- _, Housing................................................._,....,....,.......................................................................................................fi North Carolina ranks S"nationally i-:-e portion of the population over the age of 65.Since the last plan.the median age of an Ora- Climate a County resider'- _ creased from 30.A years old i n Action................................................................................................................_,...............,....,.............."'7 ZO00 to 36-0 in 2022-In 2022 22% 'gra'-'r}e County's was over the a of 60; _----� according to Orange County's Maste;;lging P1art this se., perted to increase to 26%by NewPolicy Guidance.............................----------------..............----------------.---------------------------------------7 New Issues and Opportunities......................................................................-...-..................-.--.-...-...-........8 rOrarga County,North Carolina-Lane'Use Plan 2050 Payc 1 New Policy Guidance Since the 2034 Plan.Orange CDunty.reg kwW paw and other entitieshave developed new polity documents that contain guidance and 2mmmnvmdations to be incorporated into the Orange County Lauri Use plan 2450-Significant policy documents include: • Orange County Strategic Plan(2024) • Orange County Climate Action Plan(2023) • One Orange Countywide Racial Equity Framework(2022) ?-(MO-Orange County"s sfiraae of pad__-_-grawtl'r dotto 65 and alder between 2010 and • Orange County Transit Plan U pdate(202Zi 2420 was 62`X,.which is NObmi r than-:_ _-v r,q counties.acrd North Carolina as a who le. • Eno-Haw Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan{2020} Frani 2Ot10 to 2{122,Orange County 1-a=_=_- _- -cease in the Flispanipl'Latirro population,the • A Landscape Plan for Wildlife Habitat Conxwctiv4 in the Eno River and New Hope Creek Asian and Pacific lslandeF population,a -_z=--:=-.,Lxp of tfw population identifying as some Watersheds,North Carolina{20191 other race or two or more.race--,However,the pe-._=--tagp of the population who is African • State of the Environnresrt[20191 American has seen a decrease in Orange County it he past two diacada • 2430 Parks and Recreation Master Plan(20181 Within the context of these population changes,Orange County has experienced shifts in four • Orange County Mountaim-to-Seri Trail Route-Progress Reports(2018) key topic areas related to laird use pfanr-nrrg:agriculture,natural and water resources.hriusin% and climate actiom 11 Fact Boontents About the Land Use Plan 2050 Our Diverse People and Communities Our Built Environment Our Transportation Systems Our Public Facilities and Services Our Natural Assets and Working Lands ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA 12 ORANGE COUNTY Orange County LAND USE PLAN Fact : . . g Our Future, 2050 February1 24 nmanope ft�,re��em .1 - --- ,rye• Water Resources $':,; Population Projections by County Watersheds (Adopted 2021) ®®®®® • Orange County is a headwaters a" ' :Population area of the Neuse, Roan©keProjections s� IF Granville County 37,543 12,981 13.203 67.241 24.455 22,301 and Cape Fear Rivers. "* Harnett County 40.146 14,823 9.032 65.893 23.925 17.847 Headwater streams are like the �t - 1 - �� Chatham County 52.213 21.995 12.272 104,393 43.568 24,454 capillary system of a blood supply network—fust a5 the health of the _ceve re® +�# Franklin County 60,260 22,797 15,082 94,853 36,244 21,927 whole organism depends on a r' oa.nq.c.aanty 148,890 57,150 74,721 143,637 75,602 116,341 functioning capillary system,the � tl Johnston County 186.096 67.509 54.923 370215 132,824 90.725 health of larger streams and rivers ' depend upon an intact primary •�•,,,� Durham County 324,784 134.634 235.002 463.414 193,987 401,926 ,.. „� =�•m��361 headwater stream network. Wake County 1,129,86s 437,240 614,734 1,7ao,us 690,009 1,176,311 Utilities Future Land Use The following utility providers serve Orange County: The currently adopted Future Land Use Water and Sewer Map shows land use classifications within Town of Hillsborough Orange County: Orange Water and Sewer Authority—OWASA (Chapel Hill and Carrboro) • Activity Nodes The Rural Buffer Agricultural-Residential• Transition Areas Orange-Alamance Water System(Efland/western Orange County) Uses Graham-Mebane Water System(Mebane) Economic Development Districts City of Mebane(Sewer),including former Efland Sewer System The updated Orange County Land Use Plan 2050 and Department of Environmental Quality-Public Water Supply community wells Future Land Use Map will guide decisions made by Well and Septic permits are issued by Orange County's Health Department. the County about where and how new - 5 development happens. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System{NPDES}tracks and controls wastewater discharge into waterways • Electricity • Duke Power Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation --•-• • Natural Gas • Public Service Company of North Carolina(primarily only within municipalities) • Individual Propane tanks(many households in unincorporated areas) W 13 ORANGE COUNTY LAND USE PLAN- 2050 POLICY PROFILE 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.crangecountylanduseplan.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 wild upon. This guidance is organized into seven: categories: 1. Special Topic Plans 2. Environment, Conservation, and Hurd Mitigation 3. Land Use and Development (Unincorporated Orange County) 4. Interlocal Agreements and Plans 5. Transportation f. Climate Action and Infrastructure 7. Parks and Recreation ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Communit Engagement 14 ORANGE COUNTY Window TestingtUse he Land LAND USE PLAN Alternatives Guiding Our Future 2050 Engagement Summary Measur g - - Measuring Representation of Engagement Documentation No response N 2.7% Other 11116$64 Which racialCommunity Engagement Outcomes Two or More Races ` 6.�% group do you s Overall Takeaways Y most closely p Strong su port for protecting priority agricultural, environmental, American Indian/Alaska Native 1.b and rural ands identify with? Desire to see more housing choices Black/African American i 111.7 Mixed support for higher-density residential mixed-use development and providing more employment opportunities Asian I� �.8% Support for Rural Conservation Neighborhoods • Support for expanding Economic Development Area near t of 305 respondents answered this 0% 10% 20% 30% 40` Mebane,l1-85 n on the voluntary.self-reoorted exit Support for Goals and Vision Themes, With some adju5tment5 • Mixed support for extension of public Water and sewer and development of private water and Wastewater systems Appendix Document Purpose Provide photos of the LiveU rk map from the community meet—p.where partic panrts placed a red dot on the map A tmye/kork M __ aumately where th"live and a blue dot approximately where Notes from the -rased note_from the in-person discussion held at the Chapel a 10119124 El CentFo rrboro Charmer,hosted and trarrslated from Spanish to Meeting by El Centro Hli pa d staff. Public.EngagernerA __=.as of the primtee hoary$paper surveys,and exit questionnaires l!ltaterlats _ _ ^.Sparisb,and Burmese)provided- Verbatim.-Comments rovided-Verbatim.- o[Imment5 C�___..-..axion of lite verbatim comments received for open- ! rJpCUTEntdGgn ermed questions or for comments received as elaboration under the response of'Olher.' md withf•�t e o i.-p err d e comm miry Enina sur rrt ORANGE COUNTY E lrtd�rldttal and window�z fouts;de of;�-purr eet;r�yA a af,e onrne sr,r,<eyl QfganiZation Mem,05 with Comments from individuate or those representing NORTH CAROLINA LAND USE ALTERNATIVES 15 EVALUATION REPORT ORANGE a2050 Methodology APPENDIX This section provides a technical step-by-step accounting of the Land Use Alternatives preparation and testing.ArcGIS Pro was used for the initial preparation of data and for creating Process for Developing Land Use Alternatives the maps of each land use alternative. Microsoft Excel was used to run the calculations and The process for developing the land use alternatives was completed in five steps. produce the modeled outputs of new conservation lands,residential capacity,and non- • First,Community Engagement Window#T solicited feedback from Orange County residential capacity.These steps include: residents in a survey format about their priorities for land use in the coming decades. This collective input directly informed the policy direction explored in each alternative. • Step 1:Modify Land.Use Classifications for Alternatives • Next,Orange County staff worked with Clarion Associates and their subcontractors to Step 2:Prepare baseline Inventory of Potential Development Areas synthesize existing land use,planning initiatives,and plans for local municipalities; identify potential areas of change;and integrate guidance from staff expertise to further • Step 3:Confirm and Model Development Constraints refine the approach for each alternative. • Step 4:Prepare Model Assumptions • Following this,Orange County staff and the consultant team met with the Staff Working Crna an —ricarl of Iaa Ap-hin from mnlfinla rlranna Cni inty rlanarrmantc to raviaw tha Land Use Alternatives Evaluation Report Page 3r • Step 5:Compare Open Space Protection,Development Capacity,and Outcomes of Alternatives ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Ideas for Presenting Requested 16 Information to the BOCC To begin establishing a timeframe far response,scheduling of Barad meetings, and establishing expectations,Planning staff has Color coded the BOCC requests for additional information as follows: Yellow: Within Planning staff purview and can be completed in the near-terra and with no financier! impact; Blue: Within Planning Staff purview and requires coordination beyond the Planning Department. Completion timing to-be-determined;and Beyond Planning Staff purview and may have financial impacts. Yellow: Business Meeting/Work Session Agenda Item Abstract with written report and attachments 2-4 weeks to prep Blue: Work Session Agenda Item OR Retreat Discussion Materials provided in advance but may require follow up More time needed for Item 16 to view and discuss draft Future Land Use Map 8-weeks to prep Red: Retreat w/guest presenters Longer lead time for scheduling and to secure presenters *Potential financial impacts* ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Tentative Calendar 17 APR - JUL AAAUG JM SEPT WL OCT AUG NOV -ApFil 9 Add BOCC - Stuff Working meetingsto CommunIty Engagement WindowMid-Aug-OctGroup meeting calendar BAAAg - Reprise draft plan`_ - Online surrey - Virtual Public Info BE)aFd s"rt,me Public notification launch to remain Session r begins for CEW#3 open for at least 8- - In person - In person weeks Engagement Engagement (*BOCC prreli�- �3miinary tihf� meetings meetings l.l review, feed �CJck, in r.r-.Fsen rneeting BE)aFd ri grange and authorization to Ff-.ees begins move forward by mid-June SE DEC OCTAN 49V FEB MAR APR 2026 - Final Staff Working - Planning Board - BOCC Briefing on - Planning Board - BOCC Hearing for (croup meeting Briefing Public Hearing Graft Meeting for Plan Adoption - BOCC Briefing on Endorsement CE ## Alternative Tentative Calendar 18 APR SEPT - NOV AM JAN 2026 WN FEB J& MAR AUGAPR - S,Add BOCC - taffV%forking, meetings/retreats ' • Group meeting; t0 calendar B" iefin 4 - Revise draft plan* - Online survey -Virtual Public Info BOaFd surn -r,e - Public notification launch to remain Session Feces begins for CEW#.3 open for at least B- - In person - In person weeks Engagement Engagement (*BOCC preliminary Wmeetings meetings review, feedback, in peFSOn Fneetings Board srrrt,rr e and authorization to FeEes beg4 move forward by mid-November 1: MAY OCT.JUN JUN - AUG* i SEPT or OCT 2026 - Final Staff Working - Planning Burd - BOCC Briefing on - Planning Board - BOCC Hearing for Group meeting Briefing Public Hearing Draft Meeting for Plan adoption - BOCC Briefing on Endorsement CEI #3 (*Assumes summer BOCC meetings retreats and authorization to move forward bye mid-August) 19 Recommendation f • Tonight feedback.The Manager recommends the Board receive the presentation and provide PLAN _ 4 CLO ORANGE COUNTY NORTH J ■ . 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