TITLE
Vote on a request by John Coffey on behalf of Coffey Grounds of Chapel Hill, Inc. for a revision to preliminary plat and final plat approval of “Horizon Subdivision - Phase 3”, consisting of 20 lots on 30.9 acres, Baldwin Township.
ABSTRACT
Action Requested:
Request by John Coffey on behalf of Coffey Grounds of Chapel Hill, Inc. for a revision to preliminary plat and final plat approval of “Horizon Subdivision - Phase 3”, consisting of 20 lots on 30.9 acres, Baldwin Township.
Introduction & Background:
Zoning: R-1
Water: Public, Chatham County
Sewer: Private, on-site
Watershed: WSIV-PA
Roads: Public NCDOT standards, previously approved road name, Brookhaven Way
Within 100 year flood: No
Horizon Subdivision received sketch design approval by the Board of County Commissioners in September, 2006 for 66 lots and preliminary plat approval was received in October, 2007 for a total of 62 lots. Phase One received final plat approval for 38 lots in August, 2008. Phase Two received final plat approval in March, 2014 for 7 lots. The development is reviewed under the pre-2008 Subdivision Regulations and the 1994 Watershed Protection Ordinance. The applicant has submitted the revision to preliminary plat and final plat approval for Phase 3 before the sunset date of May 15, 2015.
Discussion & Analysis:
This request is for a revision to preliminary plat and final plat approval of Horizon, Phase Three, consisting of 20 lots (see attachments 1 and 2). This request is two-fold in that it modifies the preliminary plat approval to increase Phase 3 from 17 to 20 lots and requests final plat approval for Phase Three. Note the final total lots requested for the development is 65 lots, which does not exceed the original sketch plan approval of 66 lots. The 20 lots in Phase Three average 1.4 acres in size. Please see attachment 3, which describes the preliminary plat change.
Financial Guarantee: Per the cost estimate letter prepared by John W. Harris, P.E., dated May 4, 2015, Phase 3 improvements are approximately 72% complete, including a partially completed Brookhaven Way (1,750 LF). Per the pre-2008 Subdivision Regulations, the required improvements must be a minimum of 40% complete and the public health and/or safety not be endangered, prior to submittal of a final plat request.
Septic permits: All lots of Horizon Phase 3 have been evaluated and approved by Thomas Boyce, Chatham County Environmental Health Soil Specialist. Copies of the permits will be issued and provided to the Chatham County Planning Department.
Water: The applicant has paid for the three additional meter boxes for the three additional lots. The water availability fee was paid for 66 lots originally. Prior to final plat recordation, the applicant is required to revise the financial guarantee and must include the cost for preparing as-builts for Phase 3 to Chatham County Public Works.
Miscellaneous: There is an incorrect adjoining property owner on the west side of the draft final plat. The property labeled as “Stella Gattis” is in fact “Nancy Marie Gattis”. This correction of property owners name before recordation of the plat will be added as a conditional of final plat approval.
Additionally, the proposed 15’ walking trail easement along Branch Creek, encroaches within the 100’ riparian buffer. Chatham County Environmental Quality staff have reviewed the encroachment and have provided a condition (#9) on the final plat that deems the encroachment of the trail into the buffer exempt per Section 304 J.3 of the Watershed Protection Ordinance under the following circumstances: that the trail does not exceed 4 ft. in width, installation does not require the removal of trees, and no impervious surface is added.
The Planning Board discussed this submittal during their June 2, 1015 meeting and had no concerns.
Recommendation:
The Planning Department staff and Planning Board (by unanimous vote) recommend approval of the request for financial guarantee and approval of the final plat titled, “Horizon Phase Three (Lots 24-40C)” with the following four (4) conditions:
1. The final plat not be recorded until the county attorney has approved the form of the contract and financial guarantee.
2. The final plat not be recorded until the financial guarantee is revised to include the cost for preparing as-builts for Phases 2 and 3 to Chatham County Public Works.
3. The final plat shall include an updated adjoining property owner name for the “Nancy Marie Gattis” property prior to recordation of the final plat.
4. The final plat not be recorded until staff has received certification from the engineer that the roadways are accessible to emergency vehicles and the Fire Marshal has approved the certification.