TITLE
Vote on a request to approve Sears Design Group, P. A. on behalf of Fitch Creations for subdivision Sketch Plan revision for Fearrington - Section X, Area “C”, consisting of a new public roadway, Tyrrell, and six (6) relocated lots, located off Millcroft, S. R. 1817, parcel #’s 1817, 1813, and 1807.
ABSTRACT
Action Requested:
Request by Sears Design Group, P. A. on behalf of Fitch Creations for subdivision Sketch Plan revision for Fearrington - Section X, Area “C”, consisting of a new public roadway, Tyrrell, and six (6) relocated lots, located off Millcroft, S. R. 1817, parcel #’s 1817, 1813, and 1807.
Introduction & Background:
Zoning: Conditional Use Permit for Planned Unit Development (PUD)
Water: Chatham County
Sewer: Private Wastewater Treatment Plant
Watershed District: WSIV-PA
Within 100 year Flood: None
Fearrington PUD was originally approved in 1976 as a Planned Unit Development with a master plan allowing mixed uses and has continued to develop over time. Fearrington PUD is reviewed under the pre-2008 Subdivision Regulations and 1994 Watershed Ordinance.
Fearrington has 1602 approved residential units with 185 lots/units remaining to be developed. Fearrington PUD is reviewed under the pre-2008 Subdivision Regulations and 1994 Watershed Ordinance. Per Dan LaMontagne, Assistant County Manager and previous Environmental Quality Director, the project is exempt from the Chatham County Stormwater Ordinance, but is not exempt from the Jordan Lake Buffer requirements. The project is subject to the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance. In 2010 the Board of County Commissioners granted approval of a sketch design revision to a 1999 PUD plan. The 1999 plan revision included all the remaining undeveloped land within the PUD which included Section X. In 2012 the Board of County Commissioners granted approval of another sketch plan revision to Section X.
Area A, Millcreek, consisting of 29 lots and Area B, Burke Place, consisting of 12 lots have received final plat approval.
Discussion & Analysis:
This revision request is to add an additional 270 foot long public street, Tyrrell, and to relocate six (6) of the previously approved 226 lots. This request does not add any additional lots to Section X or to the overall PUD approval. If the revision is approved, the developer will provide a NCDOT roadway permit which will include Tyrrell Street along with any other permits required for submittal of a preliminary plat as part of the Area C submittal. As previously stated, Fearrington is reviewed under the pre-2008 Subdivision Regulations and the 1994 Watershed Ordinance. Under the 1994 Watershed Ordinance, ephemeral features were not required to be buffered. In 2012, Chris Hopper, former Environmental Quality Inspector, preformed an on-site review of Section X to verify the water features shown by Soil and Environmental Consultants on their 2010, Site Sketch map. Mr. Hopper agreed with the features shown on the 2010 map and agreed that the feature now shown bordering Lots 4600, 4602, 4604, and 4606 was an ephemeral which did not require a riparian buffer under the 1994 Watershed Ordinance. The developer, however, has volunteered to provide a 30 foot wide riparian buffer along the ephemeral feature.
Staff thinks the revision request is reasonable and meets the intent of the 1999, 2010, and 2012 revised PUD approval and complies with the pre-2008 Subdivision Regulations.
The Planning Board met on October 4th to review the request. The developer, R. B. Fitch, and his engineer, Alan Keith, P. E., Diehl and Phillips, were present to answer questions from the Board. Allison Weakley had questions regarding how the stormwater would be handled and why additional lots were being added to this area. Mr. Keith stated that no new lots were being added with the revision; that lots were being relocated from other areas in Section X and that the relocated lots will be larger; that the street addition better fits the property; that Tyrrell and Richmond are proposed with ditch sections (no curb and gutter); that the runoff from Tyrrell will be split east / west at the Richmond intersection; that the west side of Tyrrell will drain in the Richmond ditch to the ephemeral drainage crossing for Richmond; that the east side of Tyrrell will drain down the Richmond ditch toward the Richmond cul-de-sac; and that the plan is to release drainage from the Richmond ditches at several locations well upstream of buffers to minimize impacts. There were no additional questions.
Recommendation:
The Planning Board by unanimous vote recommends granting approval of the Sketch Plan revision for Fearrington - Section X, Area “C” as submitted.