TITLE
Vote on a request by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners to consider adoption of the Plan Moncure Small Area Plan.
ABSTRACT
Action Requested:
Vote on a request by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners to consider adoption of the Plan Moncure Small Area Plan.
Introduction & Background:
Following the announcement that the automaker VinFast selected Chatham County’s Triangle Innovation Point (TIP) mega site as their location for its first North American assembly plant for electric vehicles, the County Comprehensive Plan “Plan Chatham” stated that “Once a tenant for the TIP site was identified, the County would prepare a ‘small area plan’ for the Moncure area”. The consultant team including White & Smith Planning and Law Group, Nealon Planning, and Green Heron Planning immediately were established, and they sprang into action with data collection and examining the existing conditions of the study area to better understand how to prepare the plan. We structured this project in two phases. The first phase being a subject matter assessment, visioning process, and development of an action plan for Plan Moncure. The final report from Phase 1 is available in the “Plan Moncure Documents” tab on the project website. Phase 2 began in January of this year and started with a series of analyses related to market trends, land use, transportation, utilities, and historical and environmental features in the Southeastern part of Chatham County. This initial stage of Phase 2 allowed the Project Team to better understand the existing conditions of the community today.
The County investigated ways to better understand relationships between existing and potential future development as well as between the built environment and the natural resources of the Moncure study area. The primary objective was to give the community an opportunity to influence the change that would result from the investments already underway. In April 2023, the county took steps to initiate the small area planning process.
This plan has included a series of activities that engaged the residents, business owners, property owners, and other stakeholders. We had three resident drop-in sessions at Moncure Fire Station 8, three community open houses in Moncure, a community listening session at Moncure School, a pop-up table at a local Moncure event “Spring Around the Loop”, a scenario planning online session, and over 2,000 website visitors since it went live. The small area planning process has encouraged dialogue about growth in the Southeastern part of Chatham County spurred by the VinFast announcement and other investments in the region. The plan builds on Plan Chatham and conveys more specifically the community’s expectations and aspirations for the future of the Moncure area. The conversations held regarding these expectations and aspirations allowed the County to connect deeper with the Moncure residents through community engagement efforts. This process has helped the community consider how to leverage positive outcomes through development opportunity and preservation of rural character. The results of this plan will help guide policy decisions in the Southeastern part of Chatham County over the next 20 years. To view the draft plan and other project materials, please visit <https://www.recodechathamnc.org/copy-of-documents-work-products>.
Through the development of Plan Moncure, we have reached the milestone of having the Public Review Draft Report and revised Future Land Use & Conservation Map for the Moncure Study Area.
Public Comment on the draft began on August 9th, 2023, during the third Community Open House at the Sprott Center in Moncure. This public comment period concluded at the end of August. Additionally, a third survey was available on the website that captured resident feedback to incorporate in plan revisions following the public comment period. That survey closed on September 15th.
At the August 23rd Special Planning Board Meeting, the consultant team alongside Planning staff provided a presentation that reviewed the key points of Plan Moncure, the preferred scenario map, steps of implementation, and provided responses to questions from Planning Board members. The Planning Board also heard public input from community members about the project. The next steps that were outlined at that meeting were for the board to provide their additional questions, thoughts, or concerns to Chance Mullis in the Planning Department. Having read the entire draft plan and reviewing the Future Land Use & Conservation Map, Planning Board members provided their feedback and items for clarification on that document. Chance Mullis then compiled all the comments into one document that was shared with the Planning Board for consideration of their September 5th meeting.
At the September 5th meeting, the Planning Board discussed their feedback on Plan Moncure provided through comments that was shared with Chance Mullis. Following the discussion of the feedback and building consensus on certain points of feedback submitted, the Planning Board moved forward with approving a motion to recommend the Plan Moncure Small Area Plan for approval by the Board of Commissioners with their feedback provided for consideration of changes. That motion passed unanimously.
Discussion & Analysis:
To view the draft small area plan and appendices, please follow this link <https://www.recodechathamnc.org/copy-of-documents-work-products>.
The consultant team will present the Board of Commissioners the draft Plan Moncure Small Area Plan at their October 2nd meeting. This review will include a presentation that covers key components of the draft Plan and appendices and a memo outlining proposed changes for consideration by the Planning Board and the consultant team. The consultant team will discuss that memo with the BOC and evaluate any changes that the Board of Commissioners may want to include as changes to the plan for adoption. Following that discussion, the Board of Commissioners can move forward with voting on a request for adoption of the Plan Moncure Small Area Plan.
How does this relate to the Comprehensive Plan:
This plan is reflected within all aspects of Plan Chatham. The Future Land Use Map of the Small Area Plan study area will replace the area currently on the Plan Chatham Future Land Use Map.
Recommendation:
Receive presentation on the draft Plan Moncure and review memo outlining the Planning Board recommended adjustments, make decisions regarding recommended changes from the Planning Board and suggestions of the consultant team, and vote to request the adoption of the Plan Moncure Small Area Plan with or without changes.