TITLE: Title
Development opportunities for Light Manufacturing on Hwy 54 ETJ
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is to update the Board on the opportunities and barriers to light manufacturing development along the Hwy 54 corridor in the Town’s ETJ s.
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DEPARTMENT: Economic and Community Development
CONTACT INFORMATION: Annette D. Stone, AICP Economic and Community Development Director 919-918-7319
INFORMATION: The Hwy 54 corridor west of Carrboro is an area of interest for development of light manufacturing businesses (map attached). The Town’s planning jurisdiction extends approximately 5,000 feet west of Morgan Creek along NC Highway 54, measuring about 250 feet in depth on the north and the south sides of the NCDOT-controlled right of way (totaling about 60 acres). About half of the lots lie entirely within Carrboro’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), one lot is within the Town’s limits. The other lots are split between Town ETJ and County jurisdiction.
On those lots split by the boundary, permitting decisions are made based on the location of existing or proposed development; if within Carrboro’s jurisdiction, permits have been issued by the Town and vice versa related to County jurisdiction. Nine of the lots are zoned for non-residential development, including activities that fall within the category of ‘light manufacturing.
The area also falls under the Orange County - Chapel Hill- Carrboro Joint Planning Agreement and the Water and Sewer Management Planning Boundary Agreement (WSMPBA). And the area is subject to the University Lake Watershed requirements with strict limitations on impervious surface.
Two properties that have been discussed for development in the past several years are 630 NC 54W known as the Saffelle property and 616 NC 54 W known as the Hill property. Staff has been asked to look at ways to encourage or streamline development in this corridor.
An obstacle identified by potential developers of the properties north of NC 54 is the lack of water and sewer service. These properties are not included for service by OWASA and the WSMPBA. Extension of lines within this area would require amending multi-jurisdictional agreements.
A second issue that is somewhat related to the need for water is the requirement to meet Carrboro fire protection regulation to sprinkle buildings exceeding 6000 square feet. This requirement exceeds the state building code to sprinkle buildings 12,000 square feet. Further, if water service was made available by an amendment to the WSMPBA, the water pressure in the area is not sufficient and elevated tanks would be needed to provide the pressure needed for a sprinkler system.
County and town staffs have been meeting to discuss the various options, timeframes associated with implementing any particular option, the opportunity for economic development funding through the quarter cent sales tax and return of investment for public funding.
The planning staff will be researching each of these nine properties for the history of permitting and specific limitations and opportunities for redevelopment.
Staff would like direction from the Board about whether there is any interest in further exploring planning agreements, like WSMPBA, or town codes that would allow for cost effective development of the area.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: None at this time.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends the Board accept the report.