There is concern that the eclectic, vernacular character of Efland be preserved to the greatest extent possible. There is no desire on the part of Efland residents to become a homogenous, “anywhere U.S.A.” community. There are strong feelings that the charm that makes Efland unique should be preserved. Development opportunities in the planning area should be based on Smart Growth and environmental stewardship principles. [p. 66]
one of local government’s principal powers is the authority to control land development so that growth is managed in such a way that negative impacts are minimized and/or mitigated...the Task Force is generally supportive of planned growth, provided that growth occurs in a managed and sustainable fashion…There is concern that the eclectic, vernacular character of Efland be preserved to the greatest extent possible. There is no desire on the part of Efland residents to become a homogenous, “anywhere U.S.A.” community. There are strong feelings that the charm that makes Efland unique should be preserved. Development opportunities in the planning area should be based on Smart Growth and environmental stewardship principles.” Pp.65-66 Efland-Mebane-Small-Area-Plan.
Buc-ee’s is requesting that Orange County rezone the Efland site from O/RM to MPD-CZ (Master Plan Development – Conditional Zoning). The MPD-CZ category has the fewest restrictions of all the zoning classification in Orange County’s regulations. MPD-CZ does not allow for review of future changes by any advisory board, the neighbors, the public, or even the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. Meaning, if the county approves the rezoning request to MPD-CZ, what actually gets built in Phase 2 is purely up to the developer and the Orange County Planning Department. There will be no more consultation on future development with the Efland community or with elected officials. Under MPD-CZ, the site plan is CONCEPTUAL only; there is no consequential proposal to build anything except the 120-pump gas station.
The proposed uses in the developer’s conditional rezoning request of a 120-pump travel center, a 100-room hotel, specialty retail, a drive-in bank, fast-casual restaurant, and high-turnover sit-down restaurant businesses would likely not be allowed under the site’s current O/RM zoning, thus necessitating the rezoning petition to MPD-CZ. These new uses in this proposed MPD-CZ zone would outpace water and sewer infrastructure that was just installed for O/RM related uses on this site. The project is actually only viable with the City of Mebane taking Efland Station’s sewer with the tenants paying twice the normal Mebane water rate as out of jurisdiction customers.
Ibelieve that imposing MPD-CZ zoning on this site is contrary to local values and to years of planning practice and community engagement for the area, and immediately overwhelms recent sewer and water infrastructure improvements.
Please vote "no" to the rezoning request from O/RM to MPD-CZ!
Thank you,
Andrea Teute Riley