Appendix 2-6
Chapter 2 The Need for Conservation
Chatham County has also had several other ordinances in place for many years, including successful incentive-based conservation subdivision ordinance, a watershed protection ordinance that mandates wide buffers on perennial, intermittent, and ephemeral streams; and they have a site plan process that requires developers to include conservation data in their initial sketch plans. These policies and ordinances have served as a model for many other local governments in the state.
Town of Leland
Leland is a municipality on the coastal plain of North Carolina that is experiencing tremendous growth. The town is also at the center of a biodiversity hotspot, with endemic species associated with Carolina bay wetlands, endangered species in the upland longleaf pine ecosystem, hemmed in by rich blackwater rivers and diverse cypress and hardwood bottomlands. Leland was a recipient of Partners for Green Growth Cost-Share funds and used the funds to develop The Town of Leland Green Network Plan & Framework Guide. The plan identifies conservation priorities and provides the community with needed guidance on how to protect these areas, including how to update their ordinances to encourage conservation subdivision design and how to use zoning and future land use mapping to discourage development in priority conservation areas. The plan also provides guidance on specific development standards to incorporate into focus areas, which were identified in the comprehensive plan as growth areas; in these areas, high priority conservation areas are identified and guidance on standards to reduce the impact of development on these priority areas is provided. Lastly, the plan provided model ordinance language to encourage conservation-oriented development and design standards to be considered in the update of their development ordinances. Local government elected officials and advisory board members unanimously voted in support of the adoption of this plan and identified it as a critical need that will guide them as their community continues to grow.
Moore County
Moore County is in the Sandhills ecoregion of North Carolina. The Sandhills is one of the most biodiverse regions in North Carolina and contains priority dry longleaf pine habitat. Dry longleaf pine habitats are the preferred habitat type for the recently downlisted federally threatened red-cockaded woodpecker, state endangered Carolina gopher frog, and many other state-listed species of greatest conservation need. Recognizing the importance of this habitat type within the county, planners utilized the Green Growth Toolbox to create a ‘green print’ project to be utilized in their future land use plan and unified development ordinances. Moore County has also used their zoning ordinance to direct development towards towns and cities, and to discourage major subdivisions in their rural areas.
Over the years of working with local governments it's become clear that there is a need for communities to have support and expertise in interpreting science and data. There is a need for
2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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