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<br />Section 5-8. Residential development standards (all subdivisions). <br /> <br />A. Open space. <br /> <br />1. Applicability. <br /> <br />Open space is an integral part of both the open space subdivision and the amenity <br />subdivision. The minimum protected open space for each subdivision type by <br />district is set forth in Section 5-6 and Section 5-7. Once this minimum open space <br />requirement has been met, no additional open space shall be required on the site, <br />except where otherwise required by state or federal law. <br /> <br />2. Primary open space. <br /> <br />The following are considered primary open space areas and are shall be included <br />within the open space, unless the Applicant demonstrates that this provision <br />would constitute an unusual hardship and is counter to the purposes of this <br />chapter: <br /> <br />a. The 100-year floodplain; <br /> <br />b. Stream buffer areas required by the County along each side of all perennial <br />and intermittent streams; <br /> <br />c. Slopes above 25 percent of at least 10,000 square feet contiguous area; <br /> <br />d. Jurisdictional wetlands under federal law (Section 404) that meet the <br />definition applied by the Army Corps of Engineers; <br /> <br />e. Habitat for federally-listed endangered or threatened species; <br /> <br />f. Archaeological sites, cemeteries and burial grounds; <br /> <br />g. State-designated Natural Heritage Sites; <br /> <br />h. Existing healthy native forests of at least 10 contiguous acres in size that are <br />subject to a forestry management plan approved by the NC Division of <br />Forestry; and <br /> <br />i. Agricultural lands of at least 20 contiguous acres located in the Rural Tier <br />containing at least 25 percent prime farmland soils or other soils of statewide <br />importance. <br /> <br />Secondary open space. <br /> <br />The following are considered secondary open space areas and shall be included <br />within the required open space to the maximum extent feasible. <br /> <br />3. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />a. Important historic sites; <br /> <br />b. Existing healthy, native forests of at least one acre contiguous area; <br /> <br />c. Individual existing healthy trees greater than 12 inches DBH; <br /> <br />d. Other significant natural features and scenic viewsheds sach as ridge lines, <br />hedge rows, field borders, meadows, fields, peaks and rock outcroppings, <br />particularly those that can be seen from public roadways; <br /> <br />E~I lit.} <br /> <br />- 5-16- <br />