The reality of state and local stringent stream-buffer regulations have hit home in Chapel Hill. An architect is proposing what this story calls “one of the most ambitious green projects in the United States.” But environmental regulations may keep the development from moving forward, as noted by the planning board’s George Cianciolo:
But Cianciolo said the Town Council will face a tough decision when it reviews the project in February. Szostak wants to build within about 60 feet of a stream, but the town requires buffers so that foliage can filter rainwater before it reaches a stream.
Szostak says the stream is sometimes dry. Such intermittent streams require only a 50-foot buffer, but the state currently classifies it as a year-round stream, requiring 150 feet of protection. The stream also flows through a 15-inch pipe, and Szostak said he plans to remove the pipe and reestablish a free-flowing stream with a filtration system so the water is cleaner than it is now.
But Cianciolo said the council might not want to bend the rules, especially with UNC-Chapel Hill also proposing to reclaim a stream as part of the Carolina North project.
“That’s why I think this is a real tricky one,” he said. “You like the idea of encouraging green building, but … the council could set a precedent that they might not like later.”
