Orange County clears way for big industrial park outside Hillsborough
The Orange County commissioners paved the way Tuesday night for the Research Triangle Logistics Park to be built on the southeastern corner of N.C. 86 and Interstate 40 just outside Hillsborough.
The 6-1 zoning approval will let developer Terra Equity Inc. build a 2.3 million square-foot project aimed at attracting warehouse, light industry and research companies. That’s about twice the square footage of The Streets at Southpoint mall in Durham.
Commissioner Renee Price voted no, questioning the need for an emergency access road coming out on Davis Road. There is no public access to Davis Road.
The commissioners also approved a master plan for the site, with some concessions by the developer.
Development officials have said the $150 million project could generate up to 1,500 jobs. Terra Equity, a division of Louisville, Kentucky-based Barrister Commercial Group, has not identified any tenants yet, attorney Michael Birch has said.
There was no public comment Tuesday night because commissioners had already received comment Oct. 15..
Commissioners worked to make sure there would be no construction in wetlands, after original plans called for about 35 parking spaces in one. Instead there will be none.
Commissioner Mark Dorosin pointed out that the developers touting they would not be building in a 100-year flood plain on the property is not big deal because they legally couldn’t anyway. “Not building in a floodplain is not a concession,” he said.
The applicant voluntarily imposed a 120-foot setback for structures, according to county staff. No parking will be allowed within 120 feet of Davis Road and no structure fronting Davis Road will be built over 40 feet tall. A planned water tower must not exceed 90 feet.
UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus, Waterstone nearby
The county has planned for the last 40 years to develop the land, most of which lies in the 637-acre Hillsborough Economic Development District. UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus and the Waterstone neighborhood are about a mile north.
The three properties comprising the project site include one just over 90 acres, one just over 60 acres and one about 12 acres, for a total of about 161 acres. The developer has agreed to leave 30% of space on the properties open, according to county staff.
All site plans will also be reviewed by the town of Hillsborough.
County staff determined the project would not create the need for additional funding for county services. The applicant paid for costs associated with advertising, including the public hearing notice and mailings.
Commissioner Mark Marcoplos said the development team put together a project that followed the county’s rules and said he was particularly happy with the height limits. “At that point, we really had to honor the work of those that came before us,” he said.
Marcoplos was on the county’s economic development commission in the late 1990s when he said the county began exploring development on this site and wisely protected it from construction at the time.
With residential development filled in around the site, he said, there are more neighbors to satisfy and the developers are making concessions to appease them.
This story was originally published October 22, 2020 at 8:43 AM.