Development gets go-ahead

The Orange County Board of Commissioners approved the Buckhorn Village development Tuesday with several conditions, nearly a year after the idea for the retail center was proposed.

The 1.14-million-square-foot retail center is slated to be built in Efland, a 20-minute drive northwest of campus, after developers clarify some of the language in the 118-page agenda.

The developers, Buckhorn Road Associates, aim to draw customers from Durham’s Streets at Southpoint.

Buckhorn Village would cover 128 acres and potentially include retail stores, restaurants, a movie theater and minor residential complexes.

Chairman Barry Jacobs said that despite wording issues, the board is ready to take the next step in the long development process.

“We are willing to work with reasonable, high-quality people in Orange County,” he said, shortly before the board unanimously approved the plan’s development.

Orange County Planning Director Craig Benedict projected the mall would attract close to 46,000 customers daily and more than 60,000 on weekends.

“The project as proposed is seeking to capture some of the 84,000 cars per day that go up and down I-85 in that area,” Benedict said.

Buckhorn Village development has spent almost a year in the planning stage after the developers presented it to the county in December.

Since then, the applicants have complied with most of the board’s requests, including limiting the height of the mall’s principal sign to 40 feet.

Some of the language the board said needs to be cleared up regards the number of drive-throughs the mall is allowed to have and the amount of vegetation the developers are permitted to clear.

“I still can’t vote for all that natural vegetation being removed,” said Commissioner Alice Gordon.

Aside from thinning vegetation along the highway, Benedict cited additional accommodations that would have to be made to support a retail center.

“Improvements would have to be made including building off-ramps on Buckhorn Road,” he said.

He also recognized the need to install signal lights and to widen Buckhorn Road from two lanes to five.



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