The Swift Creek Land Management Plan

Introduction

Swift Creek is a perennial stream located in the southern portion of Wake County, North Carolina. The creek and its tributaries are part of the Neuse River basin. The Swift Creek Watershed covers approximately 66 square miles, with headwaters in Cary flowing east towards Lake Wheeler, then to Lake Benson and Garner, and ultimately to the Neuse River. The reservoirs along Swift Creek supply drinking water to Garner and Raleigh. The watershed hosts many suburban land uses, including homes and businesses, but also many natural habitats and species of wildlife.

As development in the Swift Creek watershed increased in the 1980s and 1990s, water quality concerns prompted the communities of Apex, Cary, Garner, Raleigh and Wake County to develop the Swift Creek Land Management Plan (SCLMP). The SCLMP was later codified by the NC legislature in 1998 (Session Law 1998-192), requiring all the jurisdictions to adopt ordinances consistent with the standards and provisions of the SCLMP. Subsequent legislation in 2005 (Session Law 2005-89) further formalized the regulations of the SCLMP.

Regulations

The Town of Garner has incorporated the requirements of the SCLMP into development review. The SCLMP established land use classifications for all of the properties in the watershed.

Development Regulations

The SCLMP designates minimum critical areas and stream buffers in the Swift Creek Watershed:

• Lake Benson: Minimum Critical Area Width = North side 2000 ft, south side 2640 ft
• Lake Benson: Minimum Vegetative Buffer Width = 100 ft
• Swift Creek between Lakes Benson and Wheeler: Minimum Critical Area Width = 500 ft from the center of creek along both sides of the creek.
• Swift Creek between Lakes Benson and Wheeler: Minimum Vegetative Buffer Width = 100 ft from the creek bank.

Performance Standards

Minimum performance standards are applied to new developments throughout the watershed. They do not affect existing or already approved developments. 

Within the Garner Swift Creek Watershed, impervious limits may not exceed 12 percent of land area, per lot, except that impervious limits may be a maximum of 70 percent, known as the high density option, where the stormwater runoff from a one inch rainfall event is retained by retention ponds, or other approved devices designed to achieve 85 percent total suspended solids as approved by the North Carolina Division of Environmental Management and the Town of Garner, constructed in accordance with best management practices. 

Point source discharges are prohibited within the watershed, including discharges from industrial facilities.

Land Use

In order to allow development patterns in the undeveloped portion of Garner's jurisdiction within the critical area to be consistent with previous development in the area, limited residential uses at a maximum density of 2.5 dwelling units per acre with an impervious surface ratio of no greater than 35% is allowed provided the first 1 inch of runoff is captured and public sewer is provided.

Within the non-critical portion of the watershed, new suburban areas with a maximum average density of 2.5 dwelling units per acre and non-residential uses with a maximum impervious surface limit of up to 30% are allowed in municipal jurisdictions. Other new urban areas allow up to 6 dwelling units per acre, and non-residential uses with a maximum impervious surface of up to 70% are allowed along the north shore of Lake Benson and along U.S. 401 in Garner's jurisdiction.

Interlocal Agreement & 2017 Amendment

In 2017, as part of the Interlocal Agreement between communities, the Town of Garner and Wake County requested and successfully received an amendment to the land use designations of 1,464 acres within their respective jurisdictions.

This reclassification decreased density near Lake Benson and increased and concentrated future development density along major roads and corridors. The density was decreased north of Lake Benson near Buffaloe and Aversboro Roads by 2,873 units, while the density was increased along Fayetteville Road (US 401) and Ten-Ten Road by 1,855 units. The ILA Amendment Map Exhibit A shows the areas where the land use changes were implemented.

Looking Forward

The Town of Garner is committed to preserving and enhancing our water quality, environmental integrity, and natural habitat. By adhering to the goals and standards set in the Swift Creek Land Management plan, Garner seeks to balance the protection of water quality with the demand for urban development and affordable housing. The SCLMP not only protects drinking water sources for Raleigh and Garner, but it also promotes smart planning, a higher quality of life, and expanded recreation opportunities.

Image: Lake Benson in Garner