On a 700-acre property at 1001 Olive Branch Rd. in southeastern Durham  County, there
 are plans to build a large residential development (Sierra and  Egypt tracts).  According
 to the NRCS soil survey, 95% of the 700-ac does  not perc, so the issue for the developers
 is whether the property can be  rezoned to receive city water and sewer.  I've been told
 the rezoning  request for the Sierra tract passed the county commissioners 5-0.  On 
 Monday, the request goes to city council.    After visiting the site and spending 
several hours with GIS data, there seem  to be a number of environmental issues of 
obvious concern:    According to the NRCS, soil suitabilities on the
 700-acres include:  Dwellings with basements:  98% of the area is classified as "very limited"  
Dwellings without basements: 96% classified very limited Small commercial  buildings: 96% 
classified very limited Lawns and landscaping: 60% classified  very limited, 40% somewhat
 limited Erosion hazards from roads and trails:  56% classified severe, 38% moderate Soil 
rutting hazard: 65% classified  severe, 33% moderate  Playgrounds: 97% classified very limited 
   The main problem with this property is that it is in an area of concentrated  White Store soil,
 a soil with world-class shrink-swell capacity, stickiness,  and impermeability.  
Nearly 60% of the property is underlain by these  plastic-clay soils.   
 There are consequences for carelessly developing the southeastern part of  Durham County.  
Much of this land is in the Triassic Basin and thus has many  White Store soils. 
 Like the Sierra and Egypt tracts, much of the land is  immediately proximate to Falls Lake.  
Many of the subcatchment streams are  already impaired.  Due to historic land uses, the 
creek transports enormous  amounts of sediment to the Lake.