Morrisville Unified Development Ordinance - October 2019

Article 5: Development Standards

SECTION 5.1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

General Intent

5.1.1.

This Article includes standards and guidelines for developing property or establishing new uses of property within Morrisville, to ensure the protection of the health, welfare, safety, and quality of life for local citizens, visitors, and business owners. These provisions address the physical relationship between development and adjacent properties, public streets, neighborhoods, and the natural environment, in order to implement the Land Use Plan vision for a more attractive, efficient, and livable community.

SECTION 5.2. GENERAL SITE LAYOUT AND DESIGN

All Districts

5.2.1.

A. The general location, character, and extent of new, extended, or widened or expanded streets, public utilities and service facilities, and parks and other public areas shall be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. B. Developments shall be laid out and designed to functionally and visually integrate their design elements (open spaces, buildings, parking, utilities, stormwater management facilities, etc.)—both within the development and in relationship to surrounding developments—to the maximum extent practicable. C. The layout of streets, lots, building sites, and other elements of development shall be designed to minimize alteration of natural and historic site features to be preserved. D. Developments shall minimize impacts to sensitive natural resources and other unique and fragile site elements—including, but not limited to, wetlands and steep slopes—and significant stands of mature trees shall be preserved where practicable, with development reserved for environmentally stable areas. E. All new bungalow court, pocket neighborhood, single-family detached, attached, duplex, and manufactured home lots shall be located wholly outside any riparian buffer required in accordance with Article 6: Riparian Buffers. F. Streets, building sites, and the buildable areas of lots shall be located outside floodways and non- encroachment areas of Special Flood Hazard Areas and, to the maximum extent practicable, outside all other parts of a Floodplain Overlay (FO) district. Public infrastructure improvements and utility facilities shall be located and constructed to minimize exposure to flood hazards.

(Ord. No. 2015-047, 07/28/2015; Ord. No. 2016-001, 05/10/2016)

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) District

5.2.2.

The layout of streets, lots, blocks, building sites, and other elements of development in the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) District shall be designed to maximize safe and convenient vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian access to the associated transit station and provide the views and community amenities that help define the station as the focal point of the District.

SECTION 5.3. SUBDIVISION BLOCKS, LOTS, AND REFERENCE POINTS

Blocks

5.3.1.

A. Blocks shall be laid out to provide a functional street pattern and circulation and connectivity in accordance with the standards in Section 5.8, Access and Circulation.

Morrisville, NC

October 1, 2019

Unified Development Ordinance

Page 5-1