135 / 634
SECTION 7 – SUMMARY OF MITIGATION TO ADDRESS SECONDARY AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
7-3
creates a vision for the original center of Morrisville and identifies more concentrated
residential and mixed-use development. The plan also identifies significant open space
areas, including an historic Civil War battlefield. The Town’s Historic Crossroads Village
zoning district, as well as the Town Center Plan, encourage preservation of historic
resources. Minimal SCI is likely to occur to cultural and historical resources because of the
permitting and review process established by the Town.
7.8
Air Quality
To address the impacts of growth on air quality, the Town is researching and developing
alternative modes of transportation. Increasing the interconnections of sidewalks,
greenways, trails, and bike lanes will also reduce the needs for vehicle use. Specifically, a
trail will connect the Town to RTP, encouraging transportation alternatives to vehicles for
commuting needs. The UDO also promotes pedestrian access to commercial areas by
requiring 30 percent of dwelling units in new developments to have access to commercial
areas by way of all-season bike paths. As growth occurs, these efforts to reduce vehicular
use will curtail increases in air pollution. Additional efforts by the Town to extend streets
will improve traffic flow and decrease congestion and air pollution. A tree ordinance is also
in place to protect trees during construction. Because trees are natural air filters, this
ordinance also helps to protect air quality. In addition, Wake County convened a
sustainability task force, which have both identified several strategies and performance
measures for goals relating to air quality (Wake County, 2011). The Town’s and County’s
actions will keep SCI to air quality in check and limit impacts.
A regional light rail system is planned for the Triangle Area (Wake County, 2012).
Documents prepared for this project indicate that parking areas to serve the light rail system
will not impact levels of carbon monoxide. The document also indicates that the light rail
system will result in lower levels of vehicle pollutant emissions (U.S. Department of
Transportation, 2002). The Town’s transit-oriented development zoning district and its
Transportation Plan show a commitment to alternative transportation.
In 2013, North Carolina had its lowest ozone levels on record since air monitoring began in
the early 1970s. The declining ozone levels were generally concurrent with lower emissions
from the State's power plants. A recent report by the NCDAQ shows that the State's coal-
fired power plants have cut their NOx emissions, a primary industrial contributor to ozone
pollution, by more than 80 percent since the General Assembly enacted the Clean
Smokestacks Act in 2002 (NCDENR, 2013).
State legislation to decrease NOx emissions from power plants has significantly reduced
ozone pollution, as discussed above and in Section 6. Additionally, the Town’s actions and
regional efforts will keep SCI to air quality in check.
7.9
Noise Levels
Efforts taken to improve air quality by promoting alternative forms of transportation will
also limit SCI to noise levels in the Planning Area. As more quiet, alternative forms of
transportation (such as bike lanes and greenways) and increased interconnections of
sidewalks and greenways promote more pedestrian activities, vehicular traffic noise levels