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Article 5: Development Standards
Section 5.8. Access and Circulation
5.7.6. Development within Required Buffers
Morrisville, NC
June 2013
Unified Development Ordinance - Public Hearing Draft
Page 5-37
adjoining properties establishing an alternative arrangement to share responsibility for providing a
buffer in full accordance with the standards of this section.
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5.7.6.
Development within Required Buffers
A.
The required buffer shall not contain any development, impervious surfaces, or site features (except
fences or walls) that do not function to meet the standards of this section, unless otherwise permitted or
required in this Ordinance.
B.
Walkways, trails, and other elements associated with passive recreation, as well as overhead and
underground utility lines and low-impact stormwater management facilities, may be located within a
required buffer if;
1.
All required landscaping is provided;
2.
The element, line, of facility crosses the buffer as close to a right angle as practicable; and
3.
The Planning Director and Town Engineer determine that installation or maintenance of such
element, line, or facility will minimize impacts on to required vegetation to the maximum extent
practicable.
5.7.7.
Alternative Configuration
The Planning Director may approve an alternative buffer location, width, or planting configuration through
submittal of an alternative landscape plan (Section 5.12.7, Alternative Landscape Plan).
5.7.8.
Credit Towards Other Required Landscaping
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Required buffers, and the trees and other vegetation within such buffers, may be credited towards
compliance with tree protection, common open space and public recreation area, landscaping, and
screening requirements to the extent they comply with applicable standards in Section 5.4, Tree Protection,
Section 5.5, Common Open Space and Public Recreation Area, Section 5.12, Landscaping, and Section
5.13, Screening.
SECTION 5.8. ACCESS AND CIRCULATION
5.8.1.
Purpose
The purpose of this section is to ensure that development is
served by a coordinated, multimodal transportation system
that, to the extent practicable, permits the safe and efficient
movement of motor vehicles, emergency vehicles, transit,
bicyclists, and pedestrians within the development and between
the development and external transportation systems,
neighboring development, and local destination points such as
places of employment, schools, parks, and shopping areas. Such
a multimodal transportation system is intended to:
A.
Provide transportation options;
B.
Increase the effectiveness of local service delivery;
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Morrisville‘s current buffer regulations require a proposed development to provide a buffer whether or not the adjoining
existing development has already provided one. This provision is intended to avoid unnecessary double buffers by allowing the
adjoining property owner to share buffer responsibility 50/50, or to mutually agree to an alternative sharing arrangement.
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This is intended to clarify that buffers and vegetation within buffers can serve double duty in also meeting requirements for
tree protection, common open space and public recreation area, landscaping, and screening.
COMMENTARY
This section generally carries forward the
access, connectivity, and street and sidewalk
design standards in Chapter 5 (Streets) of the
Design and Construction Ordinance, with the
following modifications:
Define the level of access required
Strengthen connectivity and cross-access
standards
Strengthen and expand access
management standards
Expand bicycle and pedestrian access and
circulation requirements in accordance with
Transportation Plan recommendations
Allow cul-de-sacs only as an exception
Incorporate the street, bicycle, and
walkway design standards and transit
facility standards recommended in the
Transportation Plan