Morrisville Land Use Plan 2009

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C-8
Appendices
C Public Involvement
Appendix C. How These Plans Were Created, cont’d
General Comment Public PAC Details
Recreation / Open
Space / Parks
 
The PAC cited this as an issue at several meetings,
including their 10.16.2007 and 4.21.2008 meetings. The
public asked for more greenway connections at the
3.27.2008 Public Workshop, and for more parks/recre-
ation (9 comments) and greenways (11 comments – the
largest category of comments) opportunities at the
1.31.2008 Public Workshop.
A number of prioritized greenway connections, including specific recommendations for green-
ways connecting existing parks, are recommended. As far as parks and recreation areas, we are
indicating the need for additional space designated in the undeveloped area between Airport
Boulevard and Aviation Parkway. The Town has acquired a number of parcels recently for parks
including along Church Street north of McCrimmon Parkway, along Louis Stephens Drive (Old
Maynard Road) near Breckenridge and a nature park along Crabtree Creek.
More Low-Density
Housing
 
The PAC cited this as an issue during several of their
meetings in 2008. The public noted this issue particularly
at the 1.31.2008 workshop. It was also expressed through
responses to the public survey.
This comment took two forms: requests for more low-density housing (or for any future additional
housing to be lower rather than higher density), and concerns about there being too much high
density housing currently in the town. For example, a majority of survey respondents felt that
there were too many apartments in Morrisville. These concerns were addressed in the Land Use
Plan by not increasing the land classified as high density residential in the town (it is impractical
to re-designate existing high-density residential as a lower density in the future). Additional high
density residential could be added in the Regional Activity Centers or Southern Activity Center
if approved by the Town Council. Several additional residential areas were added to the plan
and were classified as low or medium density. In addition, none of the areas designated for low-
density housing in the 1999 Land Use Plan were eliminated in the 2009 Plan (though some have
been built at higher densities between 1999 and 2009), and an additional 227 acres of land not
designated for residential in the 1999 Plan have been designated as low or medium density (single
family detached) residential use in the 2009 Plan.
Changes in Amount
of Retail / Shopping
 
The PAC cited this as an issue during their 10.16.2007
meeting; the need for more shopping and restaurants
was noted by many commenters at the 1.31.2008 work-
shop. Some PAC members (4.21.2008 meeting) asked for
less mixed-use development.
Higher-end retailers were sometimes noted as desirable by both the PAC and public comment-
ers. The policy recommendations include restricting drive-through retailers and consolidating new
retail agglomerations into a limited number of activity centers in attempt to balance the desire for
more low-density development throughout the Town.
Aesthetics /
Beautification  
The PAC cited this as an issue during their 10.16.2007
meeting; numerous members of the public cited this as
an issue at the 10.29.2007 workshop.
Gateway areas (small, landscaped areas near the entranceways to Town) were recommended
in a number of locations; some of the policy recommendations and street cross-sections were
intentionally designed to introduce more landscaping and streetscaping into future infrastructure.
Need for More Public
Schools   The PAC cited this as an issue and discussed the matter
extensively during their 4.21.2008 meeting.
In North Carolina, public schools and school siting are handled by county government; however,
local governments can participate in locating and preserving sites that may be suitable for pub-
lic schools. The criteria for school sites are discussed in the 2009 Land Use Plan, and options for
school sites were discussed on several occasions during PAC meetings. The plan notes several sites
meeting the criteria but does not designate any of them as school sites since Wake County Public
School System is not including the Town in its current search for sites.
Need for More Public
Transportation  
The PAC discussed transit options at 3.18.2008 and
4.21.2008 meetings; the public cited this issue at the
1.31.2008 workshop.
A variety of public transportation recommendations, both short- and longer-term, are present in
the 2009 Transportation Plan, including transit service along NC 54 and Aviation Parkway, as well
as a cross-town connector servicing south RTP and RDU International Airport. Longer-term recom-
mendations will accommodate future regional rail transit stations.
Key to Public/PAC Comments
 = Light (PAC: 0-2 Members;
Public: 5-10 Comments)
 = Moderate (PAC: 3-4
Members; Public: 11-20
Comments)
 = Heavy (PAC: 5-6 Members;
Public: 21-30 Comments)
 = Greatest (PAC: > 6
Members; Public: > 30
Comments)