Morrisville Transportation Plan

Policy Direction

Unveiling of the Shiloh Historic

Marker, October 14, 2006.

Morrisville Road Race, 2007.

4.0 P

olicy

irection

4.1 Vision

From January 26th through January 28th of 2007, the Town Council and staff conducted

a retreat to establish a future Vision and Goals to serve as a shared understanding of the

challenges the Town of Morrisville faces today, and a collective sense of the direction in

which the Town would like to focus its resources. Through a collaborative planning pro-

cess, seven Town goals with associated initiatives were established.

On February 26, 2007, the Morrisville Town Council unanimously approved those goals and

initiatives for FY 2007. These goals and initiatives were used as a starting point for the Vision

and Land Use Plan Goals and Policies listed below. In addition to the Town Council’s Vi-

sion, the input of the citizens and the Plan Advisory Committee were incorporated into the

final Goals and Policies for this Plan.

The Vision for Morrisville established by the Town Council is as follows:

The Town of Morrisville will be an innovative crossroads where cultural heritage meets

the next generation nurturing vibrant communities of thriving families and businesses

while preserving small-town values.

Innovation is one of the central themes of this Plan, and is a necessity to provide services

and opportunity to a diverse and increasingly older range of citizenry. Providing non-mo-

torized transportation and housing options are important factors in establishing opportuni-

ties for aging baby boomer populations around the country, and in Morrisville.

4.2 Goals and Policies

The development of goals is crucial to the land use and transportation planning process.

Adopted goals and policies form the framework for adding or amending ordinances and

regulations that guide the development of land within the Town’s planning jurisdiction.

Goals are unifying statements of a community’s preferred future direction. Policies at-

tached to Goals provide a means for translating Vision into action, and represent a set

of guidelines for decision making for the Town on land use and transportation issues, pro-

grams and projects in the future.

It is expected that the Goals and Policies in this Plan will be used by the Town as a frame-

work for many future decision-making processes and actions, including:

•

Decisions on rezoning and special use permit applications

•

Funding and fiscal priorities

•

Departmental priorities and action plans

All elements of the Morrisville Land Use and Transportation Plans must be administered

fairly, equitably and consistently in order to ensure that the Town’s goals are met. The in-

tent of these goals is to preserve and enhance community character, encourage pride in

our community, and augment the quality of life desired by the Town’s citizens. In order to

fully implement the Plans, the goals are accompanied by targeted Action Items (Section

Seven) to ensure that the future Vision will be realized.

The goals from the Board’s Vision were used as the primary basis for developing the Goals

and Policies. In addition, the input from the public workshops, the Plan Advisory Commit-

tee and the goals from the existing

1999 Land Use Plan

were also used to establish the fol-

lowing comprehensive set of land use goals and policies for the future of the Town.

Growth and Development Pattern

Goal 1: Ensure a diverse development pattern that sustains livability and the environment by

encouraging future development and public infrastructure that is complementary with existing

development.

Policy 1A: Promote growth and development that contributes to and builds upon the Town’s

overall image as a well-planned, attractive, livable, and unique community in the

Triangle Region.

Policy 1B: Promote and plan for the future of Morrisville as an environmentally friendly and

energy efficient community.

Policy 1C: Plan, develop and support vibrant, walkable gathering places at Morrisville’s his-

toric crossroads.

Policy 1D: Concentrate higher-density, mixed-use development near existing and proposed

transit centers, and at activity centers to provide services to Town citizens and day-

time employees in a pedestrian-friendly environment.

Policy 1E: Develop and re-develop with detached residential land use outside activity cen-

ters when in context with surrounding uses.

Policy 1F: Implement strategies that minimize threats to life and property from natural and

man-made disasters.

Character and Quality of Development

Goal 2. Ensure that Morrisville retains a small town atmosphere by integrating attractively

and sustainably designed communities of complementary uses.

Policy 2A: Promote development that fosters a sense of place by improving the character of

the built environment, including visually appealing buildings, streetscapes, ameni-

ties, and public spaces.

Policy 2B: Protect water quality and quantity in the Town’s streams, lakes, and groundwater

and consider the potential regional impacts on water supply and wastewater man-

agement of proposed developments.