Morrisville Land Use Plan 2009

5.0 R ecommended F uture L and U ses 5.1 Development Principles

The following Design Principles set a framework for guiding the design of development throughout Morrisville. New and infill development should strive to realize these principles to ensure the development of high-quality, well connected places that minimize land con- sumption, balance pedestrian and vehicular traffic, foster a vibrant civic environment, and balance the small town qualities of Morrisville with its vital economic future. A mix of land use and development types also supports the diverse population mix that is the hall- mark of healthy and vibrant communities. Preserving Open Space Development in a growing community like Morrisville presents a unique set of design challenges. Paramount among these is the efficient use of land and the arrangement of buildings, roads and open space in a visually harmonious manner. Carefully planned green space is necessary to maintain the natural beauty and quality of life of Morrisville over time. Environmental and natural features should be integrated into open space planning. Viewsheds and natural features, including water bodies, wetlands, and steep slopes, should be preserved as open space wherever possible. The contrasting develop- ment strategies illustrate the difference between dispersed development and more com- pact development, which better protects open space. When compact development is combined with a connected network of streets and circulation paths, it allows better con- nections within a neighborhood and ultimately enriches the range of choices and experi- ences for the Town’s residents. Street Connectivity Portions of Morrisville have been developed with conventional transportation pat- terns that minimize any connections between neighborhoods or surrounding road- ways. While this achieves more privacy, particularly for residential developments, it also can limit accessibility, impair emergency response times, and increase traf- fic congestion. Creating a more interconnected circulation pattern allows more choices, and provides the advantages of enhanced access, reduced congestion, and more responsive emergency services. The image to the left contrasts conventional development patterns with an interconnected development pattern. Well-connected neighborhoods and centers promote pedestrian activity and encourage walking in place of driving for local trips. Additionally, this framework promotes smaller block sizes and a greater diversity of building types within close proximity. Small blocks are an important ele- ment within a walkable area, because they create a comfortable scale for pedestrians through an increased sense of location and direction, breaking down the space between intersections and destinations, and providing increased visibility for businesses and offic- es. As new development or redevelopment occurs in Morrisville over time, consideration should be given to ensuring street connectivity with the existing and proposed road, bi- cycle, pedestrian and transit systems in the area. Site Design + Parking Successful site design balances car and pedestrian accessibility and creates an en- vironment that is welcoming to both drivers and pedestrians from the street. A key factor is the organization of buildings and parking relative to adjacent streets. Many of the commercial developments in Morrisville have been designed in a way that places buildings far back from the road, leaving a large, open expanse of pave- ment visible to visitors from the roadway. A more desirable alternative reverses this placement, drawing the building to the street edge and moving parking to the rear. Doing so provides a prominent and pedestrian-friendly edge for the site - one where buildings frame the street, giving them a town-like quality with entrances fronting the sidewalk while presenting a more attractive and inviting look to the public. Addition- ally, the visual impact of parking is minimized, as it is shielded to the rear of the buildings. It is important to note that standard parking requirements can lead to an oversupply of parking spaces and open expanses of asphalt. The Town should consider further reducing minimum off-street parking requirements and allowing mitigation strategies such as shared parking and on-street parking in place of peak-usage standards to reduce parking needs and required development area. Land Use The land use pattern of much of Morrisville has developed around separate areas for residential, commercial and employment uses. This results in additional traffic congestion on major arterial roadways as people need to get onto the main road to get from home to shops, parks, schools and workplaces. Future development should strive to integrate better connections between uses and foster more of a mixed use development pattern in the Town. To be successful, mixed-use development must provide strong connections between different uses, allowing residents, employees, and patrons to naturally overlap and cross between uses. The illustration to the left shows the use of connections to draw together residential and commercial blocks into a unified center. Additionally, the diversity of uses balances activity between the daytime, night- time, and weekend hours, fostering a busier, safer, and more exciting environment for all residents, employees, and visitors and at all times of day. Certain areas of Morrisville may not be conducive to a full complement of mixed uses – for example, areas within the Air- port Noise Overlay District or areas of predominantly existing residential neighborhoods.

dispersed development

compact development

interconnected development

conventional development

encouraged

conventional development

conventional development

mixed-use development

18

5 Recommendations