Morrisville Land Use Plan 2009

Appendices

A ppendix C. H ow T hese P lans W ere C reated , 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.

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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. 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. 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.

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)

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C Public Involvement