06-CPA-06 McCrimmon Corners Comprehensive Plan Amendment

Staff Report to Town Council

Background Information

Current Comprehensive Plan Designation: Office/Institutional (OFC/INS)

Proposed Comprehensive Plan Designation: Medium Density Residential (MDR)

Acreage: Approximately 16.80

Location: Southeast corner of McCrimmon Parkway and Koppers Road

Applicant:

Matthew Danielson

Land Acquisition Manager

Beazer Homes, Inc.

5811 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 200

Raleigh, NC 27612

(919)881-9350

Applicant’s Contact:

Beth Lewis

Chas. H. Sells, Inc.

15401 Weston Parkway, Suite 100

Cary, NC 27513

(919) 678-0035

blewis@chashsells.com

Town of Cary Case Manager:

Scott Ramage, Comprehensive Planning Principal Planner

316 N Academy Street, Cary, NC 27513

(919) 462-3888

scott.ramage@townofcary.org

Summary of Requested Comprehensive Plan Amendment

A. Land Use Plan:
The applicant is requesting that the future land use recommended by the Cary Land Use Plan be changed from “Office/Institutional” to “Medium Density Residential (MDR).” Medium Density Residential is defined as 3-8 dwellings per acre, either single family detached or attached. Multifamily is not typically included. Thus, if amended to MDR, the Land use Plan could support a future rezoning for somewhere between 50 and 134 dwellings on the 16.8-acre site, depending on appropriate use and density transitions between adjacent parcels as recommended in the Comprehensive Plan.

B. Comprehensive Transportation Plan:

No requested changes.

C. Parks & Greenways Master Plan:

No requested changes. According to the approved Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Facilities Master Plan, the following park and greenway facilities are required within this project:

· A park site is needed in this area of town.

D. Open Space and Historic Resources Master Plan:

No requested changes. Per the approved Open Space and Historical Resources Plan (OSHRP), most of this parcel is shown as “Potential Open Space.” That is, the Plan identifies this parcel as potentially containing some significant natural and open space resources that might be considered for inclusion into the Town’s open space system.

Feedback at Town Council Public Hearing June 8, 2006:

One citizen spoke at the public hearing, Ms. Patty Pearthree. She encouraged the council to address the density issue and the impact on schools. There were no comments or questions from Council members.

Staff Observation on Plan Amendment:

A. Plan History

The subject parcels, and nearly all adjacent and nearby parcels north of Morrisville-Carpenter Road within Cary’s planning jurisdiction, were originally recommended for Office, Office Park, and Light Industrial uses with adoption of the Land Use Plan in 1996.

The Comprehensive Plan recommendations were updated in 2002 with the adoption of a special area plan for northwest Cary, the Northwest Area Plan (NWAP). The NWAP revised the recommended land uses for the subject parcels to Office and Institutional, and also updated the land use recommendations for much of the nearby land uses.

The Comprehensive Plan recommendations for the adjacent parcels to the west and southwest were updated in 2005 with the adoption of a special plan for the Carpenter area – the Carpenter Community Plan.

The Town of Morrisville’s Comprehensive Plan for the areas north and east of the subject parcel was adopted in 1999, and updated in 2003.

B. Current Land Use Plan Recommendations

The map in Figure 1, below, provides a zoom-in of the current Cary Land Use Plan in the vicinity of the subject parcels. Recommendations from Morrisville’s Land Use Plan are also depicted.

Figure 1: Composite Land Use Plan, Town of Cary and Town of Morrisville

As can be seen in Figure 1, the Comprehensive Plan currently recommends the subject parcels be used for Office/Institutional uses. Properties south of the site are recommended for Low Density Residential (1-3 dwellings/acre) and Medium Density Residential (3-8 dwellings/acre) or Office/Light Industrial in Carpenter Village PDD. However, the western half of this part of Carpenter Village has in fact developed as medium-density townhomes, and not as Office/Light Industrial.

Properties west of the subject site are recommended for Medium Density Residential uses on the west side of the future realignment of Koppers Road (a.k.a. Louis Stephens Dr.) Parcels northwest of the site, at the future northwest corner of McCrimmon Parkway and Old Maynard Road are recommended to be Office and Institutional, transitioning to Medium Density Residential further to the northwest.

Properties north and east of the site are in Morrisville’s planning jurisdiction. Immediately east of the site is a single family subdivision having a gross density of 3.3 units/acre, making it compatible with the lowest end of Cary’s range of 3-8 dwellings/acre for Medium Density Housing. Properties north of the site are recommended for Low Density Residential development.

C. Analysis of Requested Plan Amendment

Staff’s analysis of this case focuses on the following considerations:

Housing and Smart Growth Policy

Cary’s Comprehensive Plan for this part of Cary has shifted from a focus on office and light industrial uses to a focus on residential uses. The shift towards residential uses reflects both the direction of market forces, and a policy shift on the part of Cary, Morrisville, and Research Triangle Park, to try to encourage greater amounts of employee housing – at moderate and higher densities especially – within a short distance of RTP. The provision of adequate housing proximate to RTP supports RTP’s economic development goals for corporate siting and retention, and also supports the smart growth initiatives endorsed by the Triangle J Council of Governments, the Town of Cary, and others, by placing housing close to jobs, thereby reducing commute distances and easing traffic burdens on the regional road network.

Compatibility with Adjacent Uses

Medium-density residential uses currently exist adjacent to the eastern and southern boundaries of the property, and are recommended by the Land Use Plan for the parcels west of the site. The Land Use Plan recommends low-density residential uses on the remaining vacant parcel south of the property, as does the Morrisville Land Use Plan for the parcels north of the site. Since Medium Density Residential can provide an acceptable land use transition next to Low Density Residential, and since it is compatible with other adjacent Medium Density Residential uses, it would appear that the requested Plan Amendment provides a reasonable and compatible transition.

Economic Development Considerations

Conversion of this 16.8-acre parcel from Office/Institutional to Medium Density Residential will result in a reduction of the amount of land available for future nonresidential economic development. The location might be well-sited for incubator, spin-off, or supporting office space for RTP. However the location itself may not be market-feasible for several more years, until McCrimmon Parkway is extended west to NC55, or Louis Stephens Drive/Koppers Road is widened and realigned providing a major thoroughfare connection northward into RTP. Further, the site would effectively constitute an “island” of Office/Institutional usage, surrounded by residential, which might further limit the nonresidential effectiveness of the site.

Density and Transitions in Future Rezoning Cases

It should be noted that designation of this property as Medium Density Residential in the Land Use Plan does not imply that the Planning and Zoning Board would need to find that any rezoning case that proposes housing in the range of 3-8 dwellings per acre is in full conformance with the Land Use Plan. The Land Use Plan also recommends the provision of either reasonable transitions between land use intensities or densities, or the provision of reasonable buffers as transitions, or the use of architectural or design transitions. Thus, for any future rezoning case, the Board will have discretion in evaluating whether the proposed density, building type, and buffer or design transitions meet the intent of the Land Use Plan.

Open Space and Historic Resources

The Town’s Open Space and Historical Resources Plan (OSHRP), adopted in 2001, identified much of this site as “Potential Open Space,” indicating that the site may contain significant natural and open space resources that could be considered a priority for inclusion in the Town’s open space system. The site was so designated in the OSHRP analysis on the basis of the existing agricultural use of the land, coupled with a potential perennial stream identified in the Wake County Soils Survey. In 1988, the entire site appears to have been under cultivation, however since that time approximately half of the site has been replanted as new pine forest. Today, the balance of the site is in active cultivation. On the basis of these findings, the site is not currently a high-priority site for open space acquisition by the Town.

D. Staff Recommendation

On balance, staff feels that the recommended Plan Amendment is reasonable, and supports the Smart Growth objectives of the Town, the region, and RTP.

Planning and Zoning Board Recommendation (August 21, 2006)

The Board voted unanimously (9-0) to recommend adoption of the proposed Plan Amendment.

Changes since the Planning and Zoning Board Meeting:

None

Reference Information

Meeting Schedule:
Town Council Public Hearing
Date: June 8, 2006
Action: Forwarded to the August 21, 2006 P&Z Board meeting

Planning & Zoning Board:

Date: August 21, 2006

Action: Forwarded to Town Council with a unanimous recommendation for approval
(9-0).

Town Council:

Date: September 14, 2006

Action: Council approved the request by unanimous vote.

Parcel & Owner Information

Applicant’s Justification Statement Submitted (April 24, 2006)

(Please note that the following statements are those of the applicant and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Town of Cary.)

How is the proposed request reasonable? In explaining how it is reasonable, please address the following, if applicable:

The requested Land Use Plan and zoning map amendments are reasonable and appropriate for the area for the following reasons:

The current Land Use Plan designation, Office and Institutional, is no longer appropriate in light of the residential development that has taken place in the surrounding area. When the northern section of Carpenter Village was designated as Office and Industrial on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan map, this property’s Office and Institutional Land Use Plan designation was appropriate, an extension of the planned office park-type development. However, since the Carpenter Village area has been amended to permit low to medium density residential use and the property to the east in Morrisville has developed in a residential manner, the O&I designation on the tract in question would encourage an intrusion of non-residential uses into a residential area, on a tract that may not be of sufficient size to provide appropriate buffering for the abutting residential uses.

Amending the Land Use Plan map to a more appropriate residential density would then require an amendment to the zoning map to a corresponding residential zoning classification to facilitate development.

Any issues with the size of the tract? The tract is of sufficient size to be developed with the planned town home development, and is of a traditional rectangular shape to facilitate development. There is a riparian buffer in the eastern portion of the property, which would be protected as required.

How is the request compatible with the comprehensive plan? (I.e. Land Use, Transportation, Open Space and Historic Resources) This tract is adjacent to the boundary of the Carpenter Community Plan, but not within the plan area. The Carpenter Community Plan seeks to keep the densities low in the area of the Carpenter community, and to retain the historic feel of the area. This proposal, just outside of the Carpenter area, will provide the type of development that will complement the Carpenter area but not intrude into it. The planned density, while higher than in the adjacent Carpenter area, will provide housing stock to those who wish to live near the historic Carpenter area but not in single family detached homes, by offering high quality town homes near the historic area.

What are the benefits and detriments to the owner, neighbors and the community? The property owner, the neighbors, and the community as a whole will all benefit from the requested amendments.

While the property has Land Use and zoning map designations that permit office, commercial, and manufacturing uses, the neighboring properties are developed in a residential manner. The proposed amendments will enable this property to be developed in a residential manner as well, with housing types and a density that is to be expected in this area. Changing the Land Use Plan and zoning map designations will permit the development of the property in a manner more consistent with the surrounding area.

The proposed town home development will generate less traffic than the office/manufacturing/commercial uses permitted on the parcels now, benefiting the surrounding neighborhoods.

Additional housing units will benefit the commercial uses existing and planned in the area by expanding the customer base.

Development of the property will require improvements to the road network in the area of the site, or a payment in lieu to the Town of Cary to facilitate the improvements, benefiting all who travel on Morrisville Parkway and Koppers Road.

How are all the allowable uses with the proposed rezoning compatible with, or how do they relate to, the uses currently present on adjacent tracts? The property currently has a Land Use Plan designation of Office and Institutional, and a zoning map designation of Office, Research, and Development. These uses would permit a range of office, manufacturing, and commercial uses on the property, uses not typically seen as compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. A town home section of Carpenter Village and a single family residence are located to the south of the property, to the east is a neighborhood of single family residences within the Town of Morrisville, and to the north and west are existing single family residences and a neighborhood soon to be constructed that will house both town homes and single family residences. At one time, much of the surrounding area had Land Use Plan and zoning map designations that called for office and research uses, but the area has slowly changed and has been developed in a residential manner. To amend the Land Use Plan and zoning map to the requested medium density residential categories would permit development that is more compatible with the surrounding neighborhood than the existing designations. On the whole, the planned town home development is far more compatible with the manner in which the area has developed than the current Land Use Plan and zoning map designations would allow.

Schools

There is insufficient information at the level of a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to do a specific forecast of student generation. However, the requested Comprehensive Plan Amendment does have the potential for supporting a rezoning case that could generate more students than under current zoning. Therefore, a specific schools impact analysis will be done with any future rezoning case.

Transit Requirements: No transit requirements

Adjacent/nearby roadways on Town of Cary Transportation Plan:

McCrimmon Parkway:

Existing Roadway Section and ROW: none.

Future Roadway Section: 4-lane median divided, 110 ft. ROW

Schedule: Not currently scheduled

Sidewalk Requirements: sidewalk required on both sides

Bicycle Requirements: 14’ wide outside lane required

Koppers Road:

Existing Roadway Section: 2-lane, 60 ft. ROW

Future Roadway Section: 4-lane median divided, with reserved ROW for additional transit facilities. 110-124 ft. ROW

Schedule: Not currently scheduled

Sidewalk Requirements: Sidewalk required on both sides

Bicycle Requirements: 14’ wide outside lane required

Town Council Motion Options:

MOTION TO ADOPT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF THE TOWN OF CARY TO CHANGE THE LAND USE PLAN MAP DESIGNATION OF APPROXIMATELY 16 ACRES LOCATED at the SOUTHEAST CORNER OF MCCRIMMON PARKWAY AND KOPPERS ROAD FROM Office and Institutional (OFC/INS) to Medium Density Residential (MDR).

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CARY:

Section 1: The Comprehensive Plan of the Town of Cary is hereby amended by changing the future land use designation for the properties identified below from Office and Institutional (OFC/INS) to Medium Density Residential (MDR) on the Land Use Plan Map.

Property Owner(s)	County Parcel Number(s) (10 digit)	Real Estate ID(s)	Area (acres)
Milton and Gloria Maynard Billy and Margaret Maynard 1509 Old Maynard Road Morrisville, NC 27560	0745173844	0293813	13.80
Jimmy and Gayle Davis 6525 Koppers Road Morrisville, NC 27560	0745172357	0106113	3.00
Total Acres			16.80

Section 2.This ordinance shall be effective on the date of adoption.

[Vote]

MOTION TO DENY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT

This proposed amendment (06-CPA-06: McCrimmon Corners Comprehensive Plan Amendment) to change the future land use designation for these properties from Office and Institutional (OFC/INS) to Medium Density Residential (MDR) has been evaluated by staff and the Planning & Zoning Board, cannot be supported because ________________ , and is hereby denied.

[Vote]