TOWN OF CARY

TOWN CENTER AREA PLAN WORK SESSION
  MINUTES

July 2, 2001, 6:00 PM
Cary Town Hall Building A, Front Conference Room
316 N. Academy Street

ITEMS

Board Members Present: .Wally Dawson, Steve Goodridge, Erv Portman, Carla Sadtler, June Schmidt, and Ed Yerha

Staff Members Present: Jim Parajon, Gordon Sutherland, Jeff Ulma, and Debbie Wyatt

Item 1

 Mr. Sutherland showed board members a video of the presentation made to the Town Council at the Public Hearing June 28th, on the content and recommendations in the draft Town Center Area Plan.

Mr. Sutherland then ran through the information shown on four proposal maps.

Item 2

 Density.

Staff confirmed that:

  • Density and height are not on the scale of the Coker towers proposal for Raleigh. South of the tracks in the heart of the mixed-use core the buildings envisioned are 2 to 3 stories, north of the tracks they could possibly be 5 to 6 stories especially around the railroad station.
  • Land use recommendations are not based on achieving TTA’s projected ridership. The plan objectives are wider; TTA is one component.

 

Item 3

 Impact on Private Property.
  • A market study currently underway will report in the fall to find if there is a market for the development envisioned. A developer interest study is recommended as an implementation item of the plan.
  • Rezoning in conformance with the plan would be a follow up task after adoption of the plan.
 

Item 4

 In addition to this discussion explanations were given on the rationale for:
  • Aggregating land into developable parcels,
  • A possible PUD approach for the area,
  • Stormwater implications,
  • A federal quiet zone,
  • Special Opportunity Sites,
  • Transportation recommendations and
  • Municipal parking (decks)

 

Item 5

 At the close of discussions the board members suggested that for the P&Z board Presentation on July 16th, staff should:
  • Highlight that the plan is not a radical change, but encourages smart growth.
  • Put the high-density proposals in perspective, highlight what doesn’t change, give citizens an idea of the percentage of the area that will not be affected.
  • Make it clear what the plan is and what P&Z are being asked to endorse.

I.e. that:

  1. The Town wide future land use plan adopted in 1996 largely reflects existing use in the town center study area. That plan recognized that because of the complex nature of the area a detailed study was required to enable future land use proposals to be made. The TCAP now provides that information and will supercede the 1996 Plan for the Town Center Area.
  2. The TCAP is a land use and transportation guide for future development of the area, it sets out the Town’s vision and the steps recommended for implementation.

 

Item 6

 The work session was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.