06-CPA-06
McCrimmon Corners Comprehensive Plan Amendment
Case Data

1.  Background Information  

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

Proposed Comprehensive Plan Designation:  Medium Density Residential (MDR)  

Acreage:  Approximately 16.80  

Location:  Southeast corner of McCrimmon Parkway and Koppers Road Vicinity map

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  

2.  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.

Per the approved Open Space and Historical Resources Plan (OSHRP), most of this parcel is shown as Potential Open Space.  Greenways map   

3.  Reference Information  

A.      Meeting Schedule:   

Town Council Public Hearing
Date:  June 8, 2006  
Action:  

Planning & Zoning Board:
Date:  August 21, 2006
Action:  

Town Council Action:
Date:  September 14 or 28, 2006  

B.  Parcel & Owner Information:

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

The applicant’s responses to questions posed on the Town’s Comprehensive Plan Amendment application form are provided below.  The application questions are in bold, and the applicant’s responses are quoted.  (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: 

a.      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. 

b.      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. 

      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. 

1. 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.  
2. The proposed town home development will generate less traffic than the office/manufacturing/commercial uses permitted on the parcels now, benefiting the surrounding neighborhoods. 
3. Additional housing units will benefit the commercial uses existing and planned in the area by expanding the customer base. 
4. 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.  

D.  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.
        
E.  Transit Requirements:
No transit requirements.  

F.  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 

G.  Development Plan Issues 
The purpose of a rezoning is to evaluate the appropriateness of this land use for these parcels of land.  Specific development requirements related to the technical aspects of land development, such as access, stormwater management, road improvements, utility line placement, road connectivity and landscape plantings, are not considered during the rezoning process.  However, all of these development issues must be addressed for compliance with existing requirements spelled out in the Land Development Ordinance (LDO) when the site or subdivision plan is submitted.  All such requirements can be found at http:vic.townofcary.org.