Town of Cary, North Carolina

Mixed Use Sketch Plan Data Sheet

07-MU-005 Grist Mill

Request

The applicant is requesting Council approve a Mixed Use Sketch Plan to allow 18,200 square feet of office use and 19,200 square feet of commercial use on approximately 5.74± acres.   There is an associated rezoning case (07-REZ-011) and a voluntary annexation petition (07-A-20) in review with this case.

The purpose of the Mixed Use Overlay District is to enable the development of lands in areas designated as mixed use centers on the Land Use Plan Map in accordance with the guidance of Comprehensive Plan and individual mixed use sketch plans. It is intended to promote higher-density, mixed-use developments of varying sizes, as an alternative to lower-density separate-use suburban sprawl-type development.

Mixed use sketch plans are conceptual documents that address the general density, mix of uses, and development patterns within a mixed use center. They are less detailed than the site plans required for full site plan review. The intent is to provide sufficient information to determine consistency with the Comprehensive Plan and the Town’s Design Guidelines. Specific development issues must be addressed for compliance with existing requirements specified in the Land Development Ordinance (LDO) when the site plan is submitted.  All such requirements can be found at http:vic.townofcary.org.

Sketch Plan

Background Information

*Meeting Schedules are subject to change pending the results of the plan review process with the Town’s Development Review Committee.

** Cases with a valid protest petition, or if not recommended by the Planning and Zoning Board unanimously for approval, will be presented at the second Council Meeting.

Property Owner Information

Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan

A. Land Use Plan:  The subject parcels are located within the Mill Pond Mixed-Use Community Activity Center, which calls for a pedestrian-supportive mix of retail, office, and high- and medium-density housing within the overall activity center.  The Land Use Plan recommends that there be a reasonable balance between commercial/retail and office/institutional uses within an activity center, and that there be at least one housing unit for every 1,000 sq. ft. of nonresidential floorspace.  While there is a wide range in the total overall nonresidential floor space within community activity centers in Cary, the Land Use Plan provides a general guideline that one might expect about “+/- 500,000 sq. ft.” of nonresidential floor space. 

At present, the amount of development already built or approved within this activity center is as follows:

As depicted in the tables above, the total amount of nonresidential floor space within this activity center falls well within Land Use Plan guidelines, as does the planned number of residential units.  However, nonresidential space within the activity center is skewed towards retail/commercial, and hence additional office space would be encouraged.  The subject MUSP would add 19,200 sq. ft. of retail/commercial space, and 18,200 sq. ft. of office space, and thus would have the effect of shifting the office percentage of nonresidential space from 70% to about 68.5% of the total. 

B.  Growth Management Plan:

The Growth Management Plan includes the following Guiding Principles which are relevant to this case: 

1. L1 Guiding Principle: Concentrate growth near planned infrastructure to minimize costly service-area extensions.

Staff Analysis:  The subject parcels are located within an area that is served by Town utilities.

2. A1 Guiding Principle: Increase permitted densities in preferred growth areas to encouraged desired forms of development.

Staff Analysis:  The subject parcels are located within an area identified as a Mixed-Use Community Activity Center and thus this is a preferred growth area for the requested type of development. 

C.  Open Space and Historic Resources Plan:

There are no historic resources located on the subject parcels.  The parcels do not contain any identified significant natural resources as identified in the Open Space and Historic Resources Plan.

D. Affordable Housing Plan

Given the location of the existing road stubs in the adjacent apartment complex to the proposed Mixed Used Sketch Plan, this proposal presents an opportunity to connect the adjoining 5.74 acres which will consist of 18,200 square feet of office use and 19,200 square feet of commercial.  The connectivity of the roads would allow residents within walking distance access to retail, shopping and employment opportunities.

E. Transportation

Ten Ten Road

Existing Section:  Approx. 80’ ROW

Future Section:  100’ ROW 4-lane median divided

Road Improvements: None scheduled by the Town of Cary

Sidewalks Requirements: sidewalks required on both sides

Bicycle Requirements: 14’ wide outside lanes required

Transit Requirements:  None

Kildaire Farm Rd.

Existing Section:  Approx. 60’ ROW

Future Section:  100’ ROW 4-lane median divided

Road Improvements: None scheduled by the Town

Sidewalks Requirements: sidewalks required on both sides

Bicycle Requirements: 14’ wide outside lanes required

Transit Requirements: None

Traffic Analysis:  A traffic study was conducted (07-TAR-243) for this development by MAB.  The following are preliminary recommendations for the study for this development:

·Widen the section of Ten Ten road along the frontage of this property

·At the intersection of Ten Ten Road and Kildaire Farm Road, re-stripe the existing East Bound shared thru and right turn lane to a thru lane and construct an additional 400 foot East Bound right turn lane.  In addition, extend the existing North Bound left turn lane to 450 feet.

·At the intersection of Kildaire Farm Road and Harvest Creek Place/Access #3, a signal should be installed if it meets the warrants in a signal analysis and meets all of the NCDOT and TOC approvals for a signal at that location.

AND

With regard to the access at the site driveways along Ten Ten, there are two options as follows:

Option 1

For the safest maneuvers, all access would be restricted to RI/RO.  A concrete median island would need to be installed.  NB left-turners from Grist Mill and SB left-turners from Millpond Village would have to traverse to the next closest left-over to make a U-turn to proceed in their desired direction.  Intersection design to ensure these maneuvers are accommodated would be needed.

At the intersection of Ten Ten Road and Shopping Center Driveway #1/Access #1, construct a thru-right turn lane on the EB approach with at least 150 feet of storage.

At the intersection of Ten Ten Road and Shopping Center Driveway #2/Access #2, construct an exclusive EB 100 foot right turn lane.

OR

Option 2

At the intersection of Ten Ten Road and Shopping Center Driveway #1/Access #1, construct a NB approach to have one ingress and two egress lanes with an exclusive left with 150 feet of storage.  In addition, construct a thru-right turn lane on the EB approach with at least 150 feet of storage.  Stripe an exclusive WB left turn lane with at least 150 feet of storage. Remove the EB left turn into Millpond Village.

At the intersection of Ten Ten Road and Shopping Center Driveway #2/Access #2, construct a NB approach to have one ingress and one egress lane which would serve as an exclusive right turn lane.  In addition, construct an exclusive EB 100 foot right turn lane. In addition, stripe an exclusive EB left turn lane  with at least 150 feet of storage which would become a “left-over” design (into Millpond Village).

These recommendations are based on staff comments from draft study and the TOC reserves the right to adjust these recommendations with additional review.

F.  Parks & Greenways Master Plan: Greenway Map
According to the approved Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Facilities Master Plan there are no issues related to this site.

G.   Environmental:   According to the Town of Cary GIS maps, there is a 50’ stream buffer on a portion of one lot.  The exact location of this buffer will be field determined. The project will be required to comply with all buffer requirements of the Land Development Ordinance during the site plan approval process.

H. Buffers:  According to LDO Chapter  7,  a 65’ type A buffer is required between the proposed Commercial (Class 6) Land use on this plan and the existing single family residential property located to the west. The current proposal exceeds the requirement to provide half of a 40’ type B Buffer along the southern property line.

I.  Streetscape:  The plan proposes a reduction to portions of the required 30’ streetscape.  Such a request can be considered through the Mixed Use Sketch plan review process, provided Cary design guidelines are applied. For example, a portion of the parking should be placed to the rear or sides of commercial buildings, and the buildings should have defining architectural elements that orient the building front toward the street. Also, pedestrians must be provided direct access to the buildings from the public sidewalk.

Consistency with the Land Development Ordinance

The proposed project is in the mixed use sketch plan stage and therefore preliminary engineering of the site has not been done.  Prior to Site Plan or Subdivision Plan approval, the application will be required to demonstrate consistency with the Land Development Ordinance with respect to specific development requirements, such as access, stormwater management, road improvements, utility line placement, road connectivity and landscape plantings.

Existing and Requested Zoning District Comparison:

* 30’ from Collector Roads and 50’ from Thoroughfares.

Town Council Criteria for Consideration in Reviewing Mixed Use Sketch Plans:

Proposed mixed use sketch plans shall be reviewed for compliance with the following approval criteria where deemed appropriate (i.e. it may not be practical for some existing or partially-built mixed use district to achieve certain design standards).

Section 4.4.2 (J) of the Land Development Ordinance sets forth the following criteria that Council should consider in reviewing mixed use sketch plans.

(1)        The mixed use sketch plan has been prepared consistent with the requirements of this Section and the Land Use Plan;

(2)        The mixed use sketch plans includes an appropriate mix of land uses for the overall activity center, including residential, commercial, office, and institutional uses;

(3)        The mixed use sketch plans will meet or exceed Town design guidelines and other established Town standards;

(4)        The mixed use sketch plans includes medium- and higher-density housing;

(5)        The mixed use sketch plans includes some formal outdoor space for public use, such as a park, village green, or plaza; larger mixed use centers should include more such space than smaller centers; and

(6)        The mixed use sketch plans demonstrates that there has been participation by residents, property owners in the surrounding neighborhoods and the Town so that the proposed development responds specially to the unique conditions of the area.

Other Reference Information

Schools

The proposal does not include any residential use; therefore, school impacts are not evaluated.

Applicant’s Justification Statement Submitted (May 31, 2007)

The following statements are provided by the applicant in response to the criteria established in the application and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Town of Cary.  Any statements as to the type, quality or physical features are at the direction of the applicant and may be formulated into a condition:

Purpose

Grist Mill is a 5.725 acre mixed use development located in the southwest corner of Ten Ten Rd and Kildaire Farm Rd in Cary, NC.  The property for Grist Mill is currently undesignated as it is located outside Cary’s current town limits. This project sketch plan is a mixed-use development.  We are requesting annexation into Cary’s Town limits, a zoning classification of O&I conditional, office and institutional,  under the condition: Even if the project is developed under based zoning the development will comply with Mixed Use Overlay district design guideline and the overlay district designation of Community Center (CC) Mixed Use Overlay District.  Given the size of the tracts the impact on the Community Center total area will be slight but still impact the Community Center in a positive fashion.

The concept of the proposed development is to provide an area that will provide mixed uses for the neighbors and the community.  Retail, restaurants and office space will be made available within this development as per the guidelines set forth within the Mixed Use Overlay district.  A sketch plan will show the uses proposed.

The design of Grist Mill will promote interconnectivity within the tracts and the surrounding land.  The design concept for the project includes creating a unique sense of place and interconnectivity within the residential development to the south. There will be a coordinated landscape theme throughout the project.  Grist Mill will complement the surrounding developments within the mixed-use overlay district.  It will contribute to the overall mixed use by containing both retail and office space.

Tract Size

Due to the unique nature of the size and shape of the tract the development will incorporate a sketch plan to show uses proposed for the tract.  The impact on the entire Mixed Use Overlay district is minimal in comparison to the development areas surrounding the site.

Architectural Standards

The development will follow the architectural guidelines outlined in the LDO.  Buildings will vary between one and two stories. The design concept for the project includes an outdoor restaurant area and patios behind the office/retail building.  The project will be pedestrian friendly with sidewalks connecting to the apartment complex.

There will be a monument area designated near the intersection of Ten Ten Rd and Kildaire Farm Rd to display public art.

There will be a coordinated architectural theme throughout the project.  Further details will be given during the Site Plan stage.

Consistency with Land Use Plans

The zoning for Grist Mill is consistent with the Town of Cary Land Use Plan.  The Town of Cary currently calls for the proposed tract to be LDR.  With the rezoning into the Town of Cary it will be part of the Community Activity Center shown on the Land Use Maps.  The project will be integrated into the Millpond Village Mixed Use Overlay District.

Complies With LDO

Grist Mill complies with all relevant sections of the Town of Cary LDO.  The proposed development will be integrated into the Millpond Community Center.  Even if the project is develop-ed under based zoning the development will comply with Mixed Use Overlay district design guidelines.  The Mixed Use Overlay district will control the uses allowed on site and development standards.

Benefits/Detriments

Grist Mill will be detrimental to the Wake County Residents adjacent and surrounding the tract in terms of access to their property being impacted by greater traffic flow along Ten Ten Road; however, it can be anticipated the traffic in this area will already be worsening even without the proposed development.  Grist Mill will benefit the area by allowing a portion of the Ten Ten Road widening along its frontage.  It will also allow residents of the adjacent apartment complex to a location to work/ shop/eat that is interconnected with them

Compatibility

The proposed zoning is compatible with the apartment complex to the south as O&I is a good transition from residential. 

Town of Cary Design Principles

As Part of the review process, the proposed Mixed Use Sketch Plan will be evaluated by staff to assess its compliance with the seven following design principles:

1.        Create Human Scale

2.        Create a Sense of Place                                                                                                  

3.        Connect Uses

4.        Provide Transitions

5.        Reduce Parking Impacts

6.        Plan for Pedestrian, Bicyclists, and Transit Users

7.        Provide Open Space