A mixed development site composed of a variety of residential housing types, a 22.25 acre Wake County School site, and a 11 acre dedicated park site. The residential component is as follows:

SF-1 parcel is proposed as a single-family residential tract composed of cluster-homes. This 20.75 acre parcel proposes a maximum of 103 units.

SF-2 parcel is proposed for single-family detached units. A maximum of 25 units is proposed on this 6 acre parcel.

SF-3 parcel is proposed for single-family detached units. This 40.5 acre tract proposes a maximum of 110 units.

MR 1 has been deleted. MR-1 parcel is proposed as a mixed residential tract that may include cluster homes, townhomes, patio homes and zero lot line homes.

A Traffic Impact Study, dated January 2002, has been prepared by Wilbur Smith Associates.

The project site is located within the Base Transportation Zone as defined by the Towns Adequate Public Facilities for Roads (APFR) and is specifically located to the south side Green Hope School Road and to the east of Sears Farm Road. The project as proposed is to construct a new elementary school for 600 students, and 289 single-family residences. As proposed, this development is anticipated to be constructed and fully operational in 2004.

As planned, direct access to/from the site will be provided via new roadways that will be constructed as part of the development. The key link accessing the development will be a new section of roadway currently referred to as the "Reserve Connector" that will traverse through the site in primarily a north/south direction. This roadway will connect the existing Reserve development (at Briardale Avenue) to Green Hope School Road. Sears Farm Road will be extended from its current termini to intersect with the new Reserve Connector. Local roadways will be provided off of the Reserve Connector to provide access to residences within the PUD.

Existing conditions have been gathered for the following three intersections, which make up the project study area as directed by Town of Cary staff:

• NC 55 at Green Hope School Road;
• NC 55 at Edgemore Avenue; and
• Green Level Church Road at Green Hope School Road.

This study area is located within the Base Transportation Zone which requires that peak-hour volumes utilize a 90-minute average peak in accordance with the Towns APFR Ordinance 01-012. Traffic volume data within the study area has been obtained for the weekday AM (6:30 - 9:30 AM) and PM (3:30 - 6:30 PM) peak periods. From this data, peak-hour multipliers of 0.937 and 0.838 were developed for the AM and PM peaks, respectively, which have been utilized within this report as required by the ordinance.

To represent Future 2004 traffic volume conditions within the study area, the Existing traffic flow volumes were upwardly adjusted to account for normal traffic growth and any other currently approved projects within the study area.

Discussions with Town of Cary staff indicate that an annual growth rate of 3½ percent per year is to be used within the study area. This growth rate was applied to the Existing peak-hour traffic volumes to estimate Future 2004 conditions without the proposed development.

It should be noted that, in addition to the normal annual growth in traffic, a portion of the residential traffic anticipated with the Cary Park development was included in the 2004 No-Build traffic volumes.

While there will be new roads constructed internal to this project to provide access to the new residences and school, discussions with Town of Cary staff indicate that at this time, no roadway/intersection improvements are planned within or adjacent to the study area that would be completed prior to or concurrent with the opening year of this project.

It should be noted that the potential widening of NC 55 has been investigated. Although not planned to be completed before 2004, this widening is on the "draft" TIP. As proposed, a 13-mile segment from US 64 (Wake County) to SR 1121 (Durham County) is scheduled to be widened to a 5-lane cross-section with construction anticipated to begin in 2004. This improvement when implemented should help to alleviate operational constraints along NC 55 within the study area.

For this project, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation manual was utilized to estimate project trips generated by the proposed facility.

Based on this information, the proposed development can be expected to generate a total of 3,370 (two-way) vehicle trips on a weekday daily basis (1,685 entering, 1,685 exiting), of which a total of 360 trips (143 entering, 217 exiting) are expected during the weekday AM peak-hour. During the PM peak-hour, 279 trips (179 entering, 100 exiting) can be expected.

Traffic generated by the site will be primarily distributed to and from NC 55 and Green Level Church Road.

Traffic Volumes Increases

As a result of this project, traffic volume increases at the study area intersections are anticipated to be no greater than approximately 10 percent as compared to 2004 Future conditions without (No-Build) the proposed development. The projected growth reflects the maximum increase at a time period when the project as a whole is at its highest activity. Smaller/less significant increases can be expected during other non-peak hours of the day.

The Base Transportation Zone requires a minimum Level-of-Service standard of a D based on the 90-minute average peak. Under Existing conditions, all study area intersections presently operate acceptably during both the weekday AM and PM peak hours with the exception of the intersection of NC 55 at Green Hope School Road, which operates poorly during the AM peak hour.

Under 2004 No-Build conditions, with the addition of normal traffic growth and anticipated traffic associated with the Cary Park development, all intersections are still anticipated to operated acceptably during both the weekday AM and PM peak hours with the exception of the intersection of NC 55 at Green Hope School Road which continues to operate poorly during the AM peak hour as it did under Existing conditions. The delay at the intersection of NC 55 at Green Hope School Road more than doubles during the AM peak hour.

With the addition of project related traffic, operations at the intersection of NC 55 at Green Hope School Road deteriorate even further in the AM peak hour, and the intersection is anticipated to operate poorly in the PM peak hour as well. The intersection of NC 55 at Edgemore Avenue is anticipated to operate poorly during the AM peak hour under Build conditions. The intersection of Green Hope School Road at Green Level Church Road is anticipated to operate acceptably during both peak periods as it did under Existing and No-Build conditions.

As part of the proposed development plan, new roadways will be constructed to provide access to/from the development. The key link accessing the development will be a new section of roadway currently referred to as the "Reserve Connector" that will traverse through the site in primarily a north/south direction. This roadway will connect the existing Reserve development (at Briardale Avenue) to Green Hope School Road. It should be noted that the Reserve Connector is planned to intersect at Green Hope School Road directly opposite a proposed access drive for future development north of Green Hope School Road (Fryar Tract). Sears Farm Road will be extended from its current termini to intersect with the new Reserve Connector. Local roadways will be provided off of the Reserve Connector to provide access to residences within the PUD.

As currently proposed, two access drives will be provided for the proposed elementary school off of the new Reserve Connector. While these locations have not been finalized, emphasis should be given to properly aligning drives/roadways on opposite sides of the street, hence preventing undesirable offsetting situations.

Due to the presence of the elementary school, a 3-lane section should be provided on the Reserve Connector for the school frontage to allow for separate left-turn lanes into the school. Furthermore, separate left and right-turn lanes should be provided for the northbound approach of the Reserve Connector at Green Hope School Road. A separate left-turn lane should also be provided for the westbound approach of Green Hope School Road at the intersection with the Reserve Connector.

Review of the intersection analyses indicates that the proposed project has an impact on two of the study area intersections as compared to 2004 No-Build conditions. The most notable impact is at the intersection of NC 55 at Green Hope School Road where the intersection is anticipated to operate with excessive delays under Build conditions. It should be noted that the intersection currently meets Warrant 3 (Peak Hour Volumes) under Existing Conditions during the AM peak hour. The addition of normal traffic growth, background development (Cary Park), and anticipated site traffic will further justify the need for traffic signalization. While the intersection of NC 55 at Edgemore Avenue is shown to operate poorly during the AM peak hour under Build conditions, the delays are not considered extremely high, and the widening of NC 55 as already planned in the TIP is anticipated to improve operating conditions for this intersection. Specific recommendations deemed necessary to mitigate the impact of the project are provided below:

NC 55 at Green Hope School Road

• NC 55 should be widened to provide two through lanes in each direction as indicated in the TIP;
• Reconstruct the eastbound approach of Green Hope School Road to provide an exclusive right-turn lane; and
• Provide traffic signal control.

• NC 55 should be widened to provide two through lanes in each direction as indicated in the TIP.

1.) Green Hope School Road – Improvements will be required along the property frontage in conjunction with site development. Widening to a two lane collector road (three lanes where left turns are needed) will be required.

AM

AM

14.7

B

24.0

C

AM

10.3

B

10.8

B

11.2

B

The property is located in the Jordan Lake Watershed and will be required to address the Reservoir Watershed Protection Ordinance of the Town of Cary. The project will also be required to address the Nitrogen Removal Ordinance of the Town of Cary. According to the information available to me there are stream buffers associated with the property.

All site plans within the PUD area must comply with additional environmental regulations including the Jordan Lake Watershed Protection ordinance and the Stormwater Management Plan For New Development which includes Nitrogen control and peak flow control. If development contributes Nitrogen in excess of 6 lbs/ac/yr, approved BMPs must be installed to reach a target of 3.6 lbs/ac year.

Stormwater Comments for Highcroft PUD submittal.

Riparian Buffers - stream buffers for USGS streams are shown on the map; 50-foot buffers are also shown for streams as indicated on the Wake County Soil Survey. The applicant has agreed to supply stream determination verifications from their consultants. The applicant has agreed to reword Paragraph A under Riparian buffers on the Conceptual Stormwater Management Plan to reflect High density development will have 100 foot buffers on the USGS streams only according to the Town of Cary watershed ordinance.

All site plans within the PUD area must comply with additional environmental regulations including the Jordan Lake Watershed Protection ordinance and the Stormwater Management Plan For New Development which includes Nitrogen control and peak flow control. If development contributes Nitrogen in excess of 6 lbs./ac/yr. for residential or 10 lbs./ac/yr. for commercial, approved BMPs must be installed to reach a target of 3.6-lbs/ac year.

LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT HISTORY: None

The Land Use Plan identifies the site for Low Density Residential (LDR) or Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND).

Conventional LDR development should be 1-3 units per acre, single family detached. Lot sizes range from 12,000sq.ft. to 1 acre. Lot size reductions are possible if the development layout is clustered. However, the overall density should still be less than 3 units per acre.

A clustered layout is an alternative to a conventional suburban layout; its objective is to concentrate development on less sensitive parts of a site and to protect greater amounts of land as open space in an undisturbed natural state. In lieu of this protection density can be increased on the less sensitive land. The total number of units remains the same as might be developed in a conventional layout.

In this case a clustered layout approach has been taken. Excluding the 22-acre school site the layout allows for approximately 2 dwelling units per gross acre on 123 acres. Parcels SF2 & SF4 allow for 4.25 dwelling units per acre and SF1 allows for 5 dwelling units per acre. A total of 33.9 acres of open undeveloped space is being provided in the form of perimeter buffer, stream buffer, wetland, landscape strip, streetscape and thoroughfare buffer, including 11 acres for recreation land dedication.

On this basis it is considered that the proposal is in compliance with the spirit and intent of the land use plan cluster concept.

The adopted Comprehensive Transportation Plan identifies a north-south collector road that traverses through the subject property eventually connecting from Louis Stephens Drive into Apex (south of High House Road. This connection provides alternatives for residents to using larger roadways with higher congestion levels. The applicant's proposed PUD incorporates the collector road.

The Transportation Plan and Town's connectivity ordinance have provided the applicant with direction regarding neighborhood connectivity. For this project, the applicant's illustrative plan shows a street connectivity index consistent with the Town Ordinance. In addition, the proposal provides required stub streets to existing development and adjacent vacant properties.

One of the goals of the Comprehensive Transportation Plan is to improve pedestrian and bicycle systems. The applicant's proposal provides sidewalks or a multi-purpose trail (8 feet in width) along the proposed streets in the project. In addition, greenways and potential linkages to the proposed school site have been incorporated into the PUD plan. From a bicycle perspective, the north-south collector would be designed to accommodate bicycles and would connect into a greenway leading into Thomas Brooks Park.

• What does the Open Space Plan say about resources on this property?

There are three significant resources: bottomland hardwood trees along the stream that is adjacent to the school, there is mixed hardwoods on the southeast side of the potential school property, and there is a stream buffer.

• Are these resources being protected by the project?

The stream buffers and bottomland hardwoods are being protected by the project. The mixed hardwoods may not be protected. The ability to protect the mixed hardwoods is dependent on the site design of the school facility. During the review of the site plan for the elementary school, staff will work with the site designers to develop a project that works toward protecting this area.

The viewshed is seen as another resource, much like upland hardwoods. Once staff receives a potential project, we review the viewshed information. In this case, there is a potential resource (viewshed) on the property. Once we have determined this through the initial screening, staff looks at any physical conditions that may impact the viewshed. With this project, the viewshed area is impacted by distance (it is over 1/2 mile from the historic area, it is blocked by future I-540, and is separated by significant vegetation that is likely to stay in the future. For these reasons, there is not a viewshed to protect on the Highcroft property.

At the public hearing concerns were raised regarding open space, traffic, stormwater, density and school impact. Since the public hearing the developer has met with town staff and adjacent property owners numerous times to alleviate these issues and concerns.

Open space and buffers are currently 31.1 acres, significantly higher than the required 14.4 acres. A twenty-foot undisturbed Common Open Space (COS) has been added adjacent to the Reserve. Additionally, greenway connections and sidewalks on both sides of all streets in the PUD have been added. The open space resources are being protected through the PUD and current regulations and processes.

A north-south residential collector street south of the SF-3 tract has been added at the request of the Town. This north-south residential collector street is shown on the Town’s Transportation Plan and is required by the Town. This collector roadway does not significant modify the plan. The future construction of this roadway to Green Level Road should relieve cut through traffic in the Reserve subdivision by providing another north-south roadway. The road will be constructed to the northern edge of the Batchelor Branch stream buffer.

The roadway connection from Highcroft to Briardale Road stub-out within the Reserve subdivision is required by staff to address the town’s connectivity ordinance and emergency service response times issues. To reduce construction traffic using this roadway, this Briardale Road connection will be constructed but barricaded until 90% of the single-family homes receive CO’s.

Overall dwelling units have decreased from 289 dwelling units to 261 dwelling units. This is a decrease in units per acre from 2 to 1.91 units per acre. The MR-1 tract has been deleted and attached units are no longer part of this proposal. A new SF-4 parcel was added in the place of the MR-1 parcel. The number of units for this parcel has decreased from a maximum of 50 units for the old MR-1 tract to a maximum of 23 units for the new SF-4 tract. With these changes, the proposed PUD is consistent with the Land Use Plan.

To address neighborhood concerns, a condition has been added to require 12,000 square foot minimum lot sizes adjacent to the Reserve subdivision. The Reserve subdivision is zoned R-8 which allows for 8,000 square foot lots.

Staff recommends approval.