Mixed residential, commercial, and park development consisting of a maximum of 1390 dwelling units:

• SF-1 Tract: Single-family residential with a maximum of 133 dwelling units.
• SF-2 Tract: Single family residential with a maximum of 185 dwelling units.
• MF-1 Tract: Residential with a maximum of 274 units.
• MF-1a Tract: Residential with a maximum of 320 units.
• MF-2 Tract: Residential with a maximum of 113 units.
• MF-3 Tract: Residential with a maximum of 108 units.
• MF-3a Tract: Residential with a maximum of 49 units (Alternate use: 20,000 sq. ft. of office/commercial).
• MF-4 Tract: Residential with a maximum of 106 units.
• MF-5 Tract: Residential with a maximum of 102 units.
• Village Center: Office, retail and commercial with a maximum of 200,000 square feet, 10% office.
• Recreation Parcel: Approximately 4 acres.
• Town Park: 30 acre proposed town park site.

Traffic Impact Analysis Required: Yes [ X ] No [ ]

A Transportation Planning Study was prepared by Wilbur Smith Associates dated February 2002.

A Traffic Impact Study was prepared May 2002. The September 3, 2002 submittal represents a trip reduction of 12.6% from the traffic study.

This study has been conducted to assess the traffic impacts and evaluate the access and egress requirements for the proposed Stonewater (formerly known as Forest Creek) Planned Unit Development (PUD). The project site is to be located on the west side of NC 55 and to the north of O’Kelly Chapel Road in Cary, North Carolina. This report identifies the impact of traffic generated by the proposed development and evaluates it with regard to capacity, safety, and roadway requirements. The following provides a brief summary of this study’s findings.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project proposal is a mixed-use development known as the Stonewater PUD. This project site is located to the north of the previously approved Cary Park PUD and proposes land-uses that will complement the live, shop, and work in the same neighborhood concept which land planners refer to as a "Multi-Use or Traditional Development." The proposed development would include approximately 1,357 residential units, 180,000 square-feet (sf) of retail space, 60,000 sf of office space, and a 28-acre Town Park.

Access for this future development will be provided via the existing roadways of O’Kelly Chapel Road, Alston Avenue/Green Level to Durham Road, the future County Line Road (which a portion is proposed to be constructed as part of this development), as well as the proposed internal east/west and north/south connector roadways.

It should be noted that future regional access to the project will also be provided by the planned Western Wake Expressway, which is proposed to be constructed by the NCDOT in the immediate area of the site and is planned to terminate at NC 55. When constructed and reasonable access obtained, this future Expressway would provide excellent regional access for traffic generated by the Stonewater PUD. For study purposes, the Western Wake Expressway has been assumed to be partially in place by the planning horizon of the project.

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

• Green Level to Durham Road at O’Kelly Chapel Road;
• O’Kelly Chapel Road at Alston Avenue;
• Alston Avenue at Wake Road; and
• NC 55 at Alston Avenue/Petty Farm Road.

This study area is located within the Northwest Transportation Zone, which requires that peak-hour volumes utilize a 90-minute average peak in accordance with the Town’s 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 .919 and .908 were developed for the AM and PM peaks, respectively, and have been utilized within this report as required by the ordinance.

To represent Future 2010 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 5 percent per year is to be used for traffic on NC 55 and 10 percent per year for all other volumes. These growth rates were applied to the Existing peak-hour traffic volumes to estimate Future 2010 conditions without the proposed development. It should be noted that, in addition to the normal annual growth in traffic, traffic associated with the Cary Park development was included in the 2010 No-Build traffic volumes.

Planned Roadway Improvements

Within the defined study area, NC 55 is programmed to be widened from its current two-lane cross-section, to a four-lane divided facility by the NCDOT. This improvement is planned to be started by 2003/2004, and will extend from US 64 through the study area to I 40. Also included with this project is the re-alignment/extension of O’Kelly Chapel Road between Green Level to Durham Road and NC 55. Additionally, the existing southbound approach of Alston Avenue at O’Kelly Chapel Road will be relocated opposite Green Level to Durham Road to form a four-legged intersection.

Another roadway planned project, is the Wake Expressway which is planned to end at NC 55 via a grade-separated interchange. South of NC 55, the Wake Expressway should, at a minimum, continue as a two-lane facility terminating at Panther Creek Parkway (proposed) via an at-grade intersection.

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 19,790 (two-way) vehicle trips on a weekday daily basis, of which a total of 1,066 trips (384 entering, 682 exiting) are expected during the weekday AM peak-hour. During the PM peak-hour, 1,912 trips (1,025 entering, 887 exiting) can be expected.

Traffic generated by the site will be primarily distributed to and from NC 55 and the Western Wake Expressway with lesser proportions to and from Alston Avenue/Green Level to Durham Road.

Traffic Volumes Increases

As a result of this project, traffic volume increases at the study area intersections are expected to be significant, ranging from approximately 15 to 280 percent, with the highest increases occurring at intersections internal of the site.

As part of the proposed development plan, a portion (approximately 850-feet) of the proposed future County Line Road (Amberly Drive) will be constructed from O’Kelly Chapel Road northward to the project boundary. This roadway will be constructed as a four-lane divided cross-section.

Also, as part of this project, two internal connector roadways will be constructed. An east/west connector will be constructed and extend (approximately 1,250-feet) from the proposed County Line Road eastward to Green Level to Durham Road. This roadway will be located approximately 500-feet north of (and parallel to) O’Kelly Chapel Road. A north/south connector will be constructed and extend (approximately 400-feet) from O’Kelly Chapel Road northward to the proposed east/west connector. This roadway will be located approximately 850-feet west of (and parallel to) Green Level to Durham Road. Each of these connector roadways will be constructed as a two-lane divided cross-section.

In addition to this new roadway construction, the following roadways will be widened (along the project frontage) to provide a four-lane divided cross-section.

• Existing/Re-aligned O’Kelly Chapel Road; and
• Existing/Extended Green Level to Durham Road.

To provide access to the proposed development, multiple access driveways are proposed to access the major roadways of O’Kelly Chapel Road and Green Level to Durham Road, the minor roadway of Alston Avenue, as well as the newly constructed County Line Road, East/West Connector, and North/South Connector.

It should be noted that all above improvements/modifications are included under the 2010 Build condition.

The Northwest Transportation Zone requires a minimum Level-of-Service standard of a D based on the 90-minute average peak.

Under Existing conditions, traffic operations at all study area intersections are acceptable (LOS D or better) during both the weekday AM and PM peak hours with the exception of the NC 55 at Alston Avenue/Petty Farm Road intersection, which operates unacceptably during both time periods due to the high volume of through traffic on NC 55.

Under 2010 No-Build conditions, all intersections are expected to operate acceptably during the peak hours with the exception of the Green Level to Durham Road/O’Kelly Chapel Road intersection. These unacceptable traffic conditions arise from the anticipated annual growth in traffic in the area as well as the addition of the Cary Park traffic volumes.

With the addition of project related traffic, operations at all intersections will be degraded such that three of the study intersections will operate unacceptably.

Recommended Mitigation

The final phase of the analysis process is to identify mitigating measures, which may either minimize the impact of the project on the transportation system or tend to alleviate poor service levels not caused by the project. Measures considered necessary to mitigate roadway system deficiencies are discussed below as they relate to the impacts of the proposed project.

• Provide for "dual" left-turn lanes on the eastbound (O’Kelly Chapel Road) approach;
• Provide for "dual" left-turn lanes on the northbound (NC 55) approach, and
• Optimize signal phasing and timing.

Note: The recommended "dual" left-turn lanes on the northbound (NC 55) approach will require two receiving lanes on westbound O’Kelly Chapel Road. Due to the needed length of taper, etc. required for these receiving lanes, it may be more feasible to consider continuing the widening of O’Kelly Chapel Road to a four-lane divided from the property’s eastern boundary to NC 55.

• Place intersection under traffic signal control.

• No mitigation is proposed for this unsignalized study intersection. Due to the small/marginal minor street left-turn volume, signal warrants are not anticipated to be met given the projected volume. This intersection should be monitored once the development reaches full build-out and, if volumes are shown to be greater than those projected due to modifications to the development plan and/or additional development in the area, the potential of signalization should be investigated.

As shown, with mitigation, the O’Kelly Chapel Road at Green Level to Durham Road intersection is improved to an acceptable level, whereas the NC 55 at O’Kelly Chapel Road intersection is drastically improved but will still operate unacceptably during the PM peak-hour. In order to achieve acceptable levels, it is anticipated that NC 55 will need to be widened to provide three travel lanes in the each direction at some point in the future if planned development continues in the region.

Also, if this widening of NC 55 were to occur and/or the Western Wake Expressway were to be extended to US 64, the required number of separate turning lanes at specific intersections along NC 55 would be reduced.

170

Stonewater PUD

Final comments 9/10/02

The Stonewater PUD is subject to the current Town of Cary riparian buffers ordinance, nitrogen reduction ordinance and reservoir watershed protection ordinance which are being addressed in the following manner.

The riparian buffer ordinance is being addressed by preserving those buffers that have been determined by the Town of Cary to be subject to the ordinance. There are no plans to impact any of the subject riparian buffers in this PUD.

Part low density residential (1 to 3 dwelling units per acre), part low to medium density residential (up to 8 dwelling units per acre)

In further discussions with the applicant, they have also agreed to the following PUD plan changes, in order to bring the application into conformance with changes and clarifications made to the NW Cary Area Plan as part of the Planning & Zoning Board action on Aug. 19^th:

1. A multi-use path (30-50-feet in total buffer width with 10-foot paved paths) will be provided in place of the proposed sidewalk along the west side of Green-Level to Durham Rd. The path may occur in the 30-ft. streetscape.
2. A multi-use path will be provided in place of the proposed sidewalk along the north side of the east-west connector between the Recreation Area and Amberly Drive. Since this is along a local road and not a major thoroughfare, the multi-use path may be located in a streetscape of less than the 30 ft. minimum average width recommended by the NW Plan for paths adjacent to thoroughfares, although the path itself will still be at least 10 feet wide.
3. The proposed private greenway within the Town Park will be changed to a public greenway.
4. The proposed private greenway along the stream between MF-2 and SF-2 (outside of the Town Park site) will either be changed to allow right of public access, or to make this a public greenway section.

If the Town Council does not approve the Northwest Area Plan in its current form, the proposed PUD rezoning would require a formal land use plan amendment (#02-LPA-05).

The required public hearing on the Stonewater PUD was conducted on July 11, 2002. Some of the major issues raised at the hearing included:

• building height limits,
• open space and protection of natural resources,
• parkland, greenways,
• future road connectivity within the single-family areas,
• provision for an additional east-west connector road between Green Level-Durham Road and NC 55 as proposed on the draft Northwest Area Plan, and
• accommodation of transit, especially within the mixed use village.

Since the hearing, staff has transmitted comments to the applicant on these and numerous other aspects of the proposed rezoning. Several changes to the PUD have been provided in response to public comments:

1. Building height limits have been added, with limits for 4 stories in the TC (Town Center) and MF (Multifamily) parcels and 3 stories in all other parcels.
2. The "Option A" alternative previously shown for parkland has been exercised, with almost 30 acres of land straddling Green Level-Durham Road on the northern property boundary. The active park area is intended for the portion in the northeast corner of the project.
3. The illustrative plan has been removed and replaced with a new master land use plan so as to focus the discussion on issues appropriate for zoning and not site plan requirements. Hence, concerns about meeting detailed development requirements such as the Town’s connectivity index will be addressed when development plans are reviewed.
4. A new collector road has been included between MF-1 and MF-1a as requested to connect NC 55 with Green Level-Durham Road.
5. Transit stop locations, while erroneously omitted from the master land use plan, will be identified.

In addition, the following other additions, changes, and revisions have been incorporated in the Stonewater PUD:

1. A pedestrian/bicycle link has been provided to connect the development’s central recreation area to the park site.
2. In addition to the 29.76-acre parkland dedication, the Developer will make a payment to the Town as agreed upon with the Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department. The terms of this arrangement will be part of the Developer’s Agreement.
3. Road and pedestrian connections have been provided to link to the development to the south, and pedestrian and vehicular connections to village and residential areas are identified on the Master Land Use Plan.
4. The PUD has been revised to provide for a multi-use corridor along Amberly Drive, between Amberly Drive and the neighborhood recreation area, and along both sides of Green Level-Durham Road.
5. A requirement that 10% of the commercial acreage will be devoted to office uses has been added.
6. Stonewater PUD will comply with the Town’s APF Ordinance for schools, as outlined in the Developer’s Agreement, via provision of funding for schools to the Town or the Wake County Public School System as allowed in the UDO. Conformance with the Schools APF will not be required in the future if this arrangement is accepted by Town Council.
7. There is a 50-foot undisturbed buffer adjacent to the Corps property with a required 25-foot setback off the undisturbed buffer.
8. The post development Total Nitrogen Export limit has been reduced significantly, with the number of stormwater devices increased to the maximum extent practicable in order to achieve the lower total nitrogen export limit.
9. The number of residential unit CO’s (Certificates of Occupancy) issued by the Town of Cary will be limited to 40% of the PUD total until a second water connection to the Stonewater PUD is constructed.
10. Language was added to the PUD document to clarify when locating utilities and BMP's in Zone 3 of the Town of Cary Riparian Buffers and the outer 50-feet of the State Class IV Watershed Protection Buffers was allowable, and that the PUD document was not a blanket approval for locating utilities and BMP's in these zones.
11. Sand Filters were added as BMP devices in Commercial parcels as an option for compliance with the tract’s target total nitrogen export.

Valid [ ] Invalid [ ] None Filed [X]

This proposal is located close to the Regional Activity Center proximate to the I-540 and NC 55 interchange and provides a mix of land use types and higher density development in the area near Research Triangle Park. The applicants have worked closely with staff to prepare the Stonewater PUD in conjunction with development of the Northwest Area Plan.

• Land uses match the draft Northwest Area Plan.
• The density of development within Stonewater decreases towards the west and adjacent to Corps of Engineers property for Jordan Lake, with the greatest buffers adjoining Corps land.
• Sensitive lands will be dedicated to the Town for parkland and funds will be provided to purchase off-site parkland in this vicinity.
• The applicant and/or the Town of Cary will make required roadway improvements in accordance with a separate developer’s agreement.
• The proposed Village Center will provide for nearby neighborhood services for residents of the Stonewater development.
• A collection of sidewalks, greenways, and multi-use paths will facilitate pedestrian and bicycle movement throughout the project and provide links to off-site to nearby facilities (like the American Tobacco trail to the west)

• Commercial uses, not currently shown on the Town’s Land Use Plan, will be developed on this property.
• Residential densities will be higher than shown on the adopted Land Use Plan.