TOWN OF CARY
REQUEST FOR REZONING
TOWN COUNCIL IMPACT STATEMENT (February 13, 2003)
02-REZ-18 Highland Village PUD Amendment

PETITIONER		PROPERTY OWNER
DHIC, Inc. 113 South Wilmington Street Raleigh, NC 27601 (919) 832-4345 Fax: (919) 832-2206		DHIC, Inc. 113 South Wilmington Street Raleigh, NC 27601 (919) 832-4345 Fax: (919) 832-2206
LOCATION:	520 High House Road
MAPS:	Vicinity Map - Small Vicinity Map - Large Zoning Map Land Use Plan Map Stream Buffers Open Space Town Council Vicinity Master Land Use Plan Conceptual Landscape Plan Conceptual Phasing Conceptual Storm Drainage Hydrology Analysis Park Facility Plan

In Town Limits [X ] Inside Cary ETJ [ ] Outside Cary ETJ [ ] Annexation Pending [ ]

PROPOSED SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS
TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING:	December 12, 2002
PLANNING & ZONING BOARD:	Tues., January 21, 2003
TOWN COUNCIL:	February 13, 2003

PARCEL INFORMATION
Parcel #	Realid #	Area
076417005643 (part)	0086980	17.96 Acres

REZONING DATA
	CURRENT	PROPOSED
Zoning:	Residential Multi-Family 12 Planned Unit Development (RMF-12 PUD)	RMF-12 PUD Amendment
Overlay District:	Town Center Area Plan Swift Creek Watershed	No Change
Land Use:	Vacant/Undeveloped	Mixed Residential development, consisting of a mix of townhomes, multi-family apartments, and condominium residences, including rental housing for persons over fifty-five (55) years of age. The development as a whole will contain 258 multifamily housing dwellings.

REZONING SUMMARY
	CURRENT	PROPOSED
	Mixed residential development composed of town homes, condominiums, apartments and senior living units with a total maximum for all three tracts of 260 units.	Product limited to a neighborhood development with a mix of residential uses. The development will contain townhomes, condominium units, and apartments. The total number of units will be 258, with approximately 100 rental apartment units for persons over fifty-five (55) years of age. In summary, this request reduces the number of total units by two (2), and changes the mix of unit types. This plan calls for more of the units to be townhouses, and fewer to be condominiums than under the current approval.
Dwelling Type	Dwelling Units (Presently approved)	Dwelling Units (New Request)	Percent of Total Units
Condominiums	80	60	23
Townhouses	30	48	19
Apartments	150	150	58
Total	260	258

REZONING HISTORY

11/08/01, property rezoned from Industrial (I-1) to Residential Multi-Family 12 Planned Unit Development (RMF 12 PUD).

SITE DATA

WATER/SEWER SERVICE

Staff Remarks: This amendment did not change the approved original utility plan.

Analysis: No comments.

TRANSPORTATION

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

The Traffic Impact Study prepared by HNTB September 2001 is not required for this downzoning. The Study was for information only. The Study is required for site plan.

The approved Highland Village plan will generate 104 AM peak hour trips and 126 PM peak hour trips.

The proposed Highland Village plan will generate 95 AM peak hour trips and 112 PM peak hour trips.

A Traffic Impact Study is valid for five(5) years from the date of PUD approval.

The applicant has agreed to revise the High House Road cross section per Staffs’ request as follows:

Provide a 4’ clear area next to on-street parking to allow bicyclists to get around open car doors (i.e. 16’ travel lanes).

Remove on-street parking on the shopping center side of High House Road in order to allow installation of a landscaped median (sufficient parking for the center exists within the shopping center parking lot).

Analysis: Staff supports the proposal.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

Analysis: The surrounding property owners voiced concerns regarding drainage problems down stream of this project specifically at the retirement home and the apartment complex. Staff investigated this and spoke to both property managers in question. The flooding problems described were nuisance flooding which occurred during times of high rainfall. No buildings or structures were in any danger due to drainage problems or flooding. Staff feels no additional stormwater actions would be required and would have no further comments.

REGIONAL WAKE COUNTY SCHOOL ESTIMATES AND CAPACITY IMPACTS: AREA C (Western Wake County)
Current Enrollment Area Schools		Building Capacity	Percent occupied	Projected Number of Students
Elementary	15,868	13,354	118.8%	44
Middle	7,758	6,789	114.3	23
High	7,376	6,420	114.9	31
Total for all Area Schools	30,840	26,563	116.1	98

LOCAL WAKE COUNTY SCHOOL ESTIMATES AND CAPACITY IMPACTS
Current 20^th Day Enrollment at the current schools this parcel is zoned for:		Building Capacity	Percent occupied	APF Ord. Req.	% Over/ Under Ord.	Projected Number of Students
Kingswood Elementary	329	7	4,7000%	130%	4,570% over	44
West Cary Middle	1085	903	120.2%	130%	9.8% under	23
Cary High	1921	1657	115.9%	130%	14.1% under	31
Total for all Zoned Schools						98

Current Enrollment and Building Capacity is based on the 20^th day of the school year for 2002 as supplied by the Wake County School System. School assignment will be determined at the time of development. A list of individual area schools and information concerning enrollment countywide can be found for review: School Data

Be advised that the Projected Number of Students is only a rough approximation. The actual number of students will vary depending on several variables, such as dwelling unit type, number of bedrooms, dwelling size, and other factors. A more definitive estimation will be done at the time of site plan submittal, which is when the applicant is required to secure a Certificate of Adequate Educational Facilities from the Wake County School System, and meet the requirements of the Town of Cary Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance for schools.

ADJACENT ZONING AND LAND USES
	Zoning:	Land Use:
North:	RMF12PUD and I-1	Syracuse Plastics, manufacturing
South:	B-2CU	Cary Plaza Shopping Center across High House Road
East:	RMF-12PUD and B2-CU	vacant
West:	CSX Railroad right-of-way and PEC	Vacant land across 100’CSX Railroad right-of-way

TOWN OF CARY FUTURE LAND USE PLAN DATA
	CURRENT	PROPOSED
Plan Designation:	Mixed Density Residential, Town Center Area Plan	No Change
Alternate Designation:
Activity Center:	Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC) support area	No Change

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ANALYSIS

Land Use Plan Element

LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT HISTORY: None

Analysis: The proposal for a reduction in condominiums (from 80 to 60) and increase in townhouses (from 30 to 48) will equate to an overall reduction of 2 total units. The residential density for the project is proposed to be reduced from 14.5 du/ac to 14.4 du/ac. The Town Center Area Plan designates this site for Mixed Density Residential with a mix of medium to high density housing with an overall average of at least 15 du/ac. Although not quite at 15 du/ac, the proposed housing types and densities remain consistent with the intent of TCAP. Staff therefore has no comments on the proposal.

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Analysis: No Comment.

OPEN SPACE CONSIDERATIONS

Analysis: The parcel contains no significant resources as identified in the Open Space and Historic Resources Plan.

PARKS, GREENWAYS AND BIKEWAYS MASTER PLAN

Analysis: Townhomes in this development will require a payment-in-lieu for parkland. (The value of 1/35^th of an acre per unit will be required from the applicant).

Changes Since Public Hearing:

The applicant has agreed to revise the High House Road cross section per Staffs’ request as follows:

Provide a 4’ clear area next to on-street parking to allow bicyclists to get around open car doors (i.e. 16’ travel lanes).

Remove on-street parking on the shopping center side of High House Road in order to allow installation of a landscaped median (sufficient parking for the center exists within the shopping center parking lot).

On the previous approval, the applicant agreed to a 30-foot streetscape buffer as required by ordinance. In later discussions with the applicant, they have agreed to leave the natural vegetation and thin only f the substandard vegetation.

Protest Petition Information:

Valid [ ] Invalid [ ] None Filed [x]

Analysis:

Town Council approved the Highland Planned Unit Development on November 8, 2001. The approved development called for a total of 260 units (80 condominium units; 30 townhouse units; and 150 apartments).

This request reduces the total number of units by two (2), and changes the mix of unit types from more townhomes and fewer condominiums than under the approved PUD. The request is for 60 condominiums (a decrease of 20 units); 48 townhomes (an increase of 18 units); and 150 apartments (no change).

At the public hearing there were several comments made concerning the following: traffic/speeding, schools and drainage problems. In reviewing this request, it was noted that this will be a downzoning and therefore no effect will be seen in traffic over what has been approved. While it was noted that nuisance flooding does occur during heavy rainfall, no buildings or structures will be in danger. Staff feels that no stormwater actions would be required. With respect to schools, this development has mitigated the effect on area schools through building some age-restricted units. Also, it should be noted that school capacity is addressed at the time of site plan and not during the rezoning stage.

In summary, staff feels that this request is minor in nature. It remains consistent with the Town’s Land Use Plan and only modifies unit type with a slight reduction in overall units. Staff supports this request.

Pros:

The buffer has been upgraded.

No Pros:

Cons

None.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends approval.

PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD RECOMMENDATION

Mr. Dawson made a motion to forward to Council for approval at their February 13, 2003 meeting with a stipulation that a site plan be forwarded to the Planning and Zoning Board for review at time of submittal, which was seconded by Mr. Portman, and the Board voted (8-0).

TOWN COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION

Town Council voted to approve.

Information regarding this rezoning case will be on the Internet one week prior to the public hearing. Our Internet address for this case is http://www.townofcary.org/depts/dsdept/P&Z/rezonings/2002cases/2002index.htm