TOWN OF CARY

REQUEST FOR REZONING 

PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL

STAFF CONTACT:  Beth Lewis, Senior Planner

                              (919) 462-3944

See Staff Recommendation below

The Planning and Zoning Board voted 8-2 to forward the case to Town Council with a recommendation for approval based on Staff Recommendation (See below).

Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of amendments 1 through 3 listed below.  Staff does not support amendment #4 – changing the architectural design guidelines for the hotel.

1. Increasing the height limit of the hotel building from 56 to 86 feet

2. Increasing the building from four to six stories

3. Eliminating the residential component of the project, and

4. Changing the architectural design guidelines applicable to the hotel.

Staff believes that the applicant has addressed the impacts from the increase in building stories and height by moving the proposed hotel and retail buildings farther away from the nearby residential development and orienting the buildings so that the hotel rooms do not overlook the residents’ homes.  The applicant had done this through incorporating a majority of the surface parking (125 spaces) into the parking deck structure.  This change supports the Town’s goal of reducing the visual impact of parking and creating a more urban-type development.  Staff is also pleased to see the interest to construct the hotel in the near future because it will support further construction of additional retail space approved for the Arboretum.  Although the staff prefers to maintain the residential component within this development, we understand the market difficulty of supporting this type of housing. The small number of residential units originally planned (19 units) is not a significant enough to change the character of the PDD were it deleted.

However, since this project is part of an overall master plan, staff does not support the proposed elevations of the hotel and retail buildings unless conditions are provided that yield a design for the hotel building that has closer architectural ties to the existing retail buildings at the Arboretum.  The staff has suggested some changes to improve the compatibility; however, the applicant believes that these changes will not be compatible with the overall design for the hotel and retail buildings and will look out of place with the modernist architecture of the hotel and retail buildings.  The applicant also believes that the compatibility of the materials used, the addition of a greater amount of landscape, and the reduce visibility of the site from the major roadways supports the change in design.  

Background:

The applicant has requested an increase in building height to accommodate amenities within the hotel property (i.e., the outdoor pool and terraced areas). The outdoor area has moved further from the residential areas and outside of the wetlands areas in the latest submittal.   The modifications to the hotel also include:

• The number of hotel rooms will decrease by 53%;

• The floor area of the Arboretum center as a whole will decrease by 21%; and

• The number of parking spaces will decrease by 40%, with almost half of the spaces in an underground structure.

Staff’s reviewed the proposed architectural design guideline changes as they relate to the colors, materials, and style stated in the Arboretum’s existing design guidelines and the exist retail buildings.  Below is a comparison summary.

Colors:

• Retail: The retail buildings are in shades of browns, red brick, tans and greens.  The awnings are dark green fabric with white stripes at the edges.

• Hotel: The proposed hotel building uses light-colored limestone and glass.  The awnings are beige porcelain metal.

Materials: 

• Overall: The design guidelines for the Arboretum PDD stipulate the use of brick masonry, stone, and cast stone.  Stucco and synthetic stucco is included, with use limited to no more than 70% of a building façade. 

• Retail: The existing retail buildings use brick, synthetic stucco, and wrought-iron.  Glass is used as typical storefronts.  The awnings are of fabric. 

• Hotel: In the proposed hotel building, both smooth-faced and rough-faced, light-colored limestone is used, primarily as towers.  The material most prominent in the elevation is glass.  The awnings are of 

Style:

• Overall: The Arboretum design guidelines contained in the PDD document refer to covered walkways, arcades, and colonnades.  The guidelines include references to awnings and bay windows.  Many of these elements are found in the retail buildings that exist at the Arboretum center. 

• Retail: The retail buildings have a Georgian influence, with vertical lines, paned windows, and design elements around the windows and doors.  The design guidelines require that the upper floors of commercial buildings have glazed openings (windows) that are rectangular in shape, with the height exceeding the width.  Openings of that shape reinforce the Georgian design of the existing retail buildings.  The retail buildings have arched openings, curved awnings, and circular metalwork. Hip/mansard roofs are finished in gray slate shingles.

• Hotel: The hotel building is horizontal in nature, with three vertical limestone towers.  The first design submitted included vertical piers, appearing to divide the individual rooms.  The second design submitted does not include those vertical elements, but appears as horizontal levels of glass.  There is little ornamentation that reflects the Georgian design of the retail buildings.  No arches, curves, or circular elements appear in the proposed hotel building.  The roofline is flat.

The applicant desires to retain the architectural style as submitted.  The most recent submittal included increased landscaping between the retail area and the hotel, so as to provide a more significant visual break between the two uses.  The applicant feels that the hotel design takes the elements of the retail center and gives them a modern interpretation.  The applicant also believes that paving design, landscaping, and lighting will provide a tie between the retail center and the hotel.  The applicant feels that the “main street” feel of the retail buildings is not appropriate in the hotel building.

Changes Since Public Hearing

At the Town Council public hearing, concerns were raised by both the Council and a neighbor that the building had little architectural tie to the existing retail section of the Arboretum development.  A second set of elevations was submitted.  The changes in the second set include:

• Altering the pool area so as to stay out of the wetland

• Installing additional landscaping between the retail section and the hotel

• Decreasing the vertical limestone elements on the face of the building, and replacing them with glass

Cary Arboretum LLC

PO Box 3557

Cary, NC 27519-3557

Contact: 

David Camp

Development Solutions LLC

PO Box 4592

Cary, NC 27519-4592

919-469-3041

Cary Arboretum LLC

PO Box 3557

Cary, NC 27519-3557

• Corner of N. Harrison Ave. and Weston Parkway

• Within the Town Limits of Cary

Master Land Use

Vicinity Map

Elevation

Project Description 

PDD Amendment Justification

The proposed PDD amendment is to enable the Hotel portion of the site to be constructed and provide the amenities that would normally go with a ‘Luxury Style’ Hotel.  This will be the first and most likely only change to the partially built planned development that was initially approved in 1993. The amendment is to specifically increase the height and story restriction on the hotel portion of the site.  The hotel and associated meeting area will be approximately 25% smaller than originally approved. The need for the height is due to the amenities being provided such as a terrace, pool and garden area behind the hotel. The height of 86’ represents the tallest possible point on the structure, the highest living level will be approximately 68’ as measured from the front. The previous approval of 56’ was also to the highest living level. The parking will be provided in an underground garage as the original plan. The other amenities provided are a meeting area for about 220 seats, spa with indoor pool and a fine dining restaurant.

The amendment is also to remove residential condominiums from the permitted use due to market factors and feasibility. 

All other aspects of the original approval would remain as approved. The basic layout of the planned development has not changed and the building architecture will compliment the existing and future retail and office areas. Below is the text change to the original PUD under Building Height

Building Height

Current Use and Zoning

Adjacent Zoning and Land Uses:

Existing Use

Existing Zoning

Existing Land Use Designation

North

Child Day Care center, Hotel, Bank

OI, Office and Institutional

GCCU, General Commercial Conditional Use

OI, Office and Institutional

COM, Commercial

South

Vacant Land

OICU, Office and Institutional Conditional Use and R40, Residential 40.

MDR, Medium Density Residential

East

Single family residences

North of Richard Drive – OICU, Office and Institutional Conditional Use

South of Richard Drive – R40, Residential 40

LDR, Low Density Residential

West

Single family residential, Wessex Subdivision

R20, Residential 20

LDR, Low Density Residential

Engineering

Environmental Considerations

The project meets the Stormwater requirements of the Town of Cary .

Traffic Impact Analysis  

For complete traffic study, please contact Dick Moore at 462-3937

Traffic Impact Analysis Required: NO

A Traffic Impact Study was prepared by Wilbur Smith Associates dated May 1999. This proposal does not change the trips generated for the study. Traffic Impact study is good for five years.

Parcel and Owner Information

Property Owner

County Parcel Number

Real Estate ID

Area (Acres)

Cary Arboretum LLC

PO Box 3557

Cary, NC 27519-3557

0765755955

0158997

18.89

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/2003cases/2003index.htm