TOWN OF CARY

This request adds a 13.87 acre tract to the approved Highcroft Planned Unit Development which would add an extra 64 single family units to the Highcroft PUD.

REZONING CONDITIONS
CURRENT	PROPOSED
1. All new buildings shall be small in scale, the mass approximating the existing architecture of the site and the community.	1. Proposed street layout may vary due to topography and building configurations. However, the general layout will remain the same.
2. New buildings will have pitched roofs.	2. Acreage may vary due to variations in parcel configuration. Therefore, densities may vary from the numbers shown on the Master Land Use Plan. In no case, however, shall the number of units’ increase above the number approved for each parcel.
3.All new buildings will be sided with wood, brick, stone and perhaps some stucco.	3. All types of open space, buffers, streetscapes and landscape strips shall be as specified in this PUD document and shall not be subject to any or all code changes.
4. The design forms for the buildings will be similar to the existing architecture on site and will be characterized by architectural details of roof dormers and cupolas	4. The exact configuration and dimension of open space areas shall be determined at time of subdivision or site plan approval.
5. The massing of new buildings will b designed so as to appear to have been "added on to" as early rural structures often were.	5. Stream buffers shall be undisturbed land areas reserved adjacent to streams to protect water quality. No grading is allowed within the stream buffer except for street crossings, pedestrian paths, utilities, stormwater devices and where it is allowed within the Town’s Watershed Protection Ordinance.
6. The colors of buildings, fences and signage shall be coordinated and be of the high value primary colors with lower value accent colors that were typical of the early 1900's rural buildings.	6.All building setbacks, except for those adjacent to the Reserve, may be reduced a maximum of 10% by Town of Cary staff.
7.The buildings will be clustered as with typical of the period time in which Green Hope School was constructed.	7.All building setbacks shall be as specified in this PUD document and shall not be subject to any or all code changes.
8. The streets shall be tree lined and the streets have walkways for pedestrians	8. No building or parking setbacks shall be required against buffers and any type of open space.
9. The following uses will be excluded as a condition of this request for rezoning: a. Convenience stores with gasoline sales b. Automobile service stations c.. Car washes d. Vehicle sales and rental e. Funeral homes f. Radio and television broadcasting stations g. Libraries h. Churches i. Parking lots j. Colleges k. Clubs and lodges 1. Commercial outdoor recreation m. Outdoor amphitheater, government n. Post offices (government) o. Public utility facilities p. Public safety stations q. Utility substations	9.There will be a 20-foot Common Open Space (COS) adjacent to The Reserve properties. This 20-foo COS shall remain undisturbed and have evergreen plant material planted and maintained along its western side. When installed, this plant material will be a minimum of 5 feet tall and placed at a maximum 10-foot interval.
10. There will be a maximum of 130,000 square feet of buildings on the site	10. There will be sidewalks on both sides of all streets.
11. There will be two (2) access points on Green Hope School Road and one (1) access on Sears Farm Road.	11. Collector street: From the southern boundary of SF-3 to Green Hope School Road, the collector shall be 27’ BC/BC, within a 55’ ROW. An eight-foot (8) urban trail/sidewalk within the ROW, or within an easement adjacent to the ROW shall be provided on one side of the street, and a typical five –foot (5) sidewalk shall be provided on the opposite side of the collector. The portion of the collector fronting the school shall be a 38’ BC/BC section, allowing for a left-turn lane. The urban trail eliminated the need for a greenway easement along the western boundary of SF-3.
12. The maximum square footage of any one building will be 30,000 square feet.	12. The Highcroft PUD will utilize alternate residential street design standards relating to street and right-of-way width. The use of alternate standards for streets shall be determined by staff to promote the following goals: Promote walkable communities, Reduce the speed and volume of traffic on residential streets, Reduce impervious surfaces
13. A 65 foot buffer continuous along the Western property line that can be traversed with "greenways or pathways", streets and utilities	13. A 30-foot greenway easement dedication shall be provided along the southern boundary of SF-3, from the eastern boundary of the PUD, the ROW for I-540. The developer also agrees to build an 8-foot wide asphalt path within a 30-foot greenway easement within the unnamed tributary stream buffer from the existing Sears Farm Road Park to the residential collector street serving the Highcroft PUD. There will also be a private greenway connection from parcel SF-4 to the Wake County elementary school site and to Sears Farm Road Park.
14. Development of this site will be phased. A schematic layout or design for the entire tract will be submitted with the first application for site approval. This plan will include access, buffers, and approximate building locations.	14. The streetscape fronting Green Hope School Road along the northern boundary of Highcroft PUD shall be re-vegetated, when clearing and or grading for roadway improvements that encroach more than 33% into the required thirty foot (30’) streetscape yard. In lieu of re-vegetation, additional streetscape area beyond the required thirty-foot (30’) depth may be provided. If re-vegetation is implemented, it shall resemble a native stand of indigenous plant material, installed at the following rate per fifteen hundred square feet (1500 SF)of disturbed streetscape: (2) Deciduous, hardwood tree (Oak, Poplar, Gum, etc.) (5) Evergreen Tree (Virginia/Loblolly Pine, Red Cedar) @ 4’-5’ ht. (5) Evergreen/ Deciduous Shrubs (Wax Myrtle, Holly, etc.) @ 2’ ht
15. A building height of two and one half stories for a building width of 44 feet shall not exceed 44 feet maximum as shown on the diagram attached. Measurements are from highest point of existing grade on site, basements are not a detriment, cupola(s) or spires are exempted	15.The residential collector street, Highcroft Avenue, will be planted with a 2’’ caliper, 10’ ht min. Street tree (Sugar Maple, Trident Maple, or approved equal) eighty feet (80’) on center.
	16. The traffic rotary has been deleted in response to comments from the adjoining Reserve neighborhood. The landscape island proposed for the SF-3 parcel shall be planted with three (3) 2’ cal./10’ ht. Min. Sugar Maple or approved equal.
	17. The connection of Briardale Avenue will occur in Phase 2 of the PUD infrastructure construction. At the time the road is constructed, a barricade will be installed. The barricade will come down when 90% of the single-family homes have received CO’s.

REZONING HISTORY

Z-775-95-1

SITE DATA

WATER/SEWER SERVICE

Analysis: Public water is available to the site.

The developer has agreed to provide additional funding for upgrades to Field Stone pump station to serve the addition to the PUD.

TRANSPORTATION

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

An approved Traffic Impact Study for Highcroft PUD was prepared by Wilbur Smith Assoc. dated January 2002.

An additional residential community of 64 DU’s during the AM peak hour will generate 48 trips and the PM peak hour will generate 65 trips. The ADT volume is 612 trips per day.

Analysis: No Traffic Impact Study Required.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

The project is located in the Jordan Lake Watershed and will have to meet the requirement of the Reservoir Watershed Protection Ordinance of the Town of Cary.

There are riparian buffers associated with this project.

The project will be required to meet the nitrogen requirements of the Town of Cary.

Analysis: This project meets all of the requirements of the Storm water section of the Engineering Department.

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%	12
Middle	7,758	6,789	114.3	6
High	7,376	6,420	114.9	8
Total for all Area Schools	30,840	26,563	116.1

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
Green Hope Elementary	603	712	84.7%	130 %	45.43 %	12
Davis Drive Middle	1176	923	127.4%	130 %	2.6 %	6
Green Hope High	2022	1714	118.0%	130 %	12 %	8
Total for all Zoned Schools				130 %	19.967 %

Current Enrollment and Building Capacity is based on the 20^th day of the school year for 2002 as provided 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 Additional 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.

ADJACENT ZONING AND LAND USES
	Zoning:		Land Use:
	UDO	LDO
North:	R-40	R-40	AGR/FOR
South:	R-40 PUD	PDD Major	VAC AND AGR/FOR
East:	R-40	R-40	VLDR
West:	R-12 PUD	PDD Major	AGR/FOR

TOWN OF CARY FUTURE LAND USE PLAN DATA

	CURRENT	PROPOSED
Plan Designation:	Low Density Residential	Medium Density Residential
Alternate Designation:	Traditional Neighborhood Development	remove alternate designation
Activity Center:	n/a	n/a

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ANALYSIS

Land Use Plan Element

LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT HISTORY: The subject parcel SF-5 of Highcroft has not had a prior Land Use Plan amendment. The Land Use Plan was amended to reflect the original Highcroft PUD (which did not include SF-5 at that time) when that rezoning was approved on March 14, 2002.

The Land Use Plan currently designates SF-5 as Low Density Residential. Since the proposed density for SF-5 is 4.6 dwellings per acre, a Land Use Plan amendment will be required to re-designate the parcel as Medium Density Residential. (Note, however, that Highcroft PUD as a whole has a net residential density of 2.18 units per acre, which is within the guidelines for Low Density Residential. Nevertheless, a Land Use Plan amendment is recommended, as was done for the initial approval of Highcroft, in order for the Land Use Plan to accurately reflect the internal land use arrangements within the PUD.)

Analysis: Although this request technically requires a Land Use Plan amendment, overall the PUD’s densities reflect the intent of the LDR designation. The proposal, located adjacent to the school and park, makes this site attractive for medium density residential uses.

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Transit: The Town's transit service (C-Tran) can provide service to the subject area. C-Tran is a demand responsive transit service managed by the Town to provide bus transit to residents, visitors, and businesses in Cary.

Pedestrian: The amendment proposes sidewalks on both sides of all streets in accordance with Town design standards.

Bicycle: The existing PUD includes a roadway system and urban trail/greenway network that will accommodate bicycle travel.

Transportation Plan Element: The collector road running through the PUD is part of a larger collector road system connecting to future collector segments to the north and south.

Analysis: The Revised Conceptual Circulation Plan now shows an 8-foot multi-use path on Sears Farm Rd in the streetscape buffer on parcel SF-5 to the point where it connects with Green Hope School Road. This revised plan also shows a greenway connection to parcel SF-5 from the proposed Wake County School Site.

OPEN SPACE CONSIDERATIONS

The parcel is the historic site of the Green Hope School (Wake County Inventory Site #979). Several buildings are still extant on the site, including the wood shop building, gymnasium, blacksmith shop, and teacherage.

Analysis: The applicant met with staff about the historic structures on site. Based on an environmental study, the building and ground around the building are contaminated. In order to clean up the contamination, the building will need to be removed.

PARKS, GREENWAYS AND BIKEWAYS MASTER PLAN

There will be no land dedication requirement for this rezoning. Staff will require a pedestrian greenway access from the new parcel to the school.

Analysis: Greenway connections have been provided as requested.

Staff Recommendation

Changes since Public Hearing:

None

Protest Petition Information:

Valid [X] Not Enough Signatures with 100 feet[ ] None Filed [ ]

Analysis:

This is a 13 acre addition to the Highcroft Planned Unit Development. The new parcel SF-5 will develop an additional 64 units. With the addition of the new parcel, the total acreage for Highcroft PUD is 148.99 acres. The total number of dwelling units proposed is 325.

The Town’s Land Use plan designates this site for low density residential uses. The applicant has requested a change to medium density residential to support the additional units, however the total net density for the development will be 2.18 units per acres. This is in the low density range for the Land Use Plan.

The application does have a valid protest petition on the eastern boundary with concerns about future viability for adjacent property owners to rezone to commercial uses. Staff has reviewed the adjacent land uses and supports the current land use plan for low density residential uses for future development in this area. The land use plan has focused most nonresidential land uses in the area predominately along the Highway 55 corridor where traffic volumes already exists to support these uses.

A public comment at the hearing was also made about some of the structures being saved from the old Green Hope High School site. After the public hearing the applicant completed an environmental study in order to consider the potential reuse of the structures. The report noted some petroleum contamination exists around the carpentry and maintenance buildings. No asbestos study was performed, but was noted as needed in order to demolish the structures. Due to this report staff supports the removal of the structures for environmental purposes.

Pros: Potentially removes existing environmental hazards with development

Cons:

Remnants of the old Green Hope High School are not being incorporated in the development
Valid Protest Petition

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends approval.

PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD RECOMMENDATION:

To be determined after Planning and Zoning Board Meeting.

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