APPLICANT

OWNER

Withers & Ravenel

Mary Jane Vurucuoglo

Location:

The site is located in the northwest corner of the intersection of North Harrison Avenue and Chapel Hill Road at 8600 Chapel Hill Road.

Map:

Vicinity Map

Staff Recommendation:

Staff recommends approval of the plan with the following conditions:

1.  That a landscape screening hedge be installed along the southern portion of the west property line to screen the parking area from off-site views.

2.  That wheel stops be installed within the proposed parking area.

3.  That the proposed parking area be edged so that the graveled area would be contained.

4.  That the required amount of parking be reduced from six to five parking spaces.

5.  That an exemption be granted for roadway improvements and right-of-way dedication to Chapel Hill Road and North Harrison Avenue.  

6. That an exemption be granted for Sidewalk (Multi-use path) installation along Chapel Hill Road and for the installation of sidewalk along N. Harrison Avenue.

Town Center Review Commission Recommendation:

The Town Center Review Commission unanimously recommended approval of the plan with the following conditions:

1.  That a landscape screening hedge be installed along the southern portion of the west property line to screen the parking area from off-site views.

2.  That wheel stops be installed within the proposed parking area.

3.  That the proposed parking area be edged so that the graveled area would be contained.

Staff conditions 4, 5 and 6 involve reductions and waivers that must be approved by the Town Council.  Therefore, the Town Center Review Commission did not formulate a recommendation on conditions 4, 5 & 6.

Pending Items:

N/A

PROPOSED SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS

    Town Center Review Commission:

February 25, 2004

     Town Council

March 11, 2004

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

 The plans propose to convert an existing one-story dwelling into an alterations business, with no exterior changes proposed to the building.  The plans also include: the installation of landscaping; the installation of sidewalk connections from the building to sidewalk proposed along North Harrison Avenue (sidewalk along North Harrison Avenue is to be installed buy the Town of Cary); and the installation of a parking area north of the building location.  A request is included for a reduction in the number of required parking spaces from six to five spaces and for an exemption from right-of-way and roadway improvements to Chapel Hill Road and North Harrison Avenue.  The request for an exemption also includes the installation of a multi-use path along Chapel Hill Road.

PARCEL INFORMATION

Parcel #

Realid #

Area

0764.14-43-4754

0296784

0.24 acres

ZONING AND LAND USE PLAN COMPLIANCE

Current Zoning: Town Center (TC)

Town Limits: The property is inside Cary 's town limits.

Land Use Compliance: The Land Use Plan also allows for cottage business & residential development.  (Residential single-family or light office/commercial uses in buildings that look like single-family detached/attached residences in scale and appearance.)

LANDSCAPE

 Excluding the installation of a screening hedge along the southern portion of the western property line, the plan complies with all landscape requirements.

BUILDING ELEVATION

Building Height: 22' (approx.)

Building Size: 1,181 square feet

Building Materials & colors: White siding with Colonial gray trim and dark gray asphalt shingles.

No external modifications are proposed to the existing building.

TRAFFIC

 No Traffic Impact Study is required.

Staff Contact:  Dick Moore, 462-3937, Email:  dick.moore@townofcary.org

ROADWAY DESIGN

The plans propose no improvements or right-of-way dedication for Chapel Hill Road and N. Harrison Avenue. The Town’s Transportation Plan requires the following:

• Chapel Hill Road is designated to have an ultimate 76’ back-to-back section centered within a 98’ right-of-way (38’ from original centerline to ultimate back-of-curb & 49’ from original centerline to ultimate right-of-way).  

• N. Harrison Avenue is designated to have an ultimate 53’ back-to-back section centered within a 75’ right-of-way (64’ back-to-back where turn lanes are needed, resulting in 86’ right-of-way – 32’ from centerline to ultimate back-of-curb & 43’ from original centerline to ultimate right-of-way).

The applicant has requested to be exempt from the following requirements:

• Roadway improvements and right-of-way dedication to Chapel Hill Road and North Harrison Avenue.

As illustrated in the plan set, the ultimate right-of-way and back-of-curb limits for both streets fall within the limits of the existing structure.  Based on this, staff recommends waiving improvement and right-of-way dedication requirements for both Chapel Hill Road and N. Harrison Avenue as part of this project.

• Sidewalk (multi-use path) installation along Chapel Hill Road and N. Harrison Avenue.

-  Curb and gutter does not exist and is not recommended by staff to be installed in conjunction with this project along Chapel Hill Road.  Based on this, staff recommends waiving sidewalk (multi-use path) installation requirements along Chapel Hill Road as part of this project.

-  The Town has design plans underway for sidewalk installation along N. Harrison Avenue.  Estimated completion of this sidewalk is September 2004.  The applicant proposes to use a portion of the Town installed sidewalk for pedestrian access from the northern parking lot to the front of the building.  If the applicant wishes to open the business prior to the Town sidewalk being completed, the applicant will need to make other provisions for providing access from the parking lot to the building front.  The applicant can install the portion of sidewalk along N. Harrison Avenue necessary to get pedestrians from the parking lot to the building front; the applicant can wait until the sidewalk is completed by the Town to open the business; or the applicant can construct a temporary means of access from the parking lot to the building front.  The accessibility requirements of the State Building Code require that handicap access be installed from the parking lot to the building at time of occupancy of the building.  Access from the parking lot to the building will be addressed at the time of building fit-up review.

Staff Contact:  Tammy Spivey, 462-3933, Email: tammy.spivey@townofcary.org

UTILITIES

This development has access to Cary water and sewer and complies with Town utility policies and standards.

Staff Contact:  Shuyan Tian, 469-4381, Email: shuyan.tian@townofcary.org

STORM WATER

The project meets all of stormwater requirements of the Town of Cary.

Staff Contact:  Tom Horstman, 469-4347, Email: tom.horstman@townofcary.org

PROPERTY OWNER NOTIFICATION AND CONCERNS

 Adjoining property owners were notified during staff's initial review of this plan.  Staff has received no inquiries regarding this proposed project.