MorrisvilleAction.org Latest Developments...
Critical Upcoming Meetings and Public Hearings
The upcoming public hearings and votes by both Planning and Zoning Board (PZB) and Town Council, on the new Land Use and Transportation Plan (LUTP) are extremely important. The LUTP will set the stage for high impact issues such as the proposed Crabtree Crossing Parkway Extension and Highway 54 congestion, and many other areas of Town development.
Updated Schedule (as of November 14, 2008)
December 9, 2008 - 5:30 PM - Town Council - Open House (5:30) - 1st Briefing (6:30)
December 17, 2008 - 6:30 PM - Public Hearing (Updated)
January 13, 2009 - 6:30 PM - Town Council - 2nd Briefing (Updated)
January 27, 2009 - 6:30 PM - TBD
(These meetings are at Morrisville Town Hall, 100 Town Hall Dr.)
- The LUTP misrepresents the expressed wishes of the community for more residential, less commercial development. The current LUTP will essentially leave Morrisville with nearly 3 times the high density development as it has now and 3 times more high density development than neighboring Cary. Citizens have spoke out in meeting after meeting and signed petitions - in greater numbers that voted in the last mayorial election - against these high density projects.
- Increasing the size of the high density Regional Activity Center (RAC) by nearly 300% which already includes Park West Village
- Inappropriateness of the Crabtree Crossing Parkway Extension (CCPX) driving thoroughfare traffic into an established neighborhood
- Inappropriateness of the Kit Creek Connection (KCC) driving highway traffic into an established neighborhood (Update: KCC Just Approved by Town Council - see below)
LUTP Work Session By the Numbers:
- At present, Morrisville is 80% developed and 20% vacant
- Employment growth is expected to increase by 200% over the next 25 years
- Current population: +/- 16,000
- Expected population based on plan: 24,500
- Number of lanes suggested for portions of NC 54: 6 plus boulevard
- Degree of confidence 6 lanes will be sufficient to support area growth: Low
- Total acres, Park West Village Regional Activity Center (RAC): 95
- Total acres, proposed Southern RAC that includes Park West: 282 (The PZB and over 800 citizens - more than voted in the last mayorial election - were on record against Park West... the Town Council approved it anyway... now the Town wants to increase it by 300%)
- Total area, as proposed, of 3 Morrisville high density RACs: 900 acres (As proposed, the LUTP designates 24% of our total land as RAC, Neighborhood Activity Center, Business Activity Center and Corridor Commercial. At present, the equivalent categories total only 9%, a 266% increase. If you look just at the RAC, under the LUTP, Morrisville will have 14% of it's land in high density development, which compares with 4.7% in Cary.)
Land Use Plan
As proposed, land immediately adjacent to Park West Village, as well as multiple parcels north of Morrisville Pkwy, east of NC 54 or south of Cary Pkwy will be reclassified as Regional Activity Center. (A RAC designation allows for development of "significant regional employment, retail, education, health care, entertainment or mixed use."... i.e., high density development)
See http://www.morrisvillelutp.org/news/CurrentDraft.html for details.
Transportation Plan
As proposed, Crabtree Crossing Pkwy will be extended to Town Hall Dr, drawing traffic from the congested Hwy 54 corridor through a residential community. Also as proposed, Kit Creek Rd will be extended west to Davis Dr, also drawing commuter traffic through a residential community.
Instead of fixing Hwy 54 congestion, or delaying commercial development until Hwy 54 congestion is addressed, these plans envision a solution that diverts the traffic from this greatly expanded commercial development directly through residential areas.
See http://www.morrisvillelutp.org/news/CurrentDraft.html for details.
If you are concerned about the dramatic impact these new policies will have on the future of Morrisville, please plan on attending the following meetings (for more information, email morrisvilleaction.org):
Town Plans Excessive Traffic for Crabtree Crossing Parkway. Ultimately Crabtree Crossing Parkway to Become Part of a Major Trafic Link Between I-540 and Cary Parkway.
We need your help to stop the Crabtree Crossing Parkway Extension (CCPX) from being approved as part of the Land Use & Transportation Plan (LUTP). While not yet funded, if the CCPX remains in the LUTP, the project can be given the go ahead at any time with little or no further Citizen input.
If the CCPX is built and connects through Town Hall Drive to the Triangle Parkway as planned, this route through residential areas will become a major traffic corridor between I-540/Durham Freeway (SR 147) and Cary Parkway. Ultimately, this will require additional traffic calming features which adversely impact area emergency response times.
Also, the associated increase in traffic through Preston will likely negatively affect our property values, it will more importantly be dangerous for the many walkers, joggers, bikers, and golf carts who use Crabtree Crossing Parkway every day.
While the Town has studied vehicle traffic (and there are widely conflicting reports on the amount of traffic increase), several leaders do not appear to understand that due to the golf course and railroad right of way, that virtually all pedestrian, bicycle, and cart traffic in the area is funneled onto Crabtree Crossing Parkway. Increasing vehicle traffic would be extremely dangerous.
Update: In their November 13th meeting, the PZB approved the Crabtree Crossing Parkway Extension (CCPX) for inclusion in the LUTP and leaves it to the Town Council for final approval. PZB made a special effort to craft the language to suggest (falsely) that there is a balance of support for and against the CCPX.
Please Contact Town Leaders to Voice Your Concerns by:
Emailing the board at towncouncil@ci.morrisville.nc.us
Calling your Morrisville representatives:
Jan Faulkner (Mayor) at 481-0122
Liz Johnson (Mayor Pro Tem) at 462-8859
Mark Stohlman (Commissioner, District 2) at 949-1403
Linda Lyons (Commissioner, District 1) at 469-1992
Mike Snyder (Commissioner, District 4) at 447-0456
Pete Martin (Commissioner, At Large) at 462-8182
Tom Murry (Commissioner, At Large) at 468-1213
Kit Creek Connector Study
Update: The Kit Creek Connector was approved. While the Town Council did try to put some limits on the extent of traffic that can use the connector, the final approval gave all control to the Toll Road Authority to develop the Connector. It is very likely the final Connector design will focus on meeting the needs of the new Triangle Parkway expressway, not the local community, since the Town no longer has any say in the matter.
The much anticipated Kit Creek Connector Study, commissioned by the Town of Morrisville and carried out by the Louis Berger Consulting Group, is now available online.
For details, see: http://www.morrisvillelutp.org/projectlib/documents/KitCreekRoadReconnectionStudy_9-3-2008.pdf
The study concludes that in 2035, Kit Creek Rd will carry 21,817 cars daily. Not surprisingly, the intersection of Church St and Kit Creek Rd is expected to perform poorly regardless of whether or not Kit Creek Rd is extended. The consultant recommends a southbound right turn lane and signal at the T intersection, but notes that those changes will "improve operations minimally." Because the intersection is constrained by the RR and existing structures, the feasibility of adding additional lanes is poor.
Comments can be submitted via email to:
ajones@ci.morrisville.nc.us (Ashley Jones, Planner)
bhitchings@ci.morrisville.nc.us (Ben Hitchings, Planning Director)
PlanningBoard@ci.morrisville.nc.us (Morrisville's volunteer Planning and Zoning Board)
towncouncil@ci.morrisville.nc.us (Morrisville Town Council - This new email address is effective immediately.
Additional Town leadership contacts at listed below.
In addition to your input on the LUTP, we ask that you help us by submitting any issue of concern to your neighborhood or any town-wide topic for discussion to MorrisvilleAction.org.
Results of Sept. 2, 2008 Land Use and Transportation Plan Meeting
At their September 2nd work session, Morrisville's Planning and Zoning Board discussed major and minor plan issues as identified by staff and PZB board members. Further discussions will be forthcoming, perhaps as soon as September 8th at the 6:30 PM meeting of the PZB and Town Council. At present, the P&ZB is scheduled to vote on the plans and forward a recommendation to the Town Council on September 11th.
Most surprising statistic offered by the consultant: per online surveys, which does NOT agree with comments offered in public, the town needs more retail and restaurant offerings but has enough or too much residential.
Meeting room logistics were less than optimal, with most attendees seated outside of the conference room and outside of earshot. Per town staff: "Based on the public interest expressed last night, we'll look for a larger space if either of the boards want another work session for this project".
Major Issues:
- Desire to further highlight the need for NC54
- Concerns about the potential impacts of Crabtree Crossing Pkwy Extension on nearby neighborhoods
- Desire for more areas to be designated for single family detached residential uses
- Concern about the size and potential impact of the southern (Park West Village area) Regional Activity Center shown around Cary Pkwy, NC54
and Morrisville Pkwy
Minor Issues:
- Impact of NC54 on residences south of Airport Blvd
- Timeframe listed on plan
- Consider planning more low density residential development along Slater Rd
- Office use shown on east side of Church St between Treybrook Dr and McCrimmon Pkwy
- Concern about location of proposed medium density residential shown adjacent to Lake Crabtree
- Proximity of proposed bus routes to major residential development
- Lack of streetlights shown for Morrisville-Carpenter Rd
- Desire for data on projected congestion levels in near term
- Connect greenway that appears to dead end in Providence Pl
- Show sidewalk on LittleDr/Mason Farm Rd connection
- Lack of bicycle connector on Cary portion of Davis Dr
- Consider designating Morrisville Pkwy as a major thoroughfare
- Coordination of Town and Turnpike Authority plans regarding the possible reconnection of Kit Creek Rd
- Concerns about opportunity for PAC input and discussion
- Concern about the number of activity centers that the town can support
- Concern about extension of Triangle Pkwy to McCrimmon Pkwy
Results of August 14, 2008 LUTP Public Hearing
The public voiced its concern that the proposed LUTP Plan is not balanced, and resident and PAC input is not reflected in Plan.
Four residents, including two members of the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) - the citizen advisory committee created to help craft the plan - voiced disappointment that the Land Use & Transportation Plan (LUTP) presented to Planning & Zoning Board (PZB) on August 14th did not accurately reflect input from citizen surveys and the committee. Too little land was designated for low/medium density housing and too much land was reclassified for commercial and dense residential in expanded Regional Activity Centers (RAC) (don't be misled by this innocent sounding name. For Morrisville, RAC mostly means high density commercial development - see below).
MorrisvilleAction.org, represented by Ty Elliott, spoke out against the dramatic increase, to approximately 5 times as large, in land classified as a RAC surrounding Park West. The Shiloh Crossing RAC also has been greatly expanded and nearby undeveloped land zoned for Office & Industrial. Ms. Elliott also asked that the extension of Crabtree Crossing Parkway be removed from the plan.
A RAC is defined as "including a mix of uses, such as of [sic] office and institutional (including medical, senior, and child care related institutional use), entertainment, retail and major commercial land uses. Medium and high density residential uses should be included as part of an RAC if the area is located outside the Airport Overlay District" ([sic] means that the typo in this sentence is actually in the RAC statement). The complete LUTP and maps can be found at: http://www.morrisvillelutp.org/
Critical Planning Decisions to be Turned Over to Town Staff?
Morrisville Town leaders are considering a change to the town’s development process by delegating limited site plan approval authority to our planning director. Likely, the process would be shortened by a minimum of 8 weeks if authority to approve...
Municipal buildings
Municipal parks
County schools
Hotels (currently allowed in Mixed Use, General Business and Industrial Management zonings)
Commercial Buildings < 40,000 sq ft (about 3 times the size of a freestanding drug store)
Office & Institutional and Flex Buildings < 40,000 sq ft
All uses in previously approved PUDs (Planned Unit Developments)
Residential Recreation Centers
Residential Subdivisions, both attached and detached
Community Utility Facilities
All uses in the town center
...that fit current zoning were to be turned over to town staff. And while the move would indeed shorten the process, delegating approval authority to staff will severely limit input from residents, our planning & zoning board and our elected officials. It is unclear at this time whether or not residents living near proposals under staff review will receive courtesy notification prior to approval.
Have an opinion on the proposal? Write to your town council at towncouncil@ci.morrisville.nc.us with a copy to planning director Ben Hitchings at bhitchings@ci.morrisville..nc.us.
New Members of Planning and Zoning Board
The latest Planning and Zoning Board appointments, regular members, with terms to begin on Sept 1, are as follows:
Peter Prichard (Supported by: Faulkner, Johnson, Lyons, Martin, Murry, Stohlman)
Michael Roberts (Supported by: Faulkner, Johnson, Murry, Stohlman)
Vinnie Goel (Supported by: Martin, Lyons, Murry, Stohlman)
Planning and Zoning Board appointments, alternates are:
Jacob Yackenovich
Kris Gardner
Morrisville Vetoes Major Change in Charter
On July 22, 2008, elected officials unanimously denied ordinance 2008-052. Had it passed, the ordinance would have amended the Town Charter to eliminate Board of Commissioner district representation. Districts will be redrawn after the 2010 census to allow for equitable representation of residents.
It's Official, We Now Have A Town Council
Also, on July 22, 2008, Town of Morrisville officials adopted ordinance 2008-051, amending the Town Charter to change the style of governing board from Board of Commissioners to Town Council. The ordinance passed by a vote of 4-2 (Aye: Faulkner, Johnson, Murry, Stohlman; No: Lyons, Martin; Not present: Snyder) and will take effect on September 1, 2008.
Morrisville - The largest proposed tax increase in the Triangle is defeated. The Town approved a new budget that does not require a tax increase above revenue neutral.
The news is good... the approved Morrisville budget is based on a tax rate of .3665 per $100 of valuation. That rate is just slightly below revenue neutral. This is a long way from the 19% tax hike above revenue neutral that appeared imminent.
We now have a tax rate that is competitive with Cary's and a budget that will maintain the level of town service we've come to expect.
Thanks go to Morrisville Action members. We made a difference..
Town Council Contact Information
Have an opinion? Make it known by contacting your Mayor and Town Council at:
- Emailing the board at towncouncil@ci.morrisville.nc.us
- Calling your Morrisville representatives:
Jan Faulkner (Mayor) at 481-0122
Liz Johnson (Mayor Pro Tem) at 462-8859
Mark Stohlman (Commissioner, District 2) at 949-1403
Linda Lyons (Commissioner, District 1) at 469-1992
Mike Snyder (Commissioner, District 4) at 447-0456
Pete Martin (Commissioner, At Large) at 462-8182
Tom Murry (Commissioner, At Large) at 468-1213