Issue link: http://townofcary.uberflip.com/i/774879
CHAPTER 2: LIVE Policy Policy Intent Policy 4: Provide the Greatest Variety of Housing Options in Mixed Use Centers Provide the greatest variety of housing types and densities within Destination Centers, Commercial Mixed Use Centers, and Employment Mixed Use Centers as designated by the Future Growth Framework, as well as within Downtown Cary. The mix of housing types could include apartments, condominiums, and live/work units over office and retail; separate apartment complexes and courtyard apartments; townhomes; patio homes; and small multi-family units such as fourplexes, triplexes, and duplexes. The intent of this policy is to recognize and accommodate the housing preferences of Cary citizens who desire to live proximate to shopping, amenities, employment, and/or transit, and arranged in a compact and walkable development environment. This market segment notably includes a sizable proportion of young professionals, singles, couples without children, and seniors or empty-nesters. Many of these residents are willing to trade home size for location, convenience, more neighborhood activity, and their desired types of housing. The objective of this policy is to have a greater concentration and variety of housing types (other than conventional single family) within mixed use developments (Destination, Commercial Mixed Use and Employment Mixed Use Centers) than would be found elsewhere in Cary. In addition, within these locations the highest-density housing should be sited closest to transit stops, shopping and services, and/or office buildings/employment, to place the greatest number of residents within the shortest walking distances of key destinations. Recognizing that land and redevelopment costs may be higher in these centers than elsewhere in Cary, another objective of this policy is to support the housing products and densities at these locations that allow the market to realize the vision for vibrant centers. Policy 5: Support Residential Development on Infill and Redevelopment Sites Support residential development on infill and redevelopment sites that is designed to acknowledge the surrounding context, while supporting other LIVE policies. The intent of this policy is to support and encourage the development of residential infill and redevelopment sites using designs that complement and/or transition to adjacent neighborhoods and residences. The development of these sites should be consistent with, and help to support, Cary's other LIVE policies – including maintaining neighborhood character and improving the mix of housing stock. This policy acknowledges and accommodates the fact that in the coming years, new development in Cary will increasingly occur on infill or redevelopment sites, as the amount of "greenfield" developable land at Cary's periphery steadily diminishes. Development of sites located within or adjacent to existing residential neighborhoods should be "context-sensitive" and be compatible with or transition to neighboring properties. This might be addressed via any one of a number of a project's attributes, including: housing type, building mass, setbacks, landscaping, views, the use of natural features and topography, density, limiting traffic impacts, or other development standards. Examples of compatible designs are provided at the end of this chapter in "Creating Compatible Residential Development Using Context Sensitive Designs." However, the desire for development that serves to complement or transition to the surrounding neighborhood should also be balanced with LIVE policies. For example, there may be cases where the desire for complementary designs may be deemed less important than objectives related to improving property values or encouraging reinvestment in a distressed neighborhood. Recognizing that development costs may be higher in infill and redevelopment contexts, another objective of this policy is to support an increase in development intensity (compared to adjacent areas) when necessary for project viability, while also seeking to achieve compatibility with neighboring properties. An example of a context where encouraging reinvestment may be a priority is single family homes that front major road corridors that have been widened over time. Due to the challenges these properties face, these areas may be good candidates for a change of use, such as higher density housing, to best utilize the lot and prime access from a major thoroughfare, and discourage disinvestment that could occur if the property were limited to a single-family use. 24 COUNCIL FINAL PUBLIC MEETING DRAFT [JAN. 24, 2017]