Issue link: http://townofcary.uberflip.com/i/791958
DESIGNING DEVELOPMENTS IN CARY Community Appearance Manual Cary's Community Appearance Manual is also an illustrated handbook depic ng standards for site design. This manual sets out standards for landscaping, ligh ng, architectural designs, and buffers between developments and uses. This document also includes the process for complying with the Statements of Architectural Compa bility required for all non-residen al developments located within a non-residen al center. This requires the documenta on of the following elements for review: • Primary physical characteris cs including predominant color(s), exterior materials and architectural features; • Primary landscape theme (general, not specific); • Building height and placement; • Ligh ng elements (general); • Other elements which may be relevant to a specific development and how they are compa ble with the adjacent sites; and • Master Sign Plan. Design Standards Incorporated into the Land Development Ordinance Cary's Land Development Ordinance (LDO) regulates how land may be developed within Cary and its planning jurisdic on. In addi on to regulatory controls for zoning and the subdivision of land, it also includes design standards that address building appearance, landscaping, signs, parking and other aspects of development. The LDO includes the specific design standards for the four Core Design Standards in the Site Design Standards Manual and the landscaping, ligh ng, architecture, and buffer standards illustrated in the Community Appearance Manual. It also includes standards specific to certain areas of Town that were generated as part of area plans. For example, Alston and Town Center are examples of area plans with design standards that have been incorporated directly into the LDO. Place-Specific Design Guidelines The Town has also developed design guidelines for some special areas of Town. The Town Center Design Guidelines and the Carpenter Rural Village Design Guidelines are two examples of a set of design guidelines that were developed for strategic areas to assist in guiding landowners and developers as they propose developments within these areas. In addi on, special design standards were developed and codified for the Walnut Street Corridor, between Cary Towne Center Mall and Buck Jones Road. Supporting Infill and Redevelopment Through Design Guidance The Town's current design standards were wri en for a scale and intensity of development found in Cary today. This Cary Community Plan iden fies several strategic loca ons for greater intensity of development. And this new scale of development (recommended for Des na on Centers and Commercial Mixed Use Centers) is not necessarily addressed in the Town's current design standards. These design standards are also primarily wri en for newer greenfield developments, and may need to be amended to provide greater flexibility to encourage investment on infill and redevelopment sites. Infill and redevelopment sites are o en located adjacent to areas with established development pa erns that influence and poten ally create challenges for good design, and o en require crea ve solu ons that may be limited by inflexible standards. 85