Issue link: http://townofcary.uberflip.com/i/791958
258 9. SERVE Challenges and Opportunities Acknowledging that an increasing popula on is a natural outcome of being part of an economically thriving region, Cary has a respon- sibility to plan and provide its essen al public services for this growing residen al and commercial community. Services include main- taining roads, transit, water, wastewater, solid waste, emergency services and mi ga ng the effects of all of these on the environment. Popula on growth will require mee ng the needs of today without compromising the ability to meet the needs of the future. Cary must consider the impacts of decisions across all town-provided systems and innovate to be as efficient as possible in delivering the services that ci zens and businesses rely on. An cipa ng and planning for threats to the community, such as natural disasters and health crises, helps to guide Cary's organiza onal thinking as it con nues to be a leader in resilience planning. In the coming years, public safety will grapple with a dynamic environment marked by unprecedented challenges and promising opportuni es. Technological advancements offer avenues for improved emergency response, community engagement, and overall safety measures. However, the escala ng complexity of cyber threats, including sophis cated digital crimes and poten al misuse of emerging technologies, poses significant challenges to safeguarding public well-being. Striking a delicate balance between embracing innova on and protec ng individual rights and privacy becomes impera ve. Furthermore, the growing emphasis on transparency and accountability demands that public safety en es adapt to build trust with the communi es they serve. Long-term maintenance costs of infrastructure systems are important to consider when planning for future growth. Fiscal Impacts of Development and Aging Infrastructure Just as Cary's housing and commercial developments are beginning to age, the vast infrastructure network that serves these developments, including streets and u li es, is also aging. These networks will need not only rou ne maintenance but also rehabilita on or replacement over me. Cary must consider the fiscal and social impacts of land develop- ment pa erns on aging public infrastructure. Having experienced rapid outward growth over the past half-century, Cary has bene- fited from new high-value development that typically covered the cost of the addi onal infrastructure needed to support new developments. As opportuni es for new greenfield development become limited and demand for denser urban redevelopment increases, Cary will face a paradigm shi ; it will need to find a sustainable way to meet the challenge of replacing, expanding, and maintaining infrastructure within developed areas in the face of increasing capacity demands and maintenance costs. A large and growing number of studies have determined that collec ve fiscal implica ons are ed to the way that ci es grow and develop. Municipal fiscal impacts are largely determined by land use types, property value, forms and size of housing, density of development, loca on, and distance from community facili es. These development characteris cs impact the cost of municipal services, including roads, transit, water/wastewater, stormwater, fire and police protec on, and solid waste collec ons. Long-term costs associated with future services and maintenance must be considered.