COMMUNITY CHARACTER
UTILITY LINES Utility lines provide crucial connections for residents and businesses, supplying electricity and telecommunications services. Today new developments routinely bury utility lines underground; however, many older areas of Wake Forest were developed with overhead utilities before this became a common practice. The poles and wires that support this critical infrastructure can be unattractive, add visual clutter, obstruct access, and be a safety concern depending on placement. While a costly endeavor, the Town should consider burying utility lines in priority areas over the long term as technology advances and redevelopment occurs. Conversion should focus on priority corridors that serve as gateways to the community, as well as key scenic spots and historically significant streets. Key Recommendations | Create a master plan for burying utility lines with community involvement to identify priority areas for conversion. | Ensure major Town entrances and gateway corridors and highly visible, pedestrian-oriented areas are prioritized for conversion. | Consider trenching utilities as capital improvements are made in the right-of-way for all areas of the Town. | Investigate partnering with private developers to install conduit for fiber and/or burying utility lines in priority conversion areas. | Explore partnerships with private developers for boring and burying additional conduit along main roadways. | Consider and install conduit with greenway project construction.
| Ensure new development is contextual to the existing character of the area in terms of scale, massing, setback, fenestration, and design features (porches, storefronts, etc.). | Encourage developers to incorporate landscaping to beautify neighborhoods and commercial areas, such as landscaped medians and roundabouts. | Incorporate landscaping and gateway features into public rights-of-way, such as landscaped streetscapes, green infrastructure, and public promenades. | Emphasize quality development along highly visible thoroughfares in the Town to reinforce its positive image. | In accordance with the Land Use Plan, ensure incompatible, high intensity uses are directed away from low intensity residential areas. | Continue to provide quality municipal services for the maintenance and upkeep of neighborhoods, such as street cleaning, snow removal, and trash disposal services. | Work with NCDOT to identify areas for roadway enhancements. | Refer to the Public Art Vision Plan for
Community character makes a place unique and sets it apart from other areas. Character is a combination of architectural design, size, scale, landscaping, street layout, street furniture, sidewalks, setbacks, and other elements that contribute to the appearance and feel of a neighborhood. The following recommendations are intended to help ensure Wake Forest remains distinguishable from other towns, where development has contextual interest, uniqueness, and variety. The intent is to promote, preserve, and enhance the character of the community without limiting development and redevelopment. Key Recommendations | Preserve vistas and view corridors that contribute to the economic and aesthetic value of Wake Forest, such as the church steeple at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, S White Street in Downtown, and N Main Street in the Wake Forest Local Historic District. | Curate public outdoor spaces for important monuments and artworks to showcase them as anchors and entry points to neighborhoods. | Leverage historic structures, events, and people to create a sense of place through placemaking and branding.
guidance when public art is being proposed in private development.
| Work with developers to improve the character of retaining walls, such as by incorporating public art or tiering the walls to reduce their visual impact.
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COMMUNITY PLAN | TOWN OF WAKE FOREST
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