Policy 4.6: Build Parks & Preserve Open Space The Land Use Plan advocates for significant increase in parks and open space compared to current conditions. Any increase in the number and type of parks would build on a relatively high-level of parks per capita. These areas should become gathering places for young families, retirees, and single professionals, and be viable trade-offs for accepting higher densities and less private open space in mixed residential neighborhoods or mixed-use activity centers. Important design elements for new parks or plazas in Fuquay-Varina should include: group activity areas, Wi-Fi access, athletic courts and fields, trails and exercise areas, and pet-friendly areas. Preserving land in floodplains identified on the Future Land Use and Conservation Map supports more compact development principles, stresses environment stewardship, and makes a more urban environment more attractive by providing quick, convenient access to nature. Policy 4.7: Policy Provide and Program a Variety of Civic Open Spaces and Amenities New development and redevelopment should include a broad range of community open spaces, as appropriate to each Character Area. In more urban parts of Town, this can include plazas, squares, pocket parks, and activated sidewalks with outdoor dining and pedestrian amenities. In more suburban areas, open spaces may include parks, greenways, sports fields, and natural open spaces. Ensure that all civic open spaces are designed and programmed to be enjoyed by residents of all ages and ability levels. Establish goals and guidelines for providing at least one community open space within a one- quarter mile (5 minute) walk of every home in Fuquay-Varina. Ideally, residents should have a variety of open spaces choices within walking or biking distance of their home.
Policy 4.8: Safeguard Our Access to Quality Education Coordinate with the Wake County Public School System on the timing and location of new development influenced by the Land Use Plan, and strengthen its ties to the District’s strategic plan and capital investment plan. Policy 4.9: Advocate for “Smart City Technologies” in Future Capital Projects The Town should consider opportunities to integrate technologies for improved facilities and services in the community, which benefit from a broader “smart cities initiative” in Fuquay-Varina that links together different information systems and provides more opportunities for real time information-sharing with the community. Early ideas for smart city technology should begin in the Land Use Plan and be implemented in one or more master plans that follow to develop a town-wide strategy that acts as a framework to coordinate individual investments for various departments or their partners. Policy 4.10: Maintain a Balanced Annual Budget Keep a structurally-balanced budget for the Town each year that does not borrow large sums of money from fund reserves to cover regular operating expenses.
which slows traffic and increases vehicular and pedestrian safety. High connectivity also allows emergency service vehicles many options to get to the site of an emergency call. Connectivity standards in Fuquay-Varina should not be limited to streets and automobiles. Encouraging a network of connected sidewalks, side paths, and pedestrian passages makes walking more convenient and enjoyable, and increases pedestrian access throughout the community. Finally, by increasing the number of routes through the community, pedestrians are provided more interesting walking and jogging alternatives, access to a variety of neighborhoods and destinations, and more opportunity for social interaction. Policy 5.4: Protect Mobility Corridors Much of the Town’s growth ― residential, commercial, office, and industrial ― occurs along and within proximity to a handful of mobility corridors ― Judd Parkway, US Highway 401, NC Highways 42 and 55 ― or along with radial routes including Sunset Lake Road and Hilltop Needmore Road. The existing mobility corridors are essential to providing access and mobility throughout the community and need to be protected and in some cases enhanced. As growth and development pressure increases, it will be important to protect these corridors through access management and better development design standards (ingress/egress, circulation, stub-outs, cross access, connectivity, etc.). Not having enough access to a property may inadvertently limit its use or attractiveness, but too much may cause spillback effects on the surrounding road network. The development review process should consider development frontage and how it interacts with the corridor. Specific centerline setbacks identified by roadway classification should be identified and referenced during the Town’s site plan review process.
Transportation
Policy 5.1: Improve the Land Use-Transportation Connections Program Town resources to update the local Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) soon after adoption of the Land Use Plan. The new CTP should focus on street connectivity and street spacing standards for arterial and collector streets that will serve the Future Land Use Map, and on recommended street design standards for elements such as number of travel lanes, typical section and right-of-way needs that will reinforce community character standards and development context elements associated with the different Character Areas identified for Holly Springs. Policy 5.2: Improve Multi-Modal Connectivity Throughout the Town Enhance connectivity by requiring streets to connect to other streets and by maximizing the number of routes to and from a destination. In addition to vehicular connectivity, increase pedestrian and bicyclist access throughout the community along streets, sidewalks, paths and trails. Evaluate adoption of a formal Complete Streets Policy that advocates for incorporating biking and walking facilities on non-access controlled streets. Such a policy may include recommended street characteristics including final alignment, number of travel lanes, typical cross sections, and right-of-way needs. Policy 5.3: Improve Street Connectivity Streets should be connected to another street unless there are topographic or ecological constraints prohibiting it. The street network provides a multitude of routing alternatives to and from all destinations in a development, dispersing traffic and limiting congestion. Having a street network with a high degree of connectivity also enables individual streets to become narrower,
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Fuquay-Varina Land Use Plan
Chapter 6: Policies & Recommendations
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