Downtown
Transportation Considerations Development in Downtown should support all modes of transportation, and accommodate safe and efficient pedestrian or bicycle movements throughout the area and to adjacent neighborhoods. To the extent possible, the Downtown should be served by transit (or with the potential to be). Transit connections between the Downtown and all categories of activity centers in Fuquay-Varina is encouraged. Streets should have seating areas, bike racks, and other facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists. Curb and gutter infrastructure, on-street parking, and formal or informal street tree planting should be used in new development. Building Types & Massing Building types should mix uses horizontally and vertically, and should include civic, retail, office, restaurant, entertainment, and residential. Condominiums, apartments, or other non-residential uses may be located above storefronts. There may be opportunities in some areas to introduce additional housing types such as townhouses, duplexes, cottage dwellings, and multi-unit houses. Accessory dwelling units should be allowed where space allows. Buildings may be one (1) to six (6) stories in height. The height, massing, and design of new buildings should be sensitive to the existing character and context of the Downtown — especially near landmark buildings. Historic character and architecture should be preserved by prioritizing the adaptive reuse of existing historic buildings and contextually-appropriate design of new buildings.
Open Spaces & Natural Resources Compact urban development patterns and densities envisioned for Downtown places less emphasis on preservation of the natural landscape, and prioritizes the provision of a variety of formal public spaces for community-gathering. A wide variety of public spaces may provide gathering and recreational opportunities. Open spaces may include, but are not limited to, parks, plazas, playgrounds, squares, common greens, greenways, and activated alleyways and streetscapes, all of which should be linked through a network of safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Public gathering spaces should include fun, entertaining features like public art, sculpture, interactive streetscape elements, fountains or seating areas. Sustainable development techniques should be incorporated into landscape and stormwater features, and impervious surface should be reduced to the maximum extent possible. Grading of topography and clearing of vegetation may be necessary to achieve the higher density and compact development patterns desired for Downtown. Lot Size & Building Placement Lot sizes vary depending on land use, but are generally small-to-medium in the core of Downtown and medium-to-large in the identified transition areas. Front and side yard setbacks are variable based on lot size but should be as small as possible in most areas. New or infill development should be compatible in lot size and building placement with setbacks similar to that of adjacent development. Street & Block Pattern Areas are characterized by compact development patterns of small blocks with a regular street grid. Parking may be located on-street, or in structured or surface parking. Off-street parking should be accommodated at the side or rear of the lot to minimize the presence of parked automobiles from public rights-of-way. Preservation of existing streetscapes and block patterns is important, and any new or infill development should be context-sensitive and compatible with existing development patterns.
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Fuquay-Varina Land Use Plan
Chapter 3: Character Area Typology
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