Activity Centers Design Guidelines

1. Activity Centers Design Guidelines Wake County, North Carolina

2. Activity Centers Design Guidelines • Introduction • Objectives • Policies • Design Guidelines • Size and Spacing • Implementation Wake County Planning

3. Activity Centers Design Guidelines Introduction • Neighborhood, Communities and Regions are focused around Activity Centers Regions C Neighborhoods C Communities C N N C N N Neighborhoods are the smallest basic unit of development. Communities are medium size and consist of a combination of neighborhoods. Regions are large and consist of a series ofcommunities. Wake County Planning

4. Activity Centers Design Guidelines • Three types of Activity Centers: Neighborhood, Community and Region • Activity centers provide a full mix of goods and services in concentrated locations • Activity Centers are designed to maximize the benefit of public investment in infrastructure Wake County Planning

5. Activity Centers Design Guidelines • Connectivity • Transitional Development • Public Open Spaces • Residential Support Areas Wake County Planning

6. Activity Centers Design GuidelinesConnectivity Wake County Planning

7. Transitional Development Activity Centers Design GuidelinesTransitional Development Wake County Planning

8. Activity Centers Design GuidelinesPublic Open Spaces Public parks, open spaces and plazas provide a focus and identity for neighborhoods. They can function as both meeting places and recreation areas. Wake County Planning

9. Activity Centers Design Guidelines Residential Support Areas • Medium and Low Density Residential Areas • One and one-half miles from Neighborhood Activity Center’s Core • Five to ten miles for Community and Regional A C • Non residential uses may be permitted Wake County Planning

10. Activity Centers Design Guidelines Residential Support Areas A residential neighborhood supports an activity center. In ideal residential support areas, pedestrian-, bicycle- and automobile- friendly environments co-exist. Non-residential uses such as daycares or churches may be allowed if compatible with residential uses. Wake County Planning

11. Activity Centers Design GuidelinesObjectives • Broaden services and residential opportunities in the same neighborhood or community • Concentrate basic services and infrastructure • Avoid strip development and provide focal meeting points • Promote multiple forms of connectivity • Foster a variety of housing alternatives • Encourage compatibility among residential and non-residential areas • Maximize the benefit of public investment • Maintain and enhance the quality of the existing environment Wake County Planning

12. Activity Centers Design GuidelinesPolicies • Designate the location of Activity Centers • Neighborhood Activity Centers should contain services that meet day-to-day meets • Activity Centers should be located at significant roads intersections • Planning process should include residents participation • Emphasize residential compatibility (appearance, traffic, noise, odor, etc.) • Transitional Land Use development • Activity Centers should meet environmental standards as required in local, state and federal regulations Wake County Planning

13. Activity Centers Design Guidelines • Access to Thoroughfares: • Access point at least 300 ft from thoroughfare • One point of access for each 400 feet of lot frontage • Transportation improvements as required by Wake County Transportation Plan Wake County Planning

14. Activity Centers Design Guidelines Connectivity • Parking areas in the interior of a block • Maximize internal connection • Pedestrian access to residential areas • Links to existing or planned greenways Wake County Planning

15. Activity Centers Design GuidelinesConnectivity Wake County Planning

16. Activity Centers Design GuidelinesConnectivity Existing or planned greenway Residential Neighborhood Activity Center Core Area Site designs should include pedestrian access so that the project is connected to residential neighborhoods. Ideally, they would provide a link to existing or planned greenways. Wake County Planning

17. Activity Centers Design GuidelinesConnectivity Residential Neighborhood Pedestrian Connections Activity Center Core Area Wake County Planning

18. Activity Centers Design Guidelines • Building Architecture and Materials • Deemphasize building mass • Solid screening of mechanical equipment • Landscaping • Save existing trees • Provide foundation landscaping and Type B screening • Signs • Promote coordinated themes • Freestanding signs < 8ft high Wake County Planning

19. Neighborhood Activity Activity Center Size Up to 35 acres Maximum Distance that Non-residential Uses May Radiate Outwards from the Center of the Activity Center (along Roadways) 800 feet Maximum Depth that Non-residential Uses Should Extend Back from Roadways 500 feet Minimum Separation from other Neighborhood Activity Centers 1 mile Minimum Separation from Community or Regional Activity Centers 1.5 miles Activity Centers Design GuidelinesSize and Spacing Wake County Planning

20. Community Activity Center Guidelines Size Up to 120 acres Maximum Distance that Non-residential Uses May Radiate Outwards from the Center of the Activity Center (along Roadways) 1,600 feet Maximum Depth that Non-residential Uses Should Extend Back from Roadways 800 feet Minimum Separation from other Community Activity Centers or Regional Activity Centers 3 miles Minimum Separation from Neighborhood Activity Centers 1.5 miles Activity Centers Design GuidelinesSize and Spacing Wake County Planning

21. Regional Activity Center Guidelines Size Up to 375 acres Maximum Distance that Non-residential Uses May Radiate Outwards from the Center of the Activity Center (along Roadways) 2,000 feet Maximum Depth that Non-residential Uses Should Extend Back from Roadways 2,000 feet Minimum Separation from other Regional Activity Centers 6 miles Minimum Separation from Neighborhood Activity Centers 1.5 miles Minimum Separation from Community Activity Centers 3 miles Activity Centers Design GuidelinesSize and Spacing Wake County Planning

22. Activity Centers Design Guidelines • Not expected that an A C will be built as a single development or at the same time • Approval of proposed uses may be postponed to take advantage of future infrastructure improvements Wake County Planning