Comprehensive Transportation Plan - March 2019

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Development Constraints There are a number of challenges that impact the Town’s planning and development. Identifying these constraints at the outset of the planning process helps to minimize environmental impacts and preserve community assets. The Town is completely bordered by other jurisdictions (see Figure 2-1 ), leaving limited options for annexation. Additionally, many roads in Morrisville meander, crossing into and out of multiple jurisdictions. Roadways that cross jurisdictional limits require increased communication among adjacent municipalities to ensure a cohesive and effective plan for the future. ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES Crabtree Creek, which passes through the southern portion of Morrisville, does not meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards and is classified as a 303(d)-impaired stream. This classification is supplemented with a unique management plan that may affect how much and where development may occur near the creek. Other environmental constraints in Morrisville include floodplains, wetlands, stream buffers, and steep slopes. The Town of Morrisville requires buffers on both intermittent and perennial streams, as well as several other stormwater provisions to ensure a high quality of life for its residents. More information about the Stormwater Program can be found in Article 7 of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Wetlands, denoted by blue dots on Figure 2-3 , are areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Floodways, shown in dark blue on Figure 2-3 , contain the undevelopable land area adjacent to a river or stream channel necessary to discharge flood waters without increasing water surface elevation. Finally, the 100-year Floodplain shown in lighter blue DUH the locations determined to have a 1% chance of flooding in any given year. Development in these areas must be located 2-feet above the base flood elevation and require a FEMA elevation certificate. Additionally, Morrisville housed the Koppers Company, Inc. plant, a facility that processed and treated wood. The EPA found that the site was contaminated in 1980 and proceeded with cleanup efforts. While there is currently no environmental hazard on the site, it is still on the Superfund list and is being monitored by the EPA. This parcel of land is shown on Figure 2-3 . RAILROAD CORRIDOR The railroad corridor running alongside NC 54 is owned by North Carolina Railroad and operated by Norfolk Southern. Norfolk Southern requires that new roadway, sidewalk, and bicycle connections across the railroad must be constructed as grade-separated crossings, with some exceptions. While this requirement mitigates potential train collisions at at-grade railroad crossings, it also results in increased costs associated with new east-west connections.

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