Morrisville Land Use Plan 2021

Raleigh-Durham International Airport Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) is another regional neighbor and community asset that impacts land use and development in Morrisville. While the proximity of RDU and resulting airport overlay districts can be a challenge, as discussed in Chapter 4: Land Use Plan , the airport is also a valuable amenity for the community. RDU provides convenient access to air travel for residents as well as employers, making Morrisville a great location for businesses that need national and international flights. In addition, the airport attracts a variety of related uses that help serve airport operations and trav- elers, such as hotels, gas stations, restaurants, distribution companies, and storage facilities. RDU has been an important asset for Morris- ville and helped to spur the rapid growth and development in the community over the past 20 years.

The Town of Morrisville should maintain a strong partnership with RDU as regional neighbors. This should include regular communication to discuss and understand shared issues from a cooperative and collaborative point of view. Both organi- zations should seek to balance their needs and consider how working together can be mutually beneficial, including considerations for potential projects and how continued development in adjacent areas could impact transportation and airport operations. Key Considerations: ⊲ Maintain a strong partnership with RDU and seek to discuss, understand, and address shared issues from a cooperative and collaborative point of view. ⊲ Carefully consider impacts of airport oper- ations as part of future development and site design. ⊲ Balance community aspirations and needs with considerations for the safety and effi - ciency of airport operations in the area. ⊲ Identify potential partnership opportuni- ties with RDU, including considerations for how continued development in adjacent areas could impact both organizations.

53 Morrisville Land Use Plan | Chapter 5 – Land Use Considerations