Morrisville Land Use Plan 2021

Branding How a community brands itself and commu- nicates that brand is essential to its broader regional image. Throughout public engage- ment, residents and stakeholders consis- tently highlighted Morrisville’s brand as a key concern. This included confusion about how Morrisville defines itself and what the Town truly wants to be, as well as concern that Morrisville has no brand or easily defined identity. One individual described Morrisville as a collection of islands, suggesting that each neighborhood and development feels like its own isolated place with no cohesion or unifying element.

Gateways & Entrances Gateways and entrances into a municipality strengthen community identity by marking entry into the community helping to clearly define community bounds. Entrances into Morrisville are not currently well defined, and individuals can travel to and through town without realizing that they are in the Town of Morrisville. While some entrances have gateway features, these often have poor visibility and do not distinguish entry into the community, such as those along Airport Boulevard near I-40. In other locations, entrances are either unmarked or utilize basic highway signage.

Key Considerations ⊲ Incorporate the Morrisville Brand as a part of public improvements throughout the community, including signs, roadway improvements, and other innovative applications. ⊲ Utilize branding at community events, promotional materials, and other Town collateral with the aim of establishing a Morrisville identity and emphasizing a sense of unity for what it means to be part of the Morrisville community. ⊲ Encourage property owners and busi- nesses to incorporate elements of Morris- ville’s brand as part of their own branding, marketing, or other collateral. This should include creative ideas to indicate that businesses and neighborhoods are part of the Morrisville community. ⊲ Meet with neighborhood associations, major employers, and other organizations to explore ways the Morrisville Brand can be incorporated as part of private improvements to establish a better sense of cohesion in Town. ⊲ Explore opportunities for regional marketing outside Morrisville that will better promote the community and its location in the Research Triangle.

The lack of a clearly communicated brand was discussed as a concern in a regional context. Many individuals feel that Morris- ville is not well understood by those who live outside the community, and that this may challenge the Town’s ability to attract new residents, visitors, and shoppers. Further, there was a concern that Morrisville’s munic- ipal boundaries are generally not understood and visitors may spend time in town without knowing they are in Morrisville. In 2016, the Town unveiled a new ‘Morris- ville Brand’ that includes a new logo and the tagline “Live Connected. Live well.” The brand is an ongoing project, and has been incor- porated within community events, promo- tional materials, and signs. The Town should continue to implement this brand and inte- grate it as a part of physical improvements throughout the community. This should help establish a sense of unity, communicate what the Town hopes to be in the future, and foster community pride.

The Town is currently addressing gateways and entrances through the on-going Gateway Signage Project, including identification of the location and design of signs. The Town should continue to develop high-visibility signs and vibrant gateway features that utilize a cohesive design and the community brand to establish a more unified image for Morrisville. Key Considerations ⊲ Continue the Gateway Signage Project to identify locations for new high-visi- bility signs and vibrant gateway features marking entrance in Morrisville. ⊲ Utilize a cohesive design for all gateway and sign improvements that incorporates the community brand and fosters a unified image of Morrisville. ⊲ Update and expand existing wayfin - ding signs to include key destinations throughout the community. This should utilize a consistent design that incorpo- rates the Town’s image. ⊲ Coordinate with NCDOT and regional partners to seek updated interstate signs that clearly mark Morrisville’s location and incorporates wayfinding signs for key destinations. This should include updates to reflect new and growing destinations, such as Morrisville’s Town Center project.

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