Morrisville Town Center Plan - 2007

Chapter 2: Planning Process & Concept Design

The Process To develop the Town Center Plan, the Town of Morrisville conducted a year-long planning process. This work was led by the Morrisville Planning and Zoning Board, with staff support from the Morrisville Planning Department. The process began with a series of three background meetings held in early 2006 to review historic resources, transportation facilities, greenways, and civic facilities in the Town Center area. These meetings provided an opportunity for the Planning Team to share background information on the project, and for residents and other stakeholders to provide input and ideas for the future Town Center. An average of 35 people attended each background meeting. A summary of these meetings and the input received is included in Appendix 1 of this plan. In late June, the Planning Team toured Morrisville’s historic crossroads to learn some of the history of the town and develop a better understanding of the existing conditions in the project area. The Town commissioned local historian Ernest Dollar to lead the tours and prepare a companion guide to some of the historic structures as a resource for the Planning Team and interested citizens. A copy of the guide is included in Appendix 2.

ideas. Stops included two new town centers, Meadowmont and Southern Village, and two historic town centers, Apex and Cary. At each stop, the Planning Team was met by local experts who described how the Town Center was created and developed. A summary of the tour is included in Appendix 3.

In mid-July, the Planning Team hosted a three-day design workshop with the help of a professional design consultant, Raybould Associates out of Raleigh. The purpose of the design workshop was to gather additional community input, work through major design issues, and prepare a draft physical design for the Town Center. A citizens committee helped to organize and publicize the kick-off event. More than 100 people attended the kick-off workshop at the Fellowship Hall of the First Baptist Church to provide their input. The evening began with a barbecue dinner, live music, and special appearances by Elvis and McGruff the Crime Dog, which helped provide a relaxing atmosphere and set the stage for the group design exercise. The consultants then cleared the tables, divided participants into groups of 8 – 10 people each, and led them through a design exercise using colored markers and poster- Residents, local business owners, and other participants pack the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall to participate in the Town Center Design Workshop in July of 2006. (Photo: Raybould Associates for the Town of Morrisville)

In early July, the Planning Team visited other town centers in the region to gather Historian Ernest Dollar leads local residents and members of the Planning & Zoning Board on a tour of historic structures in the Town Center. (Photo: Ben Hitchings, Town of Morrisville)

16 │ Town Center Plan

January 2007