PLANNING DEPARTMENT Additional information about the Planning Department may be obtained by calling Jeff Ulma, Planning Director, at (919) 319-4580, through email at jeff.ulma@townofcary.org or by visiting the Town s website at www.townofcary.org. Town Focus Areas Focus Area I: Community Planning Goal: Achieve a well-planned community using innovative and proactive planning approaches and techniques. Focus Area II: Infrastructure Goal: Ensure that infrastructure exists for current and future needs identified in the comprehensive plan. Focus Area III: Financial Condition Town Goals Goal: Achieve a stable and strong financial position by accurately estimating, prudently allocating, and managing financial resources. Focus Area IV: Municipal Services Goal: Achieve a high level of service to the citizens in a prompt, reliable, responsive, and cost-effective manner. Goal: Continuously ensure the right people and systems are in place to provide high quality, responsive community planning customer services every day. 8, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 Goal: Develop comprehensive infrastructure plans, execute capital projects, and maintain the built environment in an efficient and effective manner. Goal: Continuously provide high quality financial services ranging from day-to-day management to long-term planning that will preserve the Town s strong financial condition. Planning Goals and Initiatives (numbers reflect which Planning Goal or Initiative supports each Town Focus Area) 8, 14, 18, 19, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32 PLANNING GOALS AND INITIATIVES 9, 12, 13, 20, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32 Goal: Continuously deliver value-added citizen services in a friendly manner, that make our customers appreciative and our citizens proud to call Cary home. 6, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 Administration 1. Coordinate all activities regarding growth management, land use planning, zoning administration, code enforcement, transportation planning, and plan review. 2. Process staff reports, legal advertising, and notification letters related to ordinance amendments, annexations, special uses and development plan applications. 3. Oversee budget and personnel. 4. Handle monthly preparation, printing, Web publishing, presentations and distribution of agendas and supporting materials for the Town Council, Planning & Zoning Board, and the Board of Adjustment. 5. Implement a department strategic plan. Long Range Planning Section 6. Coordinate staff reports, legal advertising, and notification letters related to Comprehensive Plan Amendments (CPA). 7. Assist the Downtown Manager in the coordination of activities related to downtown redevelopment. 8. Coordinate the development and updates of all elements of the Comprehensive Plan with other divisions and departments. 9. Develop department capital improvement program requests. 10. Develop official population forecasts based on current development. 11. Employment and development estimates and forecasts; track historical data. 12. Address environmental and historic resources planning issues. 13. Administer the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and affordable housing programs. 14. Manage multi-modal transportation system components (pedestrian, thoroughfares, transit, and bicycle). 15. Administer Historic Preservation Master Plan.
Zoning and Land Development Section 16. Administer, review, and prepare/present staff reports to Town Council and Planning & Zoning (P&Z) Board regarding rezoning and planned development district applications. 17. Manage overall Land Development Ordinance (LDO) amendment process, including review, preparation, and presentation of proposed amendments/staff reports to Town Council and P&Z Board. 18. Inspect approved site and subdivision plans during and after construction to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and approvals. 19. Enforce approved development plans and all zoning regulations within the LDO through regular and/or unscheduled inspections, including responses to citizen complaints or inquiries. 20. Preparation of notices and/or citations related to violations of the LDO and approved development plans, and necessary follow-up to ensure the matter is resolved. 21. Review applications for sign permits, master sign plans, temporary uses and accessory uses. 22. Review requests for zoning verification letters, and research and prepare necessary documentation. 23. Administer Zoning Board of Adjustment cases including applications for variances, appeals, and interpretations of decisions. 24. Administer, review and prepare/present staff reports for Town Council consideration of Special Use applications. 25. Review and process proposed plans for new development and modifications to existing development such as subdivisions, commercial, office and industrial developments, and other physical development of properties within the Town limits and its Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) to ensure compliance with relative ordinances, policies and standards. 26. Process all citizen-initiated annexations of properties associated with rezonings, development plans, or individual residential lots. 27. Prepare policies and procedures for land use regulations. 28. Maintain database of all development plans, rezonings and related data, and prepare monthly reports of development activity. 29. Administration of, including interpreting/applying, Land Development Ordinance, Site Design Guidelines, Community Appearance Manual and all other zoning and site design requirements in reviewing rezoning and development plan applications, responding to customer inquiries, and enforcement activities. 30. Respond to citizen and development-related inquiries regarding specific rezoning, development plan and other zoning-related permit applications, including understanding and mitigating issues/concerns within parameters established by regulations. 31. Conduct research and attend professional training opportunities to keep informed of emerging trends and techniques in the development industry. 32. Maintain consistent and accurate communication with other departments, developers and citizens involved in the development review and compliance processes. (Please note that the Transit program is included in a separate section, but is part of the Planning Department.) ACCOMPLISHMENTS Bid, awarded contract and began installation of the downtown wayfinding signage program. Completed the project for Shared Access, Sharrow bike lanes along Kildaire Farm Road, and portions of Maynard Road and Lake Pine Drive. Completed and adopted LDO amendments pertaining to site design standards (Round 22A) and backyard chickens (Round 22B). Completed and adopted Round 23 LDO amendments pertaining to: life care and nursing home density standards; home occupations; signs; stormwater rules; conditional rezonings; and other minor changes, corrections and clarifications. Completed and adopted Round 24 LDO amendments regarding traffic impact assessments.
Prepared Round 25 LDO amendments for public hearing, including amendments pertaining to: mixed use district rezoning process; landscaping and buffers, specifically with regard to parking lot design standards, champion trees, fences and walls, setbacks from buffers, strings of lights, and reference to thoroughfares and collectors; use-specific regulations; subdivision requirements; environmental regulations; suspended signs; and various administrative and procedural changes. Conducted a survey with individuals that participated in the development review process. Completed various improvements to development plan review process focused on enhancing efficiency and data management. KEY PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES Increase the community participation rate (defined as the percentage of affected citizens who participate) at plan public meetings. Ensure that 100% of development plan reviews are delivered according to published schedule. Ensure that 100% of the initial development plans receive site visits. Ensure that the GIS database is maintained at a minimum 95% accuracy level. Increase the efficiency of employees to access data and information needed to meet department objectives. Establish specifications for the submittal of digital maps related to rezonings, planned developments, and site plans. KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES Performance Measure % of plans reviewed on schedule 98% 99% 99% % of accuracy of GIS databases 97% 97% 98% % of development plans receiving a site visit 97% 98% 99% KEY WORKLOAD INDICATORS Workload Indicators Complaints investigated 419 329 362 Zoning violation cases 118 108 119 Zoning citations 8 10 11 Zoning compliance permits 0 4 6 Board of Adjustment variances and administrative 5 10 12 appeals Board of Adjustment pre-application conferences 10 13 18 Director modifications (including pre-application 20 28 31 conferences) Accessory Use permits issued 232 245 282 Temporary Use permits issued 148 168 177 Permanent Sign permits issued 381 410 452 Temporary Sign permits issued 181 202 226 Zoning Verification Letters issued 99 110 123
KEY WORKLOAD INDICATORS, continued: Workload Indicators Acres annexed 145 151 158 Annexation Petitions processed 14 21 25 Rezonings (including PDDs) submitted 16 24 25 Rezoning pre-application conferences 35 38 40 Development Plan reviews 301 362 380 Development Plan pre-application conferences 110 109 115 Final subdivision plats reviewed 120 116 120 Number of residents who participated in a 350 800 1200 comprehensive planning effort or project Number of miles of striped/sharrow bicycle lanes 20 21 21 GIS tables maintained 51 54 54 Number of data audits 14 12 12 GIS analysis projects completed 70 77 75 ACTIVITY HISTORY Fund Number: 10-5505 Activity FY 2010 FY 2011 Budget Personnel Services $2,049,965 $2,051,875 $2,183,231 $2,319,307 $2,561,619 Operations & Maintenance $301,398 $145,391 $248,302 $1,343,381 $269,132 Capital Outlay $27,287 $0 $0 $0 $18,720 Total $2,378,650 $2,197,266 $2,431,533 $3,662,688 $2,849,471 Authorized FTEs 30 24 24 26 26 SIGNIFICANT BUDGET AND SERVICE LEVEL CHANGES FROM CURRENT LEVELS There are no significant budget and service level changes for.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM Additional information about the Affordable Housing Program may be obtained by calling Tracy Stone-Dino, Senior Planner Affordable Housing, at (919) 380-2782, through email at tracy.stone-dino@townofcary.org, or by visiting the Town s website at www.townofcary.org. Focus Area I: Community Planning Goal: Achieve a well-planned community using innovative and proactive planning approaches and techniques. Focus Area II: Infrastructure Goal: Ensure that infrastructure exists for current and future needs identified in the comprehensive plan. Town Focus Areas Focus Area III: Financial Condition Town Goals Goal: Achieve a stable and strong financial position by accurately estimating, prudently allocating, and managing financial resources. Focus Area IV: Municipal Services Goal: Achieve a high level of service to the citizens in a prompt, reliable, responsive, and cost-effective manner. Goal: Continuously ensure the right people and systems are in place to provide high quality, responsive community planning customer services every day. Goal: Develop comprehensive infrastructure plans, execute capital projects, and maintain the built environment in an efficient and effective manner. Goal: Continuously provide high quality financial services ranging from day-to-day management to long-term planning that will preserve the Town s strong financial condition. Affordable Housing Goals and Initiatives (numbers reflect which Affordable Housing Goal or Initiative supports each Town Focus Area) 1, 2, 3, 5 1, 2, 4 1, 2 4 Goal: Continuously deliver value-added citizen services in a friendly manner, that make our customers appreciative and our citizens proud to call Cary home. AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS AND INITIATIVES 1. Administer the affordable housing program. 2. Administer the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. 3. Prepare recommendations and oversee new or revised practices, policies, ordinances, or programs related to housing and community development. 4. Support multi-department efforts to improve declining neighborhoods. 5. Prepare reports and plans to address Cary s housing needs. 6. Seek innovative funding sources such as the HUD Section 8 program to support key downtown developments. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Prepared the Annual Action Plan to receive $399,000 in federal funds and reprogrammed funds carried over from previous years. Prepared the Consolidated Annual and Performance Evaluation Report on 2012 CDBG activities. Rehabilitated five homes with major repairs through the Housing Rehabilitation Program. Provided CDBG funds for nonprofit community support agencies in Cary (Dorcas Shop Ministries, and White Oak Foundation.. Provided CDBG funds for nonprofit housing providers (CASA and Resources for Seniors) which resulted in 6 additional affordable housing units. Awarded three grants through the Neighborhood Improvement Matching Grant program. Began enforcement of the Minimum Housing Code and hired a Minimum Housing Inspector KEY PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES Meet the housing performance measures established in the Affordable Housing Plan. To the extent allowed by funding, implement the Town of Cary housing rehabilitation program to provide financial assistance to lower-income owners of older properties within the Town limits. Implement the housing, public infrastructure, and economic development projects contained in the CDBG Annual Action Plan while complying with all federal regulations.
Make adjustments to Cary s affordable housing programs, with focus on performance targets, concentration issues, and location goals. KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES Performance Measure % of housing funds expended in same fiscal year budgeted % of CDBG funds expended in same fiscal year budgeted 75% 80% 80% 80% 80% 80% % of affordable housing targets achieved 50% 50% 50% KEY WORKLOAD INDICATORS Workload Indicators Number of housing units rehabilitated with housing funds Number of new affordable housing strategies implemented Number of previously-implemented affordable strategies carried forward an additional year Number of affordable housing units committed as a result of Town actions Amount of state, county, federal funds secured for affordable housing 6 6 8 1 1 0 8 8 8 12 10 60 $452,429 $420,150 $399,000 ACTIVITY HISTORY Fund Number: 056-5507 Activity FY 2010 FY 2011 Budget Personnel Services $68,234 $79,762 $82,770 $85,583 $88,892 Operations & Maintenance $1,411 $1,169 $3,293 $5,619 $43,900 Capital Outlay $76,809 $200 $0 $117,737 $0 Other $263,123 $298,083 $137,761 $446,561 $135,000 Total $409,577 $379,214 $223,824 $655,500 $267,792 Employee Housing $8,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 Total $417,577 $379,214 $223,824 $655,500 $267,792 Authorized FTEs 1 1 1 1 1 SIGNIFICANT BUDGET AND SERVICE LEVEL CHANGES FROM CURRENT LEVELS There are no significant budget and service level changes for.