SNAPSHOT OF APEX TODAY Apex PEAK PLAN 2030 : 1 Apex Today Prepared for: Town of Apex 73 Hunter Street Apex, NC 27502 www.apexnc.org Prepared by: LandDesign, Inc. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. February 26, 2013 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PAGE 1 COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION PAGE 4 CONTEXT PAGE 4 ECONOMIC & DEMOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS PAGE 5 LAND USE PAGE 13 COMMUNITY CHARACTER PAGE 20 COMMUNITY FACILITIES PAGE 23 HISTORIC & CULTURAL RESOURCES PAGE 32 ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES PAGE 34 INTRODUCTION Since completion of the current Apex Comprehensive Plan in 2004, the nation suffered one of the worst economic and fiscal crises in recent history. In many communities economic stagnation resulted in declining home values, widespread foreclosures, limited consumption, and high unemployment. High growth areas were hit especially hard, and while Apex can definitely be considered a high growth community with an average compounded annual growth rate of approximately 5% over the last ten years, the Town weathered the difficult economic downturn with encouraging resiliency. In fact, in a recently published study comparing the 2012 average assessed value to sales price ratio of homes in the Triangle, Apex’s homes retained their value better than all neighboring jurisdictions1. In addition, since 2004 the average single-family home price has risen from $178,800 to $249,274 today. Approximately 3,725 housing units have been built in Apex’s jurisdiction since 2004, with nearly 20% of those homes being built between 2008 and 2010. Not only have property values increased significantly, but the Town has continually added facilities and services to ensure a high quality of life for residents. Approximately 9,000 linear feet of new greenways have opened, four miles of sidewalk have been constructed, three parks, including Apex’s first dog park, have opened, and nearly 60 miles of roadway have been improved including several sections of the Apex Peakway. In Apex’s historic downtown, numerous storefronts have been improved through the Façade Grant Program and the Halle Cultural Arts Center opened its doors. Today, Apex looks forward to continued growth as one of North Carolina’s fastest developing communities. Driving much of this growth over the next 20 years are two major regional infrastructure projects: the Triangle Expressway and the Western Wake Water Reclamation Facility (WRF). The Triangle Expressway (NC 540) opened in December of 2012. This new toll road provides a direct connection between Apex, Research Triangle Park (RTP), and the Raleigh- Durham International Airport (RDU). Employers looking for potential headquarter sites, workers seeking a high quality of life a short drive from major employment centers, and retailers identifying sites in close proximity to growing residential populations will increasingly make Apex a destination of choice. Scheduled for completion in 2014, the new Western Wake Water Reclamation Facility will provide Apex, Morrisville, and Cary a solution to existing and future wastewater treatment capacity issues. The facility, which will be able to treat 18 million gallons each day, ensures that as each community continues to grow, there will be ample supply to serve both existing and future businesses and residents. In Apex, “Good Living” can be described any number of ways. From the high quality school system to new infrastructure investments, residents and increasingly businesses will continue to locate in Apex to take advantage of all that Apex has to offer. The purpose of this plan is to ensure that as Apex continues to grow, it remains “The Peak of Good Living.” 1 Birch Appraisal Group of Cary, Market Update, Summary of Residential Activity, RTP, North Carolina, 2012. 1 PEAK PLAN 2030: THE APEX COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OVERVIEW Peak Plan 2030: The Apex Comprehensive Plan will update and replace the current Apex Comprehensive Plan. Over the course of eight months, Peak Plan 2030 will establish a direction for the future and present a decision framework that can be utilized by many people, especially elected officials. The Plan brings together residents, elected officials, town staff, civic groups and other entities in a conversation around how best to ensure that Apex remains a great place to live, work, and play. PLANNING AREA BOUNDARY The Planning Area for Peak Plan 2030 includes the current Town corporate limits, extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), and future planning areas, including areas south and west of the Town’s corporate limits. The Planning Area Map on the following page details the geographic extent of the Planning Area. PURPOSE OF THIS MEMO The primary purpose of this memo is to provide a snapshot of the existing characteristics of Apex to gain an understanding of the potential impacts of various factors on the future growth and development of the Town. By documenting the existing conditions in this memo, those involved in the process can identify the potential issues and opportunities, which will be the basis for Peak Plan 2030. DATA COLLECTION AND RESEARCH The Plan update is informed by existing plans, reports, policies and regulations. In addition, the project team analyzed data and created maps to further examine the Planning Area’s existing condition. The following topics are included in the analysis: demographics, housing and economic conditions, land use, community character, transportation, environment and natural resources, parks and recreation, cultural and historic resources, community facilities, and utilities. In addition to data collected for mapping purposes, data were also collected to gain a better understanding of the conditions reflected on maps. Many of these additional data were gathered through a review of relevant documents, interviews of key stakeholders, a Planning Area tour, and conversations with Town planning staff. PLANNING AREA TOUR The project team participated in a Planning Area tour with Town staff and Advisory Committee members. The purpose was to make observations and gather photos throughout the Planning Area. Also, data gathered and information shown on preliminary mapping were verified. Observations made were intended to understand the Planning Area context and document the established character of the built environment, including the development pattern. 2 D Y 55 C W N R PK H E C ILL A S V 54 N Study Area IS P RR E A O 0 M MORRISVILLE L V MORRISVILLE E H H W I E E LL F Y Y R Apex ETJ E 55 D N R W B D R K JORDAN E A JORDAN V L D N Y P L L R I S S 54 R C C D R D R A Apex D R A D 5 R C N 4 Y H H A LAKE 0 C W M HW R N W N U Y Y EMS H C S L L B E 55 V E Fire Station L OUSE RD N N HIGH H E E R D G R Police Station T R ES HIG EX RD W D H H AP EL OU OLD V S SE E I N L RD EE V Y Public Safety Station GR A D W HIGH HOUSE RD H D 5 N R W ST 5 WE M EL C GREEN LEV DAVIS A Community Facility N Y T N S B DRIVE ES A M N A R H DAVIS D T Y Y A R H Government Building W DRIVE MS D C H S W W W 0 0 4 C 5 A C C R S N Y P School B W S RD TURNER K M ST Y W A WE H-7 School CREEK ES Y L W EVE Y NA L Site H R EEN D RD Lakes GR 0 4 CARY 5 CARY C C 751 G N R E E N N L E V E RD L L EX C AP H LD U O R 55 C H H KS RD R JEN D Salem Middle Laurel Park OLD JENKS RD School Elementary School T S Salem Elementary S S School M SW CARY PKWY A I L L T I S JORDAN D M W B R LE N A Y Y W S L N Y Y L R W LAKE E E D D K H 64 HWY W N KS R US PI N 0 W E JE S 64 HWY AK 4 U US L 5 64 HW C C 64 HWY W Y W N US Apex High Thales Middle/High W W School W School Academy IL L EVA PERRY COUNTY LIBRARY IA EVA PERRY COUNTY LIBRARY WY W M US 64 H S D S U R T S 64 APE HW Y Y APEX PEWY X Y W 64 L P L T E W E S Thales K 55 Y M M Academy 64 E OLIVE CHAPE A V Baucom L L RD A V Baucom A APEX FIRE Elementary School S RD N N H T EIG STATION HUNTER S RAL APEX TOWN HALL OLD Olive Chapel #3 (HUNTER ST) APEX COMMUNITY CENTER APEX POST OFFICE Elementary School APEX POST OFFICE HALLE CULTURAL ARTS Y HW APEX POLICE STATION 1 D APEX TRAIN DEPOT/ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE S R U L CC JONES BUILDING E APEX APEX APEX FIRE P HA OL C APEX PUBLIC WORKS BULIDLING STATION #1 IVE LIVE CENTER ST CH O (N SALEM ST) AP EL RD Y APEX EMS W E P Apex Middle X X E School St. Mary P Y A W E E 1 H Magdalene School US Scotts Ridge W I ALEM ST L S S Apex Elementary L Elementary School I A School M D S S Lufkin Road R S Y Y Middle School L T Penny Road L E Elementary School K 55 D APEX PEWY Y R NN PE D Y R W JORDAN H JORDAN N 1 S E U G N I T LAKE E Y W W TEN H I T 1 L EN S L R I PUBLIC SAFETY STATION #4 U A D M S S S T West Apex High School West Apex 55 Elementary School West Apex 55 D Middle School R M M R A F E E D R R I A X X D E L T I AP S K Y S S W G H M N 1 A I I D S U L R N R Y Y L P I E W P W S W W H I C H W 1 H Y Y H S 5 H S L E A U 5 I D D P L L Y C N OL E L O W E N H H L L O I 1 R R L S D I F U D V L E E O N E D W W R P P H Y I I W L H H L L S 1 S S H U D U O N N E S L I L E R D E T F R M L FIRE STATION #2 (NEW P S A A Y G N N K HILL HOLLEMAN RD) B E IN R 5 5 R R D 5 D P S Y Y L L T O S H N N I Y A S W M U 1 H N N N S Y D E W R T H O 1 F L S L A U A K B B E G R D RINGS NEW HILL RD LY SP HOL HOLLY W SPRINGS ES Y H W OL S RD H LY S RING 1 PRIN LY SP G L US GS RD HO B B HOLLY RIDGE MS A L HOLLY F O HOLLY RIDGE ES R D D H W Y SPRINGS T 5 S BAS 5 S LA N N KE B I R Y D P A 1 M S S G B B A L F O R D D H W Y HOLLY GROVE ES HOLLY GROVE MS 55 HOLLY SPRINGS HS N E W W RD T FERRY H AVEN I L D L L R H T T O L L HERBERT L O E H AKINS M S A S ROAD ES N N A R C D N B R O A D S WAKE CO.