Wake County , North Carolina

Unified Development Ordinance
   

Duncan Associates is currently preparing a new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) for Wake County, North Carolina. The new ordinance will represent the first time that Wake County’s land development regulations have been consolidated into a single, fully integrated document.
In addition to consolidating and simplifying the county’s existing development regulations, the new UDO will include several substantive amendments and additions to Wake County’s development rules. These changes include: tree protection standards to regulate clear-cutting and offer greater protection for large, specimen trees, a street tree planting requirements and parking lot landscaping standard, design standards

for residential and nonresidential development, elimination of barriers to and incentives for mixed-use development, new pedestrian and bicycle mobility provisions, revised parking standards, conservation subdivision incentives, riparian buffer standards and other protections for water supply watersheds, revisions to flood protection standards, limited impact development (LID) standards that address stormwater impacts, updated impervious surface standards for priority watersheds, “connectivity” standards requiring multiple street connections in ne w subdivisions and traffic impact analysis provisions that ensure consideration of the traffic-related impacts of new development.
The county’s new UDO will also include new design and construction standards for private roads, as well as provisions requiring that subdivision improvements be constructed or bonded prior to approval of final plats. The new ordinance will, for the first time, consolidate and streamline development review procedures and authorize greater use of administrative approvals for development that complies with all ordinance standards.
The Wake County project entails an extensive public participation and involvement effort, which is being conducted in association with county staff.

Period:    January 2003 - Present                 Contact:   Keith Lankford
Team:      Duncan Associates (Lead)                              Project Manager
               Lane Kendig, Inc.                                         919.856.6228
               Michael E. Brough, Esq.                                            
               The New Synergy, Inc.
               Robert E. Tucker, P.E.