Cary schedules public hearing on Seasons of Cary as residents warn New Haven Drive connection will alter neighborhood

The Village of Cary on July 1 confirmed a public hearing for the Seasons of Cary development after residents said the proposal to extend New Haven Drive into Route 31 would turn a neighborhood street into a throughway and cause safety and notice problems.

Residents said notice about the project has been hard to find, described traffic and safety risks associated with a new connection to Route 31 and submitted a petition they said contains 425 signatures. Director Simmons told the board that the village has posted signs on New Haven Drive and Route 31 and will place a mobile message sign on New Haven Drive; the full zoning petition packet is expected to be posted to the village website within the week and the public hearing is scheduled for July 17.

Why it matters: The hearing will decide whether the project proceeds through Cary’s zoning process. Residents said the proposed connection would change local traffic patterns on a subdivision street that they characterized as serving local driveways and school bus routes, not as a collector road.

Resident David Arbenz told the board that existing signs are obscured and that a contact number supplied on notices has not been answered. Arbenz said, "There's a sign out on 31. The grass is taller than the sign, though it's pretty obscured," and that people living off New Haven Drive feel the development affects their entire neighborhood. Ginny Plumbo also addressed the board, saying, "It is gonna be a thoroughfare," and asking what the village would do if the change proved problematic after construction.

Director Simmons said the village posted property notice signs at New Haven Drive and Route 31, replaced a windblown sign that had fallen and will place an electronic message sign to advertise the hearing. Simmons also said two recent open houses were held for the Maplewood property with "good turnout" and that staff is working with the developer to refine a redevelopment agreement; any redevelopment agreement would be followed by required zoning entitlements. Simmons told the board the Maplewood project will continue through the village’s process and that next actionable items would come before the board later this summer.

Board members did not take action on the projects at the July 1 meeting beyond setting the public hearing date and receiving staff updates. The village clerk confirmed the public hearing for Seasons of Cary is scheduled for July 17 and that materials will be posted to the village calendar when available.

Clarifying details taken from the meeting record: residents said there are roughly 66 driveways and 239 mailboxes on the subdivision roadway they referenced; their petition contains about 425 signatures; village staff said signs have been placed on New Haven Drive and Route 31 and a mobile message sign will be placed on New Haven Drive; the full zoning petition packet should be posted on the village website within the week. The village described the next formal steps as refinements to a redevelopment agreement (for Maplewood) followed by the official zoning entitlement process.

The board and staff encouraged residents to review the full petition packet on the village website and to attend the July 17 public hearing for Seasons of Cary; no final zoning decision was made at the July 1 meeting.