Cary, NC
About Cary
Cary has a reputation for doing things carefully, and it shows: well-kept parks, connected greenways and a calendar full of events. U.S. News & World Report has named it the best place to live in North Carolina two years running, ranking it 11th in the nation on its 2026–2027 list, and Niche ranks it first in the state for 2026.
Downtown Cary Park, opened in 2023, gave the town a lively center. Its playground, The Nest, was voted the best public playground in America in USA Today's 10Best readers' poll in 2025. The Cary Arts Center and the Page-Walker Arts & History Center are a short walk away.
Koka Booth Amphitheatre, on the shore of Symphony Lake, is the summer home of the North Carolina Symphony and lights up each winter with the Chinese Lantern Festival. WakeMed Soccer Park is home field for the NC Courage, and the USA Baseball National Training Complex hosts national championships. For quieter time outdoors there's Fred G. Bond Metro Park and its lake, and Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve, where a rare stand of eastern hemlocks grows hundreds of miles from the mountains. Umstead State Park and Jordan Lake sit at either edge of town.
Property tax in Cary
The combined Wake County and Cary rate is $0.9046 per $100 of tax value: about $3,618 a year on a $400,000 tax value. Every rate in the county, with sources.
What's coming to Cary
213 active projects from public records as of . Newest first.
See them all on the mapWeekly "What's coming to Cary" roundups
New Development (117)
Go Triangle - Bus Stop Improvements (Stop 1269) Under review
Bus stop improvements at stop 1269 in Cary, including a 5-by-30 foot bus pad, a concrete ADA landing pad, and relocated bus stop signage, are under review and were submitted in October 2026.
Go Triangle - Bus Stop Improvements (Stop 1270) Under review
Bus stop improvements at stop 1270 in Cary, including a 5′×30′ bus pad, a concrete ADA landing pad, and relocated signage, are under review and were submitted in October 2026.
Go Triangle - Bus Stop Improvements Stop (1313) Under review
Bus stop improvements at stop 1313 in Cary include a 5-by-30 foot bus pad, a concrete ADA landing pad, and relocated bus stop signage — under review, submitted October 2026.
Go Triangle Wake Bus Stops - Tryon Rd Under review
Bus stop improvements at stop 1318 on Tryon Rd in Cary include a 5-by-30 foot bus pad, a concrete ADA landing pad, and relocated bus stop signage — under review, submitted October 2026.
Go Triangle - Bus Stop Improvements (Stop 1271) Under review
Bus stop improvements at stop 1271 in Cary, including a 5′×30′ bus pad, a concrete ADA landing pad, and relocated signage, are under review and were submitted in October 2026.
Alston Yards Mixed-Use Reported by developer
Mixed-use development at 1524 Banks Brooke Drive in Cary, reported by the developer, will contain 615 units. Heritage Development, LLC submitted the project in April 2025, with first move-ins and expected completion in January 2029.
Rezonings (54)
Rezoning 22-REZ-06: Green Level Church Rd at Mills Farm Rd Rezoning Approved
Rezoning request approved for 11.2 acres on Green Level Church Rd at Mills Farm Rd in Cary, changing zoning from R-40 to TR-CU to allow up to 39 detached dwellings. Submitted May 2022, last status update October 2026.
At town hall, Oct 22, 2026 (Cary Town Council): The council approved the rezoning of approximately 11.22 acres at 8712, 8720, 8728, and 8740 Green Level Church Road from Residential 40 to Transitional Residential Conditional Use with conditions limiting use to 39 detached dwellings and requiring community gathering space, streetscape, and EV charging receptacles. Meeting record
Rezoning 23-REZ-14: Hatcher Property Approved
Rezoning request for 23.1 acres in Cary, changing from R-40 to R8-CU to allow detached dwellings on Saunders Grove (formerly Morrisville Carpenter Rd). Approved, submitted August 2023, last status update October 2026.
At town hall, Oct 8, 2026 (Cary Town Council): The council considered a rezoning request to change 23.15 acres from R‑40 to R‑8‑CU with conditions limiting development to 52 detached dwellings and requiring a transit easement and greenway corridor. Meeting record
Rezoning 22-REZ-20: Alston Commons PDP Approved
Rezoning request for 22.7 acres in Cary to change from ORD to MXD, approved September 2026. The plan allows up to 625 multifamily units, 50,000-200,000 sq. ft. of office, 15,000-25,000 sq. ft. of retail, and a 30,000 sq. ft. car wash.
At town hall, Sep 24, 2026 (Cary Town Council, on the agenda): Council will consider rezoning 22.74 acres at 4404 NC 55 Hwy, 0 NC 55 Hwy, and 1629 Petty Farm Road from Office/Research and Development to Mixed Use to allow up to 625 multi‑family units, 200,000 sq ft office, and 55,000 sq ft commercial uses. Meeting record
Rezoning 25-REZ-16: Jacobs Creek Lane Approved
Rezoning request for 8.99 acres on Jacobs Creek Lane in Cary, approved December 2025, last updated September 2026. The land is being rezoned from Wake County R-40(W) to R-12-CU to allow up to 16 detached dwellings.
At town hall, Sep 10, 2026 (Cary Town Council): Council adopted the ordinance annexing the property and rezoning it to Cary Residential 12 Conditional Use with a limit of 16 detached dwellings. Meeting record
Rezoning 26-REZ-13: Weldon Ridge PDD Amendment Under review
Rezoning request for 34.18 acres in Cary to amend the Weldon Ridge PDD, changing portions of the S-1 subdistrict into a new SF-12 subdistrict to allow up to 60 detached dwelling units — under review, submitted September 2026.
Rezoning 26-REZ-12: 794 Pittard Sears Road Under review
Rezoning request for 2.13 acres at 794 Pittard Sears Road in Cary, changing from R1 to R8-CU to integrate into a future subdivision — under review, submitted September 2026.
Roads & Transportation (42)
BL-0024: SR 3112 (Northwest Cary Parkway) Under construction
SR 3112 (Northwest Cary Parkway): In the vicinity of Black Creek in Cary. Construct sidewalk extensions and improve safety of pedestrian crossings. Under construction.
BL-0026: Little Drive Under construction
Construction of a greenway trail along Little Drive from SR 2153 (Louis Stephens Drive) to the CSX Railroad crossing in Research Triangle Park is underway, scheduled for 2025. The project is currently under construction.
C-5168: Crabtree Creek Greenway Under construction
C-5168: Crabtree Creek Greenway is under construction, connecting existing greenway segments and replacing a train trestle at various locations in Cary and Morrisville.
EB-5894: Black Creek Greenway Under construction
Black Creek Greenway: West Dynasty Drive to Old Reedy Creek Road in Cary. Construct greenway. Under construction.
I-5700: I-40 Under construction
I-40 interchange at SR 3015 (Airport Boulevard) in Cary/Morrisville is under construction. The project revises the interchange and adds auxiliary lanes on I-40 eastbound from I-540 to SR 3015 and from SR 3015 to SR 1002, and an auxiliary lane westbound from SR 3015.
I-5873: I-40 Under construction
I-5873: I-40 is under construction to improve the NC 54 interchange in Raleigh on I-40.
Information compiled from public records (NCDOT, Town of Cary, Wake County Public School System, from the developer's Residential Notification Form) as of 2026-10-26. Projects may change or never be built. Verify with the official source.
At Cary town hall
Cary Town Council ·
On the agenda
The Cary Town Council will hold a work session to discuss the Stormwater Utility Fee, a key issue affecting property owners and potential home buyers. The session will focus on exploring fee details and implications for residents.
- Water & utilities Stormwater Utility Fee Discussion. The council will discuss the stormwater utility fee, examining its structure and impact on residents.
Covers all business except procedure (call to order, pledge, approving the agenda, adjournment). Residents who spoke for themselves aren't named.
Summary written by AI from the official agenda; check the original before relying on it. Official agenda · Meeting page
Cary Planning and Zoning Board ·
On the agenda (minutes posted, but their summary was stopped: see below)
The board will review a zoning amendment and annexation request for 719 Pittard Sears Road, which would change the area from Chatham County Residential 1 to Residential 12 Conditional Use and impose limits on development and infrastructure requirements. The agenda also includes routine items such as the annual report, work plan, and appointment of a vice chair, but the zoning case is the primary matter affecting residents and home buyers.
- Rezoning Zoning Amendment for 719 Pittard Sears Road. The applicant requests amendment to the Official Zoning Map to annex and apply Residential 12 Conditional Use zoning to approximately 5.9 acres, with conditions limiting development to 11 detached dwellings, requiring EV charging wiring, sidewalks on new streets, and a wider eastern buffer. (26-REZ-04)
- Annexation Annexation Request for 719 Pittard Sears Road. An associated annexation request (26-A-04) accompanies the zoning amendment and will be considered for consistency with the Imagine Cary Community Plan. (26-A-04)
- Other Annual Report and Work Plan. Staff will present the Planning & Zoning Board Annual Report 2025-2026 and the Annual Work Plan.
- Other Vice Chair Appointment. Board members will vote to appoint a Vice Chair.
- Other Advisory Task Force Recommendation. Board members will vote for a member to serve on the advisory task force.
What our checks stopped or flagged (3)
- Minutes summary: first draft not used: the summary couldn't be written (the AI's answer was cut off or malformed (1673 characters)).
- Minutes summary: first draft not used: the summary couldn't be written (the AI's answer was cut off or malformed (1695 characters)).
- Minutes summary: rewrite not used: the summary couldn't be written (the AI's answer was cut off or malformed (1629 characters)). No summary of it is published.
Covers all business except procedure (call to order, pledge, approving the agenda, adjournment). Residents who spoke for themselves aren't named.
Summary written by AI from the official agenda; check the original before relying on it. Official agenda · Meeting page
Cary Town Council ·
What was decided
The council adopted a rezoning for 11.22 acres at Green Level Church Road, approving the request with specified conditions. It also approved a new employee engagement survey policy and budget ordinance amendments related to the Special Commission Report. The council appointed Russ Overton as Town Manager and authorized closed‑session discussions with attorneys.
- Rezoning Rezoning of Green Level Church Road. The council approved the rezoning of approximately 11.22 acres at 8712, 8720, 8728, and 8740 Green Level Church Road from Residential 40 to Transitional Residential Conditional Use with conditions limiting use to 39 detached dwellings and requiring community gathering space, streetscape, and EV charging receptacles. (22-REZ-06)
- Housing Employee Engagement Survey Policy. The council adopted Policy 192 requiring the town manager to administer an organization‑wide employee survey, responding to Special Commission Report recommendations.
- Other Town Manager Appointment. The council appointed Russ Overton as Town Manager, with the oath administered by Weinbrecht.
- Other Closed‑Session Attorney Privilege. The council held a closed session to consult attorneys and preserve attorney‑client privilege.
- Other Budget and Personnel Ordinance Amendments. The council adopted amendments to town code and budget ordinances associated with Special Commission Report recommendations 13 and 16.
Covers all business except procedure (call to order, pledge, approving the agenda, adjournment). Residents who spoke for themselves aren't named.
Summary written by AI from the official minutes; check the original before relying on it. Official minutes · Official agenda · Meeting page