1) In its Comprehensive Plan, Chapel Hill is committed both to denser urban development and to protection of existing neighborhoods. Do you see any conflict between these goals, and what do you feel is the best way to achieve them?
Foy: Yes, there is clearly a conflict between these goals, at least in some respects. For example, greater density along the Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. corridor will bump up against existing neighborhoods; greater density at Ram’s Plaza will have an impact on existing neighborhoods; greater density downtown will have an impact on Northside. The best way to deal with this is to have neighborhoods involved in the planning process from the outset – even before a Concept Plan is developed and presented to the Council. This gives both the developer and the neighborhood an opportunity to understand each others’ goals and interests, and to work on ways to address those goals and interests before a plan begins to take shape.
The second component is a Council that is able to balance these interests, even after a plan is presented. We have demonstrated that we can do this – take for example, Greenbridge and East 54. Both of these developments are much denser than their nearby neighborhoods, but both have been accepted by the town and by the neighbors.
2) Please describe at least three ways you feel the Town could do a better job protecting creeks and other environmentally sensitive habitats.
Foy: 1) An updated and more comprehensive inventory, including identification of ephemeral and intermittent streams; 2) a new tree ordinance; and 3) include UNC in the stormwater utility.
3) What suggestions do you have for better ways for the local governments in the Orange County area to work together?
Foy: As a rule, local governments in Orange County do a good job working together. We meet on a regular basis, but we each have separate responsibilities. So it is unlikely that we will always agree on everything, or even always have the same amount of information on everything. In addition, our staffs meet with each other regularly. I don’t see that there is a problem in the way local governments cooperate in Orange County.
4) All UNC actions up to now indicate the submission of a comprehensive Master Plan for the Horace Williams tract. How do you recommend that the Council deal with single application requests for that property?
Foy: The university owns the property, and the property is subject to the current zoning. Like any landowner, it has options as to how to develop pursuant to the zoning. For one thing, the university could try to develop the property of right – which means just build in conformance with the current zoning. That would not require any Council approvals. Alternatively, the university could seek special use permits for individual buildings. Those would require separate approvals, but if they were not coupled with a rezoning, the Council would have to consider them under our normal rules.
I think it is in everyone’s best interest if the university submits a master plan for the property. This will allow everyone to see what the comprehensive impacts will be, the plans for ultimate buildout, the interim plans, and the infrastructure plans (e.g., transportation, stormwater, etc.).
In answer to the question, though, while it is preferable that the university submit a master plan, if it submits single application requests the Council will abide by town ordinances and dealing with those applications. |
