AGENDA #9b
to: Mayor and Town Council
from: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
subject: Update on Process for Guiding Development at Carolina North
date: June 25, 2008
This report provides an update regarding recent discussions between Town staff and University staff concerning a Town process and schedule for guiding the development of the portion of the Carolina North property located within Chapel Hill.
We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution which would:
We suggest that the work session be a public, educational session designed to begin to better understand possible options for guiding development at Carolina North. Adoption of the attached resolution would initiate this process.
On May 19, we provided a status report from the work group which included:
The report is attached and available on line at:
/agendas/2008/05/19/9/
Over the last several months, staffs from the Town and the University have met to discuss development of a process for guiding the development of Carolina North. We have discussed:
Based on our analysis, we believe that a Development Agreement, as a supplement to a base zoning district, can provide standards beyond those which are currently available with existing zoning. We view a Development Agreement as an opportunity, beyond what basic zoning law would otherwise authorize, that would allow the Town and the University to enter into a long-term agreement that stipulates levels of development, timing of development, performance standards and the implementation of public improvements/facilities. We believe this approach offers greater flexibility, creativity and assurance beyond the current zoning provisions available in the Land Use Management Ordinance. Development Agreements are not a substitute for or a replacement of the underlying zoning district. A Development Agreement can supplement the provisions of the underlying base zoning.
In our preliminary report on May 19, we offered an outline of a potential schedule. We now update and expand that potential timeline:
June, 2008: Town and University staffs request authorization from the Town Council and Board of Trustees to move forward to draft a framework for a proposed Development Agreement and possible new base zoning district. Chapel Hill staff asks the Council to agree to allow the Mayor to appoint Council members to meet with the Chancellor and/or members of the University Board of Trustees over the summer to plan a work session with the full Council and members of the Board of Trustees in September.
September, 2008: Joint meeting with Town Council and Board of Trustees to begin to develop a process and framework to better understand options for guiding development at Carolina North, including a citizen participation component.
October, 2008 – April, 2009: Town Council and Board of Trustees consider provisions and discuss standards of a base zone and a Development Agreement following a series of public input sessions, advisory board input, and staff input.
May-June 2009: New zoning established and Development Agreement signed by Town and University representatives; initial Carolina North development applications considered.
In order to continue discussions regarding guiding the development of the Carolina North property, I recommend consideration of the following process:
We suggest that the September work session be a public, educational session designed to begin to better understand options for guiding development at Carolina North.
Adoption of the attached resolution would initiate this process.