AGENDA# 4d
MEMORANDUM
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Transmittal of Shaping Orange County’s Future Comments
DATE: October 11, 2000
The attached resolution would forward the Town Council’s comments on the document, “Shaping Orange County’s Future: Provisional Report and Recommendations,” prepared by the Shaping Orange County’s Future Task Force.
On September 18, 2000, the Town Council held a public hearing to hear citizen comments on the Provisional Report (please see Attachment 1; please note this report may also be viewed on-line at www.co.orange.nc.us).
For the public hearing, we prepared a Chapel Hill Staff Addendum to an Orange County Staff Report, “Preliminary Staff Evaluation: Implications of the Shaping Orange County’s Future Provisional Report,” dated August 28, 2000 (please see Attachment 2).
On June 26, 2000, the Town Council received comments from advisory boards on the Provisional Report (please see Attachment 3).
Following public hearings by the Chapel Hill Town Council, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen, and the Orange County Board of Commissioners, the Shaping Orange County’s Future Task Force will consider all comments and revise the Provisional Report. An Assembly of Governments meeting is scheduled for January 29, 2001 to allow elected officials from the three governing bodies to receive and discuss this revised report.
The following comments were offered at the September 18th public hearing:
1. Compact, mixed use communities. A citizen spoke in favor of transit-oriented development featuring compact, mixed use communities. The citizen felt these should be located along rail lines that could become future transit corridors, and that rural villages should be located in Orange County.
Comment: The Town’s Comprehensive Plan supports mixed use communities in the Town’s urban services area, as does the Shaping Orange County’s Future Provisional Report. The Town’s Land Use Plan does not specifically call for the location of the mixed use centers along the existing rail line, but does show two future potential neighborhood centers, on Eubanks Road and on the Horace Williams property in the vicinity of the rail line.
Large-scale mixed use or village centers in rural areas of Orange County may not be appropriate in areas outside of municipal urban service areas. The Shaping Orange County’s Future Provisional Report recommends adopting a process to develop, in small increments, large–scale areas as Hamlets, Villages, or Compact Mixed-Use Developments. We believe these should be located carefully where local government policy recommends that urban services should be provided, and not in rural areas of the County.
2. Development Ordinance Revision. A Council member suggested that the Provisional Report be given to the Town’s Development Ordinance consultants for incorporating suggestions in the Report into the revision of the Town’s Development Ordinance.
Comment: We have forwarded a copy of the Provisional Report to the consultants.
3. Day Care Space. A Council member noted that the Provisional Report highlights the need for additional space for day care centers. The Council member suggested that, in revising the Report, the Shaping Orange County’s Future Task Force offer ideas about how to achieve this objective.
Comment: We recommend forwarding this comment and other comments from the hearing to the Shaping Orange County’s Future Task Force.
We recommend the Town Council adopt the attached resolution transmitting to the Shaping Orange County’s Future Task Force the Staff Addendum to the Orange County Staff Implications Report (Attachment 2), the set of comments prepared by Town Advisory Boards (Attachment 3), and a summary of comments made at the September 18, 2000 public hearing (Attachment 4).
A RESOLUTION TRANSMITTING COMMENTS TO THE SHAPING ORANGE COUNTY’S FUTURE STEERING COMMITTEE (2000-10-11/R-4)
WHEREAS, on April 11, 2000 the Shaping Orange County’s Future Task Force submitted a report to the Town Council, called “Provisional Report and Recommendations”; and
WHEREAS, the Town Council solicited advisory board comments in June, 2000 and held a public hearing on September 18, 2000 on the Provisional Report;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby transmits to the Shaping Orange County’s Future Task Force for consideration:
· Chapel Hill Staff Addendum to Orange County Preliminary Staff Evaluation: Implications of the Shaping Orange County’s Future Provisional Report and Recommendations;
· Chapel Hill Advisory Board Comments on the Provisional Report; and
· Summary of Comments at Town of Chapel Hill September 18, 2000 Public Hearing.
This the 11th day of October, 2000.