MINUTES OF A PUBLIC HEARING HELD BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL, MONDAY, MAY 11, 1993 AT 5:45 P.M.

Mayor Broun called the hearing to order at 5:58 p.m.. Council Members in attendance were Julie Andresen (arrived at 6:05 p.m.), Joyce Brown, Joe Capowski, Mark Chilton, Joe Herzenberg, Barbara Powell, Alan Rimer (arrived at 6:02 p.m.) and Arthur Werner (arrived at 6:23 p.m.). Also in attendance were Town Manager Cal Horton, Assistant Town Managers Sonna Loewenthal and Florentine Miller, Planning Director Roger Waldon, Development Coordinator Jennie Bob Culpepper, Engineering Director George Small, Assistant Engineering Director Michael Neal and Town Attorney Ralph Karpinos.

Persons wishing to testify in the matter were sworn by the Town Clerk. D.R. Bryan, the applicant, presented a thorough overview of the Southern Small Area Plan and a site analysis for the proposed Southern Village. Council Member Herzenberg inquired whether the Sparrow family would be allowed to maintain its family cemetery and place a plaque on the cemetery site. Mr. Bryan said yes. Council Member Rimer inquired what would happen in the event that no businesses wished to use small commercial spaces on the site. Noting that all of the Town's previous Mixed-Use Master Plans proposals scheduled the construction of retail uses first, Council Member Werner said he was pleased to see that residential uses were planned first for the Southern Village. Mr. Bryan said there was more than adequate demand for residential development in this part of the Town. He also expressed his willingness to put profits from the residential component of the project into the village core. Council Member Brown inquired about commercial uses in residential areas. Mr. Bryan said that up to twenty percent of the Village Green district as proposed could be small-scale commercial.

Mayor Broun inquired about the proposed athletic club and related facilities, noting that the Parks and Recreation Commission had not commented on this proposal. Council Member Werner said he hoped that the proposed Southern Community Park would not be overwhelmed by future residents of the Southern Village. Council Member Rimer said although playing fields were needed in the Southern Community Park, it was also likely that Southern Village residents would use athletic fields and facilities located on the village site. Council Member Werner suggested that the Parks and Recreation review and comment on proposed recreational and open space facilities in the area. Mayor Broun expressed his concurrence. Mr. Bryan said he wished to commit to having the proposed greenway connect to Carlton Drive. Bruce Ballentine briefly reviewed proposed site amenities including the provision of a greenway path. Council Member Rimer inquired about the possibility of dual sewer lines along each side of the greenway. Mr. Bryan noted that the proposed density was less than that for the Seaside and Kentlands village developments. He proposed the possibility of "granny flat" development. Mr Bryan also offered to set a cap on the total number of units in the proposed Southern Village. Council Member Capowski added that a fair amount of space would be needed for a park and ride lot.

Council Member Brown inquired what percentage of the proposed Southern Small Area Plan would consist of the proposed Southern Village and what proportion of the total population envisioned in the Small Area Plan would reside in a fully-developed Southern Village. Council Member Capowski requested an estimate of the number of automobiles and population for the area. Noting that the proposal would add some automobiles to area roadways, Council Member Werner stated that the proposal did not include plans for the widening of U.S. 15-501. He inquired how these roadway improvements could be incorporated. Mayor Broun noted that the Department of Transportation had favored the widening of U.S. 15-501 while the Council had historically opposed this proposal. Council Member Werner added that the Council normally required developers to improve roadways. Council Member Brown said one of the stated objectives of the Southern Small Area Plan was to decrease the amount of automobile traffic. Noting that the existing roadway was only two lanes, Council Member Capowski suggested the exploration of a high-occupancy vehicle lane along U.S. 15-501. Mr. Horton said efforts were being made to be responsive to the Council's desire not to widen U.S. 15-501. He added that there was no need to widen U.S. 15-501 until the Morgan Creek bridge is widened.

Council Member Rimer said roadway improvements would not be required if the Department of Transportation had initiated the same project. He noted that widening this section of U.S. 15-501 might result in the Department of Transportation proposing the widening of other sections of the roadway. Mayor Broun noted that eventual widening of U.S. 15-501 by the Department of Transportation was inevitable. Council Member Werner inquired whether a precedent would be set by not requiring the developer to make improvements to U.S. 15-501. Council Member Rimer said no.

Council Member Capowski inquired about the installation of bikeways and sidewalks between Merritt's Store and Chase Avenue.

Mr. Horton suggested that the work session could be continued on June 7th. Council Member Rimer noted that additional information on proposed watershed regulations would be available at that time. Council Member Rimer said the updated version was vastly preferable to the initial proposed State watershed regulations.

The public hearing was recessed to 5:45 p.m. on June 7th.

The meeting concluded at 9:02 p.m.