|
TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
|
|
|
|
FROM: |
J.B. Culpepper, Planning Director |
|
|
George Small, P.E., Engineering Director |
|
|
Gene Poveromo, Development Coordinator |
|
|
|
|
SUBJECT: |
Development Plan Modification No. 3 – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
|
|
|
|
DATE: |
December 4, 2006 |
Tonight, the Council continues the Public Hearing from November 13, 2006, regarding an application from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, requesting approval of a Modification of a Development Plan for the central campus. The applicant is proposing to add approximately 1.2 million square feet of floor area to the main campus and relocate previously approved parking spaces from the Bell Tower parking deck to the Craige parking deck.
Adoption of revised Resolution A would approve the Development Plan Modification with conditions. Adoption of Resolution B would deny the request.
This memorandum reviews the issues raised on November 13, 2006, and offers a recommendation for Council action. We also outline key procedural issues, and summarize the changes to the Development Plan that are requested.
A full set of application materials is available for review in the Town Clerk’s Office and in the Chapel Hill Planning Department. Materials can also be accessed through the University’s website, http://www.fpc.unc.edu/DevelopmentPlan. A link to the application is located at the bottom of the main page.
Proposed changes to the Development Plan are described and evaluated in the attached November 13 memorandum (Attachment 3). A summary listing of the proposed changes follows:
I-6 Grounds Facility: 48,000 square foot building (near Odum Village)
ATH-1 Boshamer Stadium: Add 25,000 sq ft (Ridge Rd)
Law School: Addition to the Law School of 50,000 sq ft (South Road)
A-5 Arts Common: Modify previously approved bldg height (S Columbia St)
O-4 Medical Office Building: 180,000 square foot building (N. Medical Dr)
P-12 Tennis/Parking Deck: 231 space deck with tennis courts (Skipper Bowles Dr)
R-5 UNC Imaging Center: 330,000 square foot building (near Lineberger Cancer Cntr)
I-7 Reclaimed Water Tank: Water storage facility (south of Manning Steam Plant)
A-20 School of Information & Library Sciences: 200,000 sq ft bldg (south of Blythe Dr)
A-14 Dental Science Building: Demolish bldg and add 175,000 sq ft (Dental Office/ Research Bldgs)
A-21 Bell Tower/Academic Building & R-1, 2, 3: Reconfigure Research Bldg. 1, 2, & 3, add 80,000 square foot building, and add pedestrian bridge (near Bell Tower)
I-5 Chiller Building: Relocate existing chiller (near Bell Tower)
P-4 Bell Tower Parking Deck: Reduce parking by 890 spaces (near Bell Tower)
A-22 Replace Davie Hall: Demolish/replace with 75,000 sq ft building (near Coker Arboretum)
P-11 Craige Parking Deck: Add two levels - 990 parking spaces (Manning Dr.)
O-5 Alumni Center: Add 12,000 square feet (Stadium Dr.)
ATH-2 Kenan Stadium: Add 8,804 seats and 125,000 square feet (Stadium Dr.)
C-6 Carolina Inn: Add 15,000 square feet (Pittsboro St. and South Rd.)
The proposed application also includes changes to pedestrian circulation and utilities.
The OI-4 zoning district allows minor changes to the Development Plan to be approved by the Town Manager. Major changes are considered to be Modifications, and go through the same review and approval process as an initial Development Plan application (120 day review period, final action by the Town Council following a Public Hearing). The ordinance states that the Town Council shall approve a Development Plan unless it finds that the proposed development would not:
Please refer to Attachment 1 for comments from the applicant concerning the four findings. We anticipate that the applicant will provide additional comments on the findings at tonight’s meeting.
The University has prepared and submitted an application for a Modification of the Development Plan. That application is the subject of this memorandum. Notification of the application was mailed to property owners within 1,000 feet of the boundary of the area covered by the Development Plan approved in October 2001.
The following issues were raised and discussed at the November 13 Public Hearing. We offer a comment on each.
Transit Improvements: A Council Member asked if the Town could stipulate improvements to the transit system as part of the Development Plan approval process.
Comment: With respect to traffic impacts, the review of a Development Plan proposal typically recommends improvement to such infrastructure facilities as traffic signals, roadway improvements, and pedestrian crosswalks. Transit facilities and improvements required for the operation of the campus bus system either currently exist or are considered and planned for on a yearly basis as part of the University cost sharing program for the public bus system.
Improvement to Fordham Blvd./Manning Drive Intersection: Council Members and several citizens stated that the recommendations of the Fordham Blvd Pedestrian Committee should be stipulated as part of Development Plan approval process.
Comment: In response, we believe the following two recommendations from the Fordham Boulevard Pedestrian Committee stipulation should be added to the revised Resolution A:
Police Traffic Control at the Intersection of Fordham Boulevard and Manning Drive for Special Events: Effective January 2007, the University must provide police traffic control in place of traffic signal operation at the intersection of Fordham Boulevard and Manning Drive before and after the special events at Smith Center including all games.
Fordham Boulevard/Manning Drive Traffic Signal Upgrade: Within 12 months of approval of the Development Plan Modification 3, subject to the approval of North Carolina Department of Transportation, the Fordham Boulevard/Manning Drive signalized intersection shall be upgraded with pedestrian “count down” heads with crosswalks including “stop ahead when flashing beacons” on Fordham Boulevard approaching Manning Drive from the south.
The Fordham Boulevard/Manning Drive Street Lights stipulation (copied below) was included in the preliminary staff recommendation attached to the November 13 Public Hearing agenda item.
Fordham Boulevard/Manning Drive Street Lights: That within six months of Council approval of the Development Modification No. 3, the University shall provide funding in the amount of $50,000 to the Town of Chapel Hill for installation of street lighting on Fordham Boulevard between Manning Drive and Old Mason Farm Road.
This stipulation is also incorporated in revised Resolution A.
We believe that the University agrees with the three above stipulations.
With respect to other recommendations from the Fordham Boulevard/Manning Drive Pedestrian Committee, tonight’s agenda includes a memorandum from the Town’s Engineering Department discussing this topic (Agenda Item 7: Implementation Plan for Safety Improvements on Fordham Boulevard between Old Mason Farm Road and Manning Drive). By reference, that agenda item and associated evidence shall be considered as part of the public record for this Development Plan application.
Other Issues: In addition to the above issues, Council members and citizens expressed concern with the following: a) fiscal equity; b) bicycle and pedestrian improvements; c) increased impervious surface area; d) decreased woodlands; e) traffic impacts including parking in residential neighborhoods; f) energy efficient building standards; and g) the remaining projects proposed by the master plan for the main campus that are not part of the Development Plan.
Comment: The above issues are not part of the regulatory or evaluation process associated with a Development Plan. We have asked University representatives to respond to these issues. In addition to the attached response from the University (Attachment 1), we understand that the University will provide additional comments at tonight’s meeting.
This application proposes to modify the Development Plan. The Land Use Management Ordinance specifies that, when a Development Plan or a Modification of a Development Plan in the OI-4 zoning district is submitted, it shall be reviewed by the Planning Board. Review by other Town Advisory Boards is not required, but we have made information about this application available to all advisory boards that are involved in development review.
Planning Board Recommendation: On November 21, 2006, the Planning Board voted 6-0 to recommend that the Council approved the Development Plan Modification No. 3 with the adoption of Resolution A, as attached to the November 13 Public Hearing item. A Summary of Planning Board Action is attached (Attachment 2).
In addition to the Planning Board, the Transportation Board, Historic District Commission, Community Design Commission, and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board have chosen to offer comments for the Council’s consideration. Their comments are attached to the November 13, 2006 Public Hearing item (page 29.1, Attachment 4).
Revisions incorporated into revised Resolution A, since the November 13 Public Hearing
The below stipulations have been incorporated into revised Resolution A:
Police Traffic Control at the Intersection of Fordham Boulevard and Manning Drive for Special Events: Effective January 2007, the University must provide police traffic control in place of traffic signal operation at the intersection of Fordham Boulevard and Manning Drive before and after the special events at Smith Center including all games.
Fordham Boulevard/Manning Drive Traffic Signal Upgrade: Within 12 months of approval of the Development Plan Modification 3, subject to the approval of North Carolina Department of Transportation, the Fordham Boulevard/Manning Drive signalized intersection shall be upgraded with pedestrian “count down” heads with crosswalks including “stop ahead when flashing beacons” on Fordham Boulevard approaching Manning Drive from the south.
Staff’s Revised Recommendation: We recommend that the Council approve this application with conditions, with adoption of revised Resolution A.
Resolution B would deny the modification.