AGENDA #5e
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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
J.B. Culpepper, Planning Director |
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Loryn Clark, Housing and Neighborhood Services Coordinator |
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SUBJECT: |
Status Report on the Mason Farm/Whitehead Circle Neighborhood Conservation District Process |
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DATE: |
February 12, 2007 |
The purpose of this report is to provide the Council with a status report on the Mason Farm Neighborhood Conservation District process.
On October 24, 2005, representatives from the Mason Farm Neighborhood Association presented a petition to the Council requesting that it be designated as a Neighborhood Conservation District. The Neighborhood Association also requested that the following be prohibited during the period when the petition is under consideration: 1) the subdivision of lots; and 2) the construction of new units/remodeling of existing units that would create more than one dwelling unit on a single lot, including duplexes, except for accessory apartments expressly permitted by the Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinance.
In response, on April 24, 2006, the Council rezoned the Mason Farm/Whitehead Circle neighborhood from Residential 1 (R-1, minimum lot size of 17,000 square feet gross land area) zoning designation (to Residential Low Density 1 (R-LD1- minimum lot size of 43,560 gross land area [1 unit/acre]).
On November 21, 2005, the Council adopted a resolution authorizing the Manager to request proposals from consultants in July 2006 to develop a Neighborhood Conservation District for the Mason Farm/Whitehead Circle neighborhood. A Request for Proposals for the preparation of a Neighborhood Conservation District Plan and Guidelines for the Mason Farm/Whitehead Circle neighborhood was issued on June 1, 2006.
On June 26, 2006, the Council authorized the Manager to enter into a contract with Clarion Associates for development of a Neighborhood Conservation District for the Mason Farm/Whitehead Circle neighborhood for a cost not to exceed $25,000.
Clarion Associates has held two neighborhood meetings with the residents of the Mason Farm/Whitehead Circle neighborhood. At the first meeting on November 15, 2006, Clarion presented a history of Neighborhood Conservation Districts, and gave residents the opportunity to discuss issues about the neighborhood, including the neighborhood boundary.
Clarion compiled the comments received at the November 15 meeting and from private conversations with residents, and presented feedback and preliminary ideas to the neighborhood at the second meeting on January 11, 2007. Please see Attachment 1 for Clarion’s preliminary recommendations for a Neighborhood Conservation District for this neighborhood.
A third neighborhood meeting will be held on February 22, 2007. Based on feedback received to date, Clarion will share a specific proposal for a Mason Farm/Whitehead Circle Neighborhood Conservation District at the February 22 meeting.
We propose the following schedule for review of this Neighborhood Conservation District:
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March 6, 2007 |
Review of Guidelines by the Planning Board |
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May 14, 2007 |
Council Public Hearing |
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June 11, 2007 |
Council review of proposed Neighborhood Conservation District guidelines |