AGENDA #8 and #9

MEMORANDUM

to:	Mayor and Town Council
from:	Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
subject:	Residences at Chapel Hill North - Applications for Land Use Management Ordinance Text Amendment, Request for Partial Revocation of the Chapel Hill North Phase I Special Use Permit and Application for a Special Use Permit (PIN 9880-36-1885)
date:	February 12, 2007

INTRODUCTION

Before the Council tonight are three requests:

• A Zoning Text Amendment to amend the provisions of the Mixed Use-Office/Institutional-1 (MU-OI-1) zoning district in the Land Use Management Ordinance;
• A request for a Partial Revocation of the Chapel Hill North Phase I Special Use Permit; and
• An application for the Residences at Chapel Hill North Special Use Permit.

The purpose of this cover memorandum is to forward my recommendations to the Council for the above applications. Please refer to the two accompanying memorandums for additional information on this matter.

MANAGER’S PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION

I have reviewed and discussed the key issues with Town staff. Based on the information in the record to date, I believe that the Council could make the findings required to approve: 1) the application for a text amendment to the Land Use Management Ordinance; 2) the partial revocation of the Phase I Special Use Permit; and 3) the application for the Residences at Chapel Hill North Special Use Permit.

The Town Manager’s recommendation is that the Council: 1) enact the Ordinance to amend the text of the Land Use Management Ordinance, changing the mix of uses allowed in the Mixed Use-Office/Institutional-1 (MU-OI-1) zoning district; 2) adopt Resolution A to partially revoke the existing Phase I Special Use Permit, and 3) adopt Revised Resolution B, approving the Residences at Chapel Hill North Special Use Permit application.

Regarding the text amendment to the Land Use Management Ordinance, the Enactment of the recommended Ordinance would not increase allowable floor area. The proposed Ordinance would not permit greater intensity or additional floor area overall, but would allow a change in the mix of uses in the zoning district.

I understand a key issue of the Special Use Permit application involves the applicant’s affordable housing proposal. The applicant intends to describe the project’s affordable housing proposal in greater detail tonight and obtain feedback in the areas where consensus has not been reached with the staff. We believe the Council has three options in relation to the Special Use Permit application:

1. Delay consideration of all applications;
2. After discussion with the applicant, insert affordable housing stipulations in the Special Use Permit Resolution B and approve all applications;
3. Approve all applications and recommended Resolution B, requiring the applicant to return to the Town Council with an Affordable Housing Program at a later date.

We recommend number three, that the Council approve all applications tonight, including the Special Use Permit application and, regarding the affordable housing plan, we recommend that the applicant return to the Council, after receiving feedback from the Council tonight, with the details of the affordable housing plan for Council approval at a later date.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

1. Agenda#8: Land Use Management Ordinance Text Amendment Modifications to the Permitted Mix of Uses in the Mixed-Use Office/Institutional-1 Zoning District
2. Agenda #9: The Residences at Chapel Hill North – Request for Partial Revocation of the Chapel Hill North Phase I Special Use Permit and Application for a  Special Use Permit (PIN 9880-36-1885)