A RESOLUTION PROVIDING COMMENT ON THE DRAFT SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS FOR THE 2035 LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN TO THE DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO METRPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (2007-3-05/R-8)

WHEREAS, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization has begun the federally mandated process of updating the 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan to the new horizon year of 2035; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill, as a member of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, is required to prepare socio-economic projections for the year 2035; and

WHEREAS, the Transportation Advisory Committee of the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization has released the socio-economic projections for the year 2035 for public comment; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill, as a member of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, has reviewed the projections of other member jurisdictions;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby provides the following comments to the Transportation Advisory Committee of the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization:

• The Council is concerned over the uncertainty of the Chatham County projections. The Council requests that the Transportation Advisory Committee clarify the status and assumptions underlying the Chatham County projections. The Council is also concerned by the probable under-projection of employment growth in Chatham County.  This issue should be further reviewed.
• The Council requests that the MPO staff review the projections for the Traffic Analysis Zones that contain portions of both Chapel Hill and Durham and ensure that the counts for these zones accurately reflect projected growth for both areas.

This the 5^th day of March, 2007.