An Introductory Discussion of the Carolina North Plan

Background Information for a Discussion among

Members of Chapel Hill Town Council and

Members of the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees Buildings and Grounds Committee and University Administration

January 13, 2008

I. Introduction

On Sunday, January 13, members of the Chapel Hill Town Council, members of the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees, and selected members of the Town staff and University administration will meet for an informal discussion of the University’s plans for Carolina North. That will provide context for the Town Council’s discussion scheduled on January 23 of the concept plan for the Innovation Center that is to be part of the larger Carolina North development. This document provides background information for the discussion on January 13. During that meeting the University will present an overview of plans for Carolina North. Copies of the presentation will be available at that meeting.

II. Historical Information

A. Previous cycles of planning for Carolina North

Planning in the Mid-1990s

Four University committees plus committees representing each of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, working with the firms of JJR Incorporated and Parson Brinckerhoff, produced a report that considered both the Horace Williams Property and the Mason Farm Property (including the area containing the Friday Center and the so-called Parker Property). The report summarizing this work was completed in 1998 and can be viewed online at http://research.unc.edu/cn/jjr_report.pdf.

Planning in the Late 1990s

As the main campus master planning process with assistance from the firm of Ayers Saint Gross (ASG) was getting under way, the University formed an advisory committee consisting of administrators, faculty, and members of the community to consider utilization of the Horace Williams Property. The product of this work was a land use plan (the 2001 plan) that assumed continued operation of the Horace Williams Airport in conjunction with development that would have occurred in both Chapel Hill and Carrboro. This plan is available online at

http://research.unc.edu/cn/asg_present.ppt.

Planning in the Early 2000s

Reconsideration of the interaction between the status of the HW Airport and any development on the adjoining property led to the creation of a new land use plan in May 2004 that assumed closure of the HW Airport. A PowerPoint presentation of the 2004 plan for Carolina North is available at

http://research.unc.edu/cn/ASG2004.ppt. The Horace Williams Citizens Committee (HWCC) was formed in 2003 (in parallel with the planning that produced the 2004 plan for Carolina North). The HWCC report of March 2004 was adopted as Town policy. (Please see Appendix A for a copy of this report and the resolution.) The University prepared a written response to this report.

Planning Cycle of 2006

Chancellor Moeser formed the Leadership Advisory Committee (LAC) in early 2006 with University administrators, faculty, and technical experts augmented by representatives from Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Orange County, the Chamber of Commerce, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board, Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA), EmPOWERment, Inc., and the State of North Carolina. The LAC was charged to develop consensus principles that could serve as a basis for planning for Carolina North. The LAC report was completed and submitted to the Chancellor at the end of January 2007. The report and its appendices are referenced further below (Section III.A.3). Planning for Carolina North proceeded from that point, culminating in the land use plan (the 2007 plan for Carolina North) that has been approved by the University’s Board of Trustees.

B. Master Plan for the UNC Main Campus and Carolina North

The Master Plan for the UNC Main Campus was first completed and approved in March 2001. The most recently updated version of the Master Plan was completed in March 2006 and is available at

http://www.fpc.unc.edu/CampusMasterPlan/Campus_Design_Guidelines_LowBandwidth/UNC-Update061907.pdf. With approval of the bond referendum in the fall of 2000 and the University’s subsequent allocation of additional funds for new construction, renovation, and infrastructure, essentially all of the opportunities for development on the main campus identified in the Master Plan have been either used or committed. Carolina North represents the primary opportunity for expansion of core University activities. Carolina North also represents an opportunity to extend the University’s research mission, strengthen research connections with the private sector, and enhance contributions to economic development.

The Carolina Innovation Center concept has been discussed between officials of UNC-Chapel Hill and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., since 2004. The Center’s objective is to meet the University’s need for a facility that will enable the University and its faculty who have created intellectual property to form companies and pursue the commercialization of these innovations. The Innovation Center is intended to be the first project in the larger Carolina North development.

C. Community Input to University’s Planning for Carolina North

The Horace Williams Citizens Committee report is mentioned earlier (see Section II.A.3). The results of this report are reflected as inputs to the work and report of the Leadership Advisory Committee and its appendices (see further reference below in Section III.A.3).

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce prepared a document titled “Principles for the Development of Carolina North” that was adopted by the Chamber Board of Directors in March 2006. The results of this report are reflected as inputs to the work and report of the Leadership Advisory Committee and its appendices (see further reference below in Section III.A.3).

Inputs for consideration by the Leadership Advisory Committee were received from other community constituencies during the course of the LAC meetings. They are reflected as inputs to the work and report of the Leadership Advisory Committee and its appendices (see further reference below in Section III.A.3).

III. Planning for Carolina North Initiated in 2006

A. Planning Initiated by the University

Vision for Carolina North

The vision statement for Carolina North developed during the early planning work for Carolina North is reproduced below.

Carolina North will be first and foremost a campus, conceived in the academic mission and ideals of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a flagship public research university charged with helping to lead a transformation in the state’s economy, UNC must compete with national peers for the talent and resources that drive innovation. Today, that competition demands a new kind of setting — one that enables public-private partnerships, public engagement and flexible new spaces for research and education.

Carolina North will best serve the university and the state if it also strengthens the local community, enhances its quality of life, respects its character and values, and embraces its spirit of collaboration. Much more than a technology park or overflow space for main campus, Carolina North will be a tree-shaded campus for living and learning, where people can live, work and study in one place. This and other progressive measures will help make Carolina North a model of sustainability — a campus that is socially, environmentally, and economically sound.

Why Carolina North?

Rapid changes in education, research, and engagement mean that the university must pursue new opportunities in new ways:

Carolina North will provide an ideal setting for collaborative research that advances new knowledge and attracts the talented researchers and students who enrich the intellectual life of the university and the community.
Carolina has embraced the imperative of connecting the university’s research programs to the economic well-being of the region and of the state. Carolina North will include facilities, shared resources, support services, a collaborative environment, and other assets essential for creating and nurturing new businesses and relationships with existing businesses focusing on commercializing UNC research discoveries.
To accommodate expected increases in enrollment and research activity, UNC will develop clusters of closely related activities at Carolina North, making room on main campus for additional students, faculty members, and staff. For example, moving the Renaissance Computing Institute to Carolina North would attract research teams that benefit from high-performance computing, data visualization, and other strengths.
UNC’s recently adopted curriculum places strong emphasis on interdisciplinary studies, undergraduate research and entrepreneurship. Carolina North will help us offer a meaningful research experience to every student and will also provide a setting where students can pursue entrepreneurial endeavors that carry innovations into the marketplace.
As federal funding for research levels off or declines, institutions are turning to the private sector to sustain their momentum. Unfortunately, UNC-Chapel Hill currently ranks 90th nationally among research universities in corporate-sponsored research as a percentage of total funding. By providing a setting for public-private partnerships that spur innovation, Carolina North will attract new funding, stimulate economic growth, and create jobs for North Carolina.

Trustee Resolutions Related to Carolina North Planning

In May 2005, May 2006, and September 2007 the University’s Board of Trustees adopted separate resolutions that address Carolina North. Those resolutions are reproduced below.

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF CAROLINA NORTH

May 26, 2005

WHEREAS, Carolina North is The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s planned living and learning campus, designed to expand Carolina’s multiple missions, boost innovation and redefine the University’s engagement with the region and the state, and

WHEREAS, the University’s research enterprise already fuels economic activity for the state, and the University strives to build upon that at Carolina North, attracting private companies to partner with University faculty and transforming research into products and services to improve quality of life, and

WHEREAS, Carolina North will be a catalyst for the economic transformation of our state, generating jobs and tax revenues, and

WHEREAS, the University values the service its Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program provides to the people of North Carolina and is committed to maintaining that service, and

WHEREAS, the University has conducted an extensive study to identify alternative airport sites for Medical Air Operations and has determined that Raleigh-Durham International Airport meets the criteria of accessibility, cost effectiveness and timeliness.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees strongly endorses the vision for and urgency of Carolina North as being critical to the education, research and service missions of the University and to the economic well-being of the state, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees affirms and values the services that the Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) provides to the people of North Carolina and is committed to preserving and enhancing the important work of AHEC.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees believes that the continued long-term use of Horace Williams Airport presents an impediment to the start of Carolina North, and that, after carefully weighing the alternatives, we recommend closure of the airport and relocation of Medical Air Operations to Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The Board further states the University’s intention to keep the airport open and not move Medical Air Operations to RDU until construction of Carolina North is ready to begin.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University pledges its willingness to assist a sponsor in a search for a new airport.

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF CAROLINA NORTH

May 25, 2006

In response to the presentation and discussion concerning Carolina North at yesterday’s Board meeting, Mr. Perry, Chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, moved approval and adoption of the following resolution. Mr. Burnett seconded the motion and it carried.

WHEREAS, Carolina North is The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s planned living and learning campus, designed to expand Carolina’s multiple missions, boost innovation and redefine the University’s engagement with the region and the state, and

WHEREAS, on May 26, 2005, the Board of Trustees expressed by resolution its support for Carolina North, and

WHEREAS, the Chancellor has established the Carolina North Leadership Advisory Committee to provide the University with a wide cross section of community thought on the principles that should guide the University in preparing for the development of Carolina North, and

WHEREAS, in addition to representatives from the three local governments and other community leaders, several representatives from our Board of Trustees (specifically Trustees Perry and Winston, with Trustee Burnett serving as an alternate) serve on the Carolina North Leadership Advisory Committee; and

WHEREAS, as previously identified by this Board, there is now an urgent need to develop Carolina North. Conditions have evolved from 17 years ago, when the University first identified the importance of developing this tract of land and commenced the planning process for the property. Federal funding for research is declining and facilities for public-private partnerships are needed. In addition, there are very few new building sites still available on campus. And, many of our existing buildings do not lend themselves to the kinds of faculty interaction, interdisciplinary collaboration, and government and business engagement that are needed if the University is to use its resources most effectively and efficiently to address society’s pressing needs and attract jobs and economic activity to the entire state.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees reaffirms its commitment to seek out and listen to community input regarding the principles that should guide the development of Carolina North;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees welcomes the work of the Carolina North Leadership Advisory Committee and looks to that process to provide important input that will help guide the University’s development efforts, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees directs the Chancellor to report to the Board of Trustees on the completed work product of the Carolina North Leadership Advisory Committee at the Board of Trustees’ March 2007 meeting; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees directs the Chancellor to submit zoning and land development applications for Carolina North to the applicable local governmental jurisdictions no later than October 1, 2007.

Mr. Burnett stated that the Carolina North Resolution may be interpreted as a further commitment of the Board of Trustees to its obligation of service to the people of the State. Also embodied in the resolution is an invitation to people in the community to join the University in expanding efforts in a timely manner.

Chair Schwab expressed agreement with Mr. Burnett’s statement, and added that it is too important an issue not to take action on as it relates to the future of the University for the next 50-75 years.

RESOLUTION

September 26, 2007

WHEREAS, on May 26, 2005, and May 25, 2006, the Board of Trustees expressed by resolution its strong support for the development of a campus at Carolina North designed to expand Carolina’s multiple missions, boost innovation, and redefine the University’s engagement with the region and the state; and

WHEREAS, the Carolina North Plan presented to the Board of Trustees today is the result of many months of study and deliberation and incorporates a wide cross section of community input as a result of Chancellor Moeser’s leadership efforts to engage the community in a dialogue about Carolina North over the past 18 months. These community discussions have included the Carolina North Leadership Advisory Committee and the report with guiding principles it produced; the Infrastructure Workshops that explored sustainable models of development as a fundamental principle of development at Carolina North; and monthly community meetings that charted the course of an evolving land use plan; and

WHEREAS, to meet an urgent need for advancing University research technologies, on August 10, 2007, the University filed with the Town of Chapel Hill the initial concept drawings for a special use permit for the Innovation Center, the first building to be developed at Carolina North; and

WHEREAS, as a follow-up to the application for a special use permit for the Innovation Center, the Board of Trustees wishes to develop, in collaboration with the Town of Chapel Hill, the zoning mechanisms under which the remainder of the Carolina North Plan presented today will be realized.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees commends the Chancellor for advancing the planning for Carolina North in such an open and inclusive manner; and hereby approves the Carolina North Plan; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees approves both the 50-year vision of the Carolina North Plan and the 15-year Phase 1 segment of the Carolina North Plan and directs the Chancellor to refine the Carolina North Plan consistent with the Board’s discussion so that at the appropriate time the Chancellor may present the Carolina North Plan to the Town of Chapel Hill.

Mr. Winston moved approval of the resolution, which also approves the Carolina North Plan. The motion approved unanimously.

Leadership Advisory Committee Report

The report of the LAC was presented to Chancellor Moeser by Professor Ken Broun, who chaired the LAC, at the end of January 2006. That report is included in this briefing book as Appendix B. An appendix to the LAC report presents the principles proposed by the participants for consideration in the LAC process. The complete report is also available on line at

http://research.unc.edu/cn/FINAL_LAC_REPORT.pdf.

Ecological Assessment of the Carolina North Property

The firm of BioHabitats, Inc. was engaged to conduct an ecological assessment of the entire Carolina North property. The purpose of this assessment was to provide advice to the University regarding which portions of the property were most suitable for development and which portions were most suitable for conservation. The Introduction and Conclusion Sections from the final report are included here. The full report is available online at

http://research.unc.edu/cn/ecological_assessment.pdf.

I . I n t ro d u c t i o n

Biohabitats was engaged to perform an ecological assessment of a tract of land, herein referred to as Carolina North, owned by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

A. Brief History of Carolina N orth

Part of the Carolina North tract was bequeathed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by Henry Horace Williams upon his death in 1940. Williams was Professor of Philosophy at the University from 1890-1940 and Chairman of the department from 1890-1935. He was a Kenan Professor from 1921-1935 and Professor Emeritus from 1936-1940. Other properties comprising the rest of Carolina North were aquired at later times. University planning for the Carolina North property began in the mid 1990s. The initial effort was completed in 1998 with the Johnson, Johnson and Roy (JJR) report, which established key elements of the planning and transportation systems for the development of the Horace Williams tract, now referred to as the Carolina North property. Then a Horace Williams Advisory Committee worked extensively with Ayers Saint Gross to develop a concept master plan using the JJR Report as a basis, for the highest and best use of the Horace Williams property to fulfill the strategic vision of the University over the near term (10–20 years) and long term (100 years). The work of this committee helped establish more specific design concepts for the type of innovative mixed-use research park that could be created at the property. Selected planning milestones from recent years are listed below.

Notable Planning Events

2003

Horace Williams Advisory Committee worked with Ayers Saint Gross architectural firm to design a conceptual plan for Carolina North.

Initial planning sessions created several committees to address specific issues of the project-Executive Committee, Advisory Committee, External Relations, Infrastructure, New Business Development, and University Uses.

Town of Chapel Hill’s Horace Williams Citizens’ Committee met and issued a report outlining the Town’s goals for Carolina North.

2004

The Horace Williams Citizens’ Committee updated its report.

Ayers Saint Gross updated its conceptual plan.

2005

Talbert & Bright engineering and planning firm presented an airport relocation study to the Board of Trustees.

UNC Board of Trustees endorsed a vision for Carolina North.

B. Scope of Work, Objectives, and Site Description

Biohabitats was retained by Ayers Saint Gross in July, 2006 to perform an ecological assessment of the Carolina North property and, based on the ecological, cultural, historic and recreational characteristics of the site and to determine the suitability of the site to support development without compromising ecological stability and integrity. Biohabitats gathered pre-existing data, collected field data, inventoried and characterized the site, analyzed the data and generated inventory, analysis, and development suitability and resource conservation maps. Biohabitats used information gathered at a public review meeting on November 6, 2006 to inform the inventory maps. The assessment protocol and subsequent maps were peer reviewed by university professors and staff on November 28, 2006. Two final public review sessions were held on December 13, 2006.

Biohabitats was assisted in this effort by the John R. McAdams Company, Inc. (JRM), who identified and documented federal, state and local environmental regulations pertaining to the site’s development and identified potential regulatory features on the site. The site encompasses approximately 1,000 acres. It is located west of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. And generally north of Estes Drive Extension, approximately 1.5 miles north of the main campus. The site is a mixture of disturbed areas (e.g., airport, Town of Chapel Hill operations, landfill, chemical waste site, railroad) and natural areas (e.g., woodlands, wetlands, and stream corridors). An informal network of trails is also present on the site.

V I I I . C o n c lu s i o n s

Biohabitats has conducted an ecological analysis and assessment of the Carolina North property to inform the master planning effort that is currently underway. The analysis relied on GIS as a powerful tool to compile, analyze and present a broad set of metrics and associated attributes. Three composite analyses were developed that can be used to determine areas most suitable for conservation, areas most suitable for development, and areas suitable for development with appropriate BMPs or restrictions.

Infrastructure Workshops Conducted by the University

In September 2006, the University initiated a series of Infrastructure and Sustainable Design Workshops with University staff, consultant teams and invited community representatives to provide guidance and input on development strategies for Carolina North. These workshops lasted through February, 2007. The five working groups discussed principles, strategies, metrics and goals for transportation, natural habitat/landscape/water quality, water/wastewater/stormwater, building typology and energy generation/consumption/utilities. The resulting vision, which continues to evolve, was “Carolina North will be characterized by continual discovery, assessment, learning, and improvement. It will increase the vitality of people, the economy, and the planet, and it will teach through its activities, processes, and environment.”

The discussions about possible Principles, Strategies, Metrics, and Goals were integrated across the work groups and grouped under four major themes: 1) climate, culture and place, 2) climate neutrality, 3) conservation, efficiency and reliability, and 4) collaboration, education, training and outreach. These crossover discussions reflect the integrated planning and systems thinking that were integral to the University’s approach to sustainability planning. The complexity of these issues and their interrelated nature challenged the workshop participants to see how each workgroup’s issues related to the others.

The workshops built a foundation for sustainability features that will be used in continuing discussion and planning of Carolina North. As the University works with the town and other partners, it is expected that the focus will shift from goals and metrics to implementation and evaluation. To be the model of sustainability means to lead and innovate, not just follow today’s norms. This leadership and innovation is also an important part of the University’s mission.

Update for the Chapel Hill Town Council provided by the Town Manager

In January 2007 Mr. Roger Stancil, Chapel Hill Town Manager, provided an update for the Town Council on matters related to Carolina North. (Please see Appendix C for a copy of that report and the associated action by the Council.)

Community Sessions Conducted by the University

Beginning on March 27, 2007, the University conducted a total of seven essentially monthly public meetings on the Carolina North plan for interested members of the community. The purposes were to provide information on the status of the plan, to provide an opportunity for questions and to gather feedback that could be used in refining the plan. As the individual summaries below will indicate, the early meetings also included examples of the programmatic activities (research and teaching) that are likely to be located at Carolina North. Participants were encouraged to complete and submit comment cards at each meeting. All comment cards were transcribed and posted on the Carolina North web site. PowerPoint presentations from these community sessions were also made available through the Carolina North web site.

Community Meeting 1: March 27, 2007

Two identical sessions, one at 3:30 p.m. and the second at 5:30 p.m. were conducted at the School of Government. Each began with a plenary session for introductions and an overview of the format. Participants were then divided into three breakout groups and cycled through three stations. Each station included a programmatic presentation by a research representative and a design presentation by a member of the planning team. The purpose of showing three different planning scenarios was to obtain richer and more varied feedback than would have resulted if only one planning scenario had been presented.

The three programmatic presentations for these sessions are listed below.

Dean Robert Blouin, School of Pharmacy
Dr. Douglas Crawford-Brown, Carolina Environmental Program
Dr. Daniel Reed, Renaissance Computing Institute

The three planning scenarios presented in these sessions are listed below.

Centers – Dense compact development along a central spine with additional development radiating from centers
Grid –Dense, compact development on regular blocks with integrated parking throughout
Interwoven – Compact development integrated with large conservation/natural areas

The total footprint in any scenario used only approximately 250 acres of the site, representing 50 years, and possibly more, of University development.

Community Meeting 2: April 26, 2007

Two identical sessions, one at 3:30 p.m. and the second at 5:30 p.m. were conducted at the Friday Center. Each began with a plenary session for introductions and an overview of the format. Participants were then divided into three breakout groups that cycled through three different breakout rooms. In each breakout room a brief presentation addressed a programmatic topic. This was followed by a presentation on an updated planning scenario.

The three programmatic presentations are summarized below.

Ms. Cathy Innes, Director of the Office of Technology Development, discussing the mission and plan of the Innovation Center
Dr. Sam Odom, Director of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center, discussing the concept of First School
Mr. Ted Brown, Biohabitats, Inc., discussing the ecological assessment of the Carolina North property that his firm had been engaged to conduct

The three planning scenarios from the March community meeting were each presented in modified form. These presentations indicated how they had been refined in response to feedback received during the first meeting and also as a result of additional planning work. These presentations also included overlays illustrating subsystems within the plans. Examples of overlays include pedestrian/bicycle access, transportation systems, open spaces, and provisions for energy infrastructure.

Community Meeting 3: May 29, 2007

Two identical sessions, one at 3:30 p.m. and the second at 5:30 p.m. were conducted at the School of Government. Each began with a plenary session for introductions and an overview of the format. These meetings included one programmatic presentation by Dr. Joe DeSimone, Kenan Professor of Chemistry, who spoke briefly on nano-medicine. Participants were then divided into two breakout groups that cycled through two breakout rooms. For this meeting the planning scenarios had been reduced to two options, one called an east-west option and the other called a north-south option, representing the orientation of the primary axis of the two development footprints. This meeting also included the first presentation of the projected programmatic development over approximately 15 years, representing Phase I of Carolina North. This projection illustrated the achievement of mixed-use academic development through a mixture of types of activity as illustrated below.

Core University activity: graduate/professional instruction
Core University activity: research
Innovation center: business accelerator and housing for the University’s technology transfer staff
Health care delivery
First School: collaboration between University researchers and the local school board
Corporate partners
Housing
Recreation fields/facilities
Retail and commercial services

The total projected development in this summary was approximately 2.55 million square feet to be built on approximately 65 acres of the Carolina North site.

Community Meeting 4: June 21, 2007

Two identical sessions, one at 3:30 p.m. and the second at 5:30 p.m., were conducted at the School of Government. Since the planning work had converged to a single development scenario, these sessions were conducted in plenary format with no breakouts. The proposed development scenario was based on the east-west option from the May meeting as refined in response to comments and additional planning work.

The presentation of the planning scenario covered multiple dimensions of the planning agenda as listed below.

Connections between Carolina North development and surrounding land and neighborhoods
Open spaces and natural habitat
Transportation network on the Carolina North development site
Utilities
Access to transit services on the Carolina North development site

The projected program for Phase I (15 years) was updated to reflect removal of First School. This reflected a decision by the local school board not to proceed with the project as a stand-alone building. Consequently, the total development projected for Phase I was reported as approximately 2.475 million square feet over 15 years.

Two sets of projections of parking requirements were presented for the 15-year period covered by Phase I. The first set of projections was based on recommendations from a consultant to the Town of Chapel Hill in 2004. The projected parking requirement on this basis was approximately 5200 spaces. The second set of projections was based on the application of strategies over the 15 years that would reduce reliance on vehicles and increase the use of transit for access to Carolina North. The projected parking requirement on this basis was approximately 4700 spaces.

Community Meeting 5: July 31, 2007

One session beginning at 4:00 p.m. was conducted at the School of Government. This meeting followed the July meeting of the University’s Board of Trustees, so the presentation covered the draft plan for Carolina North that had been presented to the Board. This presentation emphasized the multiple sources of input that had been considered in creation of the draft plan as listed below.

Ecological Assessment: Identified the portions of the Carolina North land that are most suitable for development
Infrastructure Workshops: Took an integrated approach to considering landscape, natural habitat, and open spaces; transportation, transit, parking, and pedestrian/bicycle access and on-site mobility; energy;water (storm and sewer) management; and building technology
Leadership Advisory Committee: Developed a broad scope of consensus principles through community dialog to guide planning for Carolina North; and also documented some issues on which consensus was not reached in that work; and
Community Meetings: Presented three development scenarios initially, but converged to one over a period of approximately six months of planning work.

The presentation included the 50-year proposed development footprint, the 15-year proposed development footprint, and the projected program for the first 15 years of development at Carolina North.

Community Meeting 6: August 28, 2007

One session beginning at 4:00 p.m. was conducted at the School of Government. This session covered the updated 50-year and 15-year development plans, along with the proposed program for the first 15 years. In addition, this session included presentations by two members of the consulting design team on options for energy and water management. The individuals who presented are listed below.

Mr. John d’Epanier of RK&K Engineering (Water)
Mr. Jerry Schuett of AEI Affiliated Engineers (Energy)

Community Meeting 7: October 4, 2007

One session beginning at 4:00 p.m. was conducted at the School of Government. This meeting followed the September meeting of the University’s Board of trustees, so the presentation package used for this community meeting covered the plan for Carolina North that had been presented to the Board for approval.

This presentation covered the updated 50-year development footprint, the 15-year development footprint, and the projected program for the first 15 years. Revisions to the plan included additional recreation fields and a plan for early use of undeveloped space for recreation fields that might subsequently be used for one or more buildings. This update also included provision for a water reclamation facility located on the Carolina North development site. In this way the Trustees and interested members of the community were able to see the possible evolution in the use of portions of the site over the development horizon. This presentation also included examples of road cross-sections for all road types contemplated for Carolina North as listed below.

Primary access road (entering the Carolina North site from either Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. or Estes Drive Extension;
Mixed transit and passenger vehicles on a main Carolina North road;
Transit corridor dedicated to transit service;
Local through streets; and
Local secondary streets.

These schematics illustrated the integrated planning for bicycle paths, pedestrian walkways, landscaping with water management capabilities, and utility corridors.

B. Foundation Studies Conducted Jointly with the Community

Long Range Transit Study

The firm of TranSystems was engaged to conduct a transit study, both to provide input for the Town’s preparation of its 2035 Transportation Plan and to evaluate the transportation impact of Carolina North. This study is under way and is expected to conclude in the first quarter of 2008. Funding for the study is being shared by the Town of Carrboro, the Town of Chapel Hill and UNC-Chapel Hill (the three partners in the Chapel Hill Transit System), and a monitoring committee with representation from each of the three partners is overseeing the work. (Please see Appendix D for a copy of the RFP for this study as well as a status update as of January 2008.)

Fiscal Impact Analysis

The firm of TischlerBise was engaged by the University to conduct a Fiscal Impact Analysis of Carolina North. This study is under way and is expected to conclude early in the second quarter of 2008. Funding for this study is being provided by the University and the work is being overseen by a committee with representatives from the Town of Carrboro, the Town of Chapel Hill, Orange County and the University. (Please see Appendix E for a copy of the RFI as well as a summary of two scenarios that the consultant will use for evaluation.)

IV. Carolina North Plan and Concept Plan for the Innovation Center

For the meeting on January 13 the University will present a summary of the Carolina North Plan. The basis for the Carolina North portion of the presentation will be the material presented to the University’s Board of Trustees in draft form in July 2007 and then for action in September 2007. When the Board of Trustees reviewed the draft plan for Carolina North (July 2007), they also approved the site proposed for the Innovation Center.

The main segments of the presentation for January 13 are listed below.

50-year development footprint for Carolina North
Projected Phase I (15-year) programmatic development for Carolina North
15-year development footprint for Carolina North
Projected first five-year development segment for Carolina North

Copies of the presentation will be distributed at the meeting on January 13. Anyone interested in reviewing related background in advance can find material on the Carolina North Plan at http://research.unc.edu/cn/BOT_presentation_sept_07.pdf.

Appendices

Report of the Horace Williams Citizens Committee and resolution adopted by the Chapel Hill Town Council [Excerpt of 03/22/04 Minutes] [03/22/04, Agenda #7a, Attachment 2 (PDF)]
Report of the Leadership Advisory Committee [Chancellor’s charge to the Committee (PDF)] [LAC Report (PDF)] [List of Committee members and alternates (PDF)] [Matrix of Principles (PDF)]
Report on matters related to Carolina North provided by the Town Manager for Town Council in January 2007 [Excerpt of Minutes] [01-08-07, Agenda #13.1]
Request for Proposals for the Transit Study and status update as of January 2008 (2MB PDF)
Request for Information for the Fiscal Impact Analysis (PDF) and two scenarios [Scenario 1 (PDF)] [Scenario 2 (PDF)] for Carolina North that will be used by the consultant for modeling and evaluation.