WESTSIDE
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
407 Ransom Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
TO: The Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Baird S. Grimson
RE: The Wesley Foundation Concept Plan Review Agenda Item #5
DATE: March 10, 2008
We have been aware of the Wesley Foundation’s plans regarding their property at
214 Pittsboro Street for some time, as they were kind enough to present these
plans to us last year. At that time, we expressed our concerns about the size
of the building planned and the fact that they would have to apply for a
rezoning to implement their plan. We stated at that time that we would be
unable to support their application for two reasons. These are:
l. It has been the policy of the Westside Neighborhood
Association
to oppose any and all applications for rezoning in our neighborhood. We
worked very hard for the establishment of the Cameron/McCauley Historic
District as we felt this designation would protect our older, in town
neighborhood and enable it to withstand the pressures for re-development close
to the UNC campus.
2. The size of the proposed building, whether it be 5 floors or the
alternative 4 floors, is substantially out of scale with all other structures
in the Cameron/McCauley Historic District.
While the Town Council reviews the Wesley Foundation concept plan, which
affects our older, historic, in town neighborhood, we hope the Council will
keep in mind that the Comprehensive Plan specifically spells out “that it is
the stated policy of Chapel Hill that neighborhood protection issues in these
areas are paramount. It means that, when policy choices that affect these
areas are before the Town council (road issues, rezoning proposals, public
investment decisions), the balance should tilt in favor of protection and preservation.”
The Cameron/McCauley neighborhood is one of the areas designated as a
residential conservation area by the Comprehensive Plan.