AGENDA #3
to: Mayor and Town Council
from: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
subject: Woodmont on NC 54 East: Zoning Atlas Amendment, Master Land Use Plan, and Special Use Permit Applications
date: May 12, 2008
Tonight the Council holds public hearings regarding applications from Capital Associates for a Zoning Atlas Amendment, Master Land Use Plan, and Special Use Permit for the Woodmont development. The site is located on NC 54, east of Barbee Chapel Road. Tonight’s public hearings have been scheduled to receive evidence in support of and in opposition to approval of the applications. The purpose of this memorandum is to forward my preliminary recommendations to the Council.
On Monday night, the Council took a specific action to deny the proposal to create higher density residential zoning districts. We heard your discussion that evening about how we might want Chapel Hill to grow.
Tonight we are asking for feedback from the Council about how Monday’s discussion on higher density zoning might be connected to this development proposal. If there is no direct link, my preliminary recommendation is as identified in the accompanying staff memoranda. The accompanying memoranda identify a number of issues that the Council may want to consider during the review of the applications. My preliminary recommendation would be to approve the applications. I’ll discuss some of those issues shortly.
If the Council indicates that there is a connection between the discussion regarding the Town’s future growth and this development proposal, my preliminary recommendation will be modified and adjusted. It would not include approval of the proposals as submitted but likely a modification of what is proposed. I am anxious to hear your discussion and your questions tonight, as well as to hear from the developer, advisory boards, and citizens.
The attached staff memoranda identify some significant issues that the Council may want to consider during the review of the applications. The applicant is proposing to rezone the property from Neighborhood Commercial (NC) and Residential-2 (R-2) to Mixed Use-Village. It seems appropriate to test assumptions about the use of the site for mixed use development, as well as whether the development is likely to accomplish the goals of various components of the Comprehensive Plan.
The community, the Council, and staff have been engaged in conversation concerning the form of future development for the Town. Discussions over the past nine to twelve months have included the development of Carolina North, opportunities for expanded mass transit along selected corridors, energy management and carbon reduction, other higher density and mixed-use developments and population and employment projections. Related actions have included the Council-University discussions on Carolina North, enactment of a higher density Town Center zoning district allowing for the Greenbridge development and the 140 West (Lot 5) project, and adoption of the Northern Area Task Force report.
Additionally, on March 26, 2007, a Council member presented a petition asking the Council to consider joining Durham County for a special study of the NC 54 Corridor. The study would focus on the portion of NC 54 west of the Interstate 40 interchange to Fordham Boulevard, addressing roadway capacity and development issues along the corridor and preparing strategies to reduce congestion. These strategies could include roadway, transit, bicycle and pedestrian improvements. The proposed study would include analysis of the Town’s regional connectivity as well as transit service. We understand the study has received $200,000 in funding from the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization and has been included in the Durham City/County Planning Department fiscal year 2008-2009 work program. The scope of work and details concerning the participation of Chapel Hill staff have not been determined.
Although the site proposed for the Woodmont development is classified as Low/Medium Residential on the Land Use Plan, the Town has identified this area as part of the NC 54 transit corridor in the 2035 Chapel Hill Long Range Transportation Plan land use projections. The preliminary work of the Chapel Hill Long Range Transit Plan has identified this area as a potential location for compact, transit-friendly, walkable, mixed use development. That preliminary work, as well as the recommendations of the Strategic Transit Advisory Commission (regional commission dedicated to pursuing transit options for the Triangle area), identified NC 54 as a principal regional travel corridor, appropriate for higher intensity transit (either fixed guideway or bus rapid transit) which would make the corridor inherently more suitable for higher intensity development.
Town staff is available to discuss these and other issues associated with the proposed development.
Based on the information in the record to date, and pending clarification regarding the Council’s discussion on Monday night, I am providing the following preliminary recommendations:
Zoning Atlas Amendment – Conditional Rezoning: Based on the information in the record to date, and pending continued discussion regarding future growth, I believe the Council could make the findings required to amend the Zoning Atlas. My preliminary recommendation is that the Council enact the attached Ordinance rezoning the properties from Residential-2 (R-2) or Neighborhood Commercial (NC) to Mixed Use-Village (MU-V).
Master Land Use Plan: Based on the information in the record to date, and pending clarification about higher density zoning, I believe that with the conditions in the attached Resolution, the Council could make findings required to approve an application for a Master Land Use Plan. My preliminary recommendation is that the Council adopt Resolution A, approving an application for the Master Land Use Plan, if the rezoning application is approved.
Special Use Permit: Based on the information in the record to date, and pending further Council discussion regarding future growth, I believe that with the conditions in the attached Resolution, the Council could make findings required to approve an application for a Special Use Permit. My preliminary recommendation is that the Council adopt Resolution A, approving an application for the Special Use Permit, if the rezoning and Master Land Use Plan applications are approved.
The attached staff report describes the relationship between a Master Land Use Plan and a Special Use Permit in greater detail.