QUESTIONNAIRE – TOWN OF CHAPE HILL

CONCEPT PLAN REVIEW PROCESS

What do you find most helpful about the current Concept Plan review process?

Because the Council is the final approval & authority, getting an early indication of what they would and would not approve is helpful.

What specific features are helpful?

It requires some interpretation of the comments, but hearing what aspects of design would enhance the opportunity for approval is important. 

What aspect do you find least helpful?

The time between concept plan review and final approval is often very long, so long that council elections change the people reviewing and approving the plan.  This creates a disconnect from the group that approved the concept.  This creates a risk for the developer that specifically expressed desires; needs or concerns from the concept plan review may be totally ignored or rejected at the final approval.

There is also the risk that the concept plan review “hot buttons” will change at the final review due to the political climate of the day.

What specific problems do you encounter?

The Council being the final authority is the most significant in the review process.  The interim committees do not always reflect the views of council.  The interim committees go outside their scope of review to demand changes to unrelated aspects (i.e. the bicycle & pedestrian safety committee requiring changes in the architecture).  Often requirements of the interim review committees are overruled or outright rejected by the Council.  

It becomes a concern in estimating what interim committee requirements should actually be incorporated into the project and which requirements should be ignored.

Specifically regarding the CDC, certain members seem to carry a personal agenda which is often independent of and at odds with the majority of the members.  These personal agenda items are often at odds with what the Council will approve. 

How heavily do you weigh Council comments at the Concept Plan review stage?

__Very heavily    _X_Moderately __Slightly

How heavily do you weigh Community Design Commission comments at the Concept Plan review stage?

__Very heavily __Moderately  _X_Slightly

See comment above about CDC

What type of comments are most helpful during Community Design Commission Concept Plan review? 

Comments that are consistent with those of the Council.  Comments that stem from a set of guiding principals of design or development that are consistent with the Town plans & the Council’s approval.

What type of comments are most helpful during Town Council Concept Plan review?

1. The comments from Council members who are likely to still be in office when the plan comes up for final review. 
2. Comments about what aspects would be rejected under any circumstances.
3. Comments about what aspects would be approved under any circumstances.

Other comments:

Committees should stick to their scope and not venture outside due to an individual member’s concern. 

Please submit the survey by June 4, 2008 to [email protected]

Or mail to Kendal Brown, Planning Department, Town of Chapel Hill, 405 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514-5705