AGENDA #2

TO:                  Chapel Hill Town Council

FROM:            David Owens

RE:                  Clarification of Carolina North Review Process and Timeline

DATE:            January 10, 2009

The Town’s Carolina North review process is now entering a new and significant phase.  The overall process can be placed into three phases: 

Phase One -- September-December 2008

Determine the process to be used for discussion, collaboration, and decision-making and determine the scale of project to be reviewed

Phase Two – January-March 2009

Determine specific potential standards and mitigation measures for the project

Phase Three – April-June 2009

Review, refinement, and decision on a specific proposal

Phase One of the process has for the most part been concluded. The Town and University agreed to a process that would consider rezoning the entire Horace Williams tract to a new zoning district that would require a concept plan for the entire tract and a detailed plan for the first substantial phase of development. A development agreement would be required for that phase of development, which will include mutually agreed conditions and terms of approval.

In Phase Two of the process, the Council, Trustees, staff, and the public will be engaged in developing specific substantive provisions to include within the development agreement. These provisions will need to address all of the key issues that have been identified.  The provisions can include specific requirements, limits, performance standards, guidelines, mitigation measures, timing and thresholds for particular actions, and the like. The staffs of the Town and University have begun the process of developing detailed proposals on these points.

There are several key points for the Council to consider at this stage of the process:

• Are there interests you want to be certain are addressed? 
• What policy guidance do you want to provide staff as these specific proposals are developed? 
• Any information or points of analysis you need in order to make a decision?

Roger Stancil’s memo outlines the key policy questions for the critical Group One issues.