AGENDA #7
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Response to Request from Chancellor Moeser
DATE: September 22, 2003
On September 2, 2003, University Chancellor James Moeser sent a letter to Mayor Foy, requesting that the Council allow the Town staff to work with University consultants and staff on planning for the Carolina North project. On September 8, the Council discussed this request briefly, and referred the request to the Town Manager for comment. A copy of Chancellor Moeser’s letter is attached.
In this memorandum, we suggest that, as a first step, the Council ask Mayor Foy to initiate conversations with the University about involving the Council in policy and concept-level discussions with University representatives.
CAROLINA NORTH
As Chancellor Moeser notes in his letter, the University has just embarked on its planning for Carolina North, proposed to be developed on the Horace Williams property. The property is located mostly in the northwest quadrant of Chapel Hill, with a smaller portion within Carrboro’s planning jurisdiction.
Development of the Horace Williams property will be a significant factor in Chapel Hill’s future. Approximately 700 acres lie within Chapel Hill’s zoning jurisdiction. Most of that land is undeveloped at present. The developed portions of the property include Horace Williams Airport, the Town’s Public Works and Transit facilities, and a number of smaller University facilities.
STATUS OF THE PROJECT
The University has not yet presented any plans to the Town Council for development of this property. Presentations have been made by University representatives about existing conditions, general development objectives, and the University’s process for constructing a development plan. Chancellor Moeser notes in his letter that the University has appointed four Advisory Groups to think conceptually and strategically about University Uses, New Business, External Communications, and Infrastructure. In addition, the Town Council appointed a Horace Williams Citizens Advisory Committee to consider the site and offer comments and suggestions to the Council. The Council’s Committee is scheduled to submit a final report to the Council in October.
The Chancellor’s letter suggests that “it is essential to work closely with the Town’s staff during each step of the planning effort.” Specific areas of possible staff collaboration suggested include:
DISCUSSION
We agree that early and substantive communication between the Town and the University is highly desirable, and look forward to a beneficial level of staff-to-staff cooperation, as we have enjoyed on past projects.
We note that the Town Council has not yet had the opportunity to engage in substantive conversations with University officials about Carolina North, because plans and concepts have not yet been presented for Council consideration. We believe that it would be difficult for Town staff to participate in planning for this major project absent direction from the Town Council regarding community objectives.
We agree that it would be undesirable to wait until there has been a formal application regarding the property to begin staff discussions. We also believe that it would be premature for staff discussions to commence on this major project without some policy-level guidance from the Council. That policy-level guidance cannot be offered until Council-University discussions begin on conceptual development plans. We note that the work of the Council’s Horace Williams Citizens Advisory Committee is an important component of community dialogue about this property. When that Committee’s Final Report is completed and presented to the Council in October, we expect that the report will include suggestions for a timeline for additional discussions.
Regarding the requirements and methodologies for transportation studies, we believe that staff discussions are appropriate at any time. Because of the University’s experience in preparing development applications for Town review, University staff are well-versed in typical application requirements and the Council’s normal processes. In such discussions, we would refer to the standards and processes for the zoning districts that currently apply to the various portions of the Horace Williams property. We can discuss the form in which application materials might be prepared, and the information that would need to accompany any particular application.
SUMMARY
We appreciate the University’s approach to coordinated staff work on the Carolina North project, and the Chancellor’s willingness to have Town staff be involved with University planning efforts. We believe that all parties benefited from detailed staff discussions that led to creation of the OI-4 zoning district and accompanying guidelines, and believe that it would be very useful to follow that model again in the planning for Carolina North.
As an initial step, we suggest that the Council ask Mayor Foy to communicate with Chancellor Moeser about how best to structure Council-level discussions about the status of University Plans for Carolina North. Following those Council-University discussions at a policy and concept level, we would ask the Council to offer guidance to the Town Manager regarding effective and appropriate participation of Town staff in the site-specific planning process.
Between now and then, we are prepared to work with University representatives in discussing requirements that might accompany different types of applications, and regarding methodologies to be used in studying traffic impacts. Unless the Council directs otherwise, we will continue to defer participation in the planning for this project until the Council has had an opportunity to discuss development concepts.
ATTACHMENT