AGENDA #4m

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Addition to the Design Guidelines of the Comprehensive Plan for the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District

 

DATE:             June 30, 2004

 

The purpose of this memorandum is to review proposed Design Guidelines for the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District (Attachment 1).  The Design Guidelines would be an “area guide” applicable specifically to the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District and would guide the design of future development in the Northside neighborhood.  Please see Attachment 2 for a map of the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District.   

 

The attached Resolution would incorporate the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District Design Guidelines into the Design Guidelines of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan.

 

BACKGROUND

 

On November 24, 2003, the Council received a report from the Manager outlining a schedule for developing a Northside Neighborhood Conservation.  The memorandum also explained that a charrette would be held to develop design guidelines for the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District. 

 

In the Goals adopted March 23, 2004, by the Town Council the Council’s third highest priority for 2004 was to establish Design Guidelines for the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District.  The Council scheduled consideration of the text of the design guidelines by June 2004 and publishing the illustrated document by December 2004.

 

On February 7, 2004, the Planning Department held a workshop to discuss possible design guidelines for the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District.  Draft design guidelines were developed based on comments made by Committee members, residents, and property owners in the Northside neighborhood during this workshop.

 

On February 23, 2004, the Town Council passed an amendment to the Chapel Hill Zoning Atlas establishing the Neighborhood Conservation District with special standards as described in the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District Plan.  The Planning Board worked with the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District Advisory Committee to draft the Plan. 

 

DISCUSSION

 

The Design Workshop held on February 7, 2004, included a presentation on historic Northside architecture and facilitated breakout sessions where the following topics were discussed:

 

·        site planning

·        landscaping

·        building orientation

·        driveways and garage location

·        windows and dormers

·         density,

·         architectural styles and details,

·         fences and walls, and

·         sidewalks and entranceways  

 

After the workshop, the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District Committee met to further discuss the comments received at the workshop and the implications of specific guidelines. Staff developed a summary of the issues addressed at the design workshop for the Committee to review.  The summary was then organized into the following categories:

 

·        Building Orientation

·        Porches

·        Site Design

·        Parking

·        Fencing, and

·        Design Details. 


 

On May 19, 2004, the Neighborhood Conservation District Advisory Committee voted 12-0 to approve the guidelines, as revised, and to recommend that the Council approve the guidelines.  Please see Attachment 3 for a summary of the Advisory Board’s recommendation.

 

The Northside Neighborhood Conservation District Advisory Committee and the Planning Board recommend that the Council receive the illustrated document before it is distributed.  In addition the Planning Board recommends adding a list of recommended trees and shrubs to the document.  We recommend that the Council support these recommendations. 

 

Section 3.6.5 of the Land Use Management Ordinance states that the purpose of the Neighborhood Conservation District is to “protect and strengthen desirable and unique physical features, design characteristics, and recognized identity, charm and flavor” of neighborhoods which contribute significantly to the overall identity and character of the Town.  The Design Guidelines of the Comprehensive Plan, state that “more detailed guidelines [will be] available for several specific sub-area within Chapel Hill.  These “Area Guides” describe physical and social characteristics and present further detailed guidelines specific to those particular sub-areas.”

 

We believe that the proposed Design Guidelines are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Plan. 

 

NEXT STEPS

 

Staff has contracted with a landscape architect to develop a manual of the design guidelines to include illustrations of various concepts, with the goal of publishing the document for public distribution by December, 2004.  We plan to submit the document to the Council for information on December 6, 2004, prior to its distribution. 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Northside Neighborhood Conservation District Advisory Committee:  On May 19, 2004, the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District Advisory Committee voted 12-0 to approve the guidelines as revised.  See Attachment 3.

 

Planning Board Recommendation:  On June 15, 2004, the Planning Board voted 7-0 to approve the Neighborhood Conservation District Design Guidelines as proposed by the Neighborhood Conservation District Advisory Committee with the following comments:

 

·                   Add an introduction that explains what is being accomplished by the guidelines

·                   Add a list of tree and shrubbery suggestions to the guidelines

·                   When the illustrations are done, provide a final report to the Town Council for information.

 

Comment:  An introduction has been added to the Design Guidelines.  We will include a list of tree and shrubbery as suggested in the final document.  We plan a final report to the Council on December 6, 2004.

 

Please see Attachment 4 for a Summary of Planning Board Action.

 

Manager’s Recommendation:  We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution to incorporate the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District Design Guidelines into the Design Guidelines of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

  1. Northside Neighborhood Conservation District Design Guidelines (p. 5).
  2. Map of Northside Neighborhood Conservation District (p. 7).
  3. Summary of May 19, 2004 Northside Neighborhood Conservation District Advisory Committee Action (p. 8).
  4. Summary of June 15, 2004 Planning Board Action (p. 9).

 

A RESOLUTION INCORPORATING THE NORTHSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION DISTRICT DESIGN GUIDELINES INTO THE DESIGN GUIDELINES OF THE CHAPEL HILL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN (2004-06-30/R-8)

 

WHEREAS, the Chapel Hill Comprehensive Plan calls for the preservation of “attractive and diverse neighborhoods surrounding the downtown”; and

 

WHEREAS, Section 3.6.5 of the Land Use Management Ordinance states that the purpose of a Neighborhood Conservation District is to “protect and strengthen desirable and unique physical features, design characteristics, and recognized identity, charm and flavor” of neighborhoods which contribute significantly to the overall identity and character of the Town; and

 

WHEREAS, the establishment of Design Guidelines for the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District is the third highest priority goal for 2004;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Design Guidelines as detailed in Attachment 1 be added to the Design Guidelines of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan and be provided as a booklet to citizens and developers as a guide to making alterations to property in the Northside neighborhood.

 

This the 30th day of June, 2004.