AGENDA #4f
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Calling Public Hearing on Changes to Lighting Standards of the Land Use Management Ordinance
DATE: February 14, 2005
The Council received a petition from the Planning Board requesting consideration of changes to the Land Use Management Ordinance lighting provisions to provide additional restrictions regarding upward lighting pollution. Adoption of the attached Resolution would call a Public Hearing to consider changes to the lighting standards of the Land Use Management Ordinance as requested by the Planning Board.
BACKGROUND
Last fall the Planning Board asked the staff to provide information comparing Chapel Hill’s lighting regulations to Orange County’s lighting regulations. Following consideration of the information provided, the Planning Board voted to petition the Council to consider changes to Chapel Hill’s regulations. On January 10, 2005, the Planning Board petitioned the Council to consider changes to minimize upward lighting pollution.
DISCUSSION
The following changes to the Land Use Management Ordinance are currently on the work program for discussion:
Feb 21, 2005
- Vehicular and bicycle parking changes
- Subdivision Plat Certification changes
April 18, 2005
- Changes to duplex provisions
Spring, 2005
- Changes to OI-4 zoning district (Hearing expected to continue in April)
Fall 2005 (dates yet to be determined)
-Consideration of changes to Tree Ordinance to apply to single-family and two-family
construction and to restrict clear cutting
-Consideration of changes to definition of floor area to better coordinate with the Building Code
-Consider clarification to land disturbance triggers for soil and erosion control requirements
-Consider changes to stormwater controls for volume; reconsider two-year, 24-hour
requirements
-Consider adjustment to porous pavement provisions to allow more credit
-Consider clarification to water quality treatment required for runoff from public streets vs.private streets
-Consider increasing flexibility with alternate landscape buffers
-Consider changes to reduce the minimum land area requirement for a Planned Development – Housing to one acre rather than five acres
Given the number of text amendment changes currently scheduled for consideration, we recommend scheduling the proposed change to minimize upward lighting pollution for spring 2006. If the Council desires to place consideration of this text amendment proposal ahead of previously scheduled items, we will adjust the schedule accordingly. If this is the Council’s preference, we would appreciate receiving guidance regarding which item(s) to postpone.
RECOMMENDATION
We recommend that the Council adopt the attached Resolution to call a Public Hearing for the spring of 2006 to consider adjustment to minimize upward lighting pollution. The attached Resolution schedules the hearing for February, 2006.
ATTACHMENTS
A RESOLUTION CALLING A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER CHANGES TO THE LIGHTING REGULATIONS OF THE LAND USE MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE (2005-02-14/R-5.1)
WHEREAS, the Planning Board of the Town of Chapel Hill has studied the lighting regulations of Chapel Hill and, on January 10, 2005, petitioned the Town Council to consider changes to the Land Use Management Ordinance lighting provisions to provide additional restrictions regarding upward lighting pollution;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council calls a Public Hearing for 7:00 p.m. on Monday, February 20, 2006, in Chapel Hill Town Hall, to consider amending language in the Land Use Management Ordinance regarding lighting standards to minimize upward lighting pollution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Council that the Council refers the petition to the Town Manager and the Planning Board for recommendation.
This the 14th day of February, 2005.