Clarion Associates LLC
1526 East Franklin Street, Suite 102
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 967-9188
Fax (919) 967-9077
June 10, 2005
Mr. W. Calvin Horton
Town Manager
Town of Chapel Hill
405 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Re: Proposal for Preparation of Neighborhood Conservation District Materials
Dear Mr. Horton:
Pursuant to your request, Clarion Associates has prepared a proposal for consideration by you and the Chapel Hill Town Council, for preparation of materials needed to establish Neighborhood Conservation Districts for four Chapel Hill neighborhoods. The proposal is attached.
We suggest a process by which four neighborhood initiatives could be undertaken concurrently. The areas to be studied are the Pine Knolls, Greenwood, Coker Hills, and Kings Mill / Morgan Creek neighborhoods. With Town staff support for mapping and logistics, we can perform this work for the Town within a proposed budget of $35,000. We would commence work on this project in late summer, 2005, with a targeted completion date for the four plans of spring, 2006. The products would be modeled after final documents that were produced to create Chapel Hill’s first Neighborhood Conservation District in the Northside community.
Our proposal includes an expectation of Town staff support regarding logistics and coordination, and we outline in the proposal the tasks that would involve Town staff work. We also offer an alternative process that further minimizes expenditure of Town staff time, which could be completed within a proposed budget of $50,000.
In either case, I would serve as the key professional for Clarion involved in the project, would manage the project, be responsible for production of work products, and conduct the neighborhood meetings.
We believe that the methodology we propose here would result in effective regulations arrived at through a highly participatory process. There are alternative models and processes that also could be used for these initiatives. If the Town Council were to decide to pursue this project, but with a different structure for neighborhood participation, we would be pleased to prepare an alternate schedule and budget for consideration.
Thank you for consideration of this proposal. We look forward to working with you, the Planning Department, the Planning Board, the Town Council, and the neighborhoods in this effort.
Very truly yours,
Roger S. Waldon
cc: J.B. Culpepper, Acting Planning Director
Clarion Associates LLC
1526 East Franklin Street, Suite 102
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 967-9188
Fax (919) 967-9077
Proposed Process for Preparing Neighborhood Conservation Districts
Chapel Hill, NC
June 8, 2005
Clarion Associates proposes to offer services to the Town of Chapel Hill, for the purpose of preparing Neighborhood Conservation District ordinances and guidelines for consideration and adoption by the Town Council.
Four neighborhoods have asked for designation as Neighborhood Conservation Districts: Pine Knolls, Greenwood, Coker Hills, and the Kings Mill / Morgan Creek neighborhoods. This proposal suggests a process and budget for preparation of materials for all four neighborhoods.
Chapel Hill’s Planning Board will play a key role in the establishment of these districts, as called for in Chapel Hill’s Land Use Management Ordinance. Residents and property owners in each neighborhood will be extensively involved. The Town Council will be the entity that takes action to establish the districts and adopt design guidelines for each Neighborhood Conservation District.
The process for working with each neighborhood will be a highly collaborative, interactive, participatory one. In each case, a wide net will be cast, inviting all interested citizens to participate. All meetings will be publicized and open. Discussions will be facilitated by the Consultant, using a model of working toward consensus while recording dissenting opinions.
The Consultant Team will consist of Roger Waldon, Senior Consultant at Clarion Associates in Chapel Hill, who will be the Project Manager; Leigh Anne McDonald, an Associate at Clarion; and Landscape Architect David Swanson, of Swanson and Associates in Chapel Hill.
Steps in the process are proposed for each neighborhood as follows:
· Town Council initiation of the project.
· Delivery of Process Memorandum to Town Council and Planning Board.
· Mailing to property owners, leaflets to residents, announcing the project, soliciting indications of interest, and announcing the initial meeting; establishment of link on the Town’s website to post information and allow comments to be written.
· First Neighborhood Meeting: Convening of interested neighbors/citizens/property owners to function as a focus group; rely on already-existing homeowners associations and groups that have been meeting to discuss ideas; Introduce process and schedule, discuss expectations, show map of the area, ask for ideas, discuss problems and possible solutions. Saturday morning format.
· One-on-one individual interviews with residents and/or property owners wishing to meet with the consultant to discuss issues/interests/questions.
· Completion of preliminary diagnosis, including summary of individual interviews and preliminary proposal for action.
· Second Neighborhood Meeting: Presentation of proposed map of district, preliminary diagnosis, possibilities for regulatory response. Evening meeting format.
· Delivery of Interim Report to Planning Board, with summary of issues, preliminary diagnosis, possible regulatory responses.
· Preparation of draft Neighborhood Conservation District regulations, map.
· Third Neighborhood Meeting: Presentation of proposed district and map; solicit reaction, discuss upcoming meetings with Planning Board and Town Council. Work toward achieving consensus, recording and reporting dissenting opinions. Evening meeting format.
· Presentation of Draft Proposal to Planning Board by Consultant; hear and consider citizen comments; Planning Board to make recommendation to Town Council.
· Council Public Hearing on Ordinance Amendment and Zoning Atlas Amendment, Consultant to present proposal. Take citizen comments.
· Fourth Neighborhood Meeting: Discuss proposed Design Guidelines; Review comments from Planning Board and Public Hearing. Evening meeting format.
· Council Action to create District (ordinance and zoning map) and adopt narrative guidelines.
· Preparation of Drawings to illustrate Guidelines, in quantity, type, and format similar to guidelines prepared for the Northside Neighborhood Conservation District.
· Presentation of final Guidelines to Town Council as Information Item.
· Staff to arrange for publication of Ordinance amendment, Zoning Atlas Amendment, and Guidelines.
For each neighborhood, schedule one day of one-on-one individual meetings with individuals wishing to be interviewed. A summary of issues raised in interviews will be included in each neighborhood’s Preliminary Diagnosis Report.
Assumptions Regarding Staff Support:
Alternative A: $35,000 Consultant Budget
The Chapel Hill Planning Department will be responsible for: preparation of maps; preparation of mailing lists of property owners; logistical support for sending out notices and distributing leaflets; logistical support to set up meetings; distribution of materials to Planning Board and Council; creating and maintaining a link on the Town’s website for this project; designation of a planner to be a lead point of contact for the Consultant; receipt of inquiries from neighborhood residents and property owners; and attendance at neighborhood meetings. (Town staff will not be expected to attend individual interviews).
Alternative B: $50,000 Consultant Budget
The Chapel Hill Planning Department will be responsible for: distribution of materials to Planning Board and Council; creating and maintaining a link on the Town’s website for this project; designation of a planner to be a lead point of contact for the Consultant; and attendance at neighborhood meetings as determined to be desirable by Town Planning Staff. (Town staff will not be expected to attend individual interviews).
Assumptions Regarding Scope of Neighborhood Plans:
The scope of these neighborhood initiatives is assumed to be focused on planning and zoning issues which can be addressed through Chapel Hill’s Land Use Management Ordinance. Discussion and treatment of neighborhood issues not related to planning and zoning (e.g., street maintenance, trash collection, police services) shall be referred to the Town Staff for subsequent response, and not addressed as part of these Neighborhood Conservation District initiatives.
Deliverables for the project will be as follows, for each neighborhood:
· Reports (preliminary diagnosis, preliminary proposal for action, report to Planning Board)
· Draft Neighborhood Conservation District Ordinance/Map, with report of dissenting opinions
· Final Neighborhood Conservation District Ordinance/Map, with report of dissenting opinions
· Design Guidelines to illustrate ordinance language
Schedule:
All four Neighborhood Conservation District initiatives will be conducted concurrently, during the period September, 2005 through April, 2006. Background work will begin during the summer of 2005, and the first neighborhood meetings will begin in September, 2005.
The budget for the process will be as follows:
Main proposal: The cost for preparation of four Neighborhood Conservation District materials, as described above, including attendance at meetings as described above:
Not to exceed $35,000.
Alternate proposal: The cost for preparation of four Neighborhood Conservation District materials as described above, but with no involvement of Chapel Hill Planning Department staff:
Not to exceed $50,000.
This proposed budget is offered in the context of the work schedule and number of meetings as described above. We believe that the methodology we propose here would result in effective regulations arrived at through a highly participatory process. There are alternative models and processes that also could be used for these initiatives. If the Town Council were to decide to pursue this project, but with a different structure for neighborhood participation, we would be pleased to prepare an alternate schedule and budget for consideration. In the event that circumstances warrant a longer process and/or significantly increased number of meetings or products, the scope of work and budget will need to be adjusted accordingly.