Agenda #4m
memorandum
to: Mayor and Town Council
from: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
subject: Scheduling a Public Hearing to Amend the Land Use Management Ordinance Regarding Certificates of Appropriateness
date: September 26, 2005
Adoption of the attached resolution would schedule a Public Hearing for November 14, 2005, to amend the Land Use Management Ordinance, regarding Certificates of Appropriateness from the Historic District Commission. The proposed amendment would allow the Council to decide what is allowed in public rights-of-way located in the Town’s local Historic Districts.
BACKGROUND
At the November 8, 2004 Town Council meeting, the Council approved changes to traffic control on Cameron Avenue between Merritt Mill Road and Pittsboro Street. One of the Council changes authorized the installation of parking meters on the north side of Cameron Avenue. Because some of the proposed parking meters would be installed in the Cameron-McCauley Historic District, the Town’s Public Works Department submitted an application to the Historic District Commission requesting a Certificate of Appropriateness for the installation of parking meters on Cameron Avenue. On May 12, 2005, the Historic District Commission denied the Town’s request for parking meters on Cameron Avenue in the Cameron-McCauley Historic District.
The existing Land Use Management Ordinance regulations require application for a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic District Commission for regulatory signs and other traffic control measures and devices, and utility distribution systems located in the local Historic Districts (Cameron-McCauley, Franklin-Rosemary, and Gimghoul). We believe that the installation of regulatory signs, traffic control measures and devices and utility distribution systems should not be subject to approval by the Historic District Commission. We recommend that the Council consider revising language in applicable sections of the Land Use Management Ordinance regarding Certificate of Appropriateness requirements in the public right-of-way for traffic control measures and devices, and utility distribution systems in the local Historic Districts.
We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution, which would call a Public Hearing for November 14, 2005, to consider amendments to the Land Use Management Ordinance regarding Historic District Commission approval in public rights-of-way.
A RESOLUTION SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND THE LAND USE MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE REGARDING CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS (2005-09-26/R-11)
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby schedules a Public Hearing for November 14, 2005 for the purpose of considering amending Chapel Hill’s Land Use Management Ordinance provisions regarding Certificate of Appropriateness approval required in public rights-of-way.
This the 26th day of September, 2005.