AGENDA #5b

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:      Response to Planning Board Recommendation on Long Range Transit Plan.

 

DATE:                        October 24, 2005

 

BACKGROUND

 

On October 10, 2005 the Council received recommendations from the Planning Board on the Long Range Transit Plan. (Attachment 1).

 

DISCUSSION

 

The Planning Board presented the following recommendations:

 

  1. The Chapel Hill Long Range Transit Plan should be a joint effort between the Town, Carrboro and UNC and include consideration of regional transit connections to Chapel Hill.

 

Comment: We agree that the development of a Long Range Transit Plan should be a collaborative effort between Chapel Hill, Carrboro and the University of North Carolina. The Public Transit Committee has begun discussions on how best to proceed.

 

  1. The Town should be proactive about establishing transit-supportive land-use patterns rather than simply implementing a transit plan that suits existing uses.

 

Comment: The Long Range Transit Plan Discussion Paper emphasizes the important linkage between land use and public transit and recommends that land use issues be included in the development of the Plan. The Discussion Paper also points out that changes in land use, including promoting transit supportive design, should be considered in the development and implementation of the Plan.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council provide the Planning Board recommendation to the Public Transit Committee for use in the development of the scope of work for the Long Range Transit Plan. We would expect that the Public Transit Committee will provide the Council with their draft scope of work for the Long Range Transit Plan for approval.

 

ATTACHMENT

 

  1. Summary of Planning Board Action (p. 2).