AGENDA #14

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:            Northeast Gateway Statement of Design Objectives

DATE:             February 12, 2001

On January 8, 2000, the Council considered a “Statement of Design Objectives” for the Northeast Gateway Corridor.  During discussion of this Statement, Council members indicated their preferences for adjustment to the document before accepting it.  This memorandum offers a revised Statement for consideration.

BACKGROUND

On June 26, 2000, the Council authorized the sponsoring of a competition for the Northeast Gateway Area.  On October 23 the Council selected the entry submitted by Duda Paine Architects as the winner of the competition, and directed the Town Manager to prepare a draft statement articulating design goals for the development of properties at the Northeast Gateway location.

On January 8 the draft Statement was presented. Council members offered comments and asked the Town Manager to revise the Statement to incorporate those comments.

A copy of the January 8 Council memorandum is attached, including the original draft “Statement of Design Objectives” and reduced copies of the Duda Paine drawings.  Also attached is a revised Statement, with highlighted changes that reflect Council members’ comments.

SUMMARY OF COUNCIL COMMENTS

Council members asked that numbers be removed from the Statement.  The Duda Paine drawings contemplated development intensities of the 115-acre area at approximately 3,000,000 square feet of floor area, with 7,500 parking spaces.  Those figures were included in the original Statement and are deleted in this revised version.

A Council member asked how the proposed level of intensity would compare with Meadowmont and Southern Village.  A comparison follows:

Council members asked for stronger language about protection of natural areas and emphasis on low-impact design, emphasis on vertically integrated mixed use, low-impact design, more specifics on affordable housing, attention to the county line, and more specifics about transportation.  Language has been included in the revised Statement reflecting all of those points.

A Council member suggested that a Statement of Design Goals not be accepted by the Town Council until there is widespread knowledge about these ideas, and until there is information about potential traffic impacts of possible development.  The Council’s motion to refer these comments to the Town Manager included a request for suggestions about possible public process.

DISCUSSION

We have made the changes to the Statement requested by individual Council members.  Changes are highlighted in the attached revised draft with bold underline for additions, and strikeouts for deletions.

We offer the following ideas on process:

• The Council could decide tonight to accept the attached Statement of Design Objectives (with or without additional edits).  This document would then be available as a non-binding statement of the Council’s expectations to be considered as development plans are drawn and evaluated for this area.

• The Council could decide to make the statement of expectations more formal, and propose to have it considered as a component of the Comprehensive Plan.  In this case the statement, as a proposed amendment to the Comprehensive Plan, would need to be referred to the Planning Board for review and comment, followed by a Council Public Hearing, followed by possible adoption.  Most Comprehensive Plan amendments are also referred to other advisory boards for comment as well (Transportation Board, Parks and Recreation Commission, Greenways Commission, Housing Advisory Board, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board).

• The Council could decide to keep the status of this statement non-binding, but also choose to send it to advisory boards for comment and hold a public hearing before adopting a resolution accepting such a non-binding statement.

• The Council could choose not to refer the statement to all advisory boards, but to hold one public hearing that would allow any citizen to come forward with a comment, and then adopt a resolution accepting such a non-binding statement. 

SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION

We continue to believe that it would be helpful to all parties (property owners in the Gateway area, potential developers, advisory boards, citizens and staff) to have a clear idea of the Town Council’s goals, objectives, and expectations for how development should be designed in this strategically important corridor.  We believe that could be accomplished with Council adoption of a resolution accepting this “Statement of Design Objectives,” as a document to be considered as development plans are drawn and evaluated for this area.  We attach a resolution that would do so and recommend that the Council adopt it, either tonight or after an opportunity for citizen comment at a public hearing.  We note, however, that with the deletion of target levels of intensity for floor area and parking, the statement leaves a significant degree of uncertainty regarding the Council’s expectations.

Alternatively the Council could choose to sponsor further discussion of the draft statement.  If the Council wishes to do so, we would recommend that the Council consider this Statement to be a potential component of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, and initiate community discussion accordingly.  Following advisory board review and public hearing, the statement could become a component of the Comprehensive Plan and accordingly have a more substantial status.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Statement of Design Goals for the Northeast Gateway Corridor (p. 5).
2. January 8 Council Memorandum, with attachments (begin new p. 1).

A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A STATEMENT OF DESIGN GOALS FOR THE NORTHEAST GATEWAY CORRIDOR (2001-02-12/R-17)

WHEREAS the Chapel Hill Town Council has identified the Northeast Gateway Corridor (land at the intersection of Interstate 40 and U.S. Highway 15-501) as a strategically important area for new development, and has designated this area as a “Development Opportunity Area” on the Town’s Comprehensive Plan; and

WHEREAS the Council has sponsored a design competition to generate ideas for how this area might be developed; and

WHEREAS the Council finds that it would be useful to articulate a Statement of Design Goals for this area, drawn from the ideas that have been generated, to provide guidance as development plans are contemplated;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council accepts the attached “Statement of Design Goals for the Northeast Gateway Corridor” as a document to be considered as development plans are drawn and evaluated for this area.

This the 12^th day of February, 2001.

Statement of Design Goals

For the Northeast Gateway Corridor

Draft                                                                                                          Draft

Revised, February 12, 2001

Town of Chapel Hill

This Statement of Design Goals is intended to provide guidance as development plans are contemplated for the Northeast Gateway Corridor.  This statement shall be considered as development plans are drawn for this area, and as the Town Council, Advisory Boards, and Town Staff evaluate and consider such plans.

LOCATION

A map indicating the Northeast Gateway area is attached.  There are several distinct portions of this area, which straddles US Highway 15-501.  On the northern side of 15-501, property is largely undeveloped.  A Master Plan was previously approved by the Town Council for this area that called for a hotel and office buildings.  A surface parking lot exists at a location that was to be a future office building.  On the southern side of 15-501, the area contains a series of individual properties, with a collection of older single-family structures. 

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

The first consideration that needs attention as development plans are being contemplated for this area is the existing environment.  Development that is proposed for this area must be environmentally sound.

At the northern end of this area, environmental conditions become significant constraints (steep slopes and a stream corridor).  The Town’s Comprehensive Plan places particular emphasis on preservation of environmentally sensitive areas, and preservation of sensitive areas (along with consideration of existing topography and drainage patterns) should be priorities in any development plans.

Development plans should achieve compactness, mixed use development, pedestrian- and transit-oriented planning, sustainability, sensitivity to adjoining neighborhoods, and the conservation and preservation of the natural environment.  The concept of "gateway"  is strategically important;  proposals should consider the visual impact of proposed development  from its various approaches, especially I-40 and route 15-501.

A mix of uses is highly encouraged.  Development in this area should contain residential, office, and commercial uses, integrated and connected with vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian corridors. Uses should be vertically integrated, with retail uses on ground floors and offices/residences above.

A fixed-guideway transit corridor is being planned that is envisioned to cross the southeastern corner of this area.  Designs for this portion of the site should incorporate a future transit station in this corner.  Parking for 500 vehicles should be planned as a component of this development in this corner of the study area, for use initially as a standard park-ride lot and in the future as parking for a transit stop.  The exact route for the fixed guideway system is not yet determined.  Designers are encouraged to incorporate into their concepts a new road/transit corridor that would enter this area from the east by crossing I-40 between 15-501 and Durham-Chapel Hill Road, and which would leave the site in the vicinity of Pope Road, heading south.  Initially a roadway, this corridor may become the future fixed-guideway alignment.

The Town Council has expressed interest and intent in development of affordable housing opportunities.  Any plans for residential development on this site should include provisions to make some portion of the residential units (ideally at least 15%) affordable to individuals and families with incomes at or below 80% of the region’s median income.  Affordable units should be interspersed throughout the development and not concentrated in one location.  It would be desirable to have some of the housing provided at prices that would be affordable to individuals/families earning 50% of the area median.  

DETAILS

As development plans are being prepared for this area, consideration should be given to the following guidelines.

Approach to Development:  Emphasis should be placed on low-impact design.  Building footprints should be compressed.  Land disturbance should be minimized.  As much as possible of the currently existing natural areas, especially the environmentally sensitive northern area of this site, should remain undisturbed. 

Specific locations for uses:  The southern perimeter of this area, bordering on Old Durham Road, is sensitive because it abuts existing residential areas of low and medium density.  As a mix of uses is contemplated, residential uses would be particularly suitable for this southern perimeter.  Another unique portion of this site is its long border with Interstate 40.  Because of potential interstate noise, uses along this border should not be residential, and these areas might best be used for parking.  Main destination locations (such as hotel), should be located with clear access from 15-501.  A transit station is best located in the southeast corner of the site.

Configuration of Open Space:  It is desirable to have several types of open space as this area develops.  Natural, undisturbed open space is desirable in the northern portions of the site, where environmental constraints are most significant, and along the required interstate buffer.  Within the interior of the development a tree inventory should be prepared, and development plans drawn in a manner that will allow preservation of several stands of existing trees.  Other open space may be created by installation of lawns and landscaping and trails.  There should be several major blocks of landscaped areas, perhaps arranged in a “quadrangle” configuration.  Pedestrian walkways should be planned throughout the site.  Particular attention should be given to the views into the site from 15-501, and blocks of open space should be a prominent feature in that view, enhancing the “gateway” concept.

Intensity of Development:  Approximately 3,000,000 square feet of floor area is contemplated as the development potential of this 115 acre area.  Existing zoning for these parcels establishes maximum amounts of floor area for different types of uses.  Development that is contemplated at intensities greater than what would be permitted under these current zoning designations, and therefore would require a rezoning of property would be needed in order to achieve the levels contemplated.  Any such rezoning request would need to be accompanied by a justification for why the greater intensity is appropriate, how projected impacts would be mitigated, and a description of how proposed development is consistent with this Statement of Design Goals.

Parking:  It is expected that most parking will be provided in decks or under buildings, to minimize the amount of new impervious surface that is created and to enhance the pedestrian orientation of proposed development.  Some surface parking may be considered on a limited basis.  Attention should be given to types and locations of uses that allow sharing of parking, and walking/biking/transit modes of transportation so as to minimize the number of parking spaces that need to be constructed.  The Town’s Development Ordinance sets minimum standards for off-street parking for particular uses, and allows for sharing of parking among complementary uses.  Efforts should be made in site design and development programs to minimize the need for parking.  In no case should the number of parking spaces proposed for this area exceed 110% of the minimum parking requirements stated in the Chapel Hill Development Ordinance.   It is anticipated that approximately 7,500 parking spaces would be developed on the site, to serve the approximately 3,000,000 square feet of floor area that is contemplated.

Park-Ride Lot:  A 500-space park and ride lot should be located on the site, located in proximity to the proposed transit station, for use by commuters.

Transportation Management:  Attention needs to be given to analysis of traffic patterns surrounding the site, and the impact of proposed development on those patterns.  Comprehensive Traffic Impact Statements must accompany all development proposals. In the planning for development in this area, attempts should be made to choose and locate uses that can take advantage of existing transportation systems, emphasizing transit, bicycling, and walking.  Improvements to surrounding road, bicycle, and sidewalk systems will need to be components of development plans, with such improvements provided by the developer.

Stormwater Management:  Detailed attention must be given to stormwater management as development plans are drawn.  Existing drainage patterns must be identified, both on-site and off-site.  Designs should be prepared that minimize creation of new impervious surface, avoiding single-story buildings and surface parking.  Opportunities for on-site detention and retention of stormwater should be identified.  Plans should include installation of bio-retention systems at strategic locations on the site. To the greatest extent possible, stormwater should be retained and managed on-site, such that the amount of post-development runoff does not exceed pre-development levels to the extent feasible.

Transit Station:  It is expected that a major transit station will likely be located in the southeast portion of this area, as plans are developed for a regional fixed-guideway transit system.  As designs are drawn for development, contact should be initiated with the Triangle Transit Authority to obtain the most recent information available regarding alignment of the fixed-guideway corridor and guidelines for development in the vicinity of a transit station.  Attention should be given to timing of development on this site and the potential construction of a fixed-guideway transit system.  Development should be designed such that it might initially function without the fixed-guideway system, but designed such that integration of a fixed-guideway corridor and a transit station can be integrated easily into the site.

Connector Roads:  Transportation plans for this area show roads that cross Interstate 40 in two new locations in this area:  one to the northwest of the 15-501/I-40 interchange, and one to the southeast of this interchange.  Development plans should be drawn in a manner that could accommodate future connections in these locations.

Phasing:  It is expected that development over this entire area will be phased over time.  Attention should be given to how that phasing might occur, so as to coordinate construction of street, sidewalk, bikeway, open space, and stormwater management systems.

County Line:  The Orange-Durham County line bisects this area.  Attention should be paid to the impacts of this jurisdictional line.  For residential areas, buildings should not be located so as to split the units between the two school districts.  It would be desirable for retail uses to be located within Orange County.

SUMMARY

This Statement of Design Goals is intended to serve as a guide to developers and designers as plans are prepared for new development in the Northeast Gateway corridor.  It is a statement of expectations, and should be referred to in both the development and the review of plans for this area.

_________________________________________________________________

Accepted by the Chapel Hill Town Council, February 12, 2001