AGENDA #9
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Response to Petition from Kings Mill/Morgan Creek Neighbors
DATE:
The attached resolution would initiate a process to amend the Town’s Land Use Plan to designate the Kings Mill/Morgan Creek area a Residential Conservation Area.
At the June 11, 2001 Town Council meeting, Sally Green, on behalf of the Kings Mill/Morgan Creek Neighborhood Association, asked the Council to help the neighborhood association in developing a small area plan and in creating a residential conservation overlay district (see Attachment 1). She noted that the neighborhood makes this request because of the potential impacts of the University’s Master Plan on the neighborhood.
The Kings Mill/Morgan Creek neighborhood is located
immediately south of Fordham Boulevard, generally between Morgan Creek Road on
the west and Manning Drive on the east (see Attachment 2). The
In response to the neighborhood’s request, we believe there are three options for the Council to consider: 1) develop a small area plan for the neighborhood; 2) designate the area a residential conservation area on the Town’s Land Use Plan; and 3) designate the area a Neighborhood Conservation District when the draft Development Ordinance is adopted.
Small Area Plans
Strategy 3A-1 of the Comprehensive Plan is to “extend the
small area planning process to established residential areas.” The Comprehensive Plan notes that
“established residential areas facing significant issues are primary candidates
for future small area planning.” The
Plan also notes that two residential areas should be selected for development
of “pilot” residential area plans, and that the Northside and Cameron-McCauley
neighborhoods would be prime candidates because of their importance to
The Comprehensive Plan notes that several factors need to be considered in developing a planning process for established residential areas, including:
Ø The Plans should be developed as a collaborative process between the Town (Council and staff) and local residents.
Ø The study area for the plans should be defined based upon the issues to be addressed.
Ø The planning process should be designed to reach as many residents as possible.
Ø
The plans should emphasize physical and social
connections, both within the study areas and between the study areas and the
rest of
The Comprehensive Plan establishes a timeframe for
developing a small area plan process.
The Comprehensive Plan includes a Mid-Term Action (2-5 years) to “define
residential area planning process and initiate one residential area plan.” The Comprehensive Plan also includes a
Measure of Progress to initiate at least one residential area plan no later
than
Since a formal residential area planning process has not been defined and pilot residential areas have not been selected, we believe that it would be premature to begin a formal small area plan process with the Kings Mill/Morgan Creek neighborhood.
Residential Conservation Areas
Strategy 3A of the Comprehensive Plan describes the establishment of “residential conservation areas” to protect the character of neighborhoods that touch and circle the downtown and central campus. According to the Town’s Land Use Plan, the Kings Mill/Morgan Creek neighborhood is not designated a residential conservation area. Designation as a residential conservation area means that when policy choices that affect these areas are before the Town Council, the balance should tilt in favor of protection and preservation, and that when new neighborhood protection initiatives are being considered (small area plans, design guidelines, occupancy or parking restrictions), these are the areas that should be considered first.
We believe that it would be appropriate to designate this area a “residential conservation area” on the Town’s Land Use Map. The northeastern portion of the neighborhood is adjacent to the central campus (separated by Fordham Boulevard) and has similar characteristics as other areas currently designated as residential conservation areas. We also believe that this designation would be a logical step to precede a small area plan process in the future. We recommend the Council initiate the process to amend the Town’s Land Use Plan to designate the Kings Mill/Morgan Creek neighborhood as a residential conservation area.
The proposed Development Ordinance revision would establish a new Neighborhood Conservation District provision in the Development Ordinance. This provision would allow the Council, upon its own motion, or upon request of a petition of 75% of the property owners of an area, to request an overlay district designation for an area.
In the proposal, the Planning Board would develop a neighborhood conservation plan that includes an analysis of the distinctive features of the neighborhood, and design standards for new construction, additions, or alterations. These design standards would then apply within that zoning overlay district.
This proposal is part of the Development Ordinance revision heard at public hearing on September 19, 2001. Until the Ordinance is adopted by the Town Council and becomes effective, this provision cannot be applied to the Morgan Creek neighborhood.
We recommend the Town Council adopt the attached resolution to initiate a process to amend the Town’s Land Use Plan to designate the Kings Mill/Morgan Creek area a Residential Conservation Area. The resolution would direct the Manager to outline a process for this amendment, including a date for a Public Hearing.
1. Excerpt from June 11, 2001 minutes (p. 5).
2. Location map (p. 6).
A RESOLUTION INITIATING A process to amend the Town’s Land Use Plan to designate the Kings Mill/Morgan Creek area a Residential Conservation Area (2001-09-24/R-10)
WHEREAS, the Chapel Hill Town Council received a petition from the Kings Mill/Morgan Creek Neighborhood Association requesting assistance in the planning of their neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, the Kings Mill/Morgan Creek neighborhood is adjacent to the University of North Carolina campus and may be affected by future growth of the University;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby initiates a process to amend the Town’s Land Use Plan to designate the Kings Mill/Morgan Creek area a “Residential Conservation Area,” and directs the Manager to return to the Council with a report outlining a process for this amendment, including a date for a Public Hearing.
This the 24th day of September, 2001.