AGENDA #7a

MEMORANDUM

 

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Report on the Sykes Street Project

 

DATE:             January 14, 2002

 

The purpose of this memorandum is to transmit to the Council a report prepared by students from the University of North Carolina Department of City and Regional Planning on activities that have taken place in the Sykes Street area during the fall (please see Attachment 1).   The students have been working with representatives of the Town, EmPOWERment, Inc., Orange Community Housing and Land Trust, and neighborhood representatives to continue efforts in the Sykes Street area that began in January 2001. 

 

The attached resolution would express the Council’s appreciation to Dr. William Rohe and the five students of the UNC Chapel Hill Department of City and Regional Planning who worked on this project.

 

BACKGROUND

 

On January 8, 2001, the Council adopted a resolution authorizing the Town to participate in and provide technical assistance and staff support in an advisory capacity to develop an Action Strategy for the Sykes Street Area.  The Orange Community Housing Corporation, EmPOWERment, Inc., the Community Land Trust in Orange County, neighborhood residents and the University of North Carolina Department of City and Regional Planning class of Dr. William Rohe also participated in this process.  The Council agreed to provide $500 of Community Development funds for class expenses related to the project. 

 

On September 24, 2001, the Council endorsed the Sykes Street Action Plan presented to the Council on May 21, 2001, and authorized the Town’s continued participation in implementing a plan for making improvements in the Sykes Street neighborhood.

 

DISCUSSION

 

The attached report provides a description of the Committee’s activities that took place during the fall semester and identifies recommendations and next steps for future activities in the Sykes Street area. 

 

A third group of students will continue to work on this project during the spring 2002 semester.  We recommend that the Council receive and refer this report to the Manager.  We would return to the Council with a recommendation on how to implement suggestions identified in the report and with a proposed work plan for the spring 2002 semester. 

 

MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION

 

We recommend that the Council receive and refer this report to the Manager.   We also recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution expressing appreciation to Dr. William Rohe and the five students of the UNC Chapel Hill Department of City and Regional Planning that worked on this project.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.      Map of Sykes Street Study Area (p. 4).

2.      Report from UNC Department of City and Regional Planning Students (p. 5).

 

 

A RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION TO DR. WILLIAM ROHE, MATT BARNES, JOHN BULLOCK, ERIN CROSSFIELD, CARRIE MOWRY AND JESSICA TREAT OF THE UNC CHAPEL HILL DEPARTMENT OF CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING (2002-01-14/R-12a)

 

WHEREAS, on January 8, 2001, the Council adopted a resolution authorizing the Town to participate in a process to develop an action strategy for the Sykes Street area of the Northside neighborhood; and

 

WHEREAS, Dr. William Rohe organized a class of UNC Chapel Hill Department of City and Regional Planning Master’s students to work on the Sykes Street Action Strategy during the Fall 2002 semester; and

 

WHEREAS, under Dr. Rohe’s direction, the students strengthened community involvement and organized a community clean up and a neighborhood visioning project, and developed recommendations to improve the quality of life in the Northside neighborhood;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council expresses its appreciation to Dr. William Rohe, Matt Barnes, John Bullock, Erin Crossfield, Carrie Mowry and Jessica Treat for their assistance and leadership with the Sykes Street Project.

 

This the 14th day of January, 2002.