AGENDA #4e

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager                     

 

SUBJECT:       Report on Council Goals

 

DATE:             April 8, 2002

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

During planning sessions on January 18 and January 28, the Council discussed potential goals for 2002-03.  The Council decided to retain certain goals from the previous year and to establish additional goals.  Altogether, 40 goals were selected for emphasis.

 

Following is a draft of goal statements for the Council’s consideration.  Section 1 lists  goals previously adopted by the Council and marked for continuation.  The Council directed that certain completed goals be eliminated.  We also recommend that certain continued goals be restated.  For a complete list of previous goals, please see attachment # 1.  Section 2 lists additional goals discussed by the Council, organized under the framework of goals from the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

We recommend that the Council review the following goals, make such amendments as it desires and adopt the attached Resolution establishing the goals for Council and staff guidance.

 
SECTION 1
 
PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED GOALS

 

(1) Rewrite the Development Ordinance in a manner that:

 

a.      Promotes creation of housing in a range of prices through a system of incentives and requirements

b.      Fosters sustainable development

c.      Provides greater regulatory flexibility for the Council

d.      Focuses more attention on the impacts and effects of development proposals

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Council and the staff have been working with consultant Mark White to prepare a revised draft of the Development Ordinance.  Next steps in the process include: Council work sessions at the April and May public hearing dates, followed by a public comment session at the June 3 public hearing.  The Council will provide advice to the Development Ordinance consultant on June 10; and will hold a public hearing on the third draft of the Ordinance on September 18.

           

(2) Modify the development application review process to make it less adversarial while encouraging earlier and more effective citizen involvement.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  This goal continues with the Development Ordinance work listed above in Goal #1.

 

(3) Present Goal Statement: Determine the feasibility of constructing employer-employee housing and associated services, including parking and retail development, on Town and University land in the Rosemary Street downtown area.

 

Recommended Goal Statement:  Explore the feasibility of constructing employer-employee housing through partnerships with Orange County and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System.  Complete the Downtown Design process and issue a request for proposals for development desired by the Council on Town property.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The University has indicated that its properties in the downtown are not available for redevelopment as employer-employee housing.  Downtown Design Workshops were held in February and March.  The workshops offered participants an opportunity to shape a vision for developing selected publicly- and privately-owned downtown sites and to examine design guidelines.  Focus areas were West Rosemary Street sites and Town Parking Lots 2 and 5. The Council will receive a report from the workshops in May.

 

The Mayor has been authorized to explore with representatives of Orange County and the School System their potential interests in development of employer–employee housing.

 

(4) Present Goal Statement:  Develop a plan for the preservation, enhancement, and future use of the Old Post Office Building.

 

Recommended Goal Statement:  Continue efforts to preserve and enhance the Old Post Office Building.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Council Committee on the Old Post Office completed its work last year and a report on the Council’s desire for continued and expanded Court use was presented to the County Commissioners.  The US Postal Service, District Courts, Teen Center and Downtown Commission continue as tenants at the Old Post Office.  With plans for the Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitors Bureau to begin operation of a welcome center in store-front offices on West Franklin Street, there now is no need for development of a new welcome center for the Downtown Commission.  Major repairs to the exterior of the building have been deferred because of present financial constraints.  The Postal Service earlier expressed a desire to extend its lease and we will initiate discussions and bring a proposal for the Council’s consideration.  We will initiate a follow-up inquiry with Orange County to determine the status of their consideration of the future use of the court facilities.

(5) Make more effective use of Town funds allocated for purchase of open space.

 

During 2000 the Council considered its priorities for use of the funds remaining in the 1996 Open Space bonds, and authorized the Manager to continue pursuit of land that would meet the Council’s goals for preserving:

     Non-automotive community connectivity

     Entranceway corridors

     Scenic vistas

     Environmentally sensitive areas

     Resource Conservation District land

     Community open space and neighborhood open space

 

The Council also directed the Manager to pursue acquisition of the parcels included on a map showing undeveloped and sparsely developed land, with a concentration on the parcels along Wilson Creek and Morgan Creek.

 

Land acquired since 2000 includes:

     Donation of the 8.48-acre Craige parcel at the corner of Bennett and Mt. Carmel Roads, November 2001

     Acquisition of the 34.57-acre Springcrest parcel at the corner of Erwin Road and I-40, using 1996 Open Space bonds, December 2001

     Acquisition of the 9.2-acre Gattis-Whitfield parcel at the junction of Bolin, Booker and Little Creeks, using primarily HUD Disaster Recover grant funds, January 2001

     Donation of 6.9 acres at the apex of Southern Railroad and Millhouse Road, December 2001

     Acquisition of 3 lots on Dickerson Court, bordering on Bolin Creek, using primarily Flood Mitigation Assistance grant funds, December 2001

     

Land in the process of acquisition includes:

     Acquisition of 105 Dickerson Court, using primarily Open Space bonds; closing anticipated this spring, after delay caused by removal of underground tank and testing of soil around it

     Acquisition of the 12.5-acre McCormick parcel on south side of Morgan Creek, across the creek from Frank Porter Graham School: closing delayed when our survey and deed research showed clouded title; owner is working on acquiring clear title that he could convey; no estimate if closing will be possible or, if so, when.

 

Land under negotiation includes:

     Two or three parcels along Dry Creek, north of I-40, near Erwin Road, to be acquired with a Clean Water Management Trust Fund grant, whose deadline has been extended until December 31, 2002

     Deed gap along border of Cedar Falls Park, which could add a 40’ strip to a portion of the park; would come to Council for action if negotiations succeed

     Access easement over Duke Power land for pedestrian access to Merritt Pasture

 

Other efforts include:

 

Multiple contacts with owners of every parcel identified on our September 2000 map along Wilson Creek south of Mt. Carmel Road and along Morgan Creek between Smith Level Road and US 15-501 South.

 

The Town staff worked with a staff person of the Triangle Land Conservancy on the Dry Creek land negotiations.  In addition, an experienced former member of the Conservancy’s board has been active in following up with contacts of the owners of all the parcels along Wilson and Morgan Creeks. She is willing to continue this work for the Town.  Several Town staff members will work together this spring to identify additional areas which meet the Council’s guidelines, and will present them to the Council for your consideration for focusing acquisition efforts.

 

(6) Enact a Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance.

 

April 8, 2002 Status: In February, the Council held a public hearing on the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance for Schools.  The Council received a Memorandum of Understanding which, if approved and executed by all the appropriate elected boards, would establish a framework for an ordinance.  The Council also received a model ordinance that would be adapted to fit into the zoning regulations of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Orange County.  The Council referred the documents and comments to the Planning Board for consideration and recommendation.  Consideration of this item is scheduled for tonight’s agenda.

 

(7)  Begin the process of developing a general adequate public facilities ordinance.

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Council has deferred work on a general Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance until work on a Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance is completed.

 

(8) Enforce speeding laws in neighborhoods to increase pedestrian safety.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  This goal will continue as directed by the Council.   During the third quarter, patrol officers focused efforts on residential traffic enforcement.  The following neighborhoods were targeted as evidenced by the number of citations issued:  Seawell School Road, Weaver Dairy Road, Southern Village, and Mason Farm.  Officers attended a Southern Village community meeting to gather information about residents’ traffic concerns.  Traffic enforcement officers met with Scroggs Elementary School students at the crosswalks to teach pedestrian safety.  We will provide reports in each quarter on measures taken to address this goal.

 

(9) Present Goal Statement: Seek feedback from employees on work environment.  Create an impartial citizens’ group for this purpose, and ensure confidentiality for employees.

Recommended Goal Statement:  Take follow-up actions recommended in the report by consultant Henry McKoy on Town work environment.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Town Council and 96% of the Town’s employees participated in diversity training provided by consultant Henry McKoy.  Mr. McKoy’s work also included conducting a confidential survey of employees regarding Town work environment.  On February 25, the Council received a report from Mr.  McKoy, an Assessment of Employee Input for Improving Equal Opportunity.  The report explained the comprehensive assessment of employee perceptions regarding fairness and equal opportunity which he conducted at the Council’s request during the summer and fall of 2001.  We will return to the Council in May with a report proposing follow-up actions on the recommendations of the report. 

 

(10)  Study timing of signals at intersections at peak hours.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  We continue to work with LSA Associates (a consulting firm hired by the Council to develop a Mobility Report Card for the Town) to model traffic conditions at intersections and along roadway corridors throughout the community at different times of day.  We will develop revised timing plans to improve efficiency and reduce congestion at intersections, and to improve progression along identified travel corridors to the extent possible.

Some of the timing plan designs will be done by Town traffic engineering staff, and some will be done by consultants using funds collected from developments having impacts on certain intersections.  We expect to have new timing plans in place at most intersections by late spring 2002.  A report from LSA Associates will be presented in May.

 

(11) Present Goal Statement:  Assess feasibility and utility of putting transponders on buses so that they could receive priority at intersections.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  We recommend that this goal be deleted and that any further expenditure of resources in pursuit of this goal be deferred to coincide with overhaul of the community’s traffic signal system.  We have conducted a preliminary review of the proposed bus-activated traffic signal override system  We  believe that the cost of modifying the traffic signal system to receive and take instructions from bus-mounted transponders, installing transponders for each of the Town’s buses, creating a transponder monitoring system, and maintaining the system after installation is beyond the Town’s reasonable funding capabilities.  If we are successful in obtaining grant funding from the State for complete modernization of the community’s traffic signal system, the possibility of pursuing this goal would be more reasonable.

 

(12) Establish better design criteria for parking lots, to improve pedestrian safety.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Development Ordinance Revision project is one mechanism for addressing this goal and will be considered as the 3rd Draft is prepared.  This goal may be better addressed in the Town’s Design Manual, with specific and detailed requirements.  We expect that the Chapel Hill Design Manual will need to be updated once the Development Ordinance has been revised.

 

(13)  Review minimum parking requirements specified in the Development Ordinance for reasonableness and consistency with Council goals.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  This goal will be addressed by the Council as the Development Ordinance is revised.

 

(14) Expedite renovations at the Hargraves Community Center and A.D. Clark Bath House and Swimming Pool.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Council at its meeting on March 25, 2002 awarded a bid for the construction of improvements at the Hargraves Community Center and A.D. Clark Bath House and Swimming Pool.

 

SECTION 2

 

DRAFT STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL COUNCIL GOALS:

 

We believe that the Comprehensive Plan provides a useful structure for organizing the list of goals that the Council indicated at its planning sessions that it wishes to address in the coming year; and we include excerpts from it in the following sections.  Draft Council goals are presented in the general order in which the Council conducted its discussion.

 

We offer suggested language for goals that the Council indicated it wished to focus on rather than all of the issues discussed.  Goals already listed above are not repeated here.  Please see Attachment 1 for the full list of items discussed by the Council. We also have kept the general issues framework that the Council identified in its sessions:

 

 

Transportation Issues

**

Comprehensive Plan Goal:  Develop a balanced, multi-modal transportation system that will enhance mobility for all citizens, reduce automobile dependence, and preserve/enhance the character of Chapel Hill.

Comprehensive Plan General Objective:  Minimize roadway improvements that increase automobile capacity.  Proposed automobile capacity improvements should not negatively impact the level of service of any alternative mode of travel.

Comprehensive Plan Multi-Modal Streets and Highway System Objective:  Develop and maintain a comprehensive network of streets and highways that support safe automobile, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian mobility within Town.

 

(15) Reconsider the proposed configuration of Weaver Dairy Road improvements.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Council has scheduled a work session at tonight’s meeting to discuss the configuration of Weaver Dairy Road improvements.  The Council will hold a public forum on this subject at its regular meeting of April 22.

 

 (16) Reconsider the proposed configuration of Estes Drive and Homestead Road improvements.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:   At its February 11 meeting, the Council adopted a resolution providing comments to the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee on the Draft 2004-2010 Regional Transportation Priority List.  As part of that resolution, the Council also requested that the Manager study: (1) the status of the Homestead Road configuration; (2) the status of the Estes Drive configuration; and (3) the impact of Homestead Road on Town parks and Carrboro parks.  We expect to report on these issues during the fourth quarter of this year.

 

**

Comprehensive Plan General Objective:  Emphasize transit and pedestrian/bicycle mobility in the vicinity of the downtown and the University campus.

Comprehensive Plan General Objective:  Integrate all transportation modes within existing and future developments with appropriate land uses, design standards, and infrastructure.  A priority should be to connect residential areas to nearby commercial centers, schools, parks, and other neighborhoods with sidewalks and bike lanes and/or paths. 

Comprehensive Plan General Objective:  Develop strategic transportation linkages between neighborhoods, transit stops, and activity areas.

Comprehensive Plan Pedestrians Objective:  Develop and maintain a pedestrian circulation system, including sidewalks and greenway trails, which provides direct, continuous, and safe movement within and between districts of Town.  Link neighborhoods to activity centers, transit stops, schools, parks, and other neighborhoods.

Comprehensive Plan Bikeways Objective:  Develop and maintain a system of safe and efficient bikeways…designed to contribute to Town-wide mobility, connecting neighborhoods with activity centers, schools, parks, and other neighborhoods. 

Comprehensive Plan Strategy:  Develop a comprehensive pedestrian and bicycle network.

 

 (17) Improve the process for setting priorities for funding sidewalk and bicycle system improvement projects by taking into account  connectivity, links to bus stops, probability of increasing bicycle commuting, benefit to downtown improvement objectives, and benefit of collaboration with neighboring jurisdictions.

April 8, 2002 Status:  We recommend that this goal statement be referred to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board and the Manager for consideration in revising the project priority ranking system.

 

 (18) Increase funding for sidewalk and bicycle system improvements.

 

April 8,2002 Status:  Present financial constraints make it unlikely that this goal can be immediately achieved.   However, the goal will provide guidance for the Council and the staff as the budget is developed and opportunities arise in the coming year.

 

 (19) Consider sidewalk needs in the Northside and Sykes Street neighborhoods.

 April 8,2002 Status:  We recommend that this goal be referred to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, the Housing and Community Development Board, the Sykes Street Committee, and the Manager for consideration and a report to the Council.

 

 (20) Eliminate minimum parking requirements in the Development Ordinance.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  This goal will be addressed by the Council in the process of revising the Development Ordinance.

 

**

Comprehensive Plan General Objective:  Increase emphasis on transit, bicycle, and pedestrian mobility townwide.  Achieve an increase in the percentage of total trips within Chapel Hill by alternative transportation modes and a corresponding reduction in the percentage of trips by automobiles.

Comprehensive Plan Public Transportation Objective:  Maintain a public transportation system that enhances the mobility and safety of Town residents, employees, and students.  Increase per capita readership with provision of increased service to an expanded park-ride lot system that complements regional transit.

Comprehensive Plan Transportation Demand Management Objective:  Develop and implement programs that reduce the percentage of trips made by single occupancy vehicles, and encourage transportation by alternate modes.

 

 (21) Conduct a policy discussion on the I-40 Congestion Management Study and the NC54/I40 Transit Corridor Study.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Council considered the I-40 Congestion Management Study at its January 14 and February 25, 2002 meetings.  The Council provided comments to the I-40 Congestion Management Study consultant at the February 25 meeting.  The consultant expects to submit a final draft in May.

 

The Council received a report and discussed the NC54/I40 Transit Corridor Study at its February 11, 2002 meeting and adopted a resolution offering comments to the Transportation Advisory Committee.

Planning Issues

**

Comprehensive Plan Goal:  Provide an environment where the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC, and the UNC Health Care System can collaborate to maximize mutual benefits.

Comprehensive Plan University-Hospital-Town Coordination Objective:  Enhance on-going joint planning processes between the Town, UNC, and UNC Health Care to address issues of mutual concern.

Comprehensive Plan Neighborhood Impacts:  Address the effects of UNC and UNC Health Care activities on Chapel Hill’s neighborhoods as part of joint planning with those entities.

Comprehensive Plan Regional Context Goal:  Establish effective regional cooperation that promotes sustainable growth patterns, recognizing that economic development, land use, transportation, environmental, natural area linkages, and other planning issues transcend the boundaries of Chapel Hill.

Comprehensive Plan Regional Planning Objective:  Support multi-jurisdictional planning initiatives to address regional issues.

Comprehensive Plan Recommended Action:  Continue the Town’s involvement in planning for the future development of the Horace Williams property.

 

 (22) Prepare for discussions with the University about their forthcoming proposals to develop the Horace Williams tract.  Include public forums conducted by the Council in any process for considering the University’s Horace Williams development proposals.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Council has named two Council Members to serve on the Chancellor’s Horace Williams Planning Advisory Committee and will consider tonight the appointment of two citizens to the Committee.  In its planning session discussions, the Council indicated a desire to have a committee, similar to the Mayor’s Committee on Town-University Discussions, begin work to prepare for discussions with the University about any proposed development on the Horace Williams tract.  We believe that the work of the previous committee was of substantial value to the Council and the community and recommend that the Mayor appoint a similar committee for the Horace Williams discussions.  As discussed by the Council, the first task of the Committee would be gathering background information.

 

 (23)  Re-Issue the collection of previous reports on impact fees and impact taxes as background information for future discussions

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  If this goal is adopted, we will re-issue these reports as directed by the Council.

 

 (24)  Appoint an Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  We recommend that the Council appoint a committee of the Council to discuss a charge for such an Energy, Environment and Sustainability  Committee and to bring forward a proposal for consideration by the Council.  If this goal is adopted, we would schedule appointment of the Council committee for consideration at a future Council meeting.

 

**

Comprehensive Plan Strategy:  Seek opportunities for formal and informal communication with other Triangle Area jurisdictions on regional planning issues.

 

 (25)  Establish joint planning procedures with Durham County and Chatham County.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  After reviewing the minutes of the planning session and staff notes, we are unclear as to what the Council desired in regard to this topic and would appreciation receiving further guidance from the Council.  We will schedule a short discussion of this matter at a future Council meeting.

 

*(26)  Review the design manual to make it consistent with the revised Development Ordinance.

April 8, 2002 Status:  We recommend that work on this goal be deferred until such time as a revised Development Ordinance has been adopted by the Council.

 

**

Comprehensive Plan Strategy:  Maintain coordination with Shaping Orange County’s Future Task Force to ensure coordination of planning and community building strategies.

 

* (27)  React to the Shaping Orange County’s Future Report.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Council adopted a Resolution on February 25, 2002 authorizing the Manager to transmit “Comments on Recommendations from the Shaping Orange County’s Future Task Force Report” to the County manager.  We have done so.

 

**

Comprehensive Plan Community Character Goal:  Conserve and enhance those elements that define Chapel Hill’s special community character and the heritage of Chapel Hill’s historic neighborhoods.

Comprehensive Plan Neighborhoods Objective:  Protect the physical and social fabric of Chapel Hill’s neighborhoods.

 

* (28)  Continue work to halt the transition of the Northside neighborhood into a student/rental enclave.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Council has established a Revolving Acquisition Fund that can be used to purchase houses and provide for their repurchase for owner occupancy.  At tonight’s meeting, the Council is considering establishment of a Rental Licensing program.  The main focus of our community oriented policing program is in the Sykes Street and Northside neighborhoods.   As the Council has directed, we are coordinating staff efforts to improve enforcement of occupancy limits, sanitation, parking, noise, and property maintenance ordinances.  Each of these actions is recommended in the Comprehensive Plan as part of the strategy to preserve and protect the Northside neighborhood, as well as others.   The Comprehensive plan also calls for initiating at least one residential area plan no later than December 31, 2004.   After work on the Development Ordinance is completed, the Council could consider designating Northside as the neighborhood asked to join with the Council in developing the first residential area planning process.

 

Town Organization

 

Comprehensive Plan Goal:  Town government that maximizes citizen participation, is representative of and responsive to the population, and that serves and governs the population in an honest, efficient, and equitable manner.

 

* (29)  Improve construction management.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  As discussed with  the Council, we propose to use an existing position to lead work and supervise building mechanics, freeing the Buildings Program Supervisor and Internal Services Superintendent to spend more time on construction management.  We also will seek proposals from construction management and value engineering firms for services such as: development of construction standards and specifications; phase scheduling; value engineering; cost control and cost estimating; bid evaluation; construction administration and construction inspection.  The Council will receive a further report on this topic on April 22.

 

* (30)  Improve the efficiency and timeliness of communications with the Council and citizens by making greater use of electronic media.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  In accordance with the Council’s request, we have instituted a number of changes to increase the use of  e-mail and the Internet in Town communications, including:

We have asked department heads and other employees to seek to minimize the use of paper documents in communications with citizens and the Council and find new means of contributing to this goal.

 

* (31)  Improve the marketing of Town Services.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The proposed Transportation Fund budget includes an allocation for establishing a half-time marketing position to begin this work.  We also will attempt to improve marketing of general Town services and have started to explore development of a marketing plan.

 

* (32)  Provide the Council with a background report and briefing on the Town’s Community Policing Program.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  Given the Council’s heavy workload this spring, we will schedule this work for the second quarter of fiscal 2002-2003.

 

* (33)  Increase the number of minorities in supervisory position.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  We will prepare a report for the Council about the make-up of the Town’s workforce over the past several years, including information about the number of minority employees occupying supervisory positions, as the beginning point for addressing this goal.  We will provide this report in the second quarter of fiscal 2002-2003.

 

* (34)  Improve communications with applicants for advisory boards regarding their interests, notice of nomination, notice of appointments, and related matters.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  We will prepare a process description that outlines the steps in communications with applicants from inquiry about the application process through appointment or expiration of application and seek feedback from the Council.  This work will be presented to the Council in the fall.  In the meantime, we have used specific feedback from Council Members to address particular problems.

 

* (35)  Consider alternate methods of managing the Halloween event that occurs each year in downtown Chapel Hill.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Council received a report on options for managing the Halloween event at its meeting on March 25, 2002 and will conduct a public forum on this issue on April 22. 

 

 

* (36)  Consider combining the Transportation Board and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, or modifying the charges of these boards (and perhaps the Greenways Commission) so that there is less overlap in their assigned duties.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  We recommend that the Council appoint a committee composed of two Council Members and two members from each of the respective boards to develop a proposal for revised charges for each of these boards.  If the Council adopts this goal, we will schedule consideration of appointing such a committee at a future Council meeting.

 

Downtown

**

Comprehensive Plan Community Character Goal:  Conserve and enhance those elements that define Chapel Hill’s special community character and the heritage of Chapel Hill’s historic neighborhoods.

Comprehensive Plan Downtown Objective:  Implement and fund policies and programs to maintain and enhance the downtown’s role as the center of the Chapel Hill community, with a pedestrian orientation and human scale.

Comprehensive Plan Parking Objective:  Develop a parking system within downtown that recognizes the need for adequate short-term parking while encouraging policies and practices that minimize the long-term parking supply.

 

* (37)  Focus on improving downtown Chapel Hill.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The central goal of the Downtown Small Area Plan is to “maintain and enhance the existing downtown as the social, cultural, and spiritual center of Chapel Hill.”  To achieve this goal, the plan recommends a series of implementation strategies that are designed specifically to preserve and enhance the downtown’s special character and vitality, including:

 

We believe a key next step in continuing to focus on the downtown will come with consideration by the Council of requesting proposals from developers for development of Parking Lots #5 and #2.

 

* (38)   Carry out a rodent control program in the downtown.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  We will seek advice and assistance from the County Health Department and will work with the Downtown Commission, property owners, and merchants to develop a rodent control program and will report to the Council quarterly.

 

* (39)  Consider the arts as a downtown “engine.”

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  The Council has appointed representatives to the University’s Arts Commons Committee which will be working on development in and abutting the downtown.  The Council recently adopted a Percent for Art program that will result in opportunities for art in the downtown.  The Public Arts Commission continues to work on events in the downtown, such as the sculpture show in connection with Apple Chill.  The Council will consider a streetscape project this evening which includes a provision for public art as a part of the project.

 

Other

 

* (40)  Provide opportunities for Internet communications and research training at sites other than the Chapel Hill Public Library.

 

April 8, 2002 Status:  We will investigate possibilities and will report to the Council in the fall of 2002.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.            Status Report on Council Goals and Objectives, January 18, 2002 (p. 15).

2.            Summary Minutes of a Planning Retreat, January 18, 2002 (p. 36).

3.            Minutes of a Work Session, January 28, 2002 (p. 52).

 

A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING GOALS FOR THE GUIDANCE OF THE COUNCIL AND TOWN STAFF (2002-04-08/R-5)

 

WHEREAS, the Town Council conducted planning sessions on January 18 and 28, 2002 to develop goals to guide the Council and the Town staff in the coming year; and

 

WHEREAS, the Town Council has reviewed the attached report of the Town Manager suggesting specific goal statements and reporting the status of goals; and,

 

WHEREAS, the Town Manager will report to the Council each quarter on the status of work in pursuit of the Council’s goals;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby adopts the above attached report on Council Goals, with such modifications as it directed at its meeting of April 8, 2002.

 

This the 8th day of April, 2002.