AGENDA #11

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Reconvening, Recessing Public Hearing on proposed Land Use Management Ordinance

 

DATE:             November 25, 2002

 

On October 28, 2002, the Council recessed a Public Hearing on the proposed new Land Use Management Ordinance, to be reconvened on November 25.  We suggest that the Council reconvene the Hearing tonight and then recess to December 9.

 

BACKGROUND

 

This initiative to revise Chapel Hill’s development regulations began in January, 2001.  Two drafts were prepared and reviewed, accompanied with extensive public input and discussion.  A Third Draft was completed in August, 2002, and considered at a Public Hearing on September 18.  The hearing was continued to October 21, at which time action was taken on some key provisions and the hearing was then continued to October 28, to allow time for additional forums and a citizen workshop.  On October 28 the hearing was continued to November 25.

 

On November 5, the Town Council conducted a Work Session to review the comments from the October 28 Public Hearing on the Third Draft.  After discussion of each item, the Council voted to offer direction to the Town Manager and consultant for preparation of a Fourth Draft.  We prepared and distributed a summary of the Council’s direction, and have been using that direction in preparing the Fourth Draft.

 

The Council, on November 5, adopted a schedule that called for the Fourth Draft to be delivered to the Council on or about Monday, November 25.  As soon as we have the revised document in hand, we will make it available for public review in the following ways:  post it on the Town’s website, copy it onto CD’s for free distribution to anyone wanting a copy, prepare paper copies for sale ($30.00), place copies for public review in locations around Town (Town Clerk’s Office, Town Planning Department, Public Library, Hargraves Community Center, Estes Drive Community Center). 

 

The Council’s schedule calls for the revised draft to be on the Council’s agenda for discussion and comment on December 9.  This will be a Public Forum, with opportunities for public comment and Council discussion. The Council’s schedule calls for enactment of a new Land Use Management Ordinance on January 6, 2003.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

We recommend that the Council reconvene this Public Hearing and then recess the hearing, to be continued on December 9, 2002 at 7:00 pm.