AGENDA #2
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Public Forum on Fourth Draft, Land Use Management Ordinance
DATE: December 9, 2002
Tonight the Town Council reconvenes a Public Hearing on the proposed new Land Use Management Ordinance. We recommend that, at the conclusion of tonight’s discussion, the Council recess the hearing until January 6, 2003 and consider action at that time.
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. We delivered the document to the Council on November 25, and have made it available for public review in the following ways: posted on the Town’s website, available on Compact Disk at no charge, available as paper copy for sale at the cost of reproduction ($30.00), and available for public review in locations around Town (Town Clerk’s Office, Planning Department, Public Library, Hargraves Community Center, Estes Drive Community Center).
This Public Forum offers opportunities for public comment and Council discussion. The Council’s schedule calls for considering enactment of a new Land Use Management Ordinance on January 6, 2003.
DISCUSSION
The Fourth Draft contains
numerous changes, and has been produced in an “edit” format that highlights
changes from the Third Draft: underline for additions, strikethrough
for deletions. We have also compiled a summary of the issues discussed by the
Town Council on November 5, with indication of page numbers in the Fourth Draft
that contain changes made at the Council’s direction. That summary is
attached. (Attachment 1.)
We believe the Fourth Draft reflects the Council’s discussions and directions. We note that, on November 5 and again on November 25, the Council asked for consideration of additional ideas. We also have received written comments from a Council member suggesting specific clarifications. (Attachment 2) In addition, in our staff review of the Fourth Draft we have identified a number of places where we believe language should be adjusted. We list those in Attachment 3.
NEXT STEPS
We recommend that the Council consider public comments that are received tonight, offer direction on any final adjustments to be made in preparing a Final Draft of this ordinance, and recess this hearing until January 6, 2003. We understand that it is the Council’s intent to be in a position to enact a new Land Use Management Ordinance on January 6.
ATTACHMENTS