DOWNTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN
STRATEGIES AND STATUS
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1. Redevelopment and Preservation Opportunities Redevelopment and preservation of properties should be done in accordance with this Downtown Plan, and should work to retain the intimacy of the downtown environment. Possible implementation strategies include: |
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1.1 Develop new zoning categories to allow and encourage varying use and intensity patterns in the downtown area, as shown on the Concept Map, and require compliance with the Downtown Small Area Plan. |
Actions to Date: · Land Use Management Ordinance (4th Draft) includes Town Center Residential Floor Area Bonus for projects in the Town Center. The incentive excludes from floor area calculations 5 to 15 percent of floor reserved for residential uses on new or expanded lots. |
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1.2 Create an entity (or vest responsibility in an existing organization) to recruit appropriate development that meets Town policies before development opportunities are lost to locations outside of downtown.
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Actions to Date: The Council authorized $18,000 allocation to the Downtown Commission to pay for development of a marketing plan. The Commission has received the plan and is considering next steps. |
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1.3 Encourage development of a grocery store downtown.
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Actions to Date: · Concept discussed as part of February-March 2002 Downtown Design Workshop, with Parking Lot Number 5 identified as potential site. · Concept was mentioned as possibility in Employer-Employee Housing development project. · Harris-Teeter contacted in past to determine interest in locating a Harris-Teeter Express downtown.
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1.4 Develop a plan for regulating appearance downtown.
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Actions to Date: · Design Guidelines adopted as part of Downtown Small Area Plan are applicable with regard to new development proposals that require a special use permit. · No action taken to address appearance of existing development or new projects which are not subject to special use permit review. |
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1.5 Conduct a historic significance study of downtown buildings.
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1.6 Create awareness programs advertising Chapel Hill’s historic features.
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Actions to Date: · Town is in the process of putting up historic district signs and street signs in the HD will be replaced over time with Historic District signage. Most of the Town Center is not included in the Historic District (a portion is in the Franklin-Rosemary district) |
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1.7 Place historic markers at key sites.
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1.8 Conduct tours of historic places.
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Actions to Date: The Preservation Society has conducted these types of tours. Downtown has been included as part of the 1.5-hour Historical Chapel Hill Bus Tour. The tours have been a joint program of the Preservation Society and the Downtown Commission, but are not being conducted at present. |
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1.9 Work with UNC to develop a unified approach to town/gown development.
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Actions to Date: · Town included University-owned properties on West Rosemary Street in the Downtown Design Workshop, which generated concepts for UNC’s 440 North and South parking lots. · Town communicating with UNC on proposed Arts Common project on Columbia-Franklin Streets. · No further action anticipated on Town-UNC employer-employee housing project.
What’s Left to Do: · Continue discussions with UNC on Arts Common project on issues such as traffic flow, parking and solid waste pickup. |
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1.10 Consider regulatory changes that increase procedural requirements for redevelopment in preservation areas. |
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2. DESIGN GUIDELINES |
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2.1 The Plan recommends that the Town Council adopt Design Guidelines that are specific to the Town Center. This document could be required as part of the Town’s development review process.
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Actions to Date: · Adoption of Downtown Design Guidelines in March 2000 as part of the adoption of the Downtown Small Area Plan. The Town’s development review process does not require that projects adhere to the guidelines. In cases where a project requires a special use permit, conformance with the guidelines may be considered (as was the case with the Franklin Hotel). |
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2.2 The Town should also create a mechanism to allow the Community Design Commission to use the Downtown Design Guidelines to review building plans and elevations for changes to the facades of buildings and new construction downtown in selected circumstances.
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Actions to Date: The Community Design Commission reviews projects of a certain size in the Town Center (generally proposed buildings containing at least 20,000 of floor area) which require a special use permit. Conformance with the Downtown Small Area Plan and the attached Design Guidelines can be taken into consideration as part of the CDC’s review; adherence to the guidelines, however, is not required. There is no mechanism for CDC review of changes to existing facades. |
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3. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS Change the Town’s regulatory environment so that it is easier to develop within the downtown area than in the outskirts of Town. Possible changes could include: |
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3.1 Develop a new regulatory review process, which shortens the time frame for review and approval of downtown projects by eliminating Special Use Permit requirements, or by increasing the Special Use threshold for floor area. |
Actions to Date: This was considered; Council decision was not to include in the Land Use Management Ordinance. |
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3.2 Shorten the development review period for special use permits in the Town Center district. |
Actions to Date: This was considered; Council decision was not to include in the Land Use Management Ordinance. |
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4. TOWN PARKING LOT NUMBER 5 |
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4.1 The Town should consider development ideas for the Town owned parking lot known as “Lot #5,” perhaps by issuing a Request for Proposals.
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Actions to Date: · Town Council Committee met September through November to discuss options for proceeding toward possible issuance of Request for Proposals. · Downtown Design Workshop in February and March 2002 generated development concepts for Lot 5.
What’s Left to Do: · To be determined. Council is to discuss options at February 10, 2003 meeting. |
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5. PHYSICAL MODEL |
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5.1 A physical scale model or computer-aided visualization of the downtown area (or key blocks of downtown) would be a useful tool for examining downtown issues, opportunities, problems and possibilities. It would allow citizens and policy-makers to visualize existing downtown issues and to project future possibilities. Structures in the model could be removed and replaced with proposed buildings. The Town could contract with a private consultant to have such a model created.
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Actions to Date: Town contracted with Designvis of Lafayette, La., in December 2001 to complete computer model of downtown. Project completed in June 2002. Model was used to illustrate Downtown Design Workshop development concepts and the Rosemary Street Mixed Use Development proposal. Files are available for download through the Planning Department web site.
What’s Left to Do: N/A |
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6. STREETSCAPE FUNDING |
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6.1 Bond funds already dedicated to Streetscape improvements downtown should be used expeditiously. The sale of dedicated light posts, benches, or bricks could generate additional money. Proceeds from the sale of these memorials could be dedicated to the Streetscape program. The plan recommends that the improvements proposed in the Downtown Streetscape Master Plan be completed within five (5) years.
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Actions to Date: · Public Works estimates that “40 percent” of the Streetscape Master Plan has been completed. · In 2002 the Town finished the streetscape section on south side of 100 block of East Franklin Street · In late 2002 the Council approved the expenditure of $292,000 to install streetlight fixtures on the 100 blocks of E. Franklin, part of the 100 block of W. Franklin and the 100 block of N. Columbia · Rosemary Street is in the study area, but the level of improvements has mostly been related to new sidewalk construction funded using money allocated for sidewalks, not the 1996 streetscape bond
What’s Left to Do: · On January 27, 2003, the Council will consider where improvements should take place beginning this summer. |
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6.2 Other ideas for streetscape improvements include: · Locate all overhead utility wires underground; · Expand the Downtown Streetscape Master Plan to include the side streets connected to Franklin Street; and · Permit on-street parking for the full length of Franklin Street in front of University Square. |
Actions to Date: · The streetscape projects include the installation of underground conduit for lines feeding new streetlights; lines for traffic signals will be buried as they are changed out as well. Burying power lines, such as on Rosemary Street, may require additional funding.
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7. PARKING Parking is key to the form and function of the downtown area. The objective is to “Provide adequate (but not excessive), and convenient off street short-term parking in either public or private facilities to serve the needs of businesses, residents, and visitors.” We recommend that the Council authorize additional study of downtown parking strategies, to include the following: |
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7.1 Create an information collection and monitoring system that will reflect the current parking supply, location, ownership, and use and which will permit the examination of parking supply and use block by block. |
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7.2 Provide annual reports that evaluate the use of public and private parking lots and structures as short term parking locations for UNC bound students, employees, and visitors. |
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7.3 Reexamine the policies of the Town as they are embodied in the Comprehensive Plan, the Development Ordinance, and the Town code, as they pertain to the provision of off-street parking spaces and the dollar value of the payment-in-lieu option available to new development. |
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7.4 Architecturally integrate any new parking facilities in a fashion that enhances street level activity by creating opportunities for business use of significant portions of the street level space. |
Actions to Date: · Design concepts generated at the 2002 Downtown Chapel Hill Design Workshop included parking decks for Lots 2 and 5 which screened the parking structure from the street and included street-level retail, residential uses and public space. · Proposed Arts Common deck to be built by UNC on Columbia Street would be located underneath new public space.
What’s Left to Do: Request for Proposals for Lots 2 and 5 could promote this principle. |
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8. REFUSE COLLECTION Improvements to the downtown refuse collection system is another area that needs additional study. We recommend consideration of the following strategies: |
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8.1 Size refuse and recycling pick-up equipment appropriate to service narrow alleys and other limitations. |
Actions to Date: Town is able to collect refuse in areas throughout downtown using existing equipment. The Town has not moved to resize equipment. |
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8.2 Encourage the design of buildings for ease of refuse collection, and screen collection points from public view.
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Actions to Date: For new projects, refuse collection sites have been screened from view (such as the West Rosemary Street mixed use project) as required through development review process. |
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8.3 Identify possible sites for joint pick-up and compacting. |
Actions to Date: The entire 100 block of East Franklin Street is serviced by compactors. Compactors on West Franklin are at Michael Jordan’s Restaurant and at Carolina Brewery, both used by several businesses.
What’s Left to Do: Continue to seek sites and cooperative agreements for additional compactors. |
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8.4 Expand the service alley system in Downtown, including the use of service easements. |
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8.5 Develop a plan for management of delivery trucks in the downtown area. |
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8.6 Provide containers for refuse disposal that are adequate in size, number, and with design appropriate to downtown streetscape. |
Actions to Date: The Town has replaced the old concrete containers with new receptacles of an updated design
What’s Left to Do: Areas where streetscape improvements have yet to occur need to be addressed |
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