AGENDA #3a(2)

Chapel Hill Town Council Meeting January 27, 2003 – Watershed Protection Petition by Richard Leber –

Good Evening. I am here this evening as a resident of Chapel Hill.  This petition has not currently been endorsed by any organization.

I’d first like to thank you the council member and town staff individually and collectively for all that you do to make our community a better place to live.  You have been incredibly committed to promoting socio-economic diversity, increasing recreation facilities, offering free bus transportation and evaluating new land use measurers to better protect our watersheds while at the same time trying to keep ever increasing Chapel Hill taxes under control. 

Here is my formal request  – would you approach your counterparts in Carrboro and Orange County to ask them to consider adopting consistent land use provisions in watersheds upstream of Chapel Hill?   Consistent land use provisions could include common land use definitions, RCD setbacks and activities permitted in RCD areas to protect downstream residents who live and work in Chapel Hill.

Why am I asking this?  We have all read about proposed developments “upstream” of Chapel Hill including Winmore and sections of the Horace Williams tract.  These are only two examples of future developments that may affect Bolin Creek as it flows through Chapel Hill.  Residents of Chapel Hill look on our Town Council as our representatives on inter-government issues.

Let me mention one example of how you successfully represented Chapel Hill residents on a “joint” government issue.  As past President of the Orange County Habitat for Humanity affiliate I participated on the County wide Affordable Housing Task Force.  I also followed many of the joint government discussions on affordable housing for the Greene Tract.  You may recall the affordable housing providers requested a dedication of 40 acres of the Greene Tract for future affordable housing initiatives.

Some of the tributaries of Bolin Creek originate in the “Chapel Hill” planning area of the Greene Tract.  I remember very clearly a joint meeting of elected officials when potential “sewer” extension options to serve areas of the Greene Tract were discussed.  Two Chapel Hill Council members requested that new sewer lines not be extended up the Bolin Creek streambed.  I was asked at one meeting to describe how existing sewer lines and sewer easements secured by Habitat for Humanity to serve their “New Homestead” subdivision could be extended to serve more limited sections of the Greene tract. 

The adopted plan of extending existing sewer lines will only serve an 18-acre section of the Greene Tract.  In other words, the joint committee of elected officials agreed to protect upstream areas of Bolin Creek in the “Chapel Hill” jurisdiction much more than would have been required by existing regulations.  Advocates of affordable housing attending these discussions supported this approach because of the problems that have occurred under heavy rain conditions downstream as Bolin Creek flows through Carrboro and then back again into Chapel Hill.

We have all read articles of how the flow of water is becoming much more of a “regional” issue.  The issue I am asking you to consider is primarily one trying to protect the amount of water that may flow into Chapel Hill under “high flow” conditions from other jurisdictions. As these watersheds flow into Jordan Lake, the protection of the “quality” of these watersheds is also a relevant issue.

In closing, please consider approaching your counterparts in Carrboro and Orange County to explore a consistent set of land use provisions to the protect watersheds that flow through Chapel Hill. 

Thank You!