SUMMARY OF PLANNING BOARD ACTION

Subject:                       Land Use Management Ordinance Text Amendment – Duplex Provisions

Meeting Date:           May 6, 2003

Recommendation:      That the Council extend the June 30, 2003 sunset date to February 29, 2004 to allow time for the Northside Steering Committee to prepare recommendations and for the Town Council to act on the recommendations.

Because the issue of duplex standards is but one of several Northside issues and because duplex development in other areas of Chapel Hill is also a concern, the Board recommends that every effort should be made to achieve the adoption of new regulations before February 29, 2004.

Because of the new territory being charted in the Northside Conservation District study, that process may extend longer than anticipated.  The Board strongly urges that the Council have the issue of duplex standards given early and high priority in the Northside study and that the broader examination of duplex standards run parallel with this effort.

Vote:   8 – 2                Aye:     Scott Radway, Sally Greene, Julie Coleman, Coleman Day, Gay Eddy, Thatcher Freund, Suzanne Haff, Ruby Sinreich

Nay:    Timothy Dempsey, Nancy Gabriel

Issues Raised:          

1)  The Board discussed the changing nature of duplexes and the desire to control the negative impacts.

2)  The Board discussed the sunset date implications vigorously before recommending the February 29, 2004 date, as three members believed that the new regulations were being delayed too long.  While recognizing that the current temporary moratorium affects low density residential zoning districts, but not higher density districts, the Board believes that balancing private property rights with neighborhood interests calls for moving the process for adoption of new regulations as expeditiously as possible.  Further, the negative affect of the moratorium on the production of affordable housing was discussed.

The Board considered the possible changes to duplex regulations, as outlined in the staff report, as desirable first suggestions for further study in evaluating what can be done to continue to permit duplex housing but in a manner that eliminates many of the negative affects of the current form of duplex development.

Explanation of Dissenting Votes:

Dissenting members were concerned about the affect on property owners outside the Northside neighborhood that may have delayed construction until the June 30 sunset date, and now will experience further delay.

Prepared by:                 Scott Radway, Chair, Chapel Hill Planning Board

            Roger Waldon, Planning Director