SUMMARY OF A PUBLIC FORUM HELD BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1997

Mayor Waldorf called the meeting to order. Council Members in attendance were Julie Andresen, Joyce Brown, Joe Capowski, Mark Chilton, Pat Evans, Richard Franck, Lee Pavão and Edith Wiggins. Also in attendance were Town Manager Cal Horton, Assistant Town Managers Sonna Loewenthal and Florentine Miller, Finance Director James Baker and Town Attorney Ralph Karpinos.

Mr. Horton presented an overview of the proposed Town budget and the proposed schedule for Council review and staff preparation of the proposed 1997-1998 Town budget. He noted that this evening’s forum was an opportunity for citizens to comment on any aspect of the Town’s proposed budget.

Donna Dyer, Executive Director of the Orange Community Housing Corporation, said that a number of local affordable housing providers had put together a joint proposal regarding a request for the use of community development block grant and HOME program funds. She also noted that Orange Community Housing Corporation would be submitting a separate operating budget request. Mayor Waldorf inquired whether or not Ms. Dyer believed that the student housing market had an impact on the availability of Section 8 housing opportunities. Ms. Dyer said the most dramatic impact was on single and disabled persons attempts to find low-cost housing alternatives.

Pat Connolly, representing Orange-Person-Chatham Mental Health, requested $150,000 of HOME program funds to assist with the housing needs of disabled persons. Ms. Connolly said that the provision of such funds would permit her agency to purchase a transitional home for four or five disabled persons.

Termaine Kyles asked the Council to set up a neighborhood revitalization loan fund of $220,000 to purchase and renovate older existing homes throughout the community. Mayor Waldorf inquired about the estimated amount of administrative costs for this program. Mr. Kyles said that none of the requested $220,000 would be used for administrative costs.

Maxecine Mitchell requested the Council’s assistance in supporting the work of the Dobbins Hill Community Center to make people and families economically self-sufficient. Ms. Mitchell asked that the Council expand the program’s funding to an annual matching grant of $15,000.

Martha Drake said she hoped that the Council would consider two energy-related items: the installation of more energy efficient building exit lights and automatic power down set-ups for computers. Ms. Drake stated that the savings for the Town from the implementation of these two items could be appreciable in a short period of time.

Greenways Commission representative Mark Broadwell said the Commission was very excited about the prospect of using a portion of the recently approved bonds to purchase and establish new greenway trails. Stating that the Triangle Land Conservancy’s New Hope Corridor land acquisition program was winding down, Mr. Broadwell asked that the Council consider adding this $20,000 annual allocation in to the Greenways Commission budget on an ongoing basis.

Matt Robinson, representing the Black Public Works Association, requested the Council’s assistance in addressing the economic and housing concerns of the Town’s lowest salaried workers. Mr. Robinson said that he and the members of the Black Public Works Association looked forward to working with the Council on these matters. Representing the residents of the group home, he also requested that the Council look into the possibility of providing some pedestrian crossing signals along West Franklin Street.

Stating that the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce had a $10,000 grant in place for the downtown streetscape project, Joel Harper said that a specific streetscape plan was needed to get this project started. Mr. Harper also encouraged the Council to keep an open mind about the future uses of parking lot number five, including the possible establishment of smaller scale buildings which could house businesses with 1,500 to 2,000 square feet of sales space.

Robert Humphreys requested that the $50,000 in current year streetscape project funding be used to extend the original pilot project to Roberson Street. Mr. Humphreys suggested that the recently approved streetscape bonds could be used for improvements along East Franklin Street during the summer of 1998. He also noted that the Downtown Commission would be holding its annual meeting regarding the Downtown Service District and other matters on February 4th.

Mary Norwood Jones, accompanied by a group of representatives from community watch groups, urged the Council to continue to fund the Town’s community policing program as a means of addressing the safety concerns of community residents.

Stating that Weaver Dairy Road was an arterial access road to a shopping center, East Chapel Hill High School and other community activities, Art Dodd requested that the Council make the Weaver Dairy Road sidewalk project a very high priority.

Kim Kyser said that the streetscape program would help to set the tone for the appearance of the downtown area. Thanking the Council for authorizing the relocation of the Hudson-McDade house to parking lot number five, Ms. Kyser said it was important that the downtown area be comprised of a good mix of locally owned and national businesses. She also stated that it would be desirable to have some open space on Franklin Street across from University Square.

Charles Gartner, a property and business owner in the downtown area, stated that a portion of parking lot number five could possibly be used as a small park, Town commons or green space. Mr. Gartner urged Council Members to visit parking lot number five and to move slowly with their decision making process in this matter.

Stan Lisle stated that Cousins Properties was in the process of evaluating possible future projects on parking lot number five. Mr. Lisle stated that the existing parking lot underutilized one of the Town’s greatest assets, Franklin Street. He requested that Cousins Properties be kept apprised of the Council’s decisionmaking processes relative to parking lot number five.

Frances Faltieri, a downtown property and business owner, said that businesses along West Rosemary Street needed the continued provision of convenient parking as one means of attracting customers to their establishments. After expressing a number of crime and safety-related concerns, Ms. Faltieri asked the Council to do whatever was possible to maintain as many parking spaces as possible in parking lot number five.

Kevin Foy, representing the Orange-Chatham Sierra Club, encouraged the Council to consider retaining ownership of the underlying land for parking lot number five. Mr. Foy said that this property was a critical piece of land which knitted together East and West Franklin Streets, especially in light of the Council’s recent decision to relocate the Hudson-McDade house to this location.

Johnny Morris, Chair of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, asked that the Council take a step back and carefully evaluate the future of parking lot number five. He stated that parking lot number five offered a number of opportunities, including the possible development of public/private ventures.

Chirs Belcher, President of the Downtown Commission Board of Directors, urged the Council to take steps to balance the downtown’s economic needs with preservation of the area’s character.

Council Member Andresen said it was important for the Council to take time to consider the downtown area’s long range needs and character relative to parking lot number five.

Noting that representatives of the Sierra Club and Chamber of Commerce had urged the Council to undertake a slow, deliberate process relative to parking lot number five, Mayor pro tem Brown said she concurred that the Council’s best course of action in this matter was a cautious one.

Council Member Capowski stated that developers had some responsibility for provide parking spaces or making payments-in-lieu for parking spaces. He stated that the parking lot number five situation was a great opportunity for the Council to discuss and act on parking matters.

Council Member Wiggins said she did not think that the situation was a case of an “either/or” situation relative to whether an outside developer or local persons would be involved in the possible future development of the parking lot number five site. Council Member Wiggins also said she agreed with the need to proceed slowly in considering this matter. She said the most important objective was encouraging a use of the lot that citizens could be proud of.

Council Member Evans said that the use of privately-owned open space at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro was working well for a variety of community events. She also suggested that it might be wise for the Council to have a way in which to focus solely on the matter of parking.

Council Member Evans also noted that the former Downtown Small Area Plan Committee’s recommendations had emphasized the importance of locating additional retail shops on West Franklin Street to encourage greater use by pedestrians and others.

Noting that Church Street and other area streets should not be relegated from plans for the downtown area, Council Member Franck said it was desirable to think about a corridor which was two blocks, rather than one block, wide. Noting that the Town had the right of eminent domain, Council Member Franck said he was not entirely clear about the basis for keeping parking lot number five under the Town’s ownership. He also said it was highly desirable to spend money at locally owned businesses whenever possible.

Expressing her concurrence with Council Member Franck’s remarks, Mayor Waldorf said that the Council needed to talk about downtown parking shortages and its impact on downtown businesses in the near future. She also said it was essential for the Town to be an agent or catalyst for more parking in the downtown area. Mayor Waldorf suggested that the Town broaden its vision and look at unused or underused pieces of property and needed to be flexible relative to future parking possibilities. She also expressed hope that there would be future developments in the downtown area which coupled storefronts with residential uses on the upper stories of these buildings.

Stating that all of the points regarding lot number five, the downtown area and parking were all worthy of discussion, Mayor pro tem Brown reiterated her earlier points that the Council needed to proceed very cautiously and to provide a lot of opportunities for community involvement in the process.

Stating that a number of very interesting ideas had been put forward, Council Member Pavão said a desirable long-range objective would be to extend the character of the existing Franklin Street over a larger area. He also said it was important for the Council to be open to ideas from all sectors, including possible public-private partnerships.

Council Member Wiggins inquired whether or not it was correct that the Town would retain ownership of the land if parking lot number five were to be leased to another entity. Mayor Waldorf said this was correct.

COUNCIL MEMBER PAVAO MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRANCK, TO REFER COMMENTS TO STAFF, FOR PREPARATION OF A FOLLOW-UP REPORT ON FEBRUARY 24^TH. THE MOTION WAS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY (9-0).

Council Comments and Questions Regarding Budget

Noting that a number of people had spoken on community policing, Council Member Chilton inquired whether or not time could be set aside at a Council budget work session to discuss this and other Police Department matters. Mayor Waldorf noted that these arrangements were in process.

She also expressed appreciation to the group of Community Watch representatives who had attended this evening’s forum. Council Member Wiggins said that the need for more community policing had also been discussed at last night’s Housing and Community Development Board meeting. Council Member Evans said she hoped this would be a priority in the proposed budget.

Council Member Capowski inquired about the possibility of using Powell Bill funds or some other funding mechanism to clean and maintain large streets in the Town on a regular basis. He also suggested that it might be helpful to broach this matter at the scheduled breakfast with the local legislative delegation. Noting that the cost of Town maintenance of State roads would be too expensive, Mr. Horton said the best course of action would be for the Council to bring this concern to the attention of the legislative delegation.

Noting that West Franklin Street was a State road, Council Member Chilton asked whether it was best to leave this matter in the Department of Transportation’s court. Mr. Horton said it might be worth the Council’s bringing the request for crosswalks to the Department of Transportation’s attention again.

Stating that a number of small communities around the State kept up flowers at their entryways, Council Member Evans said she hoped that the Town would develop ways to build community pride.

Council Member Franck said Mr. Dodd had made a good point about the need for sidewalks along Weaver Dairy Road. He stated that the number one way for sidewalk projects to be moved up the priority list was for neighborhoods to contribute a portion of project costs through assessments. Council Member Franck said Mr. Broadwell’s comment about funding greenways in the first phase of bond sales made a lot of sense.

Council Member Wiggins said she hoped that the Council would still identify sidewalk projects in areas where citizens did not necessarily pay assessments for sidewalks. She also expressed hope that staff would check their records for sidewalk petition requests which had not yet been addressed. She noted that a sidewalk planned along Piney Mountain Road was not in the area where citizens had petitioned for a sidewalk.

Referencing Mr. Broadwell’s comments regarding bond funding for greenway projects, Council Member Capowski noted that there were varying amounts in phase one of all of the bond sales scenarios outlined by Town staff.

Mayor pro tem Brown suggested that the Council needed to revisit as soon as possible its earlier developed list of sidewalk, traffic calming and bicycle lane projects. Expressing concern about the safety needs of Northside residents, Mayor pro tem Brown said she hoped that the Council would seriously consider this matter.

Referencing Council Member Wiggins’ query regarding sidewalk petitions, Mr. Horton said staff would bring all sidewalk petitions which had not been constructed back before the Council.

Council Member Wiggins said that sidewalks contributed to making a community and linking neighborhoods.

Referencing citizen comments about the use of recently-approved bonds for greenways, sidewalks and streetscape, Mayor Waldorf said it was very important for the Council to move ahead with the voters wishes as soon as possible. Mayor pro tem Brown noted that no one on the Council disagreed with this sentiment.

COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHILTON, TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 1. THE MOTION WAS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY (9-0).

A RESOLUTION REQUESTING COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS REGARDING THE 1997-98 BUDGET (97-1-29/R-1)

BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council:

1. Requests that interested boards and commissions provide to the Council their comments and recommendations on budget issues for 1997-98 in the context of both current needs and long range plans.

2. Requests that boards and commissions make recommendations concerning:

· Options for reducing services which are least needed;

· Methods for increasing efficiency, quality and effectiveness of services;

· Adjustments in service fees;

· Options for adding or expanding services;

· Other matters as the board or commission deems appropriate.

3. Refers comments and questions from the public forum and hearing of January 29, 1997 to all interested Town boards and commissions and to the Manager and Attorney.

4. Requests that comments on the budget and capital program be provided to the Council by May 14, 1997. However, comments and recommendations are encouraged earlier in the budget process when practical, so that the Town Council and staff can consider the recommendations as the budget is developed.

5. Requests that interested boards make recommendations regarding the use of the Community Development, Comprehensive and HOME grants no later than April 28, 1997. However, comments and recommendations are encouraged earlier in the budget process when practical, so that the Town Council and staff can consider the recommendations as plans for using grant funds are developed.

6. Requests that the Public Housing Residents' Council make comments and recommendations to the Council by April 28, 1997 or earlier regarding use of the Comprehensive Grant for public housing purposes.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Manager shall cause copies of the minutes of the January 29th meeting, when adopted, to be distributed to boards and commissions and to the Public Housing Residents' Council.

This the 29th day of January, 1997.

COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHILTON, TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.

Mayor Waldorf noted that this was a non-debatable motion.

THE MOTION WAS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY (9-0).

The meeting concluded at 9:00 p.m.