SUMMARY OF A COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED MEADOWMONT DEVELOPMENT, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1997 AT 7:00 P.M.

Mayor Waldorf called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Waldorf noted that although Council Member Mark Chilton would be unable to attend this evening’s meeting, he would review a videotape of this evening’s meeting. Council Members in attendance were Julie Andresen, Joyce Brown, Joe Capowski, Pat Evans, Richard Franck, Lee Pavao and Edith Wiggins. Also in attendance were Town Manager Cal Horton, Assistant Town Manager Florentine Miller, Planning Director Roger Waldon and Town Attorney Ralph Karpinos.

Roger Perry, representing East-West Partners, presented an overview of the review process to date, noting that it had been a long and involved process. Mr. Perry stated that the proposed project strictly adhered to principles of the Town’s Master Plan.

Josh Gurlitz presented an overview of the proposed Meadowmont development’s conformance with the Town’s design guidelines. Mr. Gurlitz noted that a group of citizens with no economic interest in the Meadowmont development, including retirees, conservationists, business persons and others had come together to review the proposed design of the Meadowmont development.

Lynda Harris reviewed the proposed landscaping plan for the Meadowmont development, including plans for trees, grasses and the meadows areas along the NC 54 entryway corridor.

Jim Ward, a member of the volunteer panel referenced by Mr. Gurlitz in his earlier remarks, said that the proposed master land use plan incorporated a diversity of housing types including a good amount of open space, energy efficient construction and the use of xeriscape as a means of conserving water and reducing the need for pesticides and fertilizers.

Arnie Katz of the Alternative Energy Corporation said that Meadowmont had some quite aggressive goals, stricter than any standards elsewhere in the nation, regarding the reduction of energy usage. Mr. Katz stated that after buildings were completed, they would be performance tested to ensure that they met or exceeded these energy saving standards.

Jeff Rellich of Environmental Quality Control stated that it would take countless hours of meetings with contractors to ensure that the standards referenced by Mr. Katz and others were satisfactorily met.

Scott Murray of East West Partners said the proposed Meadowmont development would offer a variety of housing types and employment opportunities.

George Krichbaum presented a review of anticipated traffic impacts and noted that expansion of NC 54 to six lanes would neutralize the effect of additional traffic from the proposed Meadowmont development.

Stating that many area residents were concerned about the proposed Pinehurst Drive connector, Mr. Perry said he was offering a proposal to have a remote control access gate to limit usage to buses and emergency vehicles. Mr. Perry also offered the alternative of having a narrower road to minimize the rate of traffic on such a roadway. He stated that the proposed Pinehurst Drive connector was not needed to make traffic flows workable within the proposed Meadowmont development.

George Krichbaum stated that preliminary designs for water and sewer utilities had been completed and that proposed stormwater management designs for Meadowmont complied with all local and state regulations. Mr. Krichbaum also said that the proposed Meadowmont development would not contribute to upstream flooding problems.

Lynda Harris briefly reviewed the applicant’s proposed tree preservation and clearing plan and master landscape plan for Meadowmont.

Scott Murray said that the applicant had developed a comprehensive plan for solid waste management in Meadowmont. Mr. Murray said that the Resource Conservation District areas in Meadowmont had been mapped and identified and would largely be preserved.

Gary Giles briefly reviewed the requested special use permit for the swim club and tennis facility. He stated that preservation and conservation of the barn structure was very important in maintaining a symbolic historical link with the former farm uses on the property. Mr. Perry said that any area residents wishing to do so could use the proposed pool and water slide facilities for a nominal fee. He added that the location of the two proposed soccer fields had been approved by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Jud Little stated that his firm had worked hard to ensure that the design of apartment buildings in the proposed Meadowmont development would be functional in the long term. Mr. Little also presented a brief overview of the proposed parking and circulation plan for the proposed apartments.

Smedes York reviewed the requested special use permit for the Village Center component of the proposed development. Mr. York said he wanted to develop a project with a sense of place in which to live, work and shop.

Donna Dyer of the Orange Community Housing Corporation said that the applicant’s proposal to provide thirty-two affordable townhome units was an important part of the idea of mixed use development. She expressed hope that the Council would be able to make other developers comfortable with the idea of providing a variety of housing price ranges in their developments.

Roger Perry said that the proposed Meadowmont development offered the Town a unique opportunity to attain significant benefits including: the preservation of the NC 54 entryway meadows, reservation of a mass transit corridor, thirty-two affordable housing units, major off-site road improvements, a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly plan, a recycling center and composting facilities and the preservation of approximately one hundred and twenty acres of open space.

The applicant’s presentation concluded at 9:35 p.m.

COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS

Council Member Wiggins requested that the applicant provide detailed information about the specific employment opportunities, salary ranges and economic impacts of proposed jobs within the proposed Meadowmont development. Noting that this would be somewhat subjective, Mr. Perry said he could compile this information. Council Member Wiggins said it would be most helpful to provide employment opportunities relative to welfare reform efforts. Mr. Perry said he would explore this matter diligently prior to the Council’s May 19^th hearing on Meadowmont. Council Member Wiggins inquired about the estimated price range of “affordable” townhomes in Meadowmont. Ms. Dyer said the estimated cost would in the range of $90,000 to $100,000. She said persons having incomes between $25,000 and $35,000 would be able to purchase these townhomes.

Council Member Capowski requested that the applicant provide a summary analysis of the salary ranges of proposed jobs in Meadowmont and compare these figures with the estimated cost of houses in the proposed development. Council Member Capowski also requested that Town Finance Director James Baker analyze the tax information submitted by Mr. Perry. Council Member Capowski also requested that the applicant provide the Council with a map clearly delineating the proposed number of lanes along NC 54 near and adjoining the proposed development. He also asked that the applicant contrast the request for eighteen total acres of office and residential development with the acreages of familiar local retail and office centers.

Council Member Capowski inquired about the possibility of visiting a contemporarily built mixed-use project which would parallel the proposed Meadowmont development. Stating that the Orange/Durham County line appeared to go through two of the proposed apartment buildings, Council Member Capowski inquired about the ramifications of this demarcation. Mayor Waldorf said staff could respond to this query in its follow-up report to the Council. Council Member Capowski concluded his remarks by expressing his general dissatisfaction with the executive summary of the applicant’s traffic report.

Council Member Franck said he had no questions for the applicant this evening.

Council Member Brown requested that the applicant provide much more detailed information regarding the proposed preservation of six acres of wildlife habitat. Council Member Brown also requested additional information about what constituted a “significant” amount of office and retail space, by place and use, as referenced in the applicant’s traffic impact statement. Council Member Brown asked that the applicant provide more information about traffic, including the estimated 31,000 trips in and out per day and the proposed 110 feet of right of way for Meadowmont Lane. Mr. Perry said that the Department of Transportation was not requiring that Meadowmont Lane be a four-lane roadway. Noting that she served as the Council’s representative on the Durham/Chapel Hill 15-501 Work Group, Council Member Brown said it would be helpful to share the information about possible traffic impacts of the Meadowmont development with the City of Durham’s elected officials.

Council Member Pavao said although he had no specific questions this evening, he appreciated the comprehensive nature of the applicant’s presentation and would reflect on all of the materials presented to the Council.

Stating that there appeared to be only one basketball court proposed, Council Member Evans said it would be wise to have adequate recreation facilities of all kinds. Council Member Evans also expressed hope that the sidewalks proposed along NC 54 would be separated from the highway as much as possible. She also stated that it would be important for a planned community of this size to have a fire and police station, post office facility and planned bus routes and shelters. Council Member Evans suggested the possibility of the applicant providing a central location for recycling in apartments and centrally located garden plots for persons interested in gardening. She inquired whether the proposed detention could possibly overflow. Council Member Evans also inquired what would happen if individual buildings did not meet energy efficient performance standards. She suggested that planting trees at intervals of a certain number of feet did not always appear to be natural. Council Member Evans said that some people were hoping that a farmer’s market would be located in the proposed Meadowmont development. She also suggested that the applicant consider having a plant rescue program.

Stating that the applicant’s presentation was quite comprehensive, Council Member Andresen said she hoped that Town staff would carefully look at the maintenance of amenity areas. Council Member Andresen expressed her support for using a proposed Town park on the northern portion of the site for passive recreation. She also requested additional information about the proposed commercial area. Council Member Andresen said she hoped that it would be possible to include a larger city green area and places with fewer cars in the proposed commercial area. She also stated that it would be helpful for staff to provide a succinct update on Triangle Transit Authority possibilities in the proposed Meadowmont development. Expressing concern about the potential for bottlenecking, Council Member Andresen suggested the possibility of limiting the number of entrances on to NC 54. She also expressed concern about the impact of the proposed six lanes along NC 54, especially along the north side of NC 54.

Council Member Andresen said she was seriously concerned about the proposed site of the school and soccer fields on the Meadowmont property, since these areas appeared to be prone to flooding. She also requested that the staff review the applicant’s figures regarding the possible Laurel Hill Connector. Council Member Andresen said it was important that some of the good ideas suggested by those that spoke for the applicant in the public hearing regarding guidelines and standards be incorporated into the final project.

Council Member Brown requested that the applicant provide additional information about energy conservation and renewable energy relative to the proposed commercial and retail areas and multi-unit dwellings in Meadowmont. She also requested additional specifics about what led to the change regarding the Department of Transportation’s recanting (as stated by Mr. Perry) right-of-way requirements for Meadowmont Lane and other DOT changes.

Noting that the proximity of the proposed development to the Friday Center, Mayor Waldorf noted that it was possible that the University could choose to buy some office space within Meadowmont. Mayor Waldorf asked that the staff research the permissibility of the Town requiring that tax-exempt entities be required to make payments-in-lieu when situations of this type took occurred. Mayor Waldorf also inquired why the applicant felt that the proposed grocery store in Meadowmont was only marginal in terms of its marketability. Noting that the proposed store would not be directly located on NC 54, Smedes York said that this judgment dealt with project timing and location considerations. He requested that the applicant be provided with flexibility regarding the timing of buildout for residential units.

Mayor Waldorf requested that the applicant investigate the possibility of providing an additional six to ten units of affordable housing in its plans.

Noting that advisory boards would be reviewing the five Meadowmont special use permit applications during the next few weeks, Mayor Waldorf stated that persons wishing to do so would be able to make comments about the proposals would be able to do so at the Council’s May 19^th and 20^th public hearings.

COUNCIL MEMBER FRANCK MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PAVAO, TO CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO MONDAY, MAY 19^TH. THE MOTION WAS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY (8-0).

The meeting concluded at 10:15 p.m.