SUMMARY MINUTES OF A WORK SESSION

OF THE CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2003 AT 5:30 P.M.

 

Mayor pro tem Pat Evans called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

 

Council members present were Flicka Bateman (arrived at 5:37), Ed Harrison, Mark Kleinschmidt, Bill Strom, Dorothy Verkerk, Jim Ward, and Edith Wiggins.

 

Mayor Kevin Foy was absent, excused. 

 

Staff members present were Town Manager Cal Horton, Assistant Town Managers Sonna Loewenthal and Florentine Miller, Assistant to the Manager Bill Stockard, Finance Director Jim Baker, Parks and Recreation Director Kathryn Spatz, Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Bill Webster, Planners Judy Johnson and Kay Pearlstein, Information Technology Director Bob Avery, Planning Director Roger Waldon, Senior Development Coordinator J. B. Culpepper, Senior Long Range Planning Coordinator Chris Berndt, and Town Clerk Joyce Smith.

 

Item 1- Greenways Commission

 

Commission Chair Joe Herzenberg stated that the major accomplishment this year had been the completion and dedication of the main phase of the Lower Booker Creek Trail.  He noted the lack of policy regarding how Bolin Creek and Morgan Creek Trails would be funded.  Mr. Herzenberg said that the Commission had voted to urge the Council to move the Morgan Creek Trail up on the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to where it would likely receive funding.  Pointing out that the Commission had not received Capital Improvements Program (CIP) funds for the current year, he said that they hope to get $107,000 next year for maintenance work.  Mr. Herzenberg commented that the Commission had public support and the Town Council's moral support, but needs money.

 

Council Member Strom asked Town Manager Cal Horton what the $107,000 had been for.  Mr. Horton explained that it had been allocated to the Greenways Commission to assist with small maintenance projects.  But, he added, the Town had removed that allocation last year when the governor impounded funds that ordinarily come to the Town.  Council Member Strom determined that a little more than half of the $107,000 consisted of cell tower revenue, with the rest coming from the CIP.  Mr. Horton pointed out that cell tower revenue goes into the General Fund.  He said that he hoped the Council would be able to resume the practice of allocating from those funds to the Greenways Commission in the coming year. 

 

Commission Member Jim Earnhardt explained that an organization called Active Living By Design, which is a part of the UNC School of Public Health and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, had asked the Greenways Commission to help establish an Adopt-A-Trail program in the Southern Village area.  Mr. Earnhardt said the program would have local residents walking trails, cleaning up debris, and notifying Town staff of any maintenance problems.  He explained that those involved might also help organize events, such as work days and walk days.  The approach might follow the Department of Transportation's Adopt-A-Road program, he said.  Mr. Earnhardt asked Council members to endorse the idea and its signage, and to give the Commission authority to set up a model program.  This could then be applied to other greenway trails and other organizations, he said.

 

Council Member Harrison recommended asking for feedback from others in the State with similar programs.

 

Council Member Bateman expressed support for the idea and asked Commission members if they wanted the Council to advertise the program.  Mr. Earnhardt replied that he had envisioned a sign such as, "Fan Branch Trail Adopted by Active Living by Design."  This would be the first sign, he said.  If it works, then the Commission could develop others.

 

Council Member Verkerk inquired about maintenance.  Mr. Earnhardt replied that it would involve day-to-day litter removal.  Any major maintenance would be the Town's responsibility, he said, but participants could be the "eyes and ears" for the Town's Public Works Department. 

 

Council Member Verkerk requested more background information on Active Living by Design.  Mr. Earnhardt said that the group's primary mission was to encourage and support communities that foster healthy lifestyles.  They set up programs that promote exercise and provide incentives that get people out of sedentary lifestyles, he said.  Mr. Earnhardt added that Active Living by Design principal, Richard Killingsworth, is a faculty member at UNC's School of Public Health.  He explained that the Robert Woods Foundation is a large fund that supports health-related issues.

 

Mayor pro tem Evans commented that Active Living by Design was a national organization.

 

Council Member Wiggins asked if the Commission planned to bring a petition to the Council.  Mr. Earnhardt asked how the staff would feel about that.  Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Bill Webster replied that the Greenways Commission could forward a list of recommendations, including how to proceed, to the Town Council.  Then the staff could draft a proposal for the Council's consideration, Mr. Webster said.  Mr. Horton added that the Council could instruct the staff to start with a sign and then follow up later with instructions.

 

Council Member Ward suggested getting information from other communities before setting a precedent with a sign.

 

Council Member Wiggins asked if the information presented tonight could be considered a petition.  Mr. Horton replied that it was not unusual to take an action on an easy-to-define request from an advisory board.

 

COUNCIL MEMBER WIGGINS MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KLEINSCHMIDT, TO RECEIVE AND REFER THE PETITION.  THE MOTION WAS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY (8-0).

 

Commission Member Rob Verboon discussed extending the northern part of Booker Creek Trail to connect Weaver Dairy Road to the Northern Community Park, the Rail Trail, and the Greene Tract.  He asked for the Council's permission to set aside funding for clearing a walking trail with the goal of paving it at some point in the future.

 

Mr. Webster asked for the Council's reaction to starting a conceptual plan and then returning to the Council with suggestions for a committee.  He reminded Council members that the Parkside II developer had provided $10,000 for trail development.

 

Council Member Bateman said that she thought the land between Northern Community Park and the Greene Tract had been sold.  Mr. Webster explained that the Town had reserved a greenway corridor through there.  The entire area is under Town ownership or an easement, he said, except for a small segment to Eubanks Road, which will be added along with the next development.

 

Council Member Strom expressed support for starting a conceptual plan for the trail.

 

Council Member Ward asked for a price range and wondered whether the project would use the $10,000 from the Parkside developer.  Mr. Webster replied that developing trails typically costs more than that.  But it could be done with $10,000 in this case, he said, because the corridors are narrow and the options are few.  Council Member Ward asked if the Parks and Recreation Department and Public Works Department staffs could do the work.  Mr. Horton replied that the Public Works staff did not have the time, since the Town will be implementing the LUMO and planning its Town Operations Center.  Mr. Webster stated that the Parks and Recreation Department might be able to do the work with support for preparation of materials.

 

Council Member Strom suggested that Mr. Webster contact the Lands Legacy Department in Orange County.  This trail would connect to the Greene Tract and get into the County system, he said, adding that the County had hired a full-time landscape architect.

 

Council Member Harrison asked if there was a Greenways Commission liaison to the Triangle Greenways Council.   Mr. Herzenberg replied that there was, but she was not present.  He added that there had been some communications problems with that Council.  Correspondence with them is "mildly insulting," he said, adding that Triangle Greenways Commission members have high standards.

 

Mr. Herzenberg announced that the Commission was about to begin promoting its Third Annual Greenways Awards, which the Council had encouraged them to do in the past.

 

Item 2 - Parks and Recreation Commission

 

Commission Chair Andrea Rohrbacher noted that the Commission had added an Orange County representative, Pete Schwartz. She thanked the Council for its support of the Pritchard Park Sculpture Garden and for honoring its commitment to the Southern Community Park

 

Commission Member Pam Hemminger, Head of Southern Community Park's Conceptual Design Group, also thanked Council members for defending the Park in spite of all the criticism they had to confront.

 

Commission Member Terry Blalock presented information regarding the Outdoor Court Resurfacing Project.  A current study had shown that about 75% of the Town's 23 tennis court need work, he said, adding that nine courts have surface damage.  Mr. Blalock informed Council members that the six courts in Cedar Falls Park will be closed if there is no funding to repair them.  Eight others need only minor repair, he said, noting that six of the Phillips Middle School courts had been repaired in FY 2000, in a project sponsored by the Phillips Athletic Booster Club.

 

With regard to basketball courts, Mr. Blalock said that two needed surface repair, including a long-term problem of standing water at the Hargraves courts.  He added that a court at Homestead Park would be repaired at the installing contractor's expense.

 

Mr. Blalock estimated the total cost of repairing the courts at $320,000.  He said that this had been included in the proposed 2003-2018 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget submitted to the Manager.  Mr. Blalock recommended using a ten-year installment finance model to fund the project.

 

Council Member Verkerk pointed out two recent ice storms had exacerbated the problem.

 

Council Member Ward determined that the courts were getting much activity and that people were even playing on those that were in bad condition.

 

Council Member Harrison determined that the four basketball courts were at Homestead Park, Hargraves Center, the Community Center and Umstead Park.  Mr. Webster explained that the contractor at Homestead Park had assumed there was no vapor barrier.   As a consequence, he said, the surface had failed and the contractor had removed it.  Mr. Webster explained that the Town had then decided to stay with a concrete surface for that court and the contractor had agreed to provide material to resurface any tennis court.

 

Council Member Strom requested a description of the materials that would be used in the $320,000 program.  Mr. Webster explained that the estimate was for "premier court surface," which had been used at the Ephesus court.  That surface had received "rave reviews" he said, adding that the price includes a long, possibly extended, warranty.   Mr. Webster described this as the only way to resurface damaged courts without completely tearing up and rebuilding them.

 

Council Member Strom inquired about the basketball courts, and Mr. Webster replied that the Town would use more standard materials, such as an asphalt overlay, on those. 

 

Council Member Bateman recalled that the Hargraves court had been a Town priority last year, but that budget cuts had derailed it.  She recommended that Hargraves be the highest priority for resurfacing this year.  Mr. Horton agreed, noting that Hargraves had been the victim of budget cuts on a couple of different occasions.

 

Council Member Kleinschmidt questioned ten-year financing since courts seem to last for only five years.  Mr. Webster explained that none of the Town's courts had been built properly in the 1970s.  He said that warranties on premier surface were increasing from five to ten years because the manufacturer was improving the product.  Council Member Kleinschmidt asked why the new surface would not be used for the Homestead basketball court.  Mr. Webster explained that none of the tennis courts had been built on a concrete slab, as the basketball court had been.  He said that installing premier surface over concrete can lead to problems of water collection and tearing. 

 

Council Member Ward suggested starting from scratch on some of the poorly constructed courts, such as those at Cedar Falls Park, and building a surface that would last ten years.  He recommended getting an analysis of costs before launching into repairs.  Mr. Webster agreed, with regard to Cedar Falls Park in particular.   

 

Commission Member Diane VandenBrock remarked that closing the Cedar Falls courts would make an impression on the many who use it.  Mr. Horton said that the Town already had closed a couple of courts this week.

 

Council Member Wiggins inquired about the age of the Hargraves basketball court, and Mr. Horton said that it was about three years old.  Council Member Wiggins wondered if the company that had installed it should be held accountable.  Mr. Horton replied that there had been a dispute over this from the start, but he could not recall how it had been settled.   Council Member Wiggins wondered if the Town might avoid having to pay for that court.  Mr. Horton remembered that he had pressed hard for that in the past but had not succeeded.  He agreed to check with the Town attorney and update the Council on that situation.

 

Ms. Hemminger described a pottery program that had been held at the Lincoln Center for more than 20 years.  There were more than 300 participants in the program, she said, so it had paid for itself.  Ms. Hemminger explained that the School System would not be renewing the Town's lease in FY 2007 because they need that space for their Head Start program.  Ms. Hemminger asked Council members for suggestions and guidance on where to house the pottery program.  Ms. Rohrbacher added that the program might expand to add other crafts when it moves to a new space.

 

Council Member Bateman proposed renting mobile units, noting that she had suggested that in the past.

 

Council Member Strom inquired about a facility on Homestead Road, but Ms. Hemminger explained that it was being used for gymnastics.  Mr. Webster said that the Town had considered sharing that facility, but the space was filled with equipment and has no storage.  It was built as a gym, he said, and probably would not fit the needs of pottery.

 

Council Member Verkerk determined that the pottery classes ran during the day, after school, and sometimes on Saturdays.

 

Council Member Ward inquired about the needed square footage, and Mr. Webster agreed to bring back those specifics.  Council Member Ward also asked for information on the minimum space needed to keep the program alive and the maximum desired for expansion of the arts and crafts program.

 

Ms. Rohrbacher announced an event planned for Saturday, May 10, 2003, to celebrate the reopening of the Hargraves Center.  The goal will be to show the improved facility to the community, she said, adding that it will be a family event with activities for children and adults. 

 

Ms. Rohrbacher recognized the contributions of all Commission members this year, including those who were not present tonight.  She said that Bob Broad had offered great ideas and initiatives with respect to Friends of Parks, Recreation, and Greenways.  Ms. Rohrbacher stated that the Commission would come back in March with a petition and a proposal regarding some of his ideas.  She also noted that Terry Tyson had served on several of the Commission's special committees and was a strong advocate for Town parks.

 

Council Member Bateman asked Parks and Recreation Director Kathryn Spatz to include an overview of how the new position with citizens with disabilities was working out when she comes back with her departmental presentation.  She requested specific information regarding programming, where the Town stands in terms of meeting the needs for spring and summer camps, and what sort of vision the program has and where the Department wants it to go.  Council Member Bateman also inquired about the rationale for eliminating the free open swim for children who were not with their family.  She said that this disturbed her because it excludes a different population of children.

 

Ms. Spatz replied that most children had been coming with their parents.  But there were a number of unsupervised children who had been creating staffing problems for the Department, she said.  Council Member Bateman asked Ms. Spatz to look into that and discuss the implications, including racial implications, of making this change.

 

Council Member Wiggins asked Ms. Spatz if the Town had coordinated any of its parks and recreation activities with Carrboro.  Ms. Spatz replied that special events, such as the spring egg hunt, Kwanza event and Black History month, had been coordinated.  Council Member Wiggins asked if Carrboro had an arts and crafts program.  Ms. Spatz replied that they did not, except for one-day events for which they use the schools.

 

Council Member Ward verified that Southern Community Park's Master Plan included three full-size soccer fields with a footprint for a third full-size one.  Ms. Spatz replied that it had been presented to the County Commissioners as three full-size fields.

 

Ms. VandenBrock complimented the Parks and Recreation Department on its inclusion of diverse populations.  She noted that Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at the Community Center had been packed with a diverse group of people of all different nationalities and age groups.

 

Council Member Ward asked Mr. Horton's opinion about space for the pottery program.  Mr. Horton recommended asking the School System.  He also pointed out that local churches also have spaces that they make available to the community in exchange for reasonable rent.

Item 3 - Historic District Commission

 

Commission Chair Chris Belcher requested that the historic district signs that had recently been put up in the historic districts be placed on sturdier posts.  He noted that all street signs in the historic districts would be exchanged for brown signs as they come up for replacement.

 

Mayor pro tem Evans inquired about the larger lettering that senior citizens had requested.  Mr. Horton replied that all Town's street signs would be changed to signs with larger lettering.

 

Mr. Belcher noted that infrastructure improvements had been made on the Cameron Avenue and Ransom Street sidewalks.  He recommended continuing the maintenance of Chapel Hill gravel.  He also asked the Town Council to continue listening to neighborhood concerns about the need for sidewalks, curbs and gutters.  Mr. Belcher advised the staff to continue researching pedestrian level lighting.

 

Mr. Belcher said that the Commission advocates burying utility lines in the historic districts, where it is feasible without damaging trees.  He requested better lighting and increased police patrol in the Chapel Hill Cemetery, and suggested rerouting paths there to minimize vandalism.  Mr. Belcher said that the Commission had recommended removing some markers and stones so that they can be stabilized and eventually restored.  Creating a Historic District Commission website would be an inexpensive way to help make information on current applications available to neighbors, he said.  He pointed out that having a website would save printing costs and reduce the cost of Town staffing.  The site could include the Town's recently published Design Review Guidelines, Mr. Belcher said.

 

Mr. Belcher commented on the problem of demolishing historic houses.  He pointed out that the most the Commission can do is require a one-year waiting period during which they try to persuade homeowners not to tear the houses down.  He requested funds to take such issues to the Dispute Settlement Center.  The Center's fee is $60 per hour, he said, so $1,000 annually could help save historic houses.

 

Mr. Belcher encouraged the Town to continue maintaining the Chapel Hill Museum and the former Post Office, pointing out that the Post Office building, in particular, needed repair.  Commission Member Kim Kaiser added that money had been designated to renovate and repair the Post Office building, but had "somehow evaporated."  She noted that this is a National Register building and described it as the "pride of Downtown."

 

Mr. Belcher pointed out that the recently completed Design Review Guidelines had been printed and were available to the public.  He suggested publishing a user-friendly brochure for first-time applicants to understand the process and know how to get a Certificate of Appropriateness.  Council Member Verkerk wondered if having a website would make such a brochure unnecessary.  Mr. Belcher replied that the two were interrelated and that some applicants do not have Internet access.

 

Council Member Verkerk expressed surprise that State law only allows historic district commissions to delay demolition of an historic structure for one year.  Mr. Belcher remarked that arbitration might have prevented the Baptist Church from tearing the McDade House down.

 

Council Member Strom inquired about the arbitration budget.  Ms. Kaiser replied that a prior Commission president had recommended $1,000 for one year.  Mr. Belcher pointed out that five hours of arbitration would cost $300, so $1,000 would serve as a buffer fund for about two arbitrations per year.

 

Council Member Strom asked Mr. Horton to comment on the CIP for the old Post Office building.  Mr. Horton explained that the building had been removed from this year's budget but he would recommend beginning the work in next year's budget.

 

Council Member Wiggins wondered what reasons people give for demolishing historic buildings.  Mr. Belcher replied that the primary argument is that the house is beyond repair.  He noted, though, that the McDade House had been torn down to make room for the Baptist Church's Sunday School.

 

Council Member Wiggins asked what hope the Commission has when a homeowner decides that a structure is not worth saving.  Mr. Belcher replied that the house might be moved.  And the Commission can sometimes find a different buyer who is willing to restore the house, he said.   Mr. Belcher explained that the one-year wait is not intended to punish owners but to find a way to save the house.  He pointed out that there were only twenty-five pre-1900 houses left in the Town.

 

Commission Member Terry Swanson remarked that there had been much "demolition by neglect," especially by out-of-town owners who want to replace historic houses with more profitable structures.  The year-long wait is meant to encourage applicants to find other alternatives, she said.  Ms. Swanson added that having brochures would help because people sometimes claim that they did not know their house was in an historic district.

 

Council Member Wiggins inquired about the specifics of State law.  Mr. Horton explained that North Carolina does give property owners the right to demolish after getting a permit from the Commission.  Council Member Wiggins wondered if the Town Council should put this issue on its legislative agenda.  Mr. Horton recalled that it took quite a battle to establish even the one-year delay.    Ms. Swanson pointed out that there are states where one cannot demolish historic structures without permission.  She stressed the difficulty of trying to get the N.C. General Assembly to address this, however.  Ms. Swanson said that the Town was lucky that the 90-day wait for demolition had been changed to 365 days.  Ms. Kaiser commented that 365 days works pretty well except with the most dramatic cases.

 

Mr. Horton recommended using the term "mediation" rather than "arbitration," since the latter implies that a decision can be binding on one of the parties.   Commission Member Jim White agreed that mediation is a better term.  He also mentioned that one mediation meeting had taken only two hours.  Mr. White pointed out that parities can reach a compromise in mediation, but there is no binding power over anyone involved.

 

Council Member Ward asked for more detail regarding the Commission's position on the two different sidewalk surfaces.  Mr. Belcher and Ms. Kaiser discussed a recent Commission meeting during which one member had voted for brick sidewalks in order to make it more pedestrian-friendly and others had voted for Chapel Hill gravel to protect tree roots.  Mr. White stated that the Commission usually leans toward conserving the existing situation.  They tend to decide on a case-by-case basis rather than taking a comprehensive planning approach, he said.

 

In response to a question from Council Member Harrison, Mr. Horton explained that the Town provides regular maintenance services to the Chapel Hill Cemetery and has a small residual of CIP funds, less than $8,000, for that purpose.  Council Member Harrison asked if the Commission was requesting more than that.  Ms. Swanson replied that the Commission had drawn up a master plan in 1991, at the request of the Town, which included guidelines for fences, lighting, signage, and marker restoration.  Mr. Horton remarked that the Town still had that plan and still refers to it.  But the Town does not have any money in the budget, he said, except for a small amount reserved for monument repair.

 

Mayor pro tem Evans encouraged the Commission to look for grant money for preservation work.   Ms. Swanson said that there had been a matching grant when the Cemetery was put on the National Register.

 

Council Member Kleinschmidt commended the Commission for finding ways to educate current and potential purchasers in the historic districts through a formalized process of mediation.  He also expressed support for the brochure and website, stating that such tools could be very effective in their hands.

 

Council Member Wiggins inquired about vandalism in the cemetery.  Mr. Horton replied that it was worse during warm months and was mainly caused by intoxicated people.   Council Member Wiggins noted that the Town might need to place a high fence around it at some point.

 

Council members agreed by consensus to excuse Council Member Ward at 7:05 p.m. so that he could attend a School Land Use meeting.

 

Item 4 - Technology Committee

 

Committee Member Bill Groves reviewed the Committee's charter, structure, and history of recommendations.  He said that the Town had established an Information Technology (IT) Department, which had implemented a help desk and training function so that Town personnel could use IT resources more effectively.  The Town had also established a consolidated computer-purchasing program, he said.  Mr. Groves noted that the Library had upgraded its plan for technological enhancement over the next few years.  He reported that Orange County's EMS would implement an upgraded County-wide, multi-way, voice communication system involving several Town departments, especially Police and Fire.  Mr. Groves noted that data from Orange County's geographic information system had become more available to more Town employees.

 

Mr. Groves also discussed the Committee's current activities, which involve planning technological changes for the new Town Operations Center and implementing the new Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO).  He pointed out that the Town's records management and network infrastructure systems need to be enhanced.

 

Committee Member Ralph Beisner stated that now was an appropriate time to review the processes involved in managing the LUMO and to find ways to improve it through the use of computers and other electronic systems.  He said that the Committee would study this between now and September 2003.  Mr. Beisner pointed out that the existing systems for handling construction permits does not allow sufficient access for the Engineering and Planning Departments.  He added that the existing system does not provide GIS-related information and does not connect to the Town's financial system to track payment of fees.  Mr. Beisner recommended evaluating the standards for documentation and other related aspects of the process and determining where improvements should be made.  Another goal, he said, would be to change the process by which records are managed and stored.  Mr. Beisner also recommended creating a "virtual single-location office environment" through the use of technology.

 

Fiberoptic Connectivity Subcommittee Member Jenna McPhee discussed the new Town Operations Center as well as the potential connectivity of the Town through fiberoptic corridors, which would use current physical pathways.  She discussed exploring options for collaboration with a variety of constituents, including UNC, Orange County, OWASA, UNC Healthcare's satellite locations, the Public Library, NCDOT, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools, and Duke Power.   Ms. McPhee noted that if the Town's Transportation Improvement Program and Traffic Signal Upgrade Project become funded priorities then the Town would have an opportunity to install fiberoptic cable.  The long-term benefits for the Town and the Operations Center would be great, she said, adding that inclusion of fiberoptics would be consistent with the Town's stated goals of sustainable development, environmental sensitivity, and fiscal prudence.

 

Evelyn Daniel said that the Committee had recently received the technology plan for the Public Library and would look at it carefully over the next couple of months.  She noted that the plan has four parts, the first of which would include replacing the system with a web-based computer catalog and streamlining checkout with a radio frequency system.  The second recommendation is for electronic reference service and public access computing, she said, adding that there might be synergy between the Town's update of its website and the Library's need to update its own.  Ms. Daniels stated that the Library needs eleven more public access computers to meet citizens' needs.  She mentioned the third recommendation, for training and infrastructure support, and the fourth recommendation for systems staff.  Ms. Daniels described the plan as reasonable and in line with the Town's long-term technology goals.  But the Committee will study it in more detail and make an endorsement or other recommendations, she said.

 

Council Member Harrison thanked the Committee for researching and providing this information to the Town.  He determined that they would bring final information to the Council in September 2003.

 

Mayor pro tem Evans expressed special appreciation to this Board for analyzing information that she and some other Council members do not understand well.

Item 5 - Planning Board

 

Prior to the Planning Board’s presentation, Assistant Town Manager Sonna Loewenthal announced that the design workshop for the Town Operations Center had begun on February 18, 2003 and was proceeding well.  She reminded Council members of an upcoming meeting of the full committee and of the Design Advisory Committee.

 

Planning Board Vice-Chair Sally Greene introduced Board Member Gay Eddy to report on the prior evening's meeting.  Ms. Eddy expressed appreciation to Mayor pro tem Evans, the Council's liaison to the Board, for coming to meetings and frequently staying late after some Board members had gone home.  Ms. Eddy congratulated the Council on completing and enacting the LUMO, and encouraged them to return to the parts that had been deferred as soon as they can.   She expressed hope that there would be sufficient staffing to do some of the things the Board finds important.

 

Ms. Eddy explained that the Board had chosen three top priorities.  She emphasized that this did not mean other issues were unimportant.  The Board thought it might be useful to the Council to know what the Board's top three choices were, she said.  Ms. Eddy explained that one priority was to revise the design manual in a timely manner in order to implement what the Town had done.  She added that the Planning Board would like to take the lead in monitoring the new LUMO and to examine, in particular, how the Town gets recreation spaces.  The Board wondered if payment-in-lieu, for example, was being done in the best way possible, she said.  Ms. Eddy stated that the Board would also like to review the Small House Ordinance more carefully.

 

Ms. Eddy stated that the second priority concerned the Neighborhood Conservation Districts.  Board members think it is important to have strong community and staff involvement and not just expect the neighbors to distribute notices and so forth, she said.    She recommended that Council members keep that in mind when creating the budget.

 

The third priority, Ms. Eddy said, was to base minimum and maximum parking limits on a standard appropriate to Chapel Hill.  The Board thought it was time to evaluate the Transportation Management Plans, she said, adding that it would make sense to do this along with parking limits.

 

Board Member Suzanne Haff pointed out that those three priorities were not in any particular order and that they carry equal weight in Board members' minds.  Ms. Eddy then read an e-mail from Board Member Ruby Sinreich, which recommended that the Council commit needed resources to support grassroots organizing and community education around the development of the Neighborhood Conservation Districts.  Ms. Eddy added that Ms. Sinreich knows her own neighborhood of Northside well and felt strongly that this was important.

 

Ms. Greene said that she and Board Chair Scott Radway shared a concern about payment-in-lieu for recreation areas.  She noted that the intent of the legislation seemed to be that a donation of land to a homeowners' association was acceptable under the law but was a fallback position rather than the desirable one.   She pointed out that the Town would have collected millions of dollars toward parks by now if it had simply collected payments-in-lieu.   Ms. Greene noted that giving land to a homeowners' association does not address the Town's need for public land.

 

Board Member Julie Coleman commented that some of the pieces of land provided by developers as payments-in-lieu look like side yards to private houses and do not serve the public.  If that money had been put into parks, she said, Southern Community Park might have been half, if not fully, built by now.

 

Council Member Verkerk agreed with the Board's top three priorities.  She asked them to provide specifics about how much more staff time would be needed.  Ms. Eddy replied that they had no way of judging that, since it was a decision the Town Council must make.

 

Council Member Strom praised the Board for providing the Council with clear and helpful reports throughout the year, particularly during the LUMO process.  He pointed out that the Board's three top priorities closely mirrored those that Council members had set at their recent planning retreat.

 

Council Member Strom noted that discussion of payment-in-lieu would come up during the LUMO monitoring process.  He asked Mr. Horton if there was a specific action the Council could take to ensure that the Planning Board would examine this specific section of the LUMO more carefully.  Mr. Horton recommended that the Council consider that along with its other goals and decide what priority they want to give to it.  He suggested that the Council consider it on the following Monday when the staff brings them a report that will include the Council's goals.

 

Ms. Eddy stated that the Board had listed many things they felt should be in the Design Manual rather than the LUMO.  Council Member Strom replied that everyone has high hopes for an innovative and creative Design Manual that all can understand.  Ms. Eddy noted that the Town was almost built out, and pointed out that this was not the case when the payment-in-lieu approach was put into practice.  Board Member Thatcher Freund said that he and Board Member Dempsey thought the Design Manual would be very important since it will be the basis for everything the Town does.  They would both volunteer to help with the manual, he said. 

 

Council Member Wiggins expressed support for Board Member Sinreich's proposal to organize the Northside community.  She recommended that Northside resident Delores Bailey be given that task.

 

Council Member Bateman asked Ms. Eddy how the Board envisioned the monitoring process would work.  Ms. Eddy replied that the Planning Board had talked in general about how they were the logical group to take the lead, as they did with the Comprehensive Plan.  She said that representatives from other boards would also be involved in an ongoing group.

 

Council Member Bateman asked what the group would do, and what would the process would be?  Mr. Dempsey replied that the Board wanted a continuous process for coming before the Council to clarify design intent without having to wait a long time.  He said that they had discussed submitting quarterly reports to the Council as well as possibly taking field trips.  Ms. Haff stated that Mr. Radway had suggested asking the staff to show the Board the difference between what a development proposal might have looked like under the old ordinance and what it looks like under the new ordinance.  That way, the Board could see the difference and determine whether the new ordinance was serving the Town's needs as anticipated, Ms. Haff said.  Mr. Freund stressed the need for the Board to go out and actually look at projects and assess consequences.   Ms. Eddy pointed out that the Board had never, on a formal basis, gone out and looked at what had been built to see how it might have been done better.

 

Council Member Verkerk noted that there had been less traffic on Smith Level Road and less parking Downtown because of measures the Town had taken.  She asked if there was a way to work with the Transportation Board to similarly reduce traffic on Airport Road and on NC 54.  Ms. Eddy replied that the Planning Board had never had a formal relationship with the Transportation Board.  She agreed, though, that it would be logical to work together.

 

Council Member Harrison said he hoped the Board would not neglect some of the other issues on its priority list.  He added that many had envisioned the Planning Board as the lead agency, even if they had not said it aloud.

 

Mr. Horton commented that the Town did not have enough staff to do all of the evaluation and work that they need to do all at once.  He asked Planning Director Roger Waldon to comment on the evaluation process.  Mr. Waldon stated that the staff had explained to the Council, when they adopted the ordinance on January 27, 2003, that they would keep a file of information from all kinds of sources and regularly report on that to the Council.  By the close of the calendar year, he said, the Town Council might want to call a public hearing regarding changes to the ordinance.  Then, in January 2004, the Town would be ready to do a major calibration of the ordinance, Mr. Waldon said.

 

Mr. Horton explained that there will be a product to evaluate after there has been a chance to do some of the work, adding that none of this will happen quickly.  He described the Planning Board as the key body in providing feedback to the Council and the other main decision-makers in the development process.  Mr. Horton emphasized that the Planning Board's role was essential, but repeated that it would be a while before there would be something to evaluate.

 

Council Member Strom noted an innovation in LUMO that gives applicants the opportunity to bounce proposals off the Council in some situations and requires them to talk to the Council in others.  He predicted that this would make things easier for the Planning Board as well as the applicant.

 

Council Member Strom inquired about the Planning Board's process for understanding feedback from the Council on projects at the conceptual stage.  Mr. Horton outlined a process of dialogue between the applicant and Council at that conceptual stage with the Council offering feedback.  The applicant would then submit an application that would be accompanied by a summary of the Council's discussion with the applicant, he said.  Mr. Horton stated this summary will include items that the Council thought were important as well as the Council's directions.  He pointed out that the staff's report to the Council would be descriptive rather than analytical.

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p. m.