Council update: happy September!
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sally greene
Sep 9, 2008, 10:00:08 AM9/9/08
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Dear friends,
The fall season of the Town Council began last night with a business meeting that lasted till after midnight! It was good to see my colleagues again after the summer break, and I look forward to a productive year.
Here are some highlights from the meeting.
1. OWASA report.
The recent rains brought our water supply up to 95 percent, which is most welcome. Ed Kerwin praised citizens for continuing to conserve and urged that we do more of the same.
2. The 2035 Long-Range Transportation Plan.
Federal regulations require the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) to update the Urban Area Long Range Transportation Plan every three years. The plan includes all roadway, transit, bicycle and sidewalk improvements that are anticipated for a minimum period of 20 years. Our plan for 2035 is approaching a completion date in December of this year. For the staff report, see
http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/agendas/2008/09/08/2/2-staff_memo.htm
We are now in the public comment period. Please see the following write-up by George Cianciolo, chair of our Planning Board, for details of upcoming opportunities to make your opinions known.
http://tinyurl.com/6ddmqh
The way the plan works, there are several options proposed for ways to respond to the projected growth in population and traffic: (1) intensive highway, (2) intensive fixed guideway, (3) intensive multimodal, and (4) moderate multimodal.
A topic of last night's Council discussion focused on Fordham Boulevard, which, as we all know, is terribly congested at the moment; and as development continues in Chatham County, this road is tending to become even more of a freeway. Please, note that the "intensive highway" option anticipates a widening of Fordham Boulevard, all the way down to the 15-501 exit toward Pittsboro, to six lanes. In my view, this is not a desired outcome! Already we know that Fordham Boulevard has the effect of splitting parts of our community in two. Thanks to the efforts of the Fordham Boulevard Safety Committee, we have identified a need for a pedestrian bridge near the Manning Drive intersection, and that project remains a priority for the Council.
If this is an issue that's important to you, please make your opinion known through one of the venues identified in George's posting above. The earliest opportunity is today at the Chapel Hill Public Library, 4-7 p.m.
3. Merritt's Pasture maintenance
At my request, we got an update on the maintenance procedures for Merritt's Pasture. Its maintenance now falls under the Parks & Recreation department under the leadership of Butch Keziah. All agree that there is room for improvement in implementing the plans that were adopted by the Council several years ago. The pasture is now part of the Morgan Creek Preserve, under permanent conservation easement granted by the town to the Botanical Garden. Keeping it a pasture requires active management! Butch plans to consult with the Garden on improved landscaping and maintenance strategies. We are lucky to have the Garden as a resource and even luckier to have this beautiful property in our midst.
http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/agendas/2008/09/08/5c/
4. Library expansion project
As plans move forward for the proposed expansion of the public library, pursuant to the bond referendum of 2003, we are having to think very practically about how the existing library will function during the construction period. Initially we anticipated that the construction could be done in phases so that the library could remain open where it is throughout the project. Now that we see the project up close, that seems less and less like a good idea--particularly, as one member of the Library Board said, when we realize that the major patrons are under age 12. Besides the safety concern, the issues of time and money come out in favor of making a temporary flight from the building. We authorized the manager to pursue the option of finding and leading alternative space for the anticipate 14-month construction project; see more below. The Library Board expressed a wish that we allow public comment on how exactly this transitional period will play out, and that is certainly a good idea. In fact, as the mayor pointed out, the Council will want comment from citizens soon, before we make the decision to incur the debt that was authorized in 2003--to make sure that an expanded library is still an expenditure that we as a community endorse.
http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/agendas/2008/09/08/5f/
See also DTH story:
http://tinyurl.com/63vb3b
5. Kidzu's proposed use of top of Wallace Deck
Following an engineering report that concludes that it is feasible to built a structure on the top of the Wallace parking deck, the Council authorized the manager to sign a letter of intent indicating our willingness to work in good faith with Kidzu on a plan that would result in the siting of their museum on this property. This is an exciting step in what we all hope is a great outcome for Kidzu and for the town!
6. Woodmont development
We gave final approval to Phase 1 of Woodmont, a project that has undergone significant evolution since the time it was first proposed. This project (on the east end of 54 on the south side of the highway, across from Meadowmont) required the Council to weigh heavily the benefits of the proposed Class 1 office space and other benefits of the project against the traffic impacts on another too-crowded major corridor. With the conditions that we imposed-especially the provision that the second and third phases not be subject to automatic approval but that they undergo intense scrutiny--I supported this project. More info in the staff report,
http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/agendas/2008/09/08/8/
And in the DTH:
http://tinyurl.com/6emx8f
--so that's it for last night. The final item I want to mention is that the second annual Project Homeless Connect will be happening on September 25. Once again, Jamie Rohe of the town staff is doing a fabulous job of organizing the event. Please watch for further news. If you're interested in volunteering, email me and I'll get you the details.
And please be in touch about any issue of interest or concern.
Cheers for the new academic year,
Sally
http://sallygreene.org
http://greenespace.blogspot.com
The fall season of the Town Council began last night with a business meeting that lasted till after midnight! It was good to see my colleagues again after the summer break, and I look forward to a productive year.
Here are some highlights from the meeting.
1. OWASA report.
The recent rains brought our water supply up to 95 percent, which is most welcome. Ed Kerwin praised citizens for continuing to conserve and urged that we do more of the same.
2. The 2035 Long-Range Transportation Plan.
Federal regulations require the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) to update the Urban Area Long Range Transportation Plan every three years. The plan includes all roadway, transit, bicycle and sidewalk improvements that are anticipated for a minimum period of 20 years. Our plan for 2035 is approaching a completion date in December of this year. For the staff report, see
http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/agendas/2008/09/08/2/2-staff_memo.htm
We are now in the public comment period. Please see the following write-up by George Cianciolo, chair of our Planning Board, for details of upcoming opportunities to make your opinions known.
http://tinyurl.com/6ddmqh
The way the plan works, there are several options proposed for ways to respond to the projected growth in population and traffic: (1) intensive highway, (2) intensive fixed guideway, (3) intensive multimodal, and (4) moderate multimodal.
A topic of last night's Council discussion focused on Fordham Boulevard, which, as we all know, is terribly congested at the moment; and as development continues in Chatham County, this road is tending to become even more of a freeway. Please, note that the "intensive highway" option anticipates a widening of Fordham Boulevard, all the way down to the 15-501 exit toward Pittsboro, to six lanes. In my view, this is not a desired outcome! Already we know that Fordham Boulevard has the effect of splitting parts of our community in two. Thanks to the efforts of the Fordham Boulevard Safety Committee, we have identified a need for a pedestrian bridge near the Manning Drive intersection, and that project remains a priority for the Council.
If this is an issue that's important to you, please make your opinion known through one of the venues identified in George's posting above. The earliest opportunity is today at the Chapel Hill Public Library, 4-7 p.m.
3. Merritt's Pasture maintenance
At my request, we got an update on the maintenance procedures for Merritt's Pasture. Its maintenance now falls under the Parks & Recreation department under the leadership of Butch Keziah. All agree that there is room for improvement in implementing the plans that were adopted by the Council several years ago. The pasture is now part of the Morgan Creek Preserve, under permanent conservation easement granted by the town to the Botanical Garden. Keeping it a pasture requires active management! Butch plans to consult with the Garden on improved landscaping and maintenance strategies. We are lucky to have the Garden as a resource and even luckier to have this beautiful property in our midst.
http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/agendas/2008/09/08/5c/
4. Library expansion project
As plans move forward for the proposed expansion of the public library, pursuant to the bond referendum of 2003, we are having to think very practically about how the existing library will function during the construction period. Initially we anticipated that the construction could be done in phases so that the library could remain open where it is throughout the project. Now that we see the project up close, that seems less and less like a good idea--particularly, as one member of the Library Board said, when we realize that the major patrons are under age 12. Besides the safety concern, the issues of time and money come out in favor of making a temporary flight from the building. We authorized the manager to pursue the option of finding and leading alternative space for the anticipate 14-month construction project; see more below. The Library Board expressed a wish that we allow public comment on how exactly this transitional period will play out, and that is certainly a good idea. In fact, as the mayor pointed out, the Council will want comment from citizens soon, before we make the decision to incur the debt that was authorized in 2003--to make sure that an expanded library is still an expenditure that we as a community endorse.
http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/agendas/2008/09/08/5f/
See also DTH story:
http://tinyurl.com/63vb3b
5. Kidzu's proposed use of top of Wallace Deck
Following an engineering report that concludes that it is feasible to built a structure on the top of the Wallace parking deck, the Council authorized the manager to sign a letter of intent indicating our willingness to work in good faith with Kidzu on a plan that would result in the siting of their museum on this property. This is an exciting step in what we all hope is a great outcome for Kidzu and for the town!
6. Woodmont development
We gave final approval to Phase 1 of Woodmont, a project that has undergone significant evolution since the time it was first proposed. This project (on the east end of 54 on the south side of the highway, across from Meadowmont) required the Council to weigh heavily the benefits of the proposed Class 1 office space and other benefits of the project against the traffic impacts on another too-crowded major corridor. With the conditions that we imposed-especially the provision that the second and third phases not be subject to automatic approval but that they undergo intense scrutiny--I supported this project. More info in the staff report,
http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/agendas/2008/09/08/8/
And in the DTH:
http://tinyurl.com/6emx8f
--so that's it for last night. The final item I want to mention is that the second annual Project Homeless Connect will be happening on September 25. Once again, Jamie Rohe of the town staff is doing a fabulous job of organizing the event. Please watch for further news. If you're interested in volunteering, email me and I'll get you the details.
And please be in touch about any issue of interest or concern.
Cheers for the new academic year,
Sally
http://sallygreene.org
http://greenespace.blogspot.com
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