Town Council

Town Hall TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Town Council Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Meeting Minutes - Final Mayor Pam Hemminger Council Member Nancy Oates Mayor pro tem Jessica Anderson Council Member Michael Parker Council Member Donna Bell Council Member Rachel Schaevitz Council Member Allen Buansi Council Member Karen Stegman Council Member Hongbin Gu Wednesday, September 5, 2018 7:00 PM RM 110 | Council Chamber Roll Call Present: 9 - Mayor Pam Hemminger, Mayor pro tem Jessica Anderson, Council Member Donna Bell, Council Member Allen Buansi, Council Member Hongbin Gu, Council Member Nancy Oates, Council Member Michael Parker, Council Member Karen Stegman, and Council Member Rachel Schaevitz Other Attendees Town Manager Maurice Jones, Deputy Town Manager Florentine Miller, Assistant Town Manager Mary Jane Nirdlinger, Town Attorney Ralph Karpinos, Communications Specialist Mark Losey, Housing and Community Assistant Director Sarah Vinas, Housing and Community Executive Director Loryn Clark, Affordable Housing Manager Nate Broman-Fulks, Public Housing Director Faith M. Thompson, Planning and Development Services Director Ben Hitchings, Development Manager Judy Johnson, Fire Chief Matt Sullivan, Police Chief and Executive Director for Community Safety Chris Blue, Public Housing Operations Manager Lisa Edwards, Communications and Public Affairs Director and Town Clerk Sabrina Oliver OPENING Introduction of New Town Manager Maurice Jones. [18-0709] Mayor Hemminger opened the meeting at 7:00 pm and introduced the new Town Manager, Maurice Jones. Mr. Jones expressed gratitude to all for making him feel welcome and to former Manager Roger Stancil for working hard to ensure a positive transition. Mr. Jones commented on the Town's commitment to community involvement and pledged to provide the high quality services that the Chapel Hill community deserved. Mayor Hemminger said that Mr. Jones would be at upcoming community events, including a Meet and Greet at the Public Library on Wednesday at 5:15 pm. Page 1 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 Celebrating Successes Video. [18-0710] Staff played a "Celebrating Successes" video about Town efforts to provide affordable housing. Proclamation: National Suicide Prevention Week. [18-0711] Mayor pro tem Anderson read a proclamation designating the week of September 9-15 as Suicide Prevention Week in Chapel Hill. The proclamation urged citizens to become aware of ways to prevent suicide and advocate for increased access to quality mental health, substance abuse, and suicide prevention services. Mayor pro tem Anderson read that suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the US, with more than 44,000 deaths and 1.1 million attempted suicides each year. There had been 1,406 deaths by suicide in North Carolina in 2017, she said. A volunteer with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention explained that she had joined the Foundation after losing her college roommate to suicide. She thanked the Town and provided additional information on the current suicide crisis in the state and nation. Recognition of Public Safety Team for their Work and Police [18-0712] Chief and Executive Director for Community Safety Comments Regarding Demonstrations. Mayor Hemminger thanked Police Chief Chris Blue and Fire Chief Matt Sullivan for all they and their teams had done during recent weeks of protest in Town. Their teams had supported people's right to protest peacefully and had worked closely with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) Police Department, she said. Chief Blue stated the Chapel Hill PD was still in the process of debriefing recent events and that he would return with information at a later date. He felt thankful that no one had been seriously injured as demonstrations regarding the "Silent Sam" statue had increased in intensity, he said. Chief Blue noted the careful planning and close coordination of Town and UNC forces and described some of the dangers they had needed to consider. He said that recent events had significantly impacted local resources and expressed concern about being able to sustain that into the fall semester. PETITIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AND COUNCIL MEMBERS Page 2 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 Petitions and other similar requests submitted by the public, whether written or oral, are heard at the beginning of each regular meeting. Except in the case of urgency and unanimous vote of the Council members present, petitions will not be acted upon at the time presented. After receiving a petition, the Council shall, by simple motion, dispose of it as follows: consideration at a future regular Council meeting; referral to another board or committee for study and report; referral to the Town Manager for investigation and report; receive for information. See the Status of Petitions to Council webpage to track the petition. Receiving or referring of a petition does not constitute approval, agreement, or consent. PUBLIC COMMENT - ITEMS NOT ON PRINTED AGENDA a. Calvin Deutschbein of Community Policing Advisory Board [18-0713] Regarding Community Comments from Recent Events. Calvin Deutschbein, a Community Policing Advisory Board member, said that the most frequent comments regarding the Silent Sam demonstrations pertained to anti-government militia members on the Chapel Hill PD. He proposed that the Town upgrade to the Community Policing Advisory Board to become a citizen review board. Mr. Deutschbein also requested that the Town examine its agreement with the Greensboro Police Department. b. Darren Hunicutt Regarding Recent Demonstrations. [18-0714] Darren Hunicutt, a UNC alumnus and Town resident, expressed concern about police actions on August 30, 2018. He said that a Greensboro Police Department officer had deployed a pepper fogger into a crowd even though no violence had occurred. Mr. Hunicutt asked the Council to share information with the public about the Town's agreement with Greensboro and whether there would be an investigation over abuse of authority and unnecessary deployment of a chemical weapon into a peacefully assembled crowd. c. Devin Ceartas Regarding Recent Demonstrations. [18-0715] Devin Ceartas said he agreed with the scenario that previous speakers had described and he thanked the Chapel Hill PD for its relative restraint. The multi-jurisdictional police force had felt overwhelming and he did not want to pay taxes to support that, he said. Mr. Ceartas also asked for information on the Town's policy regarding drones, stating that one had been flying above the crowd during the confrontation. d. Jamie Paulen Regarding Recent Demonstrations. [18-0716] Jamie Paulen, an Orange County resident, said that there had been a strong police presence on Thursday evening trying to keep people safe. However, a friend of hers, who was a member of the media, had suffered an injury to her leg when she was rammed by a police officer on a bike, Page 3 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 she said. Ms. Paulen said that she thought that police officer had been with the Greensboro PD. She wondered if anyone was evaluating whether the Greensboro PD was the right fit for such a situation, she said. Mayor Hemminger said that citizens' comments and questions would be taken into account during a debriefing that would be taking place over the following weeks. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS a. Mayor Hemminger Regarding Change in Agenda Order. [18-0717] Mayor Hemminger noted that Item 11 had been moved forward on the agenda. b. Mayor Hemminger Regarding Good Neighbor Initiative Night [18-0718] Out and Block Party. Mayor Hemminger said that the Town would be co-hosting the Night Out and Block Party at the Hargraves Center on Thursday from 5:00 to 8:30 pm. c. Mayor Hemminger Regarding Council Committee on [18-0719] Economic Sustainability Meeting. Mayor Hemminger noted that the Committee on Economic Sustainability meeting would be held on Friday at 8:00 am at the Chapel Hill Public Library. It would include updates on current development projects and the future Land Use Map project, she said. d. Mayor Hemminger Regarding Charting Our Future Online [18-0720] Survey. Mayor Hemminger encouraged everyone, including Council members, to take the online survey at chartingourfuture.info. e. Council Member Donna Bell Regarding Event at CURRENT. [18-0721] Council Member Bell mentioned a September 8th event at a new space called CURRENT that would include stories on citizenship. The event would be held at 6:00 pm, she said, adding that more information was available at CURRENTUNC.org. f. Mayor Hemminger Regarding Sancar Turkish Community [18-0722] Cultural Center Groundbreaking. Mayor Hemminger said that the Town was excited about the Sancar Center finally coming to fruition at 1609 Franklin Street. The Center would host visiting Turkish scholars and would be a community gathering place, she said. Page 4 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 g. Mayor Hemminger Regarding Meeting with School Board. [18-0723] Mayor Hemminger said that a meeting with the School Board would be held on Monday at Lincoln Center at 6:30 pm. CONSENT Items of a routine nature will be placed on the Consent Agenda to be voted on in a block. Any item may be removed from the Consent Agenda by request of the Mayor or any Council Member. Approval of the Consent Agenda A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Anderson, seconded by Council Member Parker, that R-1 be adopted, which approved the Consent Agenda. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 1. Approve all Consent Agenda Items. [18-0693] This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 2. Adopt the Recommended 2018-2019 Capital Fund Program for [18-0694] Public Housing Renovations. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 3. Continue the Public Hearing for the Conditioned Self-Storage [18-0695] Facility and Office/Institutional-2 (OI-2) Floor Area Ratio Adjustment Land Use Management Ordinance Text Amendment Application to October 10, 2018. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 4. Call a Public Hearing for October 10, 2018 to Receive [18-0696] Comments and Consider Enacting Amendments to Section 5-56 of the Town Code to Incorporate the Revised Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Maps. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 5. Adopt Minutes from April 17, 24, and May 8, 15, 22 and June 12, [18-0697] 19, 2017 Meetings. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. INFORMATION 6. Receive Upcoming Public Hearing Items and Petition Status [18-0698] List. This item was received as presented. Page 5 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 DISCUSSION 7. Consider a Resolution Recommending the Names of Mildred [18-0699] Council and Harold Foster for Placement on the Peace and Justice Plaza Marker. Council Member Buansi read a resolution that recommended adding "Mama Dip" Mildred Council's name to the Peace and Justice marker. He said that the resolution was a response to his earlier request to the Historic Civil Rights Task Force. There had been a request to add Harold Foster's name as well, and the Council Naming Committee was proceeding with having both names engraved on the marker, Council Member Buansi said. Reginald Hildebrand, Civil Rights Task Force chair, thanked the Town and pointed out that Esther Foster, Harold Foster's sister, was seated in the audience. Mr. Hildebrand also recognized James Merritt, who had been a Town Council member and one of the "Chapel Hill Nine" civil rights activists. David Mason, one of the original Chapel Hill Nine, provided biographical information about Harold Foster's intellectual, athletic, and musical talents. Mr. Foster had devoted his life to helping others and to finding social justice, he said, and he described some of those endeavors. The Council unanimously approved Resolution 6 and Mayor Hemminger said that the Town would hold an unveiling ceremony when the marker was ready. A motion was made by Council Member Buansi, seconded by Council Member Bell, that R-6.1 be adopted. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. SPECIAL USE PERMIT Special Use Permit: The Application for a Special Use Permit is Quasi-Judicial. Persons wishing to speak are required to take an oath before providing factual evidence relevant to the proposed application. Witnesses wishing to provide an opinion about technical or other specialized subjects should first establish that at the beginning of their testimony. 8. Open the Public Hearing: Application for Special Use Permit [18-0700] -The Oaks Condominiums Stormwater Drainage Improvements, 101 Oak Tree Drive. Judy Johnson, operations manager with Planning and Development Services, gave a PowerPoint presentation on a Special Use Permit (SUP) to address drainage issues at The Oaks, located at NC 54 and Burning Tree Drive. She explained that an SUP modification was required because the area had been designated as an undisturbed landscape buffer. Town staff Page 6 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 and advisory boards had recommended approval, she said. She pointed out that the project would require removal of 30 trees, 15 of which would be replaced. Ms. Johnson recommended that the Council opening the hearing and then recess it to September 19, 2018. Mayor Hemminger mentioned that former Town Manager Roger Stancil had waived the SUP application fees for the project because it was being constructed in coordination with nearby stormwater improvements that the Town was making. Daniel Perry, a project manager with McAdams Company, reviewed the project's history, the existing conditions, and the proposed solutions to flooding issues. He discussed the landscape plan and showed photos of flooding that had been impacting 16 units in four buildings. Mr. Perry described an effort to preserve a 36-inch oak and discussed the screening and canopy layout plan. Mayor Hemminger noted that she had previously requested a determination on whether adding stormwater enhancements to SUPs could be an administrative action when no buildings or rezoning were involved. She asked that request be formally logged in as a petition. A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Anderson, seconded by Council Member Buansi, that this Public Hearing be continued to September 19, 2018. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 11. Presentation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [18-0703] Semi-Annual Main Campus Development Report. Evan Yassky, executive director for Facilities Planning and Design at UNC, gave a PowerPoint presentation on UNC's Main Campus Master Plan. He noted that the draft plan included small-scale, targeted changes as well as larger, more transforming ones. He said that the three big ideas that had emerged through the workshops had been categorized as: Welcome, Connections, and Hubs. Mr. Yassky explained that Welcome meant that the campus should be open to all. The future UNC would welcome partners and innovators, and the arts would permeate the campus experience, he said. He said that making the campus more welcoming would also include having better signage, easier parking, and spaces for visitors. The Plan was to develop outlying parcels in a manner consistent in quality and character with the main campus, he said. Mr. Yassky said that Connections pertained to the physical implications of connecting research to innovation. It meant connecting disciplines in order to encourage collaboration. It also meant connecting students to services, using arts to connect people across campus, and connecting Page 7 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 campus to the community and region, he said. Mr. Yassky explained that the Hubs would be a rich network of cross-campus connections. It would mean co-locating disciplines and uses to promote innovation and entrepreneurship and create a more dynamic atmosphere, he said. Mayor pro tem Anderson confirmed with Mr. Yassky that Town staff had not been involved in the draft plan. She stressed that there were mutual interests and goals and pointed out the importance of having a Town staff member participate in UNC planning. Mr. Yassky pointed out that there would be upcoming workshops and a public session. He said that the draft was a framework of UNC's strategic goals, not an implementation plan. There would be many opportunities to work with the Town and the broader community to flesh out details, he said. Council Member Oates verified with Mr. Yassky that UNC viewed recreation and employee housing -- not student housing -- as a good use of the land at Carolina North, but was not yet at the level of detail to discuss affordable housing. Council Member Oates also confirmed with him that UNC's thinking had changed over the last 10 years with regard to building research infrastructure at Carolina North. Mr. Yassky explained that it made more sense for UNC to grow in place, organically, than to create a new operation at Carolina North. He said that demolition of Odum Village in the southern part of campus would open an opportunity for continued growth in research facilities on the main campus. Council Member Oates verified with Mr. Yassky that no part of Carolina North was being designated as a depository for Odum Village's demolition materials. Council Member Buansi confirmed with Mr. Yassky that buildings along North Columbia Street that had been set for demolition included Abernathy Hall, Evergreen, and an ROTC building. He also confirmed that UNC's goal to be greenhouse gas neutral by 2050 was still on target. Council Member Parker asked about the process for implementation, and Mr. Yassky explained that, depending on how the workshops and open houses proceeded, the framework might go to UNC's Board of Trustees for approval in fall 2018. Implementation of projects from the plan would happen when funding materialized, Mr. Yassky said. Council Member Gu and Mayor Hemminger expressed strong agreement with Mayor pro tem Anderson's comments about the importance of UNC and the Town working together. Page 8 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 Mr. Yassky said that UNC looked forward to getting to know the new Town Manager and building a strong relationship. There had been ongoing monthly meetings with Town Planning staff and that would be a springboard for closer collaboration moving forward, he said. Town Manager Jones said that he would reach out to UNC and discuss how to collaborate and strengthen the relationship. He would also designate a Town liaison to work with the University, he said. Mayor Hemminger instructed staff to post all of the meetings that the community was being invited to. She said that there was much interest in Town about UNC's plans --especially with regard to Carolina North. More information than what was being presented was required because people wanted to know what was gong on, she said. Council Member Schaevitz confirmed that there would be open sessions on campus on September 24th and 25th, as well as an October 1st presentation at the Chapel Hill Public Library. She asked for highlights of current capital improvement projects. Mr. Yassky provided brief information on recently completed projects, which included Porthole Alley Phase 1, Findley Fields North, Field Hockey Stadium, Cheek Clark Building, and smaller utility projects. He discussed projects under construction, which included demolition of a new median communications studio, utility work in The Pit area, video boards at the Smith Center, the Mary Ellen Jones renovation project, the Surgical Tower, and other athletics projects to be completed soon. Projects in design included the Medical Education Building, and an addition to Chase Dining Hall, Mr. Yassky said. Council Member Schaevitz verified with Mr. Yassky that a pilot project for a solar array at the Horace Williams Airport would begin soon. The airport was closed to all aviation with the exception of hospital helicopter refueling, Mr. Yassky said. This item was received as presented. 9. Receive the FY18 Annual Affordable Housing Report and the [18-0701] FY19 Affordable Housing Development and Preservation Projection and 5-Year Targets. Sarah Vinas, assistant director of Housing and Community, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the 4th quarter of the Housing and Community FY 2018 report. She noted that the Council had established 4th quarter targets for affordable housing (80 units) development and preservation (55 units) projects. Ms. Vinas said that the Town had supported 3 development units and 14 preservation projects in the 4th quarter, which brought the total to 99 Page 9 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 development and 23 preservation projects through the end of FY 2018. She explained the circumstances that had caused the Town to fall short of its 2018 preservation target goal. Ms. Vinas showed photos of new development projects the Town had supported over the year and noted the amount of Town investment. These included Greenfield, 17 homes in Northside, two single-family homes at The Courtyards, and conversion of a police station at Northside to a transitional unit. With respect to preservation, Ms. Vinas said that the Town had assisted 13 individuals who were transitioning out of homelessness/unstable housing with rental and utility assistance in partnership with the Community Empowerment Fund. The Town had also supported close to a dozen home renovation projects in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together, she said. Ms. Vinas said, in summary, that the Town had surpassed 1,000 units of subsidized affordable housing (AH) throughout the Town in FY 2018, thereby exceeding its development target. By year end, 99 percent of available funding for AH projects had been allocated, she said. She pointed out that the Town had also supported a variety of innovative and large-scale projects and that it continued to provide support for the Northside Neighborhood Initiative. Nate Broman-Fulks, AH manager, presented FY 2019 projections and five-year targets, and he explained the methodology used to arrive at those. He showed the Town's progress over the past five years and noted a significant increase in the number of development units that had come online in FY 2018. Mr. Broman-Fulks said that the number of preservation units had not achieved 2018 targets but more than 125 units were expected to be completed in FY 2019. He said that staff viewed that as the beginning of a trend and was projecting a couple of significant years moving forward. Council Member Parker confirmed with Mr. Broman-Fulks that significant projects included 69 units in Greenfield Phase II and some units in Northside. Ninety-eight of the 126 preservation projects were Town projects, as were 60 percent of the units being projected, said Mr. Broman-Fulks. Council Member Parker also verified that approximately 140 of the projected 175 units in FY 2021 were the Town-owned units at 2200 Homestead Road. Mr. Broman-Fulks said that the Town's five-year target was 400 development units and 300 preservation units, with 95 and 125, respectively, being projected to come on line in FY 2019. He said that staff anticipated needing between $14 million and $18 million to support those projects. He showed a breakdown of needs and potential funding Page 10 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 sources, which included an AH bond of $10 million. If that bond referendum were not to pass in November 2018, then staff would have to reevaluate the targets, he said. Council Member Schaevitz determined from staff that the average Town subsidy had been about $25,000 per unit. Council Member Parker confirmed with Mr. Broman-Fulks that a $3 million item was a mixed ownership/rental project at the Town's 2200 Homestead Road project. Mr. Broman-Fulks pointed out that the Town had prioritized three parcels of land there for potential AH development for displaced manufactured home residents. Some of those could be ownership units, he said. Mayor pro tem Anderson asked about maximum and minimum subsidies, and Mr. Broman-Fulks agreed to return with that information. She verified with him that losses of units through redevelopment, if any, would be monitored and accounted for in the five-year projections. Council Member Buansi asked why the Town had fallen short of its preservation target. Ms. Vinas explained that it was primarily due to the extended timeline of several rehabilitation projects, which had since been completed or would be completed in the 1st quarter of FY 2019. Council Member Buansi ascertained from Ms. Vinas that the 1 percent of AH funding that the Town had not used in FY 2018 would roll over and be available in the 2019 AH Development Reserve. Council Member Bell confirmed with Ms. Vinas that the total number of subsidized units in Town was 1,000. Approximately 300 of those were Town public housing with the balance being AH partners' inventory, Ms. Vinas said, adding that the vast majority were permanently affordable. Council Member Bell also confirmed that additional subsidies for getting a property ready for the market when values increase had been included in projections on the preservation side. Mayor pro tem Anderson asked about the status of the Town's transitional housing program, and Ms. Vinas described several properties that had been completed. She offered to return with information about total units added in the current year. Mayor pro tem Anderson confirmed with Ms. Vinas that the maximum transitional time was five years and that transitional housing residents had been receiving support and services. She recommended that the entire issue be discussed in more depth at a later time. Council Member Schaevitz inquired about the current strategy for a CASA Page 11 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 project on Merritt Mill Road that had not received low income tax credits. Ms. Vinas replied that CASA principals were planning to meet with the Housing Finance Agency to learn what they could have done differently and perhaps resubmit their application. CASA was committed to the project and was looking for other possible funding sources as well, she said. Council Member Oates confirmed with Ms. Vinas that information from staff about AH within a 1/4-mile from bus stops had been provided only as a point of interest. She verified that people in four of nine households had transitioned from homelessness and that the Town had assisted four residents with funding for their Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals renewals. The Town still had $3,000 and could assist up to six more DACA recipients, Ms. Vinas said. Mayor Hemminger praised staff's creation of an online dashboard and said she appreciated their hard work and their effort to tell the story of what the Town was trying to do. This item was received as presented. 10. Consider Authorization to Submit a Rental Assistance [18-0702] Demonstration (RAD) Application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Redevelopment of Public Housing. Faith Thompson, director for Public Housing (PH), requested authorization to submit an application to the HUD Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Program for the redevelopment of Town PH. She gave a PowerPoint presentation regarding two sites (Trinity Court and Craig Gomains) that included background on Town discussions since the start of the PH master planning process in 2016. Ms. Thompson reminded the Council that on November 1, 2017 it sought authorization to submit a non-binding letter of interest in RAD to HUD. That letter had been sent and the Town had been put on HUD's waiting list in May. HUD then asked the Town in July to submit an application "for further consideration" before September 4, 2018, she said. Ms. Thompson explained that the Town had been given a two-day extension because the Council was on summer recess. Ms. Thompson proposed that renovations and redevelopments of two public housing properties occur in two phases: Phase 1 would address Trinity Court in 2019-2021, and Phase II would address Craig Gomains in 2020-2023. Staff would return to Council in 2019 with a schedule for pursuing low income housing tax credits for both phases, she said. Ms. Thompson explained that the next step was to submit the formal Page 12 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 application to HUD. She recommended that the Council adopt Resolution 7, authorizing the Town Manager to submit an application to HUD's RAD division for financing the renovation of Trinity Court and the redevelopment of Craig Gomains. Staff was optimistically hoping for a decision from HUD by January 2019, Ms. Thompson said. Council Member Stegman confirmed that the request was for permission to seek funding, which would be based on the number of occupied units, and that the Council would have an opportunity to provide input on more detailed plans at the next step. She pointed out that the operating subsidy for Trinity Court had been reduced because the building was vacant. Council Member Gu confirmed with Ms. Thompson that the Town would have to wait for a response from HUD and that there was no way to for the Town to accelerate the process. Council Member Oates wondered if demolishing Trinity Court earlier would boost funding because it would mean not having empty units. She asked if the level of funding from RAD made tearing down and rebuilding worthwhile. Ms. Thompson replied that the Town would make a cost-effective decision. The Town would receive financing for the amount needed for what she said the Town wanted to put there. That would be determined in the next phase when the Town began to seek development partnerships, she said. Ms. Thompson noted that Trinity Court had been appraised at almost $2 million. Council Member Oates asked what had caused Trinity Court to fall into a state where demolishing it was viewed as the best solution. Would the Town know how to address those problems if it were rebuilt, she asked. Ms. Thompson replied that several physical needs assessments had been conducted and that staff had suggestions for how to make the property stronger and more sustainable. Mayor Hemminger said that the Council had asked staff in November 2018 to come back with a recommendation regarding whether to renovate, demolish and rebuild, or sell Trinity Court. She asked if the application to RAD would preclude the Town from making that decision once it had that information. Ms. Thompson replied that it would not. Staff had learned that there might be options for Trinity Court other than demolishing it, she said. Mayor Hemminger noted that Trinity Court had problems with access and topography and said that she wanted to know about a possible alternative of selling it and using the proceeds to redevelop Craig Gomains. The Council had asked staff to bring back such options and she wanted to Page 13 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 5, 2018 understand what they were before proceeding down the path with RAD, she said. Ms. Thompson replied that moving forward with the RAD process would not preclude the Town from making such a decision. It would merely mean asking HUD for permission to explore other options, she said. Mayor Hemminger stressed that she wanted to see all three options. The Town would choose getting more units for the same amount of money if that could be done, she said. Rehabilitating Trinity Court might improve its appearance, but it might not change it holistically, she said. Mayor Hemminger pointed out that the site had physical limitations and was surrounded by homes. Louise Mitchell, a former Trinity Court resident, spoke favorably about Trinity Court and said that she would prefer to see it upgraded than demolished. She spoke in support of the RAD application. Council Member Stegman thanked Ms. Thompson for her work on RAD. She pointed out that HUD had not left many options for PH and that Town units had not been kept up the way they should have been due to lack of funding. She proposed setting up a formal committee of residents, housing providers, and other stakeholders to be an advisory group during the process. The Council unanimously adopted Resolution 7 and Mayor Hemminger expressed appreciation to Ms. Thompson for all she was doing to build community. Mayor Hemminger asked Council members to participate in a letter to UNC officials regarding the Silent Sam statue. She had begun writing it and would bring it back for a vote, she said. A motion was made by Council Member Stegman, seconded by Council Member Schaevitz, that R-7 be adopted. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. APPOINTMENTS 12. Appointment(s) to the Community Design Commission. [18-0704] The council appointed Susan L. Lyons and Megan Patnaik. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:53 p.m. Page 14 of 14