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 Paris Miller-Foushee Mayor pro tem Karen Stegman Council Member Michael Parker Council Member Jessica Anderson Council Member Amy Ryan Council Member Camille Berry Council Member Adam Searing Council Member Tai Huynh Wednesday, May 4, 2022 7:00 PM Virtual Meeting Language Access Statement Virtual Meeting Notification Town Council members will attend and participate in this meeting remotely, through internet access, and will not physically attend. The Town will not provide a physical location for viewing the meeting. The public is invited to attend. The Town of Chapel Hill wants to know more about who participates in its programs and processes, including Town Council business meetings and work sessions. Please participate in a voluntary demographic survey https://www.townofchapelhill.org/demosurvey before accessing the Zoom webinar registration. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar in listen-only mode. Phone: 301-715-8592, Meeting ID: 823 1598 5718 View Council meetings live at https://chapelhill.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx – and on Chapel Hill Gov-TV (townofchapelhill.org/GovTV). OPENING Mayor Hemminger opened the virtual meeting at 7:00 p.m. and reviewed the agenda. She pointed out that the White Oak and Gateway concept plans had been moved to the June 8, 2022 Council meeting. Page 1 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 ROLL CALL Mayor Hemminger called the roll and all Council Members replied that they were present. Present: 9 - Mayor Pam Hemminger, Mayor pro tem Karen Stegman, Council Member Jessica Anderson, Council Member Camille Berry, Council Member Paris Miller-Foushee, Council Member Tai Huynh, Council Member Michael Parker, Council Member Amy Ryan, and Council Member Adam Searing Other Attendees Town Manager Maurice Jones, Deputy Town Manager Loryn Clark, Town Attorney Ann Anderson, Business Management Director Amy Oland, Assistant Business Management Director Matt Brinkley, Planning Director Colleen Willger, Assistant Planning Director Judy Johnson, Affordable Housing Development Officer Emily Holt, Affordable Housing and Community Connections Director Sarah Vinas, Planner I Jacob Hunt, Transit Director Brian Litchfield, Complete Streets/GIS Specialist - Transportation Planner Jordan Powell, Transportation Planning Manager Bergen Watterson, Communications Specialist Alex Carrasquillo, and Deputy Town Clerk Amy Harvey. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS 0.01 Proclamation: Historic Preservation Month [22-0397] Council Member Ryan read a proclamation that named May 2022 as Historic Preservation Month in Chapel Hill. The proclamation emphasized the Town's commitment to preserving its civil rights legacy, honoring those who had spoken out on diverse issues, and maintaining the places that contribute to the Town's historical character. The Council then watched a video, made by the Historic District Commission (HDC), that presented an overview of the Town's historic districts, homes, structures, walkways and gardens. The video described Town efforts to preserve those properties. Mayor Hemminger thanked HDC members and others who work to preserve the Town's historic sites and structures. She said that more information was available at Preservation Chapel Hill, The Marion Cheeks Jackson Center, and the UNC Visitors Center. 0.02 Proclamation: Provider Appreciation Day. [22-0398] Council Member Huynh read a proclamation that declared May 6, 2022 to be Provider Appreciation Day in Chapel Hill. The proclamation discussed the enrichment opportunities that daycare facilities provide children of all backgrounds. It pointed out that childcare providers had risked their own health and financial stability during the COVID-19 pandemic and urged everyone to recognize and thank them for their important work. Page 2 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 0.03 Proclamation: Police Week and Peace Officer Memorial [22-0399] Day. Council Member Berry read a proclamation that declared May 11-17, 2022 to be Police Week and May 15th to be Peace Officer Memorial Day in the Town of Chapel Hill. The proclamation called on everyone to thank Police Chief Chris Blue and the Chapel Hill Police Department (CHPD) for their dedication, service, and collaboration with community members to re-imagine future public safety. Mayor Hemminger commented on the lengths to which public safety officers go to keep Town residents safe. She said that the Council understood how stressful and difficult their work was and were grateful to them and their families. Chief Blue thanked the Mayor and Council for the kind words and said that it was an honor to serve in Chapel Hill. He pointed out that a county-wide law enforcement memorial event would be held at CHPD headquarters on May 19, 2022. 0.04 Mayor Hemminger Regarding Bike Month. [22-0400] Mayor Hemminger pointed out that a list of Bike Month events, activities, and resources could be found at Gochapelhill.org. 0.05 Mayor Hemminger Regarding Future Meetings. [22-0401] Mayor Hemminger said that the Council Committee on Economic Sustainability would meet virtually on May 6th at 8:00 a.m. The next Council Work Session would be held on May 11th and would include a deeper look at the FY 2022-23 Town Budget, she said. 0.06 Council Member Foushee Regarding Celebrating [22-0402] Ramadan. Council Member Miller-Foushee congratulated and wished Eid Mubarak to all community members who were celebrating the completion of the Holy Month of Ramadan. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON PRINTED AGENDA AND PETITIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AND COUNCIL MEMBERS 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; Page 3 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 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. 1. Paul Urban Request to Remove Three Stop Signs on Standish [22-0376] Drive located at Bluefield, Saint Thomas Drive and Elderberry. This item was received as presented. 2. Cherec Morrison Request to Add a Crosswalk at Holy Trinity [22-0377] Anglican Church. A motion was made by Council Member Anderson, seconded by Council Member Huynh, that the Council received the petitions and referred to the Manager and Mayor. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 2.01 Shane Brogan Regarding White Oak Concept Plan. [22-0403] Shane Brogan, a Chapel Hill resident, expressed concern about the effects that a proposed White Oak development could have on his nearby neighborhood. Mayor Hemminger advised him to return on June 8th when the Council would be addressing that item. This item was received as presented. INFORMATION 3. Receive Upcoming Public Hearing Items and Petition Status [22-0378] List. This item was received as presented. 4. Receive the Third Quarter Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Affordable [22-0379] Housing Report. Mayor Hemminger pointed out that a housing dashboard had been updated. This item was received as presented. DISCUSSION 5. Presentation: Recommended Budget for FY 2022-23. [22-0380] Town Manager Maurice Jones gave a PowerPoint presentation on the FY 2022-2023 recommended Town budget, which totaled $127,716,587. The budget aligned with Council goals and was focused on helping the community recover from the effects of COVID-19, he said. He pointed out that the General Fund accounted for about $76.5 million of that total. Page 4 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 Mr. Jones said that the budget represented an 8.9 percent increase from the current fiscal year. A recommended 51.9 cent tax rate would be a half cent higher than the current rate of 51.4 cents per $100 of assessed value, he said. He explained that a tax rate increase would help the Transit Fund, where costs had increased. In addition, several Council priorities could receive additional funding if the Council approved the increased tax rate, he said. Mr. Jones proposed a tiered market rate pay increase for employees, which would include a 4 percent increase for those who had been with the Town for less than five years and 5 percent increase for those with five or more years of service. He compared current revenues (from property/sales/other taxes, shared state revenues, charges for services, licenses and permits, grants and other sources) to those for the previous fiscal year. Mr. Jones said that FY 2021-22 Fund Balance had been $2,510,221 and that the recommended Fund Balance for FY 2022-23 would be $2,528,390. The increase was an indication of how the Town had managed its budget wisely, he said. He commented on how sales tax revenue in FY 2021 had exceeded staff's expectations with a 15.6 percent increase. Staff was estimating an increase of 13.2 percent in FY 2022 and was conservatively projecting a 6 percent growth rate for FY 2023, he said. Mr. Jones said that the Town's five-year budget strategy included the following key initiatives: environmental resiliency, infrastructure, maintenance, vehicles, human capital, affordable housing, human services, social equity, and transportation. The top priorities included the employee pay adjustment, an employee compensation and compression study, new staff positions, Council stipends, climate action, affordable housing, homelessness initiatives, human services, bike and pedestrian safety efforts, cultural arts, parks and recreation maintenance, vehicle replacement, operating cost increases, and cyber-security, he said. Mr. Jones pointed out that American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding was available to the Town as well. He provided a breakdown of projects and draft amounts for ARPA funding, which included: $1 million for human services/community partners funding; $2.5 million for affordable housing and homelessness initiatives; $2.5 million for parks and recreation, $1 million for bike/pedestrian/greenway infrastructure; $1 million for building infrastructure; $1 million for Downtown revitalization; $500,000 for digital access and inclusion; and $500,000 for community based projects. He said that some amounts could change during Council discussions. With regard to the Town's Enterprise Funds, Mr. Jones said that staff anticipated increases in Transit and Parking funds and that the Housing Page 5 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 and Stormwater funds would remain flat. Mr. Jones explained that each additional penny on the tax rate would generate $958,000 in revenue. He showed a list of items that were above what the recommended base budget could address. He reviewed the schedule for budget deliberations and said that it was scheduled for adoption on June 8, 2022. Council Member Ryan confirmed with Mr. Jones that a $200,000 for addressing compression issues was not included in the budget but that staff might return with a recommendation in the future. She requested that staff develop a breakdown of recent Parks funding and proposed that maintenance of street right-of-ways, sidewalks, and vegetation be put under Public Works rather than Parks and Recreation. She recommended that more ARPA money go toward Climate Action and cautioned against duplicating Orange County's efforts regarding digital access. Mayor pro tem Stegman confirmed with Mr. Jones that a remaining $70,000 in the current budget would be carried over to implement Reimagining Community Task Force recommendations. She verified that the proposed budget included about $100,000 for homelessness and/or affordable housing issues. In response to a question from Council Member Parker, Mr. Jones explained that staff was planning a community-led discussion on how to invest $500,000 of ARPA funds. The Town had targeted another $1 million to community partners for collaborative projects and staff was currently processing those responses, he said. Council Member Parker proposed an approach where the Council would talk about what it wanted and then see what the tax rate implications would be. Council Members asked for a more specific breakdown, the next time, for the funding requests behind recommendations for downtown improvements, affordable housing, and homelessness initiatives. They requested more specifics on some of the staff's recommendations and clarified that the half-cent tax rate increase was intended to benefit Transit. They suggested that staff's next presentation include information about Orange County's tax increase as well. Mayor Hemminger mentioned that the Downtown Partnership had requested $100,000 for downtown improvements. She asked for information on how much of the Municipal Services District Tax was generating and where that revenue was currently being directed. She proposed that someone from the Parks and Recreation management team find out if local soccer teams would be willing to front the money for the first artificial turf field. Page 6 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 Mayor Hemminger requested an update on how much the Town had already spent on Climate Action activities and expressed support for hiring a grants administrator. She pointed out that the Council had discussed using some ARPA funds to help the Rogers Road Community Center expand its Rena Center. She mentioned that the Transit Partners Group had requested more than a half-cent tax increase. In response to a question from Council Member Parker about the potential for leveraging Orange County funds, Mayor Hemminger said that the County had decided to use all of its ARPA money for broadband. However, Mr. Jones said that he had just heard that the County was interested in using some of its ARPA funds for homelessness issues as well. This item was received as presented. 6. Consider Approving the Affordable Housing Bond Funding Plan. [22-0381] Affordable Housing Development Officer Emily Holt proposed that the Council consider approving a $1.35 million funding plan for creating new affordable housing (AH) in Chapel Hill. She pointed out that the Council had approved using half of the $10 million in AH bond funds that voters had approved in November 2018 for property acquisition, affordable home repairs, and new construction of AH. The Council had also approved releasing $250,000 from the AH Development Reserve as well, she said. Ms. Holt gave an overview of a 2020 funding plan that would create 280 new units in five new AH projects. She said that the Town had launched a second AH bond cycle in the spring of 2020 that had made an additional $2 million available for 9 percent low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) projects. The final application deadline for those projects was May 13, 2022, she said. Ms. Holt pointed out that a DHIC project located at Carraway Village was one of three Town projects applying for 9 percent LIHTC approval. "The Indigo" would be a 51-unit AH rental development with 35 percent of its units targeted for households at or below 30 percent of the area median income (AMI) and the balance at no higher than 60 percent AMI, she said. She noted that The Indigo would remain affordable for at least 30 years. Ms. Holt explained that The Indigo's applicant, Northwood Ravin, was requesting a $1.35 million loan from the Town for the project, nearly 90 percent of which would be leveraged from non-Town sources. The Housing Advisory Board had given the project a high score and had recommended that the Council fully fund the request contingent on the project receiving a 9 percent LIHTC award in 2022, she said. Ms. Holt recommended that the Council consider approving the recommended AH Bond Funding Plan and said that the Town would launch Page 7 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 the final AH Bond cycle in late summer. Council Members confirmed that approving the $1.35 million AH funding plan would leave about $3.65 million for which no commitments had yet been made. Staff pointed out that $688,000 in AH Development Reserve money would be available for projects as well. Council Member Parker commented on how interest rates were expected to keep rising. He confirmed that Mr. Jones would look into options for borrowing sooner than the fall. At Council Member Parker's request, Ms. Holt summarized the prior arrangement with the Town in which Northwood Ravin agreed to set aside the parcel at Carraway Village to become a contribution to AH. Northwood Ravin had been given 10 years to achieve that before the land would return to the Town, Ms. Holt explained. Natalie Britt, a project analyst with DHIC, said she did not think Northwood Ravin would need the full amount being requested because there had been recent changes in LIHTC rules. In response to a question from Mayor pro tem Stegman, Ms. Britt explained that LIHTC projects were typically refinanced in the 30th year of their term. The problem with saying that something would be affordable forever was that no one would lend money to a developer with that restriction in place, she said. Mayor pro tem Stegman confirmed that DHIC would try again if it did not get the 9 percent tax credit on its first try. A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Stegman, seconded by Council Member Parker, that R-1 be adopted. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 7. Consider an Application for Conditional Zoning for 307 N. [22-0382] Roberson from Residential-3 (R-3) to Residential-Special Standards-Conditional Zoning District (R-SS-CZD). Planner Jacob Hunt presented a request to rezone the 0.29-acre site from Residential 3 to Residential-Special Standards-Conditional Zoning District and to construct four AH units comprised of two duplexes there. He showed the site plan and explained requested modifications that included 790 square feet of passive (rather than 698 square feet of active) recreational space, and a crosswalk at North Roberson Street rather than sidewalks along its frontage. Mr. Hunt said that the Planning Commission and Council had both recommended looking into the viability of placing an all-way stop at the intersection of North Roberson and Whitaker Streets and that staff was looking into doing so. He recommended that the Council close the legislative hearing, adopt Resolution A, and enact Ordinance A to approve the Conditional Zoning. Page 8 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 Council Member Parker confirmed that staff had initially opposed the stop sign but was looking into it in response to the Council's request. Assistant Planning Director Judy Johnson explained that the Bike and Pedestrian Task Force had been trying to figure out how to make the crosswalk work. Council Member Miller-Foushee, who lives in the North Roberson Street area, said that adding an all-way stop would make no sense. Council Member Berry said that she did understand the effort to slow traffic, but Council Member Miller-Foushee replied that there were ways to do that without installing an all-way stop. Mayor Hemminger expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to increase density and affordable housing in Town. A motion was made by Council Member Huynh, seconded by Council Member Anderson, that the legislative hearing be closed. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. A motion was made by Council Member Huynh, seconded by Council Member Anderson, that R-2 be adopted. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. A motion was made by Council Member Huynh, seconded by Council Member Berry, that O-1 be enacted. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 8. Open the Legislative Hearing: Conditional Zoning Application for [22-0383] 107 Johnson Street (Project #21-072). Assistant Planning Director Judy Johnson presented a Conditional Zoning application for Peach Apartments, a three lot parcel on a 0.7-acre site in the Pine Knolls Neighborhood Conservation District. The site was currently zoned R-3 and the applicant was requesting a rezoning to Residential-Special Standards-Conditional Zoning District, she said. Ms. Johnson outlined the proposal to construct 10 AH dwelling units where a neighborhood community center had once been. She showed the site plan and explained that the applicant had requested a modification to the Town's setback requirement in order to install a ride-share/EZ Rider service pick-up shelter. She said that the Planning Commission had proposed that parking and playground requirements be eased. She recommended that the Council open the legislative hearing, receive public comments, and continue the hearing to June 8, 2022. Applicant Delores Bailey, executive director of EmPOWERment, Inc., noted that Town boards and commissions had unanimously supported the Page 9 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 project. She said that the proposed 10 units would include two studios and four 1-bedroom, three 2-bedrooms, and one 3-bedroom apartments. The multi-family, multi-generational project would be targeted to those earning less than 30 percent of AMI and not more than 80 percent, she said. Civil Engineer Phil Post explained that the plan included 11 paved and 2 unpaved parking spaces. He showed where a playground, gazebo, community garden, and natural pathway would be located. He described a bio-retention stormwater pond that would be planted in partnership with the NC Botanical Garden to become an amenity for the site. A retaining wall would enable preservation of significant trees, he said. He described the proposed mobility shelter in a set-back area by the road. Architect Josh Gurlitz displayed an area map and indicated where bus stops were located within walking distance of the site. He presented a planting plan from the NC Botanical Garden for the stormwater retention pond. He provided information on how housing units would be laid out in a two-story building that would become one-story on the Johnson Street side. He discussed siding materials and windows and said that the roof area would enable solar panels if a donor were willing to provide them. ADA standards would go beyond what was required, he said. Council Member Ryan asked for a more specific breakdown of the 30-80 percent AMI range, and Ms. Bailey and her staff explained that those specifics had not yet been established. Currently, all of the units ranged from below 30 percent to 50 percent of AMI, but EmPOWERment might need to put one of them in the 60-80 percent range, depending on cost and subsidy, Ms. Bailey said. Mayor Hemminger recommended that the applicant reach out to Orange County regarding a Climate Tax grant distribution program for energy efficiency. The County offered that program twice a year and had more funds than applicants, she said. Robert Beasley, a Chapel Hill resident, praised EmPOWERment, Inc. for embodying all of the Town's values in a truly great AH development. Council Member Ryan commented that some residents with mobility problems might need to be picked up at their doors. In addition, she did not support a Planning Commission recommendation that the Town take over the playground because it was located interior to the site, she said. Council Members praised the project's attention to detail and agreed with the Mayor's suggestion to contact Orange County regarding the solar roof. Council Member Berry said she did not support a Transportation and Connectivity Board recommendation for an EV conduit unless the Town Page 10 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 were to underwrite it, but Mayor Hemminger stated that a conduit would not be expensive. It would be advantageous to install it before pouring cement, said the Mayor. Mayor Hemminger reminded Council Members that they would not be able to vote on an EmPOWERment, Inc. project if they serve on EmPOWERment's board. A motion was made by Council Member Berry, seconded by Council Member Ryan, that the Council continued the Legislative Hearing toJune 8, 2022. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 9. Consider Amendments to Chapter 21 of the Chapel Hill Code of [22-0384] Ordinances to Regulate Speeds in Accordance with the Vision Zero Resolution. Complete Streets Specialist Jordan Powell proposed several amendments to the Town traffic code. These included: a Dooring Ordinance that would prohibit opening a motor vehicle door onto another road user; a decrease in the speed limit from 35 to 25 mph townwide; a proposal to lower the speed limit on Piney Mountain Road and Legion Road to 25 mph in all areas; and an update to the school zones code to include Rashkins, Glenwood, Northside and Scroggs Elementary Schools as 25 mph zones. Mr. Jordan clarified that the state-owned roads in Town would be excluded from the speed limit reduction amendment. He said that the Town Manager would add neighborhood slow zones to the Town’s traffic-calming approaches for residential areas. Establishing these changes would be a very deliberate process informed by Vision Zero data analysis, equity considerations, and community engagement, he said. Mr. Jordan pointed out that the Transportation and Connectivity Board and the Planning Commission had both emphasized the importance of community education regarding the text amendments, the Dooring Ordinance in particular. He proposed that the Vision Zero Task Force help to create education materials. In response to Council Members' questions, Mr. Jordan said that studies had found that lowering the speed limit led to success even if the street design/width were not changed. The Council also confirmed with him that there would be enough time before the speed ordinance went into effect on July 1, 2022, to educate the public about the changes. Chapel Hill Police would allow a period of leniency to allow people to get used to the changes, he said. The Council ascertained that crash reports and staff updates on implementation would include equity analyses. Council Member Page 11 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 Miller-Foushee proposed that strategies regarding school zones be implemented around daycare centers as well. Council Member Parker and Mr. Powell discussed how the proposed amendments would send a signal to the NC Department of Transportation that Chapel Hill was committed to creating safer streets and expected the state to work with the Town within Town limits. A motion was made by Council Member Berry, seconded by Council Member Huynh, that O-2 be enacted with technical correction. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Stegman, seconded by Council Member Berry, that O-3 be enacted. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 10. Orange County Transit Plan Update. [22-0385] Transit Director Brian Litchfield said that the Orange County Transit Plan must be updated every four years and that the County had engaged Renaissance Planning to develop the current update in coordination with key stakeholders, the community, and a Policy Steering Committee that included Council Member Parker. He said that Transit staff and the Transit Partners Group (consisting of representatives from Chapel Hill, Carrboro and UNC-CH) supported the priorities in the draft Transit Plan. Caroline Dwyer, a project manager with Renaissance Planning Group, gave a detailed update on the Transit Plan, which she said was moving toward potential adoption in the fall of 2022. She said that current efforts included analyzing existing needs and determining priorities that might be funded from Transit Tax revenue. Performing the Transit Plan update had included reaching out and engaging with providers, stakeholders, and others, she said. Ms. Dwyer explained that the Plan update was based on what could be done with current revenue balance and what projects might enhance existing services. She provided an overview of project goals and summarized two phases of public engagement that had occurred in 2020 and 2022. The takeaway from the first phase was that people want revenue to be spent on more frequent transit service, and the goal of the second phase was for transit riders to vet proposed projects, she said. Ms. Dwyer went through a list of criteria for project selection. She described five service improvement projects for the US 15-501 corridor and several other projects that would improve service on various routes in Town. She described a "Mobility on Demand" service through which Orange County residents would be able to request transportation for a relatively small fee. She discussed a plan to provide Transit service for Page 12 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 more hours per day. Ms. Dwyer described an effort to represent future priority corridors in the Transit Plan and to create a unified vision to work toward in the future. She presented a conceptual map that showed where future transit service might be focused and characterized that as a vision that regional transit service providers could coalesce around. Ms. Dwyer discussed the effort to create a Transit Plan that would be engaging, accessible, and easy to understand. The Plan would include information about unfunded priorities and projects and would show how Transit revenue was being used to supplement service in response to what residents said was important, she explained. She said that a final Transit Plan update would go to the County Commissioners in June for adoption in fall 2022. Council Member Berry verified that current demand response vehicles used gas but that electric vehicles would be added in the future through attrition and possible investments through new federal programs. Mr. Litchfield said that Chapel Hill Transit was looking at replacing demand response vehicles for 2024/2025 when performance improves. The Council confirmed with Ms. Dwyer and Mr. Litchfield that Orange County, Durham County, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Go Triangle were the entities that would vote on the final Transit Plan. Mr. Litchfield said that Chapel Hill Transit had been advocating for having a vote on a staff working group that makes recommendations regarding how money is allocated on an annual basis. Council Member Ryan commented on how Chapel Hill having such a diluted influence felt odd to her and said that she hoped that would change in the long term. Council Member Parker replied that such a change would require a conversation among state legislators regarding enabling legislation. Council Member Searing mentioned increasing congestion on Highway 15-501 and Ms. Dwyer explained that the issue was lack of funding. She recommended that the Town ensure that its land use supports transit in that corridor. One of the best ways to be competitive was to have ridership that would support the project, she said. She said that regional partners would be more likely to obtain federal funding if they work together and pool resources rather than try to do projects piecemeal. Council Member Parker noted that Chapel Hill was a large employment center with a tax base that did not support the level of transit that it and Orange County needed. He pointed out that the approximate $9.5 million that the half-cent sales tax generated each year was about a third of Page 13 of 14 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 4, 2022 Chapel Hill Transit's operating budget. That budget would always be short unless and until other sources of funding were found, he said. Mayor Hemminger thanked Council Member Parker for being the Council's representative on the Policy Steering Committee. She thanked Ms. Dwyer for her work as well and said she looked forward to hearing more and seeing a cooperative regional approach. This item was received as presented. APPOINTMENTS 11. Appointments to the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Board. [22-0386] The Council re-appointed Lucy Vanderkamp as the Greenways Advocate and appointed Stefan Klakovich as the Stormwater Advocate to the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Board. The Council seeks a Non-Town of Chapel Hill resident from Orange, Durham, Alamance or Chatham County to fill the Regional Collaboration seat and will appoint the two Chapel Hill resident seats at a future meeting. 12. Appointments to the Grievance Hearing Board. [22-0387] The Council re-appointed Howard Kallem and Liliane Komlos and appointed Maria Chapa to the Grievance Hearing Board. 13. Appointments to the Planning Commission. [22-0388] The Council appointed Chuck Mills to the Planning Commission. The Council seeks additional applicants for the Planning Commission and will make additional appointments in late June. ADJOURNMENT This meeting was adjourned at 10:12 p.m. Page 14 of 14