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, September 14, 2022 7:00 PM RM 110 | Council Chamber Language Access Statement In-person Meeting Notification The Chapel Hill Town Council will meet in person for the Meeting. Where possible, the Council requests that members of the public continue to live stream the meeting and view it over the Town’s cable television channel access at https://chapelhill.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx - and on Chapel Hill Gov-TV (townofchapelhill.org/GovTV) so that we can provide an opportunity for physical distance within the building. Parking • Parking is available at Town Hall lots and the lot at Stephens Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Additional parking is available in several public lots on Rosemary Street. See http://www.parkonthehill.com Entry and COVID-19 Protocols • Entrance on the ground floor. • Visitors and employees will self-screen. Do not enter if you have these symptoms: Fever, chills, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, headache, muscle pain • Attendees are encouraged to wear masks in the building and will sit physically Page 1 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 distanced. Please do not sit in blocked chairs. • The Town of Chapel Hill wants to know more about who participates in its programs and processes, including Town Council meetings. Please participate in a voluntary demographic survey https://www.townofchapelhill.org/demosurvey before viewing online or in person. • Food and drinks are prohibited in the Council Chamber. • Hand sanitizer is located near the main doors. OPENING Mayor Hemminger called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and reviewed the agenda. She pointed out that it was the first in-person council meeting since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor pro tem Stegman read a proclamation for National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th to October 15th), which noted the many significant contributions that Hispanic Americans make to the Town, state, and country. The proclamation encouraged everyone to participate in the celebration and learn more about Hispanic culture. ROLL CALL Council Members Searing and Huynh were absent, excused. Present: 7 - Mayor Pam Hemminger, Mayor pro tem Karen Stegman, Council Member Jessica Anderson, Council Member Camille Berry, Council Member Paris Miller-Foushee, Council Member Michael Parker, and Council Member Amy Ryan Absent: 2 - Council Member Tai Huynh, and Council Member Adam Searing OTHER ATTENDEES Town Manager Maurice Jones, Deputy Town Manager Mary Jane Nirdlinger, Deputy Town Manager Loryn Clark, Town Attorney Ann Anderson, Planning Director Colleen Willger, Assistant Planning Director Judy Johnson, Principal Planner - Historic Preservation Anya Grahn, Library Director Susan Brown, Recreation Supervisor John French, Parks and Recreation Director Phil Fleischmann, Urban Designer Brian Peterson, Planning Manager Corey Liles, Communications Manager Ran Northam, Police Officer Bradley, Fire Marshal Justin Matthews and Assistant Town Clerk Brenton Hodge. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS 0.01 Proclamation: Hispanic Heritage Month [22-0661] Mayor pro tem Stegman read a proclamation for National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th to October 15th), which noted the many significant contributions that Hispanic Americans make to the Town, state, and country. The proclamation encouraged everyone to participate in the Page 2 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 celebration and learn more about Hispanic culture. This item was received as presented. 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; 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. Jeff Charles Requests Regarding 2217 Homestead Road [22-0634] Project. Jeff Charles, the Town's representative to the Orange County Advisory Board on Aging, recommended preserving a 50-foot tree buffer between the Courtyards at Homestead and the 2217 Homestead Road project. He asked the Council to require the developer to include 150-foot merge lanes on both sides of the 2217 development's entrance and to post a sign prohibiting automobile access to the road between the two developments. A motion was made by Council Member Anderson, seconded by Council Member Berry, that the Council received and referred the petition. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 2. Eric Plow Request for Buffer Review Prior to Site Plan Review [22-0635] Application. Mayor Hemminger said that the Audubon Society was promoting two programs ("Leave the Leaves" and "Lights Out") that asked residents to leave fallen leaves on their lawns and to turn their outside lights off at night during the fall season. Leaving leaves would encourage wildlife and turning off lights would reduce confusion for migrating birds, she explained. A motion was made by Council Member Anderson, seconded by Council Member Berry, that the Council received and referred the petition. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 2.01 Barbara Driscoll and Lynda Haake Request Regarding Lights [22-0663] Out Chapel Hill Request for Town Assistance to Explore the Page 3 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 Southern Village Site for New Museum. A motion was made by Council Member Anderson, seconded by Council Member Berry, that the Council received and referred the petition. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 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 Council Member Anderson, seconded by Mayor pro tem Stegman, that R-1 be adopted as amended, which approved the Consent Agenda. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 3. Approve all Consent Agenda Items. [22-0636] This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 4. Enact the Annual Budget Ordinance Amendment to [22-0637] Re-appropriate Funds for Prior Year Encumbrances and Other Commitments. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 5. Approve a Reimbursement Resolution for Future Capital [22-0638] Projects. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 6. Approve a Regional Bus Procurement Interlocal Agreement [22-0639] (ILA). This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 7. Amend Chapter 2 Town Code of Ordinances to Modify the [22-0640] Cultural Arts Commission Membership. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 8. Amend the Personnel Ordinance to Add Time Limited to [22-0641] Categories of Town Positions and Related Employee Benefits. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 9. Approve Chapel Hill Transit’s Title VI Program. [22-0642] This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. Page 4 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 10. Amend the Advisory Board Membership Policy to Require an [22-0643] Application for Appointment. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 11. Approve the Council Naming Committee Recommendation to [22-0644] Install a Plaque Honoring Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP Founding Day at the Hargraves Community Center. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 12. Continue the Legislative Hearing and Defer Considering an [22-0645] Amendment to the Chapel Hill Zoning Atlas for 101 East Rosemary Street Conditional Zoning Application to a Date Uncertain. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 13. Call a Public Hearing for a Time Extension to Issue 2015 [22-0646] General Obligation (G.O.) Bonds for October 12, 2022. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 14. Call a Legislative Hearing for Land Use Management Ordinance [22-0647] Text Amendments - Proposed Changes to Articles 3, 5, 6, and Appendix A Related to Housing Regulations on October 19, 2022. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 15. Call a Legislative Hearing for Land Use Management Ordinance [22-0648] Text Amendments - Proposed Changes to Articles 3, 4, and 5 Related to a Community Priority Review Process for Affordable Housing on October 19, 2022. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 16. Adopt Minutes from October 20, 2021, and November 10, 2021, [22-0649] and December 1 and 8, 2021, and January 5, 12, and 26, 2022 Meetings. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 16.1 Approve a Contract Amendment for a Planning Systems [22-0659] Evaluation. (added 9/13/22) This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. Page 5 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 INFORMATION 17. Receive Upcoming Public Hearing Items and Petition Status [22-0650] List. This item was received as presented. DISCUSSION 18. Approve Council Naming Committee Recommendation to Name [22-0651] the Northside Gym at Hargraves Community Center for Nate Davis and the Indoor Basketball Court at Hargraves Community Center for Fred Battle. Public Library Director Susan Brown, liaison to the Council Naming Committee; and John French, Hargraves Center director; presented Naming Committee recommendations that asked to name the Northside Gym at the Hargraves Community Center in honor of Nate Davis and name the Hargraves indoor basketball court in honor of Fred Battle. Mr. French pointed out that friends and family of both Mr. Davis and Mr. Battle were in the audience. He shared memories of the two men and discussed projects and programs that they had established. He praised them for the impact that they had had on individual lives during their service to the Town. The Council and audience gave both men a standing ovation. Mayor Hemminger confirmed with Ms. Brown that Mr. Battle's name would also be added to those at the Town's Peace and Justice Plaza. A motion was made by Council Member Miller-Foushee, seconded by Council Member Berry, that the Council adopt R-12. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 19. Open the Public Hearing and Consider Action on a Petition to [22-0652] Annex Property at 2200 Eubanks Road. Principal Planner Anya Grahn presented a petition to annex a 19-acre, undeveloped parcel along Eubanks Road in an area recently named Chapel Point Road. She said that the Council had approved a Conditional Zoning District application from Optimal Ventures LLC in June 2022 to build a Putt-Putt Fun Center and conditioned self-storage there. She reviewed the estimated revenues and costs of the annexation and recommended approval. A motion was made by Council Member Parker, seconded by Council Member Anderson, that the Council enact O-4. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. Page 6 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 20. Open the Public Hearing and Consider Action on a Petition to [22-0653] Annex Property at 7300 Millhouse Road. Planning Manager Corey Liles presented a petition to annex property along Mill House Road where a 116,900 square-foot flex warehouse had been proposed. He noted that the site was immediately south of Carolina Donor Services, which the Town had annexed in 2020. The Council had approved final plans for the site in May 2022 based on a Light Industrial Conditional Zoning action that it had previously taken, he said. He reviewed the estimated revenues and costs of the annexation and recommended approval. A motion was made by Council Member Ryan, seconded by Council Member Anderson, that the Council enact O-5. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. ZONING ATLAS AMENDMENT(S) Zoning Atlas Amendment: The Zoning Atlas Amendment, to change the zoning designation on this property, is Legislative. The Council receives and considers public comment on the merits of the proposed rezoning, including opinions, when making Legislative decisions. 21. Open the Legislative Hearing: Conditional Zoning Application for [22-0654] Stanat’s Place at 2516 Homestead Road. Ms. Grahn gave a PowerPoint presentation on a rezoning application for Stanat's Place, a proposed 47-unit, single-family townhome development on 8.97 acres along Homestead Road. She said that the applicant was asking to rezone the Residential-2 site to Residential-5/Conditional Zoning District. Ms. Grahn showed the site plan and indicated property lines, building locations, ingress and egress, stormwater area, and a gathering space/children's playground. She noted a Resource Conservation District (RCD) on the southern portion that included a stream. Ms. Grahn outlined the applicant's request to allow 73 percent RCD land disturbance, rather than the required 40 percent. The applicant had asked to permit 9.3 percent affordable housing (rather than the required 15 percent) and to disturb 95 percent of the steep slopes (rather than adhere to the Town's 25 percent limit), she said. She noted that the applicant was also proposing to maintain an existing 50-foot forested buffer along the stream, rather than build a new 10-foot buffer. Ms. Grahn explained that the applicant had proposed to extend Vineyard Square's Cabernet Drive and connect it to new streets that would Page 7 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 ultimately lead to Homestead Park. Due to Vineyard Square residents' concerns about traffic and safety, however, the applicant had proposed to place collapsible bollards at that connection, she said. However, the Chapel Hill Fire Department was not in support of bollards because they could interfere with emergency response, Ms. Grahn said. She said that Town staff favored a full connection with Cabernet Drive because that would provide direct access to neighborhoods and amenities, decrease miles traveled, improve emergency response time, and address Town connectivity goals. Ordinance A included full connectivity, she said. Ms. Grahn indicated a list of Town advisory boards' and commissions' recommendations, and she commented on some of them. She recommended that the Council open the legislative hearing, receive public comment, and continue the hearing to October 12, 2022. Applicant Eric Chupp, representing CapKov Ventures LLC, discussed the location's advantages and provided additional information on the site. He elaborated on plans for a central park and showed a diagram of where sidewalks would connect. He indicated where a greenway trail would run through the property and eventually connect to Homestead Park if a small section could be worked out with Vineyard Square. He proposed including a turnaround at the connection with Cabernet Drive where the bollards were being considered. Mr. Chupp explained his requested modifications to regulations. He said that the RCD disturbance would be limited to the least sensitive zones. He pointed out that 96 percent of the site's steep slopes were man-made and located on only 2.5 percent of the site. He discussed CapKov Ventures's proposal to leave the 75-100 feet of dense vegetation rather than clearing it out and planting a 10-foot Type B buffer. Mr. Chupp said that the affordable housing plan was that four of the 1,700 square-foot/2-car garage units would be affordable, which would open them up to larger families. Three of those four would be for families earning 65 percent, or less, of the area median income (AMI) and the other one would be for those earning 80 percent, or less, of AMI, he said. He mentioned that all of the affordable units would have three bedrooms and would look like the market rate ones. Mr. Chupp said that he agreed with all of the advisory boards' comments. The proposed project was in line with the Town's Comprehensive Plan and its Future Land Use Map, he said. The Council confirmed with Mr. Liles that the Planning Commission was in favor of a full connection with Cabernet Drive, with a condition that prohibited construction traffic there. Commission members had also advocated for reducing parking numbers in order to encourage Transit use, Mr. Liles said. Council Member Ryan pointed out that the Housing Page 8 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 Advisory Board's vote had been 3-2. It would be helpful for the Council to see dissenters' comments as well, she said. The Council confirmed with Mr. Chupp that the proposed 4.4 parking spaces per unit would include both garage and driveway spaces. That total had been based on the understanding that people use their garages for things other than cars and then park in their driveways, he said. The Council asked staff to look into whether reducing parking would enable a better design and suggested that Ms. Willger draw from the Town's new Complete Community Plan. Council Member Parker said that the applicant's proposed $9,000 payment in lieu to Parks & Recreation for the greenway was insufficient and that the issue would need to be resolved before the Council could vote on the project. Mr. Chupp replied that he thought the plan was for a mulched path. Mayor pro tem Stegman verified that CapKov Ventures was not interested in making a voluntary payment to Transit. The development would generate a very low amount of traffic, Mr. Chupp said. The Mayor and Council ascertained that the applicant would adjust prices for the affordable units according to Community Home Trust's procedure. They also confirmed that CapKov Ventures would agree to no short-term rentals. Mr. Chupp said that he hoped the issue regarding access from Vineyard Square to the greenway would be resolved during negotiations between Vineyard Square residents and the Town's Parks and Recreation Department. Vineyard Square residents Shiyue Lu, Nidhi Sachdeva, Yehua Wei, Susan Nasser and Carl Schuler expressed concerns about their neighborhood becoming a short-cut to Stanat's Place and beyond. They expressed a preference for traffic-calming strategies over bollards, and Mr. Wei proposed lowering the speed limit on Cabernet Drive, if full vehicle access were allowed. Ian Baltutis, a Vintage Drive resident, said it would be counterproductive to set a precedent for walling neighborhoods off from each other with bollards or other traffic-blocking devices. He also said that the applicant should abide by the Town's 15 percent affordable housing requirement and that the greenway connection should be paved rather than mulched for accessibility reasons. Andrew Kane, a Chapel Hill renter, encouraged the Council to approve the project, noting that he and others were having difficulty finding affordable housing in Chapel Hill. Page 9 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 The Council said that the project was going in the right direction and getting close to the type of Complete Community design they sought. They emphasized Town connectivity goals and recommended that Town staff and the applicant work with the fire marshal to find a traffic-calming solution. They discussed the possibility of using bollards at Cabernet Drive, and Mayor Hemminger pointed out that collapsible bollards pop back up after being run over. Council Members said that the applicant's affordable housing proposal would provide important benefits for the community even though it did not meet the Town's 15 percent standard. They noted that affordable units were typically much smaller than those being offered and that three of the four would be for 65 percent, or less, of AMI, and for sale. They emphasized the importance of not setting a precedent for 10 percent, however. The Council asked staff to look for ways to reduce the parking. Mayor Hemminger said, in summary, that the Council supported having guest parking spaces that were not on the street but did not think that four spaces per unit made sense. She also stressed that the Town needed to consider going all electric. Council Member Parker asked the applicant to look into creating a culture of bicycle use within the community. He pointed out that a hard surface greenway would be necessary for that, and Mayor Hemminger agreed that the greenway needed to be a real one. She recommended that staff work with the Bike and Pedestrian team on that. Council Member Ryan said that roads going into the RCD would be okay but having a stormwater pond there would not. She noted the effects of stream disturbances on downstream flooding and asked the applicant to look into putting the stormwater system underground. A motion was made by Council Member Anderson, seconded by Council Member Berry, that the Council continued the Legislative Hearing to October 12, 2022. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. CONCEPT PLAN REVIEW(S) Concept Plans: Presentations for Concept Plans will be limited to 15 minutes. Concept Plan review affords Council members the opportunity to provide individual reactions to the overall concept of the development which is being contemplated for future application. Nothing stated by individual Council members this evening can be construed as an official position or commitment on the part of a Council member with respect to the position they may take when and if a formal application for development is subsequently submitted and comes before the Council for formal consideration. Page 10 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 As a courtesy to others, people speaking on an agenda item are normally limited to three minutes. Persons who are organizing a group presentation and who wish to speak beyond the three minute limit are requested to make prior arrangements through the Mayor’s Office by calling 968-2714. 22. Concept Plan Review: White Oak Drive Multifamily, 11 N. White [22-0655] Oak Drive. Planning Director Colleen Willger presented two concept plans for the Gateway Area, which the Town's Future land Use Map (FLUM) had identified for high intensity/high density uses. She said that Planning staff had been following place-making principles and closely tracking a Complete Community strategy with consultants Jennifer Hurley and Rod Stevens. Staff had held community workshops over the summer and would continue to work with the community throughout the fall, she said. Ms. Willger described how the total development would connect to nearby businesses, such as Wegmans and Eastowne, and have a multi-modal and walkable focus. She said that community members had raised concerns about traffic. Planners believed that adding more streets would disperse traffic and that adding greenways, bicycle connections, and multi-use trails would provide incentives to not use cars, she said. Ms. Willger presented concept plans for two (White Oak and Gateway) of four potential developments for the Gateway Area. She began with White Oak, which was on a nine-acre site that was currently zoned Residential-1, even though the FLUM identified it as high density. The applicant was proposing 381 dwelling units in four- to five-story buildings wrapped around parking garages, she said. There would be up to four stories in the transitional area along Old Chapel Hill Road, but some community members wanted that reduced to three stories and stepped back, she said. Ms. Willger said that there had been community discussion regarding the buildings’ lengths, and she pointed out that shortening the buildings could mean having to make them taller. She said that the Community Design Commission (CDC) had thought the project was too dense, out of scale with the neighborhood, and lacking in open space. The Housing Advisory Board (HAB) had recommended that the project serve under 60 percent AMI levels, and the Stormwater Management Utility Advisory Board (SMUAB) had commented on stream protection, permeable surfaces, and green infrastructure, she said. Ms. Willger then presented the Gateway concept plan, which showed a low-density, residential development on 16 acres zoned Residential-1. She pointed out that the site was twice as large as White Oak but had the same number (380) of dwelling units. She outlined a plan for surface Page 11 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 parking, stormwater ponds, and an extended street network that would connect to White Oak. Ms. Willger said that the CDC had recommended that the applicant reduce surface parking and add more internal connectivity and greenspace. The HAB had wanted to see the affordable units interspersed throughout the site. Some SMUAB members had commented on the RCD, even though the plan was consistent with state requirements, she said. Mayor Hemminger confirmed with Ms. Willger that the CDC's comments had been made prior to work being done over the summer. The Council verified that both projects were within walking distance of transit and that the two Gateway Area projects that were not presenting had been participating in the planning process. The Council would consider all four projects together at some point, Ms. Willger said. Applicant Lance Sherman, representing Davis Development, discussed the revised concept plan for White Oak. He pointed out how the street network had changed due to staff recommendations. He said that the total number of units had been reduced from 381 to 338 and that the building along Old Chapel Hill Road had been lowered from five to four stories. All of the parking would be covered and wrapped by units and there would be a pool on the top deck, he said. Mr. Sherman showed renderings of what the four-story elevation would look like. He said that Davis Development was waiting to hear from the HAB regarding affordable housing, but they had heard that vouchers might be applicable. Davis Development wanted the Council's opinion on numbers and AMI percentages, he said. A motion was made by Council Member Anderson, seconded by Mayor pro tem Stegman, that the Council adopt R-13. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 23. Concept Plan Review: Gateway, E. Lakeview Drive. [22-0656] Jim Earnhardt, representing Bryan Properties Inc. and Northview Partners, explained that their 16-acre Gateway parcel included multiple owners and heirs. Bryan Properties had closed on about half of those and expected to close on the others in coming months, he said. He explained that the current goal was to create a sense of place and establish a pattern for future development. The primary focus thus far had been on the public realm, he said. Mr. Earnhardt presented a concept plan that included two-lane roads with sidewalks, seven-foot tree planting areas, on-street parking, pocket parks, a club house/pool for market rate units, several ponds, and various courtyards throughout. Over the summer, they had extended the road network, added a multi-use path, linear park and greenway, and Page 12 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 re-configured a senior living building, he said. Mr. Earnhardt said that the Gateway site scored well for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program and Bryan Properties believed there would be a good market for up to 72 units of low-income senior housing at the site. He showed overhead and street-level views and discussed a potential east-west corridor. He discussed the streetscape and how the overall plan was similar to Southern Village, which Bryan Properties had also developed. Council Members confirmed that the applicant's intent was to build the infrastructure for affordable housing and then consider making a donation toward it if they did not receive LIHTC approval. They also confirmed that the plan included surface parking spaces on both sides of the streets and behind buildings. There would be 1.5 parking spaces per market rate unit and one space per affordable unit, Mr. Earnhardt said. The Council verified that neither White Oak nor Gateway contained any vertical, integrated retail. Both developers said that they probably would include on-site amenities, such as coffee shops and co-working spaces. However, the logical place for retail would be on the two sites that had not yet presented, since those were closer to Highway 15-501, they said. Mayor Hemminger confirmed that neither project planned to include for sale units, but Mr. Earnhardt said that Gateway could be a catalyst for some of those in the future. The Mayor emphasized a Town goal of including public gathering spaces that would bring people into the area. She ascertained from Ms. Willger that staff had tentatively identified an area for that along Highway 15-501. Frank Christenson, a Chapel Hill resident, spoke in favor of the project. The entire Gateway Area development could enable the Town to be a national model for residential/commercial development, he said. Joanna Pomerantz, a Chapel Hill native, said that development in the area would increase traffic on roads and intersections that were not able to handle it. She characterized having multi-use paths as "laughable" since it would not be possible to go anywhere beyond Old Chapel Hill Road without a car. She asked the Council to honor the intent of the FLUM and decrease the size and density of the proposed developments. Charles Berlin, sponsor of a petition with 500 signatures that sought an improved and integrated plan, said that the extreme density of the White Oak plan was out-of-scale with the surrounding area and the opposite of what the Town's consultants had espoused. The White Oak applicant had failed to consider the characteristics of complete communities, had ignored Planning Department and CDC recommendations, and had brushed community concerns aside, he said. Page 13 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 Susan Rice, a Pope Crossing resident, said that any effort by the Town Council to rezone the land and add thousands of people to the area of single-family neighborhoods would be "unethical" since the property was located in Durham County. Mayor Hemminger clarified that the Gateway Area was within Chapel Hill's zoning jurisdiction. She said that many other properties in Town were in a similar situation. Mayor pro tem Stegman commented on the importance of making the benefits of a Complete Community clear to those who already live in the neighborhood. All Council Members praised Town Planning staff for their fine work. Council Member Anderson said that having a shared-road network and shared amenities was a huge accomplishment and Council Member Parker said it was some of the best Planning work that he had seen. Mayor Hemminger thanked the developers for being willing to work together. Council Members agreed that the Gateway project worked better than White Oak, since structured parking with a wrapped building was not what the Town wanted. They characterized White Oak as massive and lacking in any effort toward place-making and tree preservation. They urged the developer to move away from that suburban orientation. They preferred height over mass and going higher at the core might be preferable, some said. The Council spoke more favorably about the Gateway project, due to its good human scale and walkability. The project was moving in the right direction but needed more community gathering spaces, they said. Council Member Ryan proposed moving away from the more suburban model of pool/clubhouse/exercise room and toward more gathering spaces, such as coffee shops and bodegas. Council Member Parker pointed out that eliminating at least some of the surface parking would free up space for more public amenities. Mayor Hemminger raised the idea of combining the proposed pocket parks into one larger gathering area that would provide more of a sense of community. Council Members said they wanted more certainty regarding affordable housing. Some expressed skepticism about the possibility of Gateway obtaining LIHTC approval and asked the applicant to provide additional options. They discussed traffic concerns, and Mayor Hemminger said that she wanted to know if the developers were willing to make road improvements. The Council noted that neither plan included for sale housing, and Mayor Hemminger pointed out that it would be okay if the other two parcels provided it. Council Members stressed the importance of keeping as many internal stands of trees as possible, not just having trees in the buffers. Page 14 of 15 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final September 14, 2022 Several Council Members commented on how they were still looking for "that wow factor" that would be key to integrating the four projects. Mayor Hemminger mentioned changes that the Council had made to the Town's Blue Hill District's standards for block size and other factors. Such changes had led to a better sense of community at Blue Hill, she said, and she urged Gateway Area developers to consider those as well. She spoke about the Town's need for housing, the jobs coming, and the Town’s need for people to be able to live, work, and play in the same community, she said. She pointed out that condos sell fast in Chapel Hill. A motion was made by Council Member Anderson, seconded by Mayor pro tem Stegman, that the Council adopt R-14. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. APPOINTMENTS 24. Appointments to the Community Policing Advisory Committee. [22-0657] The Council appointed Andrew Gary and Hilary Rau to the Community Policing Advisory Committee. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10:29 p.m. Page 15 of 15