Town Council

Town Hall TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Town Council Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Meeting Minutes - Final Mayor Jessica Anderson Council Member Theodore Nollert Mayor pro tem Amy Ryan Council Member Adam Searing Council Member Camille Berry Council Member Elizabeth Sharp Council Member Melissa McCullough Council Member Karen Stegman Council Member Paris Miller-Foushee Wednesday, January 24, 2024 6:00 PM RM 110 | Council Chamber Language Access Statement In-Person Meeting Notification View the Meeting • View and participate in the Council Chamber. • Live stream the meeting - https://chapelhill.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx • Spectrum is replacing 1998 encoder that transmits programming to cable channel 18. It remains offline until complete. • View on cable television channel at Chapel Hill Gov-TV (townofchapelhill.org/GovTV) • The Town of Chapel Hill wants to know more about who participates in its programs and processes, including Town Council meetings. • Participate in a voluntary demographic survey before viewing online or in person - https://www.townofchapelhill.org/demosurvey Parking • Parking is available at Town Hall lots and the lot at Stephens Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. • See http://www.parkonthehill.com for other public lots on Rosemary Street • Town Hall is served by NS route and T route, and GoTriangle Routes of Chapel Hill Transit. Page 1 of 8 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 24, 2024 Entry and Speakers • Entrance on the ground floor. • Sign up at the meeting starting at 5:30 PM with the Town Clerk to speak. • If more than 14 people sign up for an item, Council will reduce speaking time from 3 minutes to 2 min./person. • Please do not bring signs. ROLL CALL Mayor Jessica Anderson called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and explained the rules for public participation. Council Member Stegman was absent, excused. Present: 8 - Mayor Jessica Anderson, Mayor pro tem Amy Ryan, Council Member Camille Berry, Council Member Paris Miller-Foushee, Council Member Adam Searing, Council Member Theodore Nollert, Council Member Melissa McCullough, and Council Member Elizabeth Sharp Absent: 1 - Council Member Karen Stegman OTHER ATTENDEES Town Manager Chris Blue, Deputy Town Manager Mary Jane Nirdlinger, Deputy Town Manager Loryn Clark, Town Attorney Ann Anderson, Executive Director for Strategic Communications and Marketing Susan Brown, Planning Director Britany Waddell, Police Officer Lloyd Osborne, Fire Marshal Chris Covington, Transit Director Brian Litchfield, Transit Planning Manager Caroline Dwyer, Transit Development Manager Matt Cecil, Community Safety Public Information Officer Alex Carrasquillo, Assistant Town Clerk Brenton Hodge, and Deputy Town Clerk Amy Harvey. OPENING 0.01 Proclamation: National Mentoring Month. [24-0027] Council Member Berry read a proclamation that declared January 2024 to be Mentoring Month in Chapel Hill. She spoke about her personal experience as a mentor and read about how having a mentor could enhance a young person's self-esteem, emotional well-being, and relationships with other adults. The proclamation listed several local mentoring programs and urged community members to become involved. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS 0.02 Mayor Anderson Regarding a Public Information Meeting [24-0028] on the 'Rewriting Our Rules' initiative. Mayor Anderson said that a public information meeting regarding the process of making Town ordinances more compatible with the Council's Page 2 of 8 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 24, 2024 Complete Community vision would be held at 6:00 p.m. on January 31st at the Chapel Hill Public Library. 0.03 Mayor Anderson Regarding Registration for The People's [24-0029] Academy. Mayor Anderson announced that registration for the 2024 People's Academy would be open through February 23rd. She encouraged residents to sign up and learn about the inner workings of the Town. 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. 0.04. Social Host Ordinance [24-0146] Social Host Ordinance. Eight people spoke in favor of instituting a Social Host Ordinance (SHO) in Chapel Hill. Samantha Lu, director of the Campus and Community Coalition (CCC), which works to reduce the negative impacts of high-risk alcohol use, explained that the petition, which had been submitted by CCC and others, was asking the Council to address disruptive parties that impinge upon the quality of life of others. The following four University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) students expressed support for the proposed ordinance: Bhagyashree Behera, a volunteer at the Marion Cheek Jackson Center (Jackson Center), read a statement from Northside resident Hudson Vaughn which said that some parties in Northside could be heard two blocks away and left trash everywhere. Jackson Center volunteer Emily Phan read a statement from Northside resident Cathy Atwater about loud parties that shake neighbors' walls. Ghita Basurto spoke on behalf of a UNC student who had worked with Northside residents and believed that the ordinance would help to ensure that community's wellbeing. Twumasi Duah-Mensah emphasized the need to educate and create a culture of respect for Northside's long-time residents. Bergen Murray, president of the Jackson Center's Leadership Group, commented on the effect of loud and unruly student parties on Northside, Page 3 of 8 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 24, 2024 a historically Black community that was largely comprised of elderly people and families. George Barrett, a Northside resident and the Jackson Center's executive director, said that SHOs had proven to be successful deterrents to loud and unruly parties elsewhere and would improve the quality of life for Chapel Hill residents. Cameron Myers Milne, a recent UNC graduate, said that the proposed ordinance would reduce harm by bringing accountability to the forefront. (Ms. Milne also asked the Council to support a cease-fire in Gaza, which was the next agenda item.) Ryan Kalow, deputy director of state and local relations for UNC's Undergraduate Executive Branch, expressed opposition to the SRO in its current form. He said that charging fines would not be productive and would disproportionally affect marginalized groups and students. The Undergraduate Executive Branch had submitted a written statement to that effect, he said. A motion was made by Council Member Berry, seconded by Mayor pro tem Ryan, that the Council received and referred to the petitions to the Manager and Mayor. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 0.05. Comments Regarding a Ceasefire in Gaza [24-0147] Mayor Anderson explained that speakers time would be limited to two minutes each and that the Council was allowing a total of 30 minutes for the topic. Mayor pro tem Ryan then called people to speak, alternating between those who were for and those who were against a ceasefire in Gaza. PRO. Several UNC students asked the Council to make a clear and unequivocal statement in support of a ceasefire resolution. Hannah urged the Council to adopt the resolution, stating that she felt appalled that her tax dollars were being used to fund Israeli bombing of residences, hospitals and places of worship. Melissa said that Israel was committing genocide against the Palestinian people, and she demanded that the Town call for ceasefire and divest of all business ties to Israel. Holly said that any local government of conscience should oppose the bombing of Gaza's civilian population. Gabe quoted Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who said that being neutral in situations of injustice meant choosing the side of the oppressor. Tico Chavis asked the Council to pass a ceasefire resolution and be transparent about any ties between the Chapel Hill Police Department and Israel. Lauren Gorstein, a Jewish-American UNC student, asked the Council to call an end to the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Travis Wayne, co-chair of the Triangle Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, urged Council Members to also pressure its congressional legislation to support a ceasefire. Adam Blackwell implored the Council to condemn the violence in Gaza, and Kaleb White, a Chapel Hill resident and descendant of Holocaust survivors, called for a ceasefire resolution in his grandfather's Page 4 of 8 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 24, 2024 memory. CON. Chapel Hill resident Gary Zarkin said that Israel was fighting back against Palestinian Hamas fighters who had vowed to destroy Israel. Abby Zarkin said it was Hamas that had turned Gaza's infrastructure into an embedded battlefield and made the people of Gaza its hostages. Amy Rosenthal said that those who were in favor of the resolution were being influenced by anti-Semitic/anti-Israel propaganda and were being manipulated to promote genocide of Jews. Josh Ravitch said that the resolution would divide the Town and would be absurd because Hamas had a record of breaking ceasefires. Kathy Kaufman asked Council Members to not fan the flames by passing the proposed ordinance, and Pamela Ransohoff urged them to stay focused on local issues. Mitchell Pinsky, a UNC graduate student, said that Israel would do what it needed to do to protect itself even if the entire world called for a ceasefire. UNC student David McCrudden deferred his time to Rabbi Zalman, director of Chabad at Durham/Chapel Hill, who said that passing a resolution that pushed Israel to cede its ability to defend itself would mean pitting citizens against each other and tearing the Town apart. Yosam Moahana, who had grown up in Israel, spoke against the proposed resolution and said that Jews had been living on that land for 3,000 years. After 30 minutes, Mayor Anderson acknowledged the fear and anguish of residents across the community and said that the Council had been hearing from people on all sides of the issue and shared their concerns. "We all want an end to the horrific violence. We all want the safe return of hostages. We all want everyone to have access to basic necessities. We all want long-lasting peace," she said. Mayor Anderson pointed out that the Council's job was to ensure the health, safety and well-being of all community members. She said that issuing a resolution on such a highly complex and divisive issue could be divisive rather than bringing people closer together. The Council had been talking with many across the community about finding ways to bring people together to listen to one another, she said. Council Member McCullough proposed that residents support charities that provide support to those being affected. Council Member Berry commented on the complexity of the situation and said that no one in the room wanted to see someone else's loved one die. Mayor Anderson then called for a moment of silence for all who had been impacted and to express a shared desire for peace. 1. Steve Moore Request Regarding Urgent Cemetery Issues. [24-0012] At the end of the meeting, Mayor Anderson pointed out that she had Page 5 of 8 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 24, 2024 neglected to mention a petition from Steve Moore (Item 1) regarding cemetery protection. A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Ryan, seconded by Council Member Berry, that the Council received and referred the petitions to the Manager and Mayor. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 2. Jeffrey Hoagland Regarding the Town's debt. [24-0182] Jeffrey Hoagland, a former candidate for Town Council, said that there was a discrepancy between the Town's reported and actual debt. This item was received as presented. 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 Berry, seconded by Mayor pro tem Ryan, that R-1 be adopted, which approved the Consent Agenda. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 2. Approve all Consent Agenda Items. [24-0013] This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 3. Approve the Miscellaneous Budget Ordinance Amendment to [24-0014] Adjust Various Fund Budgets for FY 2023-24. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 4. Dedicate a Private Sewer Easement on Town Property Located [24-0015] at 505 Craig Street for a Habitat for Humanity Project Located at 307 North Roberson Street. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 5. Call a Legislative Hearing to Consider Land Use Management [24-0016] Ordinance Text Amendments Clarifying the Stormwater Water Quality Volume Requirement and Adding the 100-Year 24-Hour Duration Storm Event to the Peak Flow Rate Requirements for March 20, 2024. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 6. Call a Public Hearing to Consider a Request to Close an [24-0017] Page 6 of 8 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 24, 2024 Unmaintained and Unimproved Public Right-of-Way along Old Hargraves Road on March 20, 2024. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. DISCUSSION 7. North-South Bus Rapid Transit (NSBRT) Update [24-0018] Transit Planning Manager Caroline Dwyer gave a PowerPoint overview of the proposed North-South Bus Rapid Transit (NSBRT) corridor, which would run for 8.2 miles, from Eubanks Road to Southern Village, and include a multi-modal infrastructure. She reported that the Town had been meeting Federal Transit Authority funding milestones and was currently at the 60 percent design engineering phase of the project. Station design was a key element of the 60 percent phase, she said, and she provided information about design considerations such as lighting, canopy, vertical elements, signage, seating, amenities and access. Ms. Dwyer showed a sketch of a potential station. She described a pallet of natural materials that could be used and said that having large canopy roofs was important to the community. She showed examples of potential station options and said that planners would prioritize safety, comfort and rider experience. Ms. Dwyer reviewed next steps in the process and emphasized that there would be many opportunities for engagement and feedback. She noted a graph of future activity that showed NSBRT service being launched in 2029. Mayor pro tem Ryan confirmed with Transit Director Brian Litchfield that the project, which would include expanding infrastructure elements such as electrical charging, would not require additional footprint or bus facility changes. Mr. Litchfield also pointed out that the Town had secured a grant that would take an expanded bus facility up to 90 percent design. Staff was in the process of finalizing a request for proposals for that work, which probably would take 12 to 18 months, he said. Mayor pro tem Ryan confirmed with Mr. Litchfield that the Town would be responsible for 35.5 percent of NSBRT operating costs, with the balance being shared by UNC and Carrboro. She confirmed with Ms. Dwyer that conversations about having some underground utilities had recently begun. She and Project Manager Matt Cecil discussed a controversial BRT station at South Columbia Street, and he said that a NC Department of Transportation had refused to provide a traffic signal at that location. That had created significant potential problems, but staff intended to revisit the issue, he said. The Mayor and Council expressed appreciation to Town staff for their excellent work. Page 7 of 8 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 24, 2024 This item was received as presented. ADJOURNMENT This meeting was adjourned at 7:44 p.m. Page 8 of 8