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, April 9, 2025 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. 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ROLL CALL Present: 9 - Mayor Jessica Anderson, Mayor pro tem Amy Ryan, Council Member Camille Berry, Council Member Paris Miller-Foushee, Council Member Adam Searing, Council Member Karen Stegman, Council Member Theodore Nollert, Council Member Melissa McCullough, and Council Member Elizabeth Sharp OTHER ATTENDEES Interim Town Manager Mary Jane Nirdlinger, Deputy Town Manager Loryn Clark, Town Attorney Ann Anderson, Strategic Communications and Marketing Executive Director Susan Brown, Affordable Housing and Community Connections Director Sarah Viñas, Affordable Housing Manager Emily Holt, Public Housing Manager Felts Lewis, Funding Programs Coordinator Melissa Peters, Planning Director Britany Waddell, Zoning Adminstrator Corey Liles, Planner II Joshua Mayo, Senior Planner Jacob Hunt, Chief of Staff Jeanne Brown, Fire Marshal Curtis Johnson, Police Officer Danny Lloyd, Town Clerk Brittney Hunt, and Assistant Town Clerk Brenton Hodge. OPENING Mayor Jessica Anderson called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS 0.01 Proclamation: National Library Week. [25-0162] Mayor Anderson proclaimed April 6, 2025 - April 12, 2025 to be National Library Week in the Town of Chapel Hill and urged residents to visit the Chapel Hill Public Library. 0.02 Mayor Anderson Regarding Funding For Libraries. [25-0163] Mayor Anderson called on residents to urge their Congressional delegation to support funding for libraries, following the Council's letter addressing recent federal cuts. 0.03 Mayor Anderson Regarding Open House about the [25-0164] Proposed West Cameron Road Bike Improvements Project. Mayor Anderson announced that an open house for the proposed bike improvement project on West Cameron Road will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on April 10th at the Chapel Hill Public Library. Page 2 of 9 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final April 9, 2025 0.04 Future Public Meeting and Work Session Info. [25-0165] Mayor Anderson announced a virtual public meeting about a proposed multi-family housing project at 115 Chapel Point Road, scheduled for April 14th at 5:15 p.m. Additionally, she mentioned that the upcoming Work Session on April 16th at 6:00 p.m. to hear from Orange County about property revaluation and to discuss the Town's FY 2026 Budget. 0.05 Council Member McCullough Regarding Global Warming. [25-0166] Council Member McCullough pointed out that the recent decade had been the hottest on record. 0.06 Council Member Stegman Regarding Her Anniversary and [25-0167] Staying Loud and Present Considering Current Issues. Council Member Stegman, who was currently celebrating her 20th wedding anniversary, pointed out that same sex marriages had not been legal 20 years ago. She stressed the importance of continuing to defend such human rights. 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. John de Figueiredo Request to Pause Honeysuckle Road [25-0147] Traffic Emplacements Resident John Figeueredo commented on a petition from his neighborhood that requested more community involvement in decisions about traffic-calming on Honeysuckle Road. A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Ryan, seconded by Council Member Berry, that the Council received and referred to the Town Manager. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 1.01 Approve Two Special Meetings on April 14th and 24th at [25-0168] 6pm To Go Into Closed Session To Discuss Town Manager Page 3 of 9 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final April 9, 2025 Hiring Process. A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Ryan, seconded by Council Member McCullough, that the Council formally call for Special Meetings on April 14th and 24th at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall, First Floor Conference room. The purpose of these meetings is for Council to go into Closed Session regarding the Town Manager Hiring process. 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 Mayor pro tem Ryan, seconded by Council Member Miller-Foushee, that R-1 be adopted, which approved the Consent Agenda. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 2. Approve all Consent Agenda Items [25-0148] This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 3. Approve the Miscellaneous Budget Ordinance Amendment to [25-0149] Adjust Various Fund Budgets for FY 2024-25. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 4. Approve a Like-Kind Transfer of a Firefighter Personal [25-0150] Protective Ensemble (Turnout Gear). This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 5. Award Bid to Daniels Inc. of Garner for Street Patching, Milling, [25-0151] Resurfacing, and Re-Striping on Town-Maintained Streets. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 6. Dedicate a Private Sewer Easement on Town Property Located [25-0152] at ‘Merritt’s Pasture Park’ for a Private Residence Located at 416 Morgan Creek Road. This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted as amended. 7. Call a Hearing to Consider a Land Use Management Ordinance [25-0153] Text Amendment to Article 8 Related to Rules of the Boards and Commissions This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. Page 4 of 9 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final April 9, 2025 8. Designate a Voting Delegate to the NC League of Municipalities [25-0154] Annual Conference This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. 9. Adopt Minutes from October 9, and 23, 2024, and November 13, [25-0155] and 20, 2024, and December 2, 2024, and January 15, 2025, Meetings This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted. DISCUSSION 10. Approve the Town’s Public Housing Program Annual Plan and [25-0156] Five-Year Plan (with Five-Year Capital Fund Plan) Public Housing Manager Felts Lewis presented the Affordable Housing and Community Connections Department's FY 2016 Annual Plan, Five-Year Plan, and Five-Year Capital Fund Action Plan for Council approval. He explained that the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which funds the Town's Public Housing Program, requires the Town to submit these plans annually. Mr. Lewis detailed the staff's efforts to improve the Town's "troubled" HUD status and outlined how an estimated $937,504 from HUD would be allocated for repairs and renovations. He requested the Council's approval of the three plans, as outlined in Resolution 8, and noted that all forms must be submitted to HUD by April 17, 2025. Mayor Pro Tem Ryan confirmed with Mr. Lewis that the upcoming Trinity Court project would not affect the Town's HUD score, as it is not part of the current portfolio. The Mayor and Council commended the staff for their work in creating a sustainable plan to address the "troubled" HUD status. Council Member Stegman expressed her satisfaction with the staff's plan to revert to HUD standards for eligibility criteria, particularly the priority given to people experiencing homelessness. A motion was made by Council Member Miller-Foushee, seconded by Council Member Berry, that the Council adopt R-8. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 11. Hold a Public Forum on the draft 2025-26 CDBG Annual Action [25-0157] Plan and 2025-29 5-Year Consolidated Plan. Funding Program Coordinator Melissa Peters presented information regarding the 2025-2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from HUD. She reviewed the Town's history of compliance with HUD reporting requirements and noted that all currently funded Town Page 5 of 9 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final April 9, 2025 projects were on track to meet their outcome goals. She highlighted how CDBG criteria closely align with Town priorities. Ms. Peters explained that a consortium led by Orange County had developed the Consolidated Five-Year Plan, which addresses Town and County funding priorities for CDBG and HOME funding for FY 2025-2029. Community engagement efforts, including an online survey and multiple in-person events, led to the following 2025-2029 priorities: increasing affordable rental housing, preserving and rehabilitating affordable housing, increasing permanent supportive housing and housing for special needs populations, and supporting neighborhood revitalization and essential community services. Ms. Peters reported that staff had recently intensified efforts to inform more affordable housing providers about CDBG funding. The Town had received 12 funding requests, totaling $1,842,927. Staff was recommending full funding for seven partner organization projects, two Town projects, and administrative costs. She then described each of the recommended programs. Ms. Peters stated that the current hearing would fulfill a federal requirement to review program outcomes for the current year. There would be a 30-day public comment period before the Council takes action in May 2025. She requested that the Council open the public hearing and receive comments on the two plans. No comments were provided at the forum. This item was received as presented. 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. 12. Close the Hearing and Consider a Conditional Zoning [25-0158] Application for 200 South Elliott Road Planner II Joshua Mayo informed the Council that the rezoning hearing for 200 South Elliott Road, originally scheduled for January 2025, was being continued. He displayed the project's location on a map and noted that staff found the application consistent with the Town's Comprehensive Plan and Land-Use Management Ordinance (LUMO). He recommended that the Council close the public hearing and adopt either Resolution A to approve or Resolution B to deny the application. Jessica Hardesty, a land planner with McAdams, described the project on a four-acre site along South Elliott Road. She outlined the proposed locations for a private drive to the north and a small frontage on Couch Road. The requested rezoning to a Mixed-Use Zone would permit Page 6 of 9 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final April 9, 2025 ground-floor retail with apartments above. Rockwood Development Group, the applicant, committed to installing a 12-foot multi-use path through the site, a private courtyard, and two semi-public courtyards facing South Elliott Road. Ms. Hardesty reviewed the changes to the project since the January 2025 Council meeting. These changes included revising the proposed affordable housing contribution from a 10 percent split between 65 and 80 percent of the area median income to either five percent at 65 percent AMI or a $1.125 million payment in lieu. Other changes involved reducing the minimum retail space, adjusting the range of new units, increasing the tree canopy minimum, changing the EV mix, and switching to a National Green Building Standard silver rating goal. Council Members confirmed with Ms. Hardesty that the final number of parking spaces would likely be lower than the maximum allowed. They also ascertained that construction costs had led to approximately half of the area along South Elliott Road being used for purposes other than retail. The leasing space would remain, and there would be another non-residential component, such as retail or a restaurant. When asked to commit to public retail, Ms. Hardesty agreed to not permit office space at that location. The Council confirmed that on-site recreation would include a pool, courtyard, and indoor amenities such as a gym and clubhouse, and that the applicant was committing to 100-year stormwater mitigation. Suzanna Dancy, representing Rockwood Development, explained that affordable housing was based on factors such as the project's affordability and a LUMO precedent of $75,000 per 15 units, and noted that building residential-only units would not lead to more AH due to the high cost of producing AH. Ms. Dancy reminded the Council that the Town had several Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects in the pipeline with funding gaps. A PIL applied to these projects could contribute to more affordable units in the Town. Director of Affordable Housing and Community Connections Sarah Viñas confirmed that between $1.5 million and $2 million was needed to subsidize a 50-unit LIHTC project. Bill Darragh, owner of The Casual Pint, spoke about current traffic problems on South Elliott Road due to an insufficient number of loading zones. He expressed concern that the area would not be able to accommodate more high-rise buildings. Most Council Members agreed that a $2 million PIL for LIHTC sounded like a good solution, and some wondered if reducing the parking requirement might lead to a higher PIL offer. Mayor pro tem Ryan characterized the project as teetering on the edge of viability, and Council Member Sharp Page 7 of 9 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final April 9, 2025 likened it to trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Mayor Anderson urged the Council to be thoughtful about rejecting projects that could provide needed resources for the Town. She noted that greenways rather than roads were part of the Council's overall vision, and the location was suitable for housing and possibly retail. However, the majority of Council Members were not willing to vote for the project as is. Mayor Anderson proposed increasing the PIL amount for LIHTC, and Ms. Dancy ultimately offered $2 million. A motion was made by Council Member Nollert, seconded by Council Member McCullough, that the Council close the legislative hearing and adopt R-9. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 7 - Mayor Anderson, Mayor pro tem Ryan, Council Member Miller-Foushee, Council Member Stegman, Council Member Nollert, Council Member McCullough, and Council Member Sharp Nay: 2 - Council Member Berry, and Council Member Searing A motion was made by Council Member Nollert, seconded by Council Member Miller-Foushee, that the Council enact O-6 as amended . The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 7 - Mayor Anderson, Mayor pro tem Ryan, Council Member Miller-Foushee, Council Member Stegman, Council Member Nollert, Council Member McCullough, and Council Member Sharp Nay: 2 - Council Member Berry, and Council Member Searing Continued Discussion 13. Discuss Upcoming Work Session Agenda Item Topics [25-0159] Interim Town Manager Mary Jane Nirdlinger outlined the Council's schedule through June 2025 and proposed discussing topics to be included in upcoming work sessions. Council Members offered the following suggestions: explore tenant protections such as a provision that would allow tenants to withhold rent until an uninhabitable property was made habitable; discuss the effects of the Town's Housing Choice Amendment, including a review of dimensional standards; address issues related to homelessness and AH innovations such as alternative housing models; look at stormwater within the context of new Jordan Lake Rules; discuss WASMPBA (Water and Sewer Boundary Page 8 of 9 Town Council Meeting Minutes - Final April 9, 2025 Modification); learn more about the financial aspects of development and ways to streamline the process; receive an update on plans for Parking Lot 2; get an update from the Economic Development Department; review best practices for urban redevelopment; and have the Incremental Development Alliance come and speak. Staff agreed to make a list with checkboxes where the Mayor and Council could indicate their levels of interest in each topic. This matter was received and filed ADJOURNMENT This meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m. Page 9 of 9