What Do you Know About the Proposed County Land Use Ordinance?

Neighbors for Responsible Growth will sponsor a question and answer session on the County’s proposed Land Use Ordinance  with Craig Benedict and the Orange County Planning Department on Wednesday night, 7 – 9 pm in the Southern Human  Services Building on Homestead Road.

This is your opportunity to find out what this ordinance means.  We’ve heard concerns about the concept of a “floating zone” and stream buffers.  Send us your concerns.  If you would like to participate in other small group meetings on this topic, let us know.

Obey Creek Concept a Bad Idea

These comments were presented to the Chapel Hill Town Council on November 8, 2010.

In 1992 the Town of Chapel Hill developed a Small Area Plan that created zoning and development parameters for the area south of 15-501. The two year process included all stakeholders in that area of Town. The Plan balanced a dense urban development with the preservation of surrounding environmentally sensitive areas and open space.

Today, this area contains both dense urban development, Southern Village, and a largely undeveloped area east of Southern Village along Obey Creek. Neighbors for Responsible Growth (NRG) is opposed to the Town Council pursuing a radical change for this plan and to the Town undertaking a Development Agreement for the Obey Creek area which was intended to be protected with low density zoning.

University Gets Ready to Apply for Army Corps Permit

UNC is about to apply for a 50 year permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers in preparation for when the economy improves and Carolina North construction begins. The University will convene a public meeting on Tuesday, November 16th in advance of the permit application and will answer questions about the draft application as well as the permitting process required by the Corps before development at Carolina North. The draft application of the permit can be viewed at the Town of Chapel Hill’s website. You can find out more about the application by attending the November 16th public meeting at 5:15 p.m. in the basement conference room of the Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive.

A representative from the Army Corps of Engineers will attend the meeting and be available to explain the permitting process and how the public may participate. Attendees will have opportunities to ask questions and share comments.