We’ve gotten spoiled. With Town Council’s newfound determination to end council meetings before midnight, and breaking out council discussions in midweek work sessions at the library (which are not on TV nor videoed and accessible by computer), the regular Monday night meetings end two to three hours after they begin. Tonight may be an exception. [...]
All posts in category CH2020
Feature presentation
Posted by Nancy Oates on May 20, 2013
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2013/05/20/feature-presentation/
A new day
This morning, RAM Development announced it planned to convert all 140 condominums at 140 West into workforce housing. RAM chairman Peter Cummings said the idea came to him like an epiphany as he was driving along West Rosemary Street one afternoon. “I saw this bright light,” he said. “Maybe it was a sign from Heaven, [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on April 1, 2013
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2013/04/01/a-new-day/
A representative view
Former Town Council member Julie McClintock, who also worked for the EPA, has participated in many planning efforts. She offers her reaction to the town’s priority-budgeting survey: In a recent email from the Town, I was invited to take a budget survey to show “what [I] value.” Since I’m an engaged citizen, I took the [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on March 18, 2013
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2013/03/18/a-representative-view/
Transportation meeting tonight
I don’t envy Kumar Neppalli, Chapel Hill’s traffic engineer-in-chief. Estes Drive will get a new traffic light where Library Drive T’s into it. NCDOT will cover the costs. Neppalli will work out the logistics. Everyone who has ever tried to turn east on Estes after leaving the library knows the risk of making that left [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on February 4, 2013
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2013/02/04/transportation-meeting-tonight/
And the answer is …
After last Wednesday’s marathon student-bashing that pushed a couple concept reviews off the agenda, tonight’s meeting portends to be something of a sleeper. Nothing nefarious slipped into the Consent Agenda – even the resolution to amend the town manager’s authority to enter into contracts turns out to extend the authority to department heads, not concentrate [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on January 28, 2013
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2013/01/28/greene-piece/
What’s the rush?
Southern Area resident and CH2020 participant Jeanne Brown has this to say about the proposed Obey Creek development near Southern Village: As has become a common theme in the two-and-a-half-year-old Obey Creek discussion, area residents found that Monday night’s Town Council agenda included another Obey Creek twist: The resolution before Town Council combined discussion and [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on November 8, 2012
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/11/08/whats-the-rush/
Participate?
Lifelong Democrat Garrison Keillor announced he was going to switch parties to become a Republican because he didn’t want to have to care anymore. Taxpayers who participated in the grueling CH2020 process and small area plan meetings know the feeling. After eight months of public participation in CH2020 – more than a year for the [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on October 8, 2012
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/10/08/participate/
Gloves off
It didn’t take long for the magic to wear off. Last week, Town Council clicked through its agenda effortlessly, ending the meeting a minute shy of 8:30 p.m. Last night, council began at a similarly brisk pace. No one from the public signed up to speak at the first four public hearings on the agenda [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on September 20, 2012
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/09/20/gloves-off/
CH2020 win
Town Council approved CH2020 last night during Part 1 of its two-episode season finale. The vote came after nearly three hours of public comment and council discussion. As with any good drama, there was a plot twist – the Planning Board came up with a list of last-minute changes. And there was a very interesting [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on June 26, 2012
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/06/26/ch2020-win/
Learn from Lemony on CH2020
Terri Buckner writes: Tonight the council will decide whether to adopt the Chapel Hill 2020 plan or send it back for additional detail/revisions. The plan combines strategic elements with the beginnings of land use guidance along with an implementation plan for addressing priorities and schedules. The plan has been strongly criticized by some for lacking [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on June 25, 2012
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/06/25/learn-from-lemony-on-ch2020/