While leafing through a coupon circular in the newspaper in the days leading up to Mother’s Day (don’t judge: we all cope with the stay-at-home order in our own way), I came across a somewhat alarming advertisement come-on: “Make Mom Melt Away.” In this time of mandated togetherness, I’m sure the ad copywriter for that […]
All posts tagged development
We’re still here
Posted by Nancy Oates on May 11, 2020
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2020/05/11/were-still-here/
Speak for the trees
When development proposals came before Town Council, Jim Ward, council member from 1999 to 2015, could be relied upon to speak for the trees. When I joined council and he did not get re-elected, I took on that mantle. Now I’m leaving council, and no one has emerged to protect our environment in this fundamental […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on December 2, 2019
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2019/12/02/speak-for-the-trees/
Two views of affordable housing
I attended two events over the weekend that showed the complicated issue of boosting the amount of affordable housing, from the perspective of the investor and the end-user. Each left me somewhat disheartened. Community Empowerment Fund’s “Affordable Housing: The Musical” poked fun at council members, developers and others in the community while sharing the experiences […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on November 25, 2019
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2019/11/25/2852/
Managing growth
I had forgotten how many, many stars abide in the sky until this past week when I went to a place dark enough to see them. Light pollution wipes them from visibility. When I lived in Manhattan, I never saw a star outside of the planetarium. Over time, light pollution has crept into Chapel Hill, […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on August 12, 2019
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2019/08/12/managing-growth/
Why I’m running
Last week we held one of the oddest council meetings I have seen in the decade I have been keeping tabs on council business. Odd that we called a special meeting in the summer to revote on something we had voted on five months earlier. Odder still the number of politicians and political advocates lobbying […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on July 22, 2019
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2019/07/22/why-im-running/
If we build it …
Which came first — residents with a plethora of discretionary income? Or craft breweries, tapas bars and the availability of Starbucks’ White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino on every street corner? If we build it, they will come, goes the adage. Last Friday morning at the town’s Economic Sustainability Committee meeting, Alisa Duffey Rogers, project manager of […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on June 10, 2019
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2019/06/10/if-we-build-it/
Rogers Road victory
The historically black Rogers Road neighborhood crossed the finish line this past week on quality-of-life improvements years in the making. Town Council approved rezoning that would protect the neighborhood from the over-development expected once the sewer line extends into the area. The neighborhood, north of Homestead Road and east of Rogers Road, sits just south […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on May 27, 2019
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2019/05/27/rogers-road-victory/
The New Historic District
As the Town Council’s liaison to the Historic District Commission since the 2015 election, I’ve had a front-row seat to many redevelopment proposals by people who have no clue what value historic neighborhoods add to our community. The presentations follow a form so uniform that it appears to be an Internet download. The presentations apparently […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on May 13, 2019
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2019/05/13/the-new-historic-district/
Women helping women
I go to a lot of meetings, and some of them are productive. Some lay the groundwork for future success. Others are simply vehicles for egos to preen. To offset the waste of time of the latter, I occasionally volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. It is satisfying to see what can be accomplished by a […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on May 6, 2019
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2019/05/06/women-helping-women/
Losing our towns
When we take road trips, I sometimes like to get off the interstate and drive some state and county roads to see the different Americas in our country. There are so many. Over the decades that I’ve done this, I’ve come to appreciate the stability of life in small and midsize towns, despite the vastly […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on March 25, 2019
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2019/03/25/losing-our-towns/