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 […]
All posts in category Trees
Speak for the trees
Posted by Nancy Oates on December 2, 2019
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2019/12/02/speak-for-the-trees/
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
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2019/08/12/managing-growth/
Touchstones
The holidays seem to be more hectic this year, perhaps because I had this idea that after we finished our Dec. 5 Town Council meeting and wouldn’t resume meeting until our work session on Jan. 9, I would have a month’s vacation. It didn’t work out that way. Deadlines continued, as did advisory board meetings. […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on December 24, 2018
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2018/12/24/touchstones/
Improving with age
An out-of-state developer recently purchased two houses next door to one another in one of Chapel Hill’s historic districts. The Historic District Commission is bracing for the prospect of demolition applications for the two gracious historic homes. State law, which trumps local laws, does not protect historic properties. If a Historic District Commission denies a […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on November 25, 2018
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2018/11/25/improving-with-age/
The Florence side of trees
After our week of worry, it feels like we dodged a bullet when Hurricane Florence shifted south. In Chapel Hill, the power outages were short-lived, the flooding no worse than expected, and no one has died. Those of us who lived here through Hurricane Fran feel a guilty relief — and empathy after seeing the […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on September 24, 2018
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2018/09/24/the-florence-side-of-trees/
The value of green
To hear business leaders and major investors speak in favor of the need for greenspace as density increases gave me hope. At the Eggs With Elected Officials gathering on April 18, sponsored by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, the topic of what to do with the 36 acres the town had purchased from American […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on May 7, 2018
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2018/05/07/the-value-of-green/
Hot Spots
Things change. I count on that every year when we go out looking for holiday lights. This year we stumbled on a treasure trove of lights to complement our old favorites. We hope you and those you celebrate with will enjoy them: Because Southern Village goes all out for Halloween, we ventured in to see […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on December 25, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/12/25/hot-spots/
Chapel Hill’s Central Park?
Dream first; set your sights; then figure out what you have to do to get there. That philosophy has worked for me over the years, and town staff used it, too, last Saturday by hosting a charrette to find out what value taxpayers believe the 36-acre parcel we bought from the American Legion could add […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on April 10, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/04/10/chapel-hills-central-park/
Lights in the Darkness
The gifts have been unwrapped; the holiday feast reduced to leftovers. But I hope the warmth and joy and generosity of the season have stayed with you. If you need a booster shot of Christmas spirit — especially if the past several months of the presidential campaign and the past several days of the N.C. […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on December 26, 2016
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2016/12/26/lights-in-the-darkness/
The Deciders
Recently I asked the town manager for an organizational flow chart of town staff that would show who was in charge of what. I received 18 pages of charts in response, most of which broke out the hierarchy of positions in each department. The collection led off, however, with a master chart of management levels. […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on August 9, 2016
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2016/08/09/the-deciders/