After my children left home, my husband and I thought of downsizing to Hillsborough, where taxes are a little bit lower. But the historic homes were too big, the small homes in a gentrifying section of town needed too much work, and the new homes in the subdivisions north of town left us uninspired. Knowing […]
All posts tagged development
CHALT makes connections
Posted by Nancy Oates on January 26, 2015
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2015/01/26/chalt-makes-connections/
The price of doing right
Art Pope tried to buy his way into the university and failed. So Pope, the Dick Cheney of the McCrory administration, took another tack: He pressed the N.C. General Assembly, which has appointed several Republican cronies to the UNC System Board of Governors, to push out the system president, a man revered for his integrity, […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on January 19, 2015
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2015/01/19/the-price-of-doing-right/
Roj Mahal
On Thursday, town manager Roger Stancil stamped his approval to Village Plaza Apartments, thus setting in motion what one wag refers to as “Roj Mahal.” Historically, Town Council has had the authority to approve or deny development. But with form-based code rezoning in the Ephesus-Fordham area, Stancil has the final say of what goes up. […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on January 12, 2015
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2015/01/12/roj-mahal/
New Year’s resolutions
My family won’t let me forget the time I passed up a chance to go to the movies so I could observe a Planning Commission meeting instead. Truth be told, the board meeting held greater promise of drama. But I got the message, and one of my New Year’s resolutions is to not put town […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on January 5, 2015
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2015/01/05/new-years-resolutions/
Urban renewal
Don heard that a store in Burlington sold Cheerwine with real sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup, and always one to encourage a healthy lifestyle, I went with him to search. I’d never been to Burlington beyond the outlet stores that used to flourish off the interstate until Tanger Mall lured them away. As we drove […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on December 15, 2014
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2014/12/15/urban-renewal/
Council must govern
Form-based code — it’s everywhere in Chapel Hill these days. First, Town Council approved it for 190 acres in the Ephesus-Fordham area. Currently, Northwood Ravin is trying to get the same liberties offered by form-based code, though it hasn’t used the highly charged term, in its proposed mixed-use development The Edge, at the corner of […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on December 8, 2014
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2014/12/08/council-must-govern/
Downside of up-zoning
I give credit to Arctic explorer Robert Peary for words that have been guiding principles in my life: “Find a way, or make one,” and, more frequently, “Do it now.” So I share the impatience of many residents of Rogers Road who want water and sewer service extended to that area, like we promised we’d […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on September 29, 2014
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2014/09/29/downside-of-up-zoning/
Who wins?
You can’t make this stuff up. The Urban Land Institute of the Triangle lists Timber Hollow Apartments as a nominee to win an award for affordable housing. Ron Strom of Blue Heron Asset Management self-nominated his project, which Blue Heron sold to Eller Capital (after pocketing nearly $6 million profit from his $12.6 million investment […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on September 8, 2014
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2014/09/08/who-wins/
Hurry up and wait
Whether you’re building a multistory apartment complex or adding a deck to your home, your budget and timetable hinge on the Inspections Department. The mayor would have us believe the SUP process is responsible for the high cost of development in Chapel Hill. Builders will tell you the cost impact of the Inspections bottleneck. The […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on September 1, 2014
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2014/09/01/hurry-up-and-wait/
DHIC project DOA for now
Last week, the N.C. Housing Finance Agency announced its list of tax credit winners for affordable housing projects. DHIC was not on it. Recall that Town Council had agreed to sell 8.5 acres of vacant cemetery land to DHIC for $100 if the nonprofit would build workforce and affordable senior apartments there. DHIC said it […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on August 25, 2014
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2014/08/25/dhic-project-doa-for-now/