The aldermen said they wish to be involved because they would like to know what impact the plan will have on Carrboro and have a say in future town-gown issues. The Master Plan is a blueprint for directing UNC's growth in the next 50 years, which would directly and indirectly impact both Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
The aldermen want to know the ways the plan would affect their transportation infrastructure and the ways it might need to be changed, said Alderman Diana McDuffee.
The maintenance of their roads, how the UNC campus would be served by their transportation system, how many students, if any, would be moving to Carrboro and what kind of housing would need to be built for these students are also topics of concern, she said.
The aldermen have asked Chapel Hill Mayor Rosemary Waldorf, who is on the town-gown committee, established to facilitate conversation between UNC and local officials, to look into the best way for Carrboro to be instrumental in the process of bringing the Master Plan to life.
"We need to figure out the best mechanism for Carrboro to be involved," McDuffee said. "There are some issues the University and the community need to work out, but overall I think it's a good plan."
Alderman Allen Spalt said the housing questions raised by the Master Plan could affect Carrboro because thousands of students, faculty and staff live there.
"We have pressure on our housing stock, so we have a high priority for keeping affordable housing, and the way UNC grows has a significant impact on us," he said.
Jonathan Howes, the director of UNC's Master Plan, also said that Carrboro should have a chance to be a part of the process and should be informed of what is happening.
"(Carrboro has) no regulatory responsibility for the campus like Chapel Hill does, but we intend to brief them on it," Howes said. "Carrboro is part of the community."
