Town Council Continues Talks On Parking Lot

Katherine Shields, speaking on behalf of the UNC Student Environmental Action Coalition, asked the council for $5,000 to conduct a design contest for Town Parking Lot No. 5, located at the corner of Franklin and Church streets.

Shields stated that at least some of the money will be used as a prize for the winner.

Shields outlined the benefits of using a contest over relying on just a Downtown Workshop, which the Town Council has commissioned to create plans for a possible parking structure.

Shields said the workshop has less than 20 people working on the parking lot's design.

"It is not fair that such a small amount of people with a narrow range of interests are going to determine the design," Shields said.

Shields said $5,000 is a small amount compared to the money Chapel Hill has previously spent on consulting projects that have not resulted in anything.

She said a design contest would allow individuals who cannot attend the workshops a chance to participate and express their opinions.

In addition to Lot No. 5, the Downtown Workshop is working on three other downtown locations that were identified on Chapel Hill's adopted Downtown Small Area Plan.

The workshop will present a final set of images and drawings to the council in May.

The project started after the council adopted a resolution Oct. 10, agreeing to a process, a schedule and the intended projects for downtown revitalization.

Town Manager Cal Horton stated in a memorandum to the council, "We believe (the Downtown Workshop) is more likely to result in feasible development proposals and will prove to be more participatory than would be the case with the design contest alternative proposed in the petition."

But council member Bill Strom said the town should not dismiss any design possibilities too early and that the contest could provide additional viable ideas.

"We need to keep our options open and make a decision later on down the road," Strom said.

Council member Dorothy Verkerk said she does not believe it was a matter of the council choosing one option over another and agreed that the council needs to keep the contest open as an option.

Mayor Kevin Foy said that he also is opposed to shutting the door on the contest but that there needs to be a list of principles and guidelines set up before implementing the design contest.

Strom said, "This is a good thing to have at the end of the process when we have become more focused on what we need." The council closed the discussion without allocating $5,000 toward the contest or ending hearings on the matter.

Strom said, "We don't need to take action on this now and would like to thank SEAC and keep this option in front of us."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.