Leaders OK downtown condos

Despite concerns about affordable housing and pedestrian safety, the Chapel Hill Town Council gave the go-ahead Monday to construct a new downtown condominium complex.

Though the majority of the 35-unit apartment complex’s residents are students, most said they were ready to move out anyway.

The council voted 6-2 in favor of a special-use permit to allow developers to convert 213 E. Franklin St., now a 35-unit apartment complex, into eight condominiums.

The council also agreed to remove a stipulation from the resolution that would have required developers to build a raised brick walkway on Robertson Street next to the complex.

Town Manager Cal Horton said the town’s staff included the stipulation to protect pedestrians. “We think it will cause drivers to travel more cautiously.”

But the developers successfully argued that the sidewalk would be more of an impediment than a help, citing how narrow the road already is.

“A sidewalk there could push cars into the wall or could lead to cars driving on the road,” said developer Joe Patterson.

After the meeting, Patterson’s partner, David Morris, added, “You’re building a sidewalk in the middle of the road. Have you ever seen that before? Neither have I.”

Council member Cam Hill shared the opinion of the two developers.

“I think that sidewalks for the sake of sidewalks is overkill,” he said.

Patterson also asked the council to reconsider the amount of money he would have to pay in lieu of constructing affordable housing at the complex — the issue that delayed the permit approval for the last few months.

He said he discussed methods of providing affordable housing with Robert Dowling, executive director of the Orange Community Housing and Land Trust, and agreed that $65,000 would be sufficient to subsidize affordable housing in the Northside neighborhood to offset the lack of such housing at the complex.

But council members pointed out that he had later agreed to up the ante to $78,000, the amount requested in the resolution.

Patterson conceded that point but said he still hoped to reduce the payment amount.

“We think that some of the things we agreed to do are not the best thing to do,” Patterson said. “We don’t think it’s fair, but we want to get this done.”

Council members Bill Strom and Jim Ward cast the dissenting votes, saying the project worked against several council goals.

“We’re trying to get more people living downtown,” Strom said. “This project works counter to that goal. I don’t see the public purpose in this project.”

But several current residents indicated that they were not concerned by the loss of the complex.

Junior Greg Summerville said that the loss was negligible to students. “It’s convenient to have student housing this close to campus, but the rent is exorbitant,” he said.

“There’s cheaper apartments not too far away.”

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.