UNC regains control over own land

A law repealed near the end of the N.C. General Assembly's session has UNC-CH officials celebrating, if only a little.

The repealed law - passed in 2004 - made state land subject to municipal planning, meaning certain activities by universities, once free of town oversight, were subject to an extra layer of review.

With the 2005 action, universities and other state agencies again have sole responsibility for the development of state land, with the exception of buildings.

"(The repeal) allows a little more flexibility for the University as regards to minor landscaping, minor parking issues," said Bruce Runberg, UNC-CH associate vice chancellor for planning and construction. "And so we, as I said, are very pleased."

Runberg said the UNC system and other state agencies lobbied to have the 2004 law changed.

The statute during the past year meant universities had to comply with stricter overlay zoning requirements, including resource-conservation districts and neighborhood-conservation districts.

Town Council member Mark Kleinschmidt said the law's removal is disappointing for town officials.

"We were pleased when it was in effect because it made sure state development respected community values," he said.

But he said UNC-CH generally works with the town to ensure that overlay zoning districts are followed.

"There isn't any reason to believe the University is overtly hostile to our interests," he said.

In Boone, the one-year change strained the relationship between the town and Appalachian State University.

Town officials cited the university for cutting down trees without authorization.

"I got the impression that (university officials) were somewhat surprised that the town could give them a citation," said Dennis Grady, a professor of political science at ASU.

No such citations were issued in Chapel Hill, but the potential for extra work to get projects approved concerned UNC-CH officials.

Mary Jane Felgenhauer, a land-use planner for UNC-CH, said the law's repeal returns things to the way they were before 2004 and streamlines the planning process for both UNC-CH and the town.

Still, while Chapel Hill planners might not have to review University projects that don't include buildings, they do have to push officials to consider the town's wants.

"We've been successful negotiating with them," Kleinschmidt said. "But (the 2004 law) made it easier, so it is disappointing that it was repealed."

 

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.