Matt Czajkowski to retire from Chapel Hill Town Council

After 7 years in office, Chapel Hill Town Councilman Matt Czajkowski will resign from the council on March 30 to pursue service in Rwanda.

While he and his wife will move to Rwanda, Czajkowski said his heart will always be in Chapel Hill.

“We’re not leaving Chapel Hill,” Czajkowski said during the town council meeting Monday, where he announced his resignation. “This is our home.”

Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt thanked Czajkowski for his service on the council. During his tenure, Czajkowski worked with the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission on the proposal for a veterans memorial at Chapel Hill Cemetery. He also sat on the council’s committee on affordable housing.

Following Czajkowksi’s announcement, the council discussed a special use permit and two resolutions regarding The Edge, a proposed development on Eubanks Road which would include retail spaces, housing and offices.

Although the council voted to approve the special use permit, many of the council members said they felt aspects of the permit were not specific enough.

Adam Golden, vice president of development for Northwood Ravin, the developer in charge of the project, asked the council to approve the special use permit and later decide on two resolutions that would allow development of the property.

One of the resolutions would require the council to agree to fund the development of roads for the property.

“We’re negotiating with the knowledge that if we can’t come to an agreement later, there will be no development for five years,” Czajkowski said.

“We know things are changing with the federal government and funding, and five years is no time in the life of a community. That’s the only thing, honestly, that makes me really uncomfortable,” Councilwoman Maria Palmer said.

Within five years of approval of the special use permit, Northwood Ravin would be required to pursue financial approval for affordable housing.

“I just feel like you’re getting some amount of certainty, but the town isn’t getting any,” Councilman George Cianciolo said.

Golden tried to reassure the council by reminding them that Northwood Ravin was the only developer in Chapel Hill to be awarded financial approval for affordable housing twice by the federal government.

“We’ve actually done it,” Golden said.

Brian Wittmayer, chair of the planning commission, also had reservations.

“There have been quite a few significant changes,” he said. “But not all of the stipulations we put into our recommendation were met.”

Despite the many concerns raised, Cianciolo said he felt it was time to do something with the site.

“There’s risk associated with it, but there’s risk about almost everything we do in this town,” he said.

Golden once again attempted to reassure the council.

“We have a vision of what we can do here.”

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