Chapel Hill Town Council met Monday to discuss homelessness and light rail

The Chapel Hill Town Council heard an update on the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness and discussed the Durham-Orange Light Rail Project at a business meeting Monday night. Staff writer Doug Dubrowski live-tweeted the meeting.

We're covering the @chapelhillgov council meeting tonight, follow along here!

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 24, 2017

Town proclamation: May 2017 is now bike month, encouraging citizens to use bicycles instead of cars

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 24, 2017

Town proclamation: Saturday, April 29, 2017 is community dinner night in Chapel Hill, showcasing the community's cultural diversity

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 24, 2017

Town proclamation: April 23-29, 2017, is now Chapel Hill Volunteers Week, honoring volunteers and encouraging citizens to donate their time

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Johnny Randall of the NC Botanical Garden is requesting that the town help pay for the purchase of Cochrane Property, rich in biodiversity

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 24, 2017

Town receives and refers Randall's proposal to the Manager and Mayor unanimously, will decide on the issue soon

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 24, 2017

Will Hendrick, chair of the Justice in Action Committee of Chapel Hill, requests that the Town Council supports UNC Center for Civil Rights

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 24, 2017

Proposal before the UNC board of governors would bar the UNC Center for Civil Rights from suing

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 24, 2017

UNC Center for Civil Rights is an advocacy group that fights segregation and acts as legal council for those who need it

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The petition for a resoltution of support for the UNC Center for Civil Rights was received unanimously, goal to act before May 8th

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Public comments: a speech titeled "Yellow Golf Balls Matter" expresses concern that the light rail project's issues aren't discussed enough

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 24, 2017

Public comments: speaker is concerned w/ a lack of bus service to schools, hospitals - worries the @GoTriangle project could worsen this

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 24, 2017

Public comments: senior speaker asks for bus service, fears debt and gentirifcation from the @GoTriangle light rail project #CHTC

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Public comments: speaker worries that debt from light rail project will be difficult to pay, will draw from other transit funding #CHTC

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Public comments: speaker concerned that paying for light rail w/o cost overruns would require sales tax increases of 3-5% per year #CHTC

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Mayor @PamHemminger reports that #CHTC desires a seat at the table in light rail discussions to increase transparency

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Councilperson @Donna_Bell0 argues that supporting light rail and bus access should not be mutually exclusive, #CHTC can do both

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

#CHTC councilperson @GeorgeCianciolo says there will always be risk in investment, but argues economic growth is dependent on light rail

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

#CHTC councilperson @michaelparker1 agrees Chapel Hill should have seat at the table, supports light rail investment as a risk worth taking

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

#CHTC @CouncilWomanMP says most infrastructure projects finish on budget, and light rail would improve transportation and competitiveness

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

After contentious discussion, #CHTC expresses support for #DOLRT and requests more involvement in future negotiations, 6-2 vote

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

#CHTC unanimously approves its consent agenda. You can see what that entails here: https://t.co/9RS5qr9U8q

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Corey Root and Allison DeMarco of Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness are now providing an update on their work #CHTC

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Corey Root: Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness helps people at risk, newly homeless, and those living unsheltered #CHTC

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Root: first priority is to keep people at-risk of homelessness from becoming homeless #CHTC

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Root: helping newly homeless people may mean giving them a place to sleep for just one night #CHTC

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Root: people living unsheltered, or the long-term homeless, aren't looking for a place for just a night - need permanent housing #CHTC

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Root: while every person they help has different immediate needs, goal of @OCPEHNC is to provide everyone with stable, permanent housing

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Root: street outreach, self-referral, and other means help people in-need access @OCPEHNC services #CHTC

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Perdita Holtz, Planning Systems Coordinator, Orange County, now presenting on the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) #CHTC

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Holtz: 10-yr projections for Chapel Hill/Carrboro schools showing decrease in growth rates for elementary & middle schools, (still positive)

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Holtz: high school 10-yr growth rates projected to increase, not showing a need for new school capacity #CHTC

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Community Design Commission applicant interviews have now begun at #CHTC

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

Now on to Planning Commission applicant interviews #CHTC

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

#CHTC has concluded for the night - thanks for following along!

— DTH City (@DTHCity) April 25, 2017

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