Chapel Hill Crossing development approved by town council, residents respond

The Chapel Hill Town Council voted 8-1 to approve conditional zoning for the Chapel Hill Crossing Development during a council meeting on Sept. 27. The development project was originally proposed to the council in June, and was re-proposed to address concerns members had.

Major changes to the project include downsizing the south side from 390 units down to between 100 and 135 units, increasing to 199 units to the north side and rotating the building on the north side to allow for a street-side plaza.

“What they brought back was something quite different, and in my opinion, at least, fits in with the area much, much better,” council member Michael Parker said.

Initial concerns included the density of the residences in the project, stormwater runoff and how buildings were situated on the property.

The development will also now address concerns from some town council members about the scarcity of middle housing options, such as townhomes and cottages, as well as a lack of affordable housing.

“We've got townhomes, we've got cottages, there's really a nice assortment of housing types that we what we believe are important goals for the town,” Parker said. 

Molly De Marco, a co-founder and board member of NEXT, said she was glad to see the changes, and the development is one step in providing more affordable housing. 

“It's gratifying to see that there are 26 affordable housing units that will be part of that development,” De Marco said. “We also, of course, understand that this particular development is just sort of one piece in the puzzle of affordable housing that we need in our community. No one particular development or effort is going to address everything.”

Parker also said the project will include both permanent housing that fits with the Town’s inclusionary zoning orders as well as rental properties dedicated to providing affordable housing.

“A lot of those goals were just to understand what their concerns were, listen to them and ensure that they knew what was being proposed," Jacob Hunt, a planner for the Town, said.

The council voted 8-1 in favor of the project with a stipulation that it would include 13 rental units of affordable housing for those earning 65 percent of the area median income and 13 units for those earning 80 percent of the area median income.

Some community members who spoke during the meeting said they have concerns about the development, especially about stormwater runoff.

Chapel Hill resident Charles Berlin, a member of the Chapel Hill Alliance for a Livable Town, or CHALT, said residents' biggest concern is stormwater runoff from the project. He said residents who live downhill of the development are worried that water runoff will threaten a nearby dam at Clark Lake.

“If in the very unlikely possibility the dam should fail, there would be catastrophic consequences,” he said. “It would flood.”

Berlin said the development team attempted to mitigate community concerns. 

Parker said that the town council is no longer involved unless it they are needed. Now, Town staff and the developers will work together on project specifics, he said. 

“I think this is you know, a good project, a project that advances our Town goals, and I think fits in well with the surrounding area,” Parker said. 

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