Chapel Hill Town Council discusses rail project, community voices stormwater concerns

The Chapel Hill Town Council met on Sept. 25 to discuss the Co-Gen Rail Transformation Project, a housing grant and the Aquabella subdivision. Council members Paris Miller-Foushee and Adam Searing were absent from the meeting.

What’s New?

• The Town proclaimed October as Employee Appreciation Month and Cyber Security Awareness Month.
• They also proclaimed the week of Sept. 23 through Sept. 29 as Diaper Need Awareness Week. 
  • The Diaper Bank of North Carolina distributes diapers to those in need throughout North Carolina, Town Council Member Melissa McCullough said.
  • “We encourage our community members who are able to, to donate generously to organizations that collect and distribute diapers to those struggling with diaper need, so that all of Chapel Hill’s children and families can thrive and reach their full potential,” she said. 
• Mayor Jessica Anderson reminded the community about the $44 million bond referendum on the Chapel Hill ballot in November.
  • The funds will support various projects including public safety facilities, greenway and sidewalk expansion, affordable housing and parks. 
• Chapel Hill’s Director of Affordable Housing and Community Connections, Sarah Viñas, gave a presentation about the Town’s application for the Pathways to Removing Obstacles (PRO) to Housing Grant.
  • The Town is planning to submit a grant application to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) PRO Housing program.
    • “HUD has released $100 million this year, and expects to make 30 total awards,” Viñas said. “The max award is $7 million.” 
  • Viñas said the Town is framing their application as an opportunity to fund and implement the Town’s affordable housing plan. 
    • The plan’s goals include reducing barriers to building homes, expanding and preserving affordable home ownership and rental housing, and increasing staff funding and capacity, Viñas said. 
  • The Town received $11.7 million in committed funds dedicated to the Affordable Housing Plan. 
  • The Council opened and closed the public hearing on the grant application, allowing it to move forward. 
• N.C. State Sen. Graig Meyer (D - Caswell, Orange, Person) presented to encourage the Council to authorize Anderson to sign the Memorandum of Agreement for the Co-Gen Rail Transformation Project. 
  • The Memorandum of Agreement is a collaboration between five organizations: The Town of Chapel Hill, the Town of Carrboro, Orange County, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Southern Environmental Law Center. The Town of Carrboro and Orange County have already signed the agreement, John Richardson, the Town’s Community Sustainability Manager, said. 
  • The Co-Gen Rail Transformation Project seeks to turn an existing rail line into a multi-modal corridor that can improve housing, the environment, connectivity and economic development in the greater Orange County area. 
  • The Council voted unanimously to approve the resolution with the amendment that all of the project’s meeting minutes will be sent to the Chapel Hill Town Manager. Council Member Theodore Nollert will serve as Chapel Hill’s representative on the project’s board. 
• Charnika Harrell, the senior planner of the planning department, and John Mackowiak presented to request the approval of the preliminary plat to increase the number of lots in the Aquabella subdivision.
  • Anderson said concerns about stormwater were not allowed to be considered in the decision to approve the plat. 
  • “With all that said, I do want to acknowledge that there have been problems with the existing stormwater system,” Anderson said. “It is my understanding that staff is working with the property owners to make sure those are addressed.”
  • The Town staff are currently working to resolve stormwater issues, and they must be resolved by Oct. 7. 
  • Multiple residents near the proposed area for changes expressed concerns regarding Land Use Management Ordinance violations, specifically in regard to stormwater and rare tree specimen preservation. 
    • Community member Karl-Dmiter Bissig said stormwater floods the whole neighborhood. 
  • The Council unanimously approved the preliminary plat.

What’s Next?

• The Council will meet next on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Chapel Hill Town Hall. 

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