Town of Chapel Hill holds meeting to discuss new development for seniors

On Aug. 29, the Town of Chapel Hill held a virtual public interest meeting to discuss the building plan of a new housing development called Overlook at The Cedars.

Jessica Hardesty, a project planner for the McAdams civil engineering company, said they're hoping to construct two new buildings at 207 and 209 Meadowmont Lane containing five units each.

The site is located right behind the UNC Wellness Center and across the street from The Cedars, a senior living community. The Cedars, McAdams, Scott Murray Land Planning, Inc. and CJMW Architecture are all contributing parties to the project.

President of The Cedars and Chapel Hill native Perry Aycock said the organization wants to build the new development to address a community need for housing. 

Aycock said 207 and 209 Meadowmont Lane are walking distance to The Cedars’ clubhouse and the DuBose Health Center, so residents would be included in the retirement community and have convenient access to health services. 

He also said that as the baby-boomer generation ages into retirement, there are thousands of families waiting to move into retirement communities in Chapel Hill, and the new buildings would allow ten more families to do so.

“I wish that it was larger because I wish that we could serve more people than just the 10 residences that we could fit in here,” Aycock said.

Hardesty said the 0.6 acres of land now designated for Overlook at The Cedars were originally part of a 2009 permit that expired before the project was completed.

Approved in 2010 as Murray Hill Condominiums and granted a zoning compliance permit in 2015, the first two phases of the project have already been built. The developers are now getting ready for Phases 3 and 4, and the site has been cleared of vegetation in preparation for construction.

Hardesty said the current plans went before the planning commission in May and have now been reviewed in more detail. The detailed plans include civil and landscape drawings, she said. Updates also include a reduced footprint and additional open space.

There will be parking spaces under the buildings and one accessible space outside of each building, Hardesty said. With the parking level and three residential levels, the buildings will stand at four stories tall. 

The Overlook at The Cedars falls into compliance with Chapel Hill storm drainage and erosion control, affordable housing requirements and climate action and response plans. The area is convenient for pedestrians and public transportation.

Jacob Hunt, a planner for the Town of Chapel Hill, said because the project has a special use permit rather than a conditional rezoning, only a person affected by this change will be permitted to comment at the Chapel Hill Town Council meeting on Wednesday. 

“Welcome everyone to come, but there's some limits on that being a more of a quasi-judicial standard than our typical legislative one," Hunt said. 

Aycock said the last thing he wanted to add to the public interest meeting was his gratitude to Hardesty, Hunt and Scott Murray, the general contractor on the project.

“I'm grateful for these two folks for doing all the good work, and Jacob, you and your team, and thankful to be moving through the process,” he said.

 The plan will be further discussed at a town council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m.

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