On Wednesday, the Chapel Hill Town Council met to discuss two proposed developments.
What’s new?
- Council member Theodore Nollert invited 2025-2026 Chapel Hill poet laureate Donovan Livingston to speak and recite his poem “Note to Self.”
- During the public comment, Holmes Child Care Center employees spoke about the Town requiring businesses to relocate their spaces to the Hargraves Community Center while it undergoes HVAC repairs.
- Representatives of Equity for Education Angela Lyght and Andre Allen said the center is an inclusive space for all children.
- Allen petitioned the council to provide further assistance in finding a temporary location.
- “We bring this petition here today to advocate for you to take action to preserve this local treasure and to allocate resources needed to assist in a smooth temporary relocation and transition back to this space,” Allen said.
- Interim town manager Mary Jane Nirdlinger said the Town’s parks and recreation department is in contact with the center manager and is working with them.
- The Council also heard a presentation from developers on a potential residential and retail project on 200 S. Elliott Rd. The Town heard a presentation for the project’s concept plan in 2023.
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Planner Jessie Hardesty said the proposed development includes a mix of residential and retail units.
- The development includes a multi-use path.
- Council member Melissa McCullough asked Hardesty if limiting the number of retail units would free up money to use elsewhere in the project.
- “We have, in the past, asked for commercial, and it didn’t get filled for a while, and it ended up being changed to residential,” she said. “On the other hand, this is a place where we want to activate the street front, where as we get additional density, retail should be able to do well here.”
- The developers and council members spoke about the possibility of extending Couch Road to prevent traffic congestion in the new development.
- Mayor Jess Anderson asked the council to raise their hands to indicate their preference for the greenway path over the Couch Road extension.
- Council members McCullough, Paris Miller-Foushee, Nollert and Karen Stegman raised their hands. Council members Adam Searing, Elizabeth Sharp and Camille Berry did not.
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Planner Jessie Hardesty said the proposed development includes a mix of residential and retail units.
- Architect Dan Jewell presented a concept plan for a proposed development at 1609 U.S. 15-501 called the Flintrock Knoll Residential community.
- The residential area would include greenway trails, affordable housing and a proposed road stub to connect with neighboring communities.
- Residents of neighboring community South Grove raised safety concerns including increased traffic congestion and how it relates to children’s safety. Beverly and Harrison McSwain spoke about the property’s close proximity to their home.
- Searing said that he would feel more comfortable with no stub, while Berry said that the stub could ensure efficient access for emergency vehicles.
- The project will be a partnership between the developers and Orange County Habitat for Humanity.
- “We’re gonna want more information as the process goes forward to understand more about what it looks like in terms of developer contributions for affordable housing and what that really means,” Anderson said.
What decisions were made?
- The council unanimously voted to receive the petition raised by Holmes Child Care Center.
- The council unanimously voted to adopt all Consent agenda items.
- The council unanimously voted to continue the legislative hearing regarding 200 S. Elliot Rd. to Feb. 12.
- The council voted unanimously to transmit their comments and feedback to the developer.
What’s next?
- The council will meet again on Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. at the Chapel Hill Public Library for a work session.
