Bright-leaved trees line the narrow and quiet Purefoy Drive.
But in the coming years, the street in the historic Rogers Road community might be getting louder.
The Chapel Hill Town Council approved a special use permit that will add 51 Habitat for Humanity homes to Purefoy Drive and dramatically change the last black neighborhood in Chapel Hill.
While community members say that they support affordable housing, they worry about the effects of the increased density on traffic and storm water management.
Karen Reid and her husband raised two children on Sandberg Lane, a gravel road off Purefoy.
"We moved out here because it was a nice, quiet place," she said. "I'm glad to see they got affordable housing, but it's really changing the dynamics of this neighborhood."
On Reid's land are nine chickens and an additional house, which still is being constructed after 12 years.
"When we built the house, we had no idea that the neighborhood would just explode," Reid said.
The Habitat development on 19.3 acres of land will be available only for families who make less than 50 percent of the median income.
Habitat of Orange Executive Director Susan Levy said interest already has been expressed in the proposed housing, though applications are not yet being accepted.
"It's a desirable community to live in," she said. "We want to get going because the need is great."
There are already several Habitat homes on Purefoy Drive. Barbara Hopkins lives with four family members in a Habitat home and has lived on Purefoy since 1973.
She sat next to her granddaughter Shenequa Brittian, 16, as she talked about the community. "We are a close neighborhood. Everyone knows everyone," Hopkins said.
She said that while she was worried about the impact of additional traffic on the narrow road, she had nothing bad to say about Habitat.
"Without it, nobody would have any place to stay because Chapel Hill is too expensive," she said.
The average home price in Orange County is about $350,000.
"If you're a regular working person, you do not have an opportunity to buy home in Chapel Hill or Carrboro," said Robert Dowling, executive director of the Orange Community Housing and Land Trust. "You can't even rent a house for the same price you can buy a house from Habitat."
Dowling praised the policy requiring that 15 percent of new developments be affordable housing but said the majority of it is condominiums.
"This Habitat development is clearly a rare opportunity for people to get single-family homes," he said.
All parties agreed at Monday's meeting that more affordable housing was necessary in Chapel Hill, but debate centered on the design of the storm water management system.
Neloa Jones, of the Rogers Road neighborhood, told the council the homes might be at risk for flooding
"I'm scratching my head trying to figure out how this design got approved," she said.
The development will bring many new residents to the old neighborhood and is likely to include a community garden and recreation area.
"I'm looking forward to some new neighbors," Hopkins said. "It's too quiet out there."
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