Few attend Carolina North forum

Only a few dozen people attended Wednesday’s public education session on Carolina North, to the disappointment of some attendees.

During the meeting, UNC officials presented the school’s formal submission to the town for plans on Carolina North, including a proposed development agreement.

Carolina North is the University’s proposed satellite research campus.

Chapel Hill resident Will Raymond said he was disappointed with the turnout for the meeting, which was planned to give the public an opportunity to express concerns about development plans.

Raymond strongly encouraged all who were present to involve as many of their neighbors and friends as they could in future discussion.

He called on all Chapel Hill residents to “wake up, and show up.”

In the event intended to draw in public interest, Carolina North Executive Director Jack Evans presented detailed development plans for the 250-acre research campus.

Evans said the plans satisfy a series of criteria the school developed related to water management, energy, transportation and parking and building types.

Several groups provided input for the plans, including the Horace Williams citizens committee, the leadership advisory committee, the design team of Ayers/Saint/Gross and University planners.

David Owens of the UNC School of Government helped the town craft a development review process, and during the meeting, he justified the vagueness of the proposed development plan.

“We like to start with a more general plan in the earlier stage, which may be frustrating because there isn’t a complete plan now,” he said. “Starting with more preliminary plans with built-in stages will help to create a more deliberate and defined proposal.”

The first phase of development includes the Innovation Center, which will serve as a business incubator linking UNC to the private sector for their research mission, and the new law school buildings.

These buildings will be developed on the southeastern portion of the Carolina North property, the region deemed most supportive of growth by Biohabitats Inc., a firm hired by UNC to do an ecological survey.

Evans said all of the land in the current phase of development planning lies in Chapel Hill.

According to development guidelines distributed at the meeting, the process will continue with monthly public meetings and regular council meetings. The Town Council will vote on final zoning plans and map amendments in late June.

Meeting attendees asked the group how their comments would be compiled and how they would affect discussions about Carolina North’s future.

Comments and questions will be responded to on the town’s Web site and in a handout.

Evans said he believes the plan already has benefited in many ways from previous public discussion.

He reiterated that since the school is now in serious talks with the town to move forward, the time for resident input is now.



Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.