Ecology Plays Role in Plan

Stormwater runoff is just one of UNC's ecological dilemmas the Environmental Master Plan is attempting to address. These recommendations for a greener campus are part of the larger UNC Master Plan, which will guide future development on University property.

To form a set of environmental guidelines for UNC, Ayers Saint Gross, the architectural firm hired to formulate the Master Plan, called in Andropogon Associates and Cahill Associates. The two Pennsylvania firms are known for helping businesses, colleges and botanical gardens around the country design ecologically sound facilities.

"It became obvious that the land and water resources had to be considered," said Teresa Durkin, Andropogon Associates' project manager for the Environmental Master Plan. She said her firm, along with Cahill Associates, was called in to analyze the topography and the stream system of UNC's campus.

The firms had help from the Environmental Advisory Group. This group was composed of individuals from the UNC and Chapel Hill communities who are knowledgeable about environmental issues facing the area. They served as guides and advisers for the consultants as they evaluated the campus from April to July.

When it came to identifying the most important problems, the group's discussions covered a lot of ground. Air pollution, solid waste management and energy efficiency were all brought to the consultants' attention.

The number of undeveloped spaces on campus was high on the list of priorities for group members. Planners say future developments will not encroach on too many of the campus' existing green spaces, and plans to construct new ones are also in the works.

But along with the need to preserve trees and lawns, the group's primary focus eventually settled on water quality and control.

"One thing we wanted to do was to make this campus a leader for the state in what you can do to be environmentally sensitive," said Don Fransisco, part of the 31-person group. "Water was the thing we could have the most impact on."

UNC's campus is the watershed for several local streams, one of which runs directly under Kenan Stadium.

Officials say in previous development schemes for UNC, the health of these streams was not taken into consideration. Pollution has affected those downstream from campus, and aside from the quality of the water itself, streambeds have suffered from erosion caused by swiftly flowing runoff on South Campus slopes.

Pat Evans, a member of the Chapel Hill Town Council and the Master Plan's design and operations team, said developers had to change the way they conceived of projects to avoid those situations. "I think in the past this topic was not addressed - you can pinpoint that by the fact that streams are buried," Evans said.

Sharon Myers, who was a member of the Environmental Advisory Group and the UNC Sustainability Coalition, said the problems surrounding stormwater management are not unique to UNC.

"When you urbanize an area, these are the things that happen," Myers said, referring to polluted runoff and eroded streambeds. "When you harden surfaces, the water runs off instead of soaking in, and when there are storms, the amount of water increases."

The final version of the Master Plan, released in September, adopted many of Andropogon Associates and Cahill Associates' suggestions for new water management techniques. Durkin said the ideas discussed included the use of porous pavement in parking lots, planted areas on top of parking decks that would absorb some potential runoff and silt fencing to prevent soil erosion during construction.

Several construction projects were altered after reviewing the consultants' additions. Durkin said the planners moved the site of the proposed Sonja H. Stone Black Cultural Center - which will break ground in April - after learning that they would have to alter the course of an existing streambed.

Despite all the positive input, Fransisco said some advisory group members were frustrated they did not have as much influence as they felt was needed.

"The environmental scope of the Master Plan was not conceived until very late in the game," Fransisco said. "Some of us were disappointed that the time frame was so short."

Jonathan Howes, chairman of the Master Plan's Executive Steering Team, readily acknowledged the vital contributions made by the consultants.

But he also said the plan is only a guide for future developers.

"The decisions that are made in the end are made by the (Board of Trustees)," Howes said. "The plan is worth as much as the decision-makers put into it."

Legally, UNC will have to implement some of the decisions made in the Master Plan because of new federal regulations regarding stormwater quality. James Mergner, deputy for facilities services at UNC, said cities throughout the state will have to get stormwater permits by 2003, and these will only be obtainable by adhering to strict guidelines.

As Chapel Hill expands to accommodate growth in the Triangle, UNC will have to expand as well. With the Environmental Master Plan, Durkin said she thinks the University is prepared to accomplish this expansion wisely.

"People whom we met (in the Environmental Advisory Group) seemed to have great ideas," Durkin said. "I don't see it as a situation just giving lip service to the environment."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.