Future of Greene Tract Considered

The tract, located in north Chapel Hill, is under consideration as a potential source of affordable housing for the area's residents.

Members of both the Chapel Hill and Carrboro town governments attended the open forum, held at the Southern Human Services Center, to hear the concerns and suggestions of the more than 45 residents present.

The future of the Greene Tract is the latest in a series of conflicts arising in Orange County between growing housing needs and the desire for green space.

After a brief description of the decision-making process and plans for the Greene Tract, the floor was opened to residents who wanted to express their thoughts on the matter.

The three feasible alternatives for the land are to leave the wilderness untouched, develop it for industry and housing or divide the acreage between affordable housing and protected woodland.

Several residents and interest groups said they had strong feelings about the future of the tract.

"We would like to see some acreage reserved for affordable housing, but most land kept in its natural state," said Robert Porter, Orange-Chatham Sierra Club president.

Mark Chilton, director of EmPOWERment Inc., a nonprofit organization that promotes affordable housing, said partial development is a necessity.

"My gut reaction is that (there should be) a small amount of land for housing and a large chunk of land left," Chilton said.

An ecological study conducted by Goldstein and Associates was presented at the forum, highlighting the risks in development of the site to species of wildlife and vegetation already present.

According to the study, four types of vegetation communities present on the Greene Tract are protected by the N.C. Natural Heritage Program.

The study also states that protected species living in the tract include the Cooper's hawk, the black vulture and the four-toed salamander.

An archaeological and cultural study conducted at the tract revealed two historic and two prehistoric sites.

The historical sites include the remains of two houses that might be eligible for registry on the National Register of Historic Places.

Carrboro Board of Alderman member Jacquelyn Gist, who said she was speaking as a resident, said she is concerned with the diminishing amount of undeveloped land in the Chapel Hill area.

"Land is the most valuable thing we have. We are never going to get any more," Gist said.

"Just because we have the land doesn't mean we should spend it."

Chapel Hill resident John Smith said he is tired of people thinking that all of their desires can be fulfilled.

"Thinking we can do all of (the ideas) is deluding ourselves," Smith said.

"I hate the idea of another shopping center."

The City Editor can be reached

at citydesk@unc.edu.