Lancaster Drive residents fired complaints at the Chapel Hill Town Council on Monday night, claiming that a proposed Meadowmont park would disrupt their neighborhood.
The residents said they think a nature trail, which would be built in conjunction with the park, would bring an increase in traffic flow to their neighborhood. The council will vote on the park Nov. 26.
Discussion between residents and council members began when the town and a development company jointly filed an application to modify a special-use permit. The modified permit would allow the park to be built in the Meadowmont mixed-use development, which is now under construction.
The land that would be home to the park is a 70.45-acre parcel of land that lies north of UNC’s Paul J. Rizzo Conference Center.
The proposal includes a 4-foot-wide, natural-surface hiking trail with pedestrian access off Lancaster Drive. But some residents who attended the meeting said the pedestrian access would create a safety hazard because more cars would use Lancaster Drive if the access is added.
“My concern is that this walkway will disrupt the peace and tranquility of our entire neighborhood,” said Carolyn Costello, a resident of Lancaster Drive.
Dan Shefty, also a Lancaster Drive resident, said he welcomes the park but not the increased traffic that might follow. “We would love the access, we just don’t want cars parked on the street,” Shefty said.
Planning Board Representative John Hopkins, who spoke at the council meeting, said he recognizes the problem the walkway might cause but doesn’t think it will be an issue. “The addition of a trail head on Lancaster Drive would encourage parking on the street,” he said. “This park should be accessible but shouldn’t present dangers.”
Chapel Hill Mayor Rosemary Waldorf said she wants safety issues to be considered. “I hope we approve the park,” she said. “But we also need to initiate a process to investigate the safety measures that need to be taken.”
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