Chapel Hill's Limit On New Development Will Not Hurt UNC

On Monday, the Town Council approved a schedule of work sessions about the town's new development ordinance. The sessions will take place during the times normally reserved to consider new construction projects.

Essentially, the resolution would prevent all new construction projects that have not already come before the planning board from being heard before Sept. 18, the town's tentative deadline for drafting its new development ordinance.

The resolution replaces a formal moratorium on development, which the council had been considering before Monday night's meeting.

Bruce Runberg, associate vice chancellor for facilities services, said UNC only has one project that might be affected by the resolution -- an application for a special-use permit for an addition to the Paul J. Rizzo Conference Center at Meadowmont.

But Runberg said he expects the University to apply for a special hearing on the Rizzo Center project, which would allow it to come before the board June 17.

"We're going to ask for expedited review of that project -- if we get that approved by the council, it won't have any effects at all," Runberg said.

He said plans for most University construction, including construction related to the Development Plan, will not be altered by the resolution.

The Development Plan, an agreement between UNC and Chapel Hill that sets out the next eight years of campus growth, was approved by the Town Council on Oct. 3.

"Fortunately, it will have minimal effect because the majority of our projects are on the main campus and most of our work has been approved as part of the Development Plan," Runberg said.

He said he does not expect any new construction projects will arise before the new ordinance is drafted, although he said it is possible that some construction on the Horace Williams tract might be ready for preliminary council approval.

"There are a couple of (projects) being developed right now, but they are far enough out. We hope it won't impact them," he said.

Linda Convissor, UNC's project manager for facilities planning, also said she is worried that there might be unexpected delays once the council resumes hearings.

"When they start the normal calendar again, it seems there will be a backlog of projects," Convissor said. "There may be a delay for something far down the round because things are in the queue -- it's too hard to say at this point."

Runberg said it is important for the council to approve the expedited review for the Rizzo Center in to prevent the University from facing some possible construction-related costs.

"(Refusing the expedited review) would be detrimental -- it would delay the review process by about five months," he said.

"It depends how fast the architect is able to move forward on the project -- there could be some delays and some dollar impact."

But Runberg said he thinks the council would be glad to pass the expedited review. "We would hope so. Over the years, we have had very few of them, and those we have submitted have been approved."

Runberg said that although he was surprised by the council's action, he is pleased that the resolution likely will pose no major problems for the University.

"I'm just glad the resolution will have minimal impact."

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