Council Brings Development to Standstill

The resolution was adopted in lieu of a proposed formal moratorium on all town and UNC developments.

The resolution, presented by Town Manager Cal Horton, scheduled work sessions about the town's new development ordinance during the times when public hearings for new construction projects that need council approval would have had to take place.

In effect, the resolution eliminates the opportunity for developers to petition the council until a new development ordinance is approved. The council's tentative deadline for crafting a new development ordinance is Sept. 18.

The new ordinance will be created through a series of public forums, which will give residents a chance to comment on proposed developments but not on future development proposals.

The council recognized four projects -- Orange County Landfill, Orange Methodist Church, Europa OFC and Larkspur subdivision -- that will go forward because they have been approved by the planning board.

Fifteen business owners and developers attended the meeting to protest a formal development moratorium the council was expected to consider.

But the decision to focus on crafting the new development ordinance caught the attendees off guard.

Aaron Nelson, president of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, said projects that haven't gone to the planning board or are under review now will be stalled for six to eight months.

Several speakers expressed concern about the council's decision because, although the resolution replaced the hotly contested moratorium on development, the proposal will successfully stagnate development for months.

Nelson spoke in opposition to the resolution, saying it was unfair to developers and business owners.

Prior to the meeting, Nelson said 65 e-mails from local business owners were sent to Mayor Kevin Foy expressing dissatisfaction with the moratorium on future development. "(The moratorium) is an inappropriate solution to an unidentified problem," he said.

The decision also will have consequences for UNC and its plans for future expansion, said Linda Convissor, local relations coordinator. "Like my predecessors, I didn't know that this was going to be the council's decision," Convissor said. "But I can only ask if there is a way to do both the public hearings and the public forums."

Council member Pat Evans said the town should consider allowing some new development while it is redrafting its development ordinance.

"If there is any way the staff could do both, keep the appointments moving and have the meetings on the development ordinances too, it would be beneficial," she said.

But Horton said holding both simultaneously would be next to impossible.

The first meeting to address the ordinance is scheduled for Feb. 11.

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