Aldermen seek a sustainable town

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen spent much of its Monday planning retreat debating how the town can best use zoning changes and commerce initiatives to foster sustainable growth in the town.

“We’re not really looking for anything transformative, but we’re looking to define our niche in the regional economy a little more clearly,” said Mayor Mike Nelson.

The aldermen began the meeting by listening to a presentation from Michael Luger, professor of public policy at the University.

He said the town already had relatively comprehensive policies to promote sustainable growth.

“You all have really been thinking hard about these things and have covered a lot of ground that I otherwise would have covered,” Luger said.

The one area that remained unaddressed, he said, was sustainable economic growth.

He said the town should consider looking at which types of development it wants to see in the future.

One of the first topics the aldermen covered was how they ought to portray the town to firms considering locating there.

The aldermen emphasized Carrboro’s abundance of highly trained white-collar workers because of its location near UNC and the town’s unique cultural atmosphere.

Mayor Pro Tem Diana McDuffee emphasized that the town’s eclectic feel appeals to young people starting up new businesses. “We’ve got a lot of funky, little cheap-rent places to start up,” she said.

The aldermen also discussed what sorts of businesses they would like to attract.

Alderman Jacquelyn Gist said she thinks the town should angle for a nonprofit corporations’ headquarters, but others noted that the town’s tax base might not increase if the nonprofit did not rent the facility.

Gist also said a think tank would be a good way to tie the town with the University.

“The think tanks, I think, could really benefit from the University,” Gist said. “A lot of thinking happens there.”

Luger suggested that such space could be provided for professors’ private labs and labs for alumni who want to come “home” to work.

But when Luger began discussing incentives, the aldermen said they did not intend to offer lush enticements to prospective businesses.

“I think it would be hard for us to spend a lot of money to attract something because we don’t have a lot of money,” Gist said.

The aldermen said Chapel Hill and Carrboro are facing similar problems as they seek to maintain sustainable growth, and an effort should be made to coordinate between the two.

“These efforts are best coordinated so that we’re not duplicating or conflicting one another,” Gist said.

The aldermen also said they want to tweak Orange County’s Southern Small Area Plan to identify exactly which 25 acres in the town’s Northern Transition Area, which borders the future site of the Carolina North satellite campus, will be zoned for commercial use.

“By putting some of it down, picking a spot, I think you’re communicating to the development world where you’re looking to see that,” said Alderman Mark Chilton.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.