Carolina North back on the table

For more than a year, discussions of the University’s plans for a satellite campus have been conspicuously quiet.

Media coverage of Carolina North has dwindled, and town and University officials seem to have moved on to other topics, from penny-pinching to protests.

Now, UNC officials might be ready to break the silence.

The little talk that’s taken place during the past 12 months has focused more on the rezoning and relocation of the Horace Williams Airport than on research and revenue. This might change when members of the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the University’s governing board review a progress report about the site during their May meeting.

The meeting will be a good chance to rejuvenate efforts behind the proposal, said Tony Waldrop, vice chancellor for research and economic development, Wednesday. “(It is a) good reminder of what the overall purpose of the project is,” he said.

The committee is scheduled to examine the components of the plan and the timeline for groundbreaking and construction of the multiuse facility on the 963-acre Horace Williams tract, located off Estes Drive.

The massive project, slated to take at least 50 years to complete, has taken a back seat this year as UNC officials try to determine the fate of the Horace Williams Airport.

The more-than-60-year-old airport serves as the base for the N.C. Area Health Education Centers program, which uses the airport to transport physicians and University personnel across the state.

Officials said they are still searching for an alternative location for the program.

The next logical step is to determine which portions of each phase of the development project should go forward first, said Richard “Stick” Williams, chairman of the Board of Trustees.

“I would like for us to determine what kind of construction is needed and maybe what kind of programs are appropriate (to be housed at the site),” he said.

Trustees must approve development and construction plans before they are presented to the Chapel Hill Town Council. The University needs to foster a better relationship with the community if the project is to succeed, trustees said.

Roger Perry, buildings and grounds committee chairman, hopes the approval process will begin within the next year. “(There is) a tremendous amount of conversation required,” he said.

Tension developed between University officials and community members during March talks about rezoning University property.

Some UNC officials expressed concern that the town might be able to regulate construction of the satellite campus by tweaking the tract’s zoning categories. “I was confused a bit by the recent actions,” said Trustee Timothy Burnett.

The University has done its best to keep Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents informed, Williams said. “Over the last couple of years the University has gone beyond the call of duty, being transparent,” he said.

Burnett said that while it’s important to deal with short-term problems such as rezoning, it is also key to remember the big picture.

“We need to be mindful that it will take decades and decades to develop the property,” he said.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu