Forums to vet plans for Carolina North

The University will hold public forums on the development of Carolina North starting next week to gain input from local residents, UNC employees and students.

The forums - held to present conceptual plans for the proposed satellite research campus - will take place on the last Tuesday of each month through May.

"We want the community to understand how our thinking is developing and give them a chance to ask questions," said Jack Evans, executive director of Carolina North.

The forums are the next step in the creation of the campus after the Leadership Advisory Committee finished its work in January.

The committee was made up of town and University leaders and outlined guiding principles for development.

Its final report stated that the campus should create a "livable community" that will include areas for living, shopping and recreation, as well as academic facilities.

The report also states that the campus should meet the University's goal of environmental sustainability, which reflects "reasonably anticipated environmental goals over the next 50 years."

Now, Evans said, the University is moving on to develop plans for land use.

He said the University has chosen a plot of land it wants to use based on environmental impact and sustainability assessments.

The presentations will outline three possible scenarios for developing the main 250-acre space.

Carolina North will be built on a 900-acre space located about two miles north of the main campus off of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Forum attendees will be able to comment on the 50-year construction plan and examples of programs to be held there, Evans said.

The plans also include transportation and housing issues.

The forums are being held to inform the public of how Carolina North will fill the University's mission in research and sustainability, Evans said.

Though the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro are not directly involved in these forums, Carrboro mayor and advisory committee member Mark Chilton said he approves of them.

"This was the University's decision," he said. "I think they wanted to keep the community dialogue going, which is a good thing."

Chilton also said that he will be meeting with University staff in the next few weeks to get an update on their plans about Carolina North.

The first two forums will be held at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. March 27 in the School of Government building room 2603.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.