Forum looks at town growth

Candidates for Chapel Hill's elected offices were asked how they would guide town development while balancing residents' needs at a forum Tuesday.

"We have to recognize that market forces are driving our economy," Mayor Kevin Foy said. "Every neighborhood in Chapel Hill is feeling that one way or another."

About 25 residents attended the forum, hosted by the Chapel Hill Chamber of Commerce, EmPOWERment Inc., the Community Action Network and WCHL 1360. Moderated by host Walter Sturdivant, the forum at the Hargraves Community Center was the third for Chapel Hill candidates and also was broadcast on WCHL.

There are seven candidates running for four seats on the council. Incumbents Sally Greene, Cam Hill, Bill Strom and Jim Ward are aiming to keep their seats, while challengers Matt Czajkowski, Will Raymond and Penny Rich also are vying for spots.

Foy also is up for re-election and is running against Kevin Wolff. Wolff did not attend Tuesday's forum.

Hill said keeping neighborhoods from being disrupted by new developments is an issue that will not go away. Neighborhood conservation districts and the increasing availability of affordable housing does allay some of those problems, he said.

Raymond said the council should look at creating economic zones in the town to help encourage managed growth. He also said the council should provide leadership in the ongoing conflict regarding the proposed site of a waste-transfer station on Eubanks Road.

Strom also said the council should be clear in identifying the solution it wants on the Rogers Road neighborhood issue.

"New growth in that neighborhood ought not leave the existing residents behind," he said.

Candidates also discussed how to address growth in Chatham County. The county's population has grown at a rate of 21.7 percent between 2000 and 2006, and many who live in Chatham work or go to school in Orange County.

Greene said the rapid growth in Chatham is an example of what Chapel Hill should not do. She said that the town should continue to look at the long-range implications before approving development projects and that the town should work within the guidelines it already has established.

But Czajkowski said the town is losing out on the sales tax those businesses generate for Chatham.

"You're paying more taxes (in Chapel Hill) because there is not enough retail," he said.

Czajkowski also said the town should do more to encourage businesses to locate in Chapel Hill.

Candidates also discussed how best to create a downtown that would encourage business development.

Managing crime in the downtown area, which is where much of the town's crime is reported, also was a concern of the candidates.

Hill said Chapel Hill's situation is no different from other towns' downtown areas in that it attracts crime and that the situation here is better than in most other places.

Rich said increased police presence downtown isn't the only solution.

"We need to pay attention to what the merchants are saying," she said, noting that the sellers could provide valuable input on that issue and others.

Ward said the responsibility of policing the downtown falls to residents, too.

"What I want to do is to empower our entire community to be our eyes on the street," he said. "Everybody needs to help with the policing down there."

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