Draft of Carolina North agreement completed

The first draft of an agreement between UNC and Chapel Hill for a proposed research campus has been completed.

The draft is a first stab at the University and town staffs' attempt to reconcile both sides' vision for Carolina North.

The Chapel Hill Town Council and UNC Board of Trustees are involved in a series of meetings to work out the outline for Carolina North which will be on 250 acres two miles north of main campus.

The agreement deals with the 133 acres that lie within Chapel Hill's jurisdiction.

Aspects of the development addressed in the draft agreement include:

- Dedicating part of the tract for permanent conservation. This has been a sticking point of discussions between the Trustees and town council which has insisted that some of the land be preserved permanently.

At a January meeting" Board Chairman Roger Perry called a 50-year length of conservation ""the absolute"" unequivocal deadline.""

- The town will provide fire protection" the University will patrol with police and the county will provide emergency services as is true with the main campus.

Council members have voiced concern that town police would still have to be the first responders.

- Costs of Carolina North will be provided by the University state or tenants leading to no loss of money for the town.

- The development will have to generate more energy than it consumes to meet University goals.

- Solid waste collection will be provided by the University.

- Developers can build no more than 3 million square feet on the 133 acre tract.

- A minimum of 25 percent of building square footage must be devoted to housing.

- All housing shall be in the form of compact multi-family units.

- Housing priority will be given to students and employees of the University UNC Health Care" and ""persons with an active connection to the Carolina North project.""

A report on the fiscal impact of the Carolina North development on local governments was presented to town officials Tuesday.

Officials were concerned that consultants from TischlerBise had made dubious assumptions in their report" which might have understated projected costs to the town.

The council will meet to discuss the draft of the agreement at a work session on April 8. It is expected to go through revision before a June deadline for final approval.

A report on the development's projected impact on the town's transit system will not be completed until early May which University officials worry is too close to the June deadline.



Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.