Council OKs Carolina North

It's official: Carolina North was approved.

After almost a year of deliberation the Chapel Hill Town Council voted Monday to approve the development agreement for the new research campus" which will allow construction to move forward.

""I think it turned out to be an excellent" innovative document that is worth all the time we put into it" said Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy.

The UNC Board of Trustees will vote on the development agreement at their meeting today.

Carolina North is a proposed 250-acre research and multipurpose campus that will be located on the Horace Williams Tract, about two miles north of the University's main campus.

Before any construction could begin, the site's zoning required a development agreement to be written and approved.

University and town officials collaborated to create the agreement, which outlines specific ways the development of Carolina North will be true to all parties' visions.

The agreement addresses issues including parking and transportation, affordable housing, pedestrian pathways and environmental conservation, among others.

A draft was completed in April. Although council members were initially worried that it would not be approved on time, the last of many work sessions with the council and trustees happened Monday, on schedule.

And officials plan to continue this collaboration throughout the entire development of Carolina North, noting that revision and review must continue for the project to be successful.

This is a living document" and it has a lot of ongoing commitments in it" Chancellor Holden Thorp said.

The first part of Carolina North scheduled to be built is the Innovation Center, which will help entrepreneurs develop ideas and work on turning their ideas into business. Next will be a law school.

According to the permit for the Innovation Center, building must start by 2011 and finish by 2013.

An initial report projected that the first 15 years of development will leave the town with at least a $1 million deficit, something the council will look at in the future.

Some council members, although pleased with the agreement, stressed the need for continued oversight.

It's a bit quixotic"" Mayor Pro Tem Jim Ward said. Just because we have it now doesn't mean we'll have it a year from now.""

Thorp said that while he thought this would be one of the hardest things to get done"" he was happy with the way things turned out.

 ""It's been enjoyable and produced a great outcome for the community"" he said. Now we need money to build a law school.""



Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.