Charterwood development faces delays, awaits permit approval

A nearly 14-acre development could change the face of one of Chapel Hill’s most frequented entrances.

Charterwood development, which is planned to include retail and office space in addition to 87 residential units, would be constructed on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near Weaver Dairy Road.

Residents worried about increased traffic congestion and environmental damage voiced concerns to the Chapel Hill Town Council April 11. The development’s plans are temporarily halted until the council reviews an updated proposal in May.

Until then, Bill Christian, managing partner of Charterwood development, said he will continue to revise his plans to fulfill the residents’ requests. But Christian said he is frustrated by the delays.

“We have been in the process of getting this planned and approved for almost three years,” he said. “Now we have a real uphill battle because the protest petition was filed.”

Charterwood development has applied for a special-use permit from the town that would allow them to build a higher-density complex. Part of the site would be rezoned from a residential district to a mixed-use village.

The proposal requires seven out of nine town council members to vote in Charterwood’s favor because of the petition.

Christian said he has gotten mixed results from the council.

“I don’t know what to do now,” he said. “When you get nine different responses, it puts you in a real quandary.”

Christian has worked with civil engineering company Michael A. Neal and Associates to create plans for storm water drainage and preservation of oak trees.

“In a perfect world, you wouldn’t touch anything and you wouldn’t develop it from an environmental standpoint, so it’s just been an ongoing process in how we’ve addressed all the environmental issues,” said Ben Lennon, an engineer for the project.

Council member Donna Bell said the town council needs to consider the feedback from residents before making a decision, but a mixed-use development seems like an appropriate building type for the area.

“We look at different forms of development to make the best use of the land we have,” she said.

The development will include single-family residences and condominiums, a hotel and about 25,000 square feet of retail space primarily intended for restaurants and specialty shops.

Dwight Bassett, Chapel Hill economic development officer, said the development could capture some of the retail sales Chapel Hill loses to Durham and northern Chatham counties.

“With the square footage they’ve looked at — with the retail, restaurants and hospitality — it certainly could be a benefit,” he said.

Christian said he cannot begin looking for tenants until the project is approved.

“We don’t have anybody signed up yet,” he said. “We don’t have anything to sign them up for.”

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