Ken Larsen's web site - Ephesus-Fordham April 23, 2014 Town Council Meeting

      

Public Commentary began at 2:30:45 into this video of the April 23, 2014 public hearing:  http://chapelhill.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=7&clip_id=2074

 

39 people spoke.  32 (82%) advocated changing EF before a Council vote is taken.

 

Here are the speakers:

 

#

Time

Speaker +/- Topic Bio of speaker
1 2:30:45 Ken Carper + Flooding issues Water resources team lead at Stantec
2 2:35:12 Geoffrey Green + Too many conflicts between buses and bicycles.  Prefers bike lanes be separated from bus lanes. Transit Planner at Triangle Transit + member of Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board at Town of Chapel Hill
3 2:38:12 Carson Stuart + Elliott Road extension and Legion Road extension will both go through flood plains.  Flood mitigation is vital. Briarcliff resident
4 2:42:20 Diane Willis + Current EF plan will not deliver what has been hyped.  Fix the FBC and infrastructure problems before voting on the rezoning.  Proceed cautitiously by applying the amended FBC to only a few parcels at first. Colony Woods resident
5 2:45:22 David Schwartz + The version of FBC that Town is pursuing places too much control in the hands of the Town Manager.  Public input has been stripped away. Ridgefield resident
6 2:48:33 Del Snow + 2020 core values and Planning Board recommendations have been ignored.  former chair of Town Planning Board
7 2:51:49 Dave Sidor + No public review in FBC. resident of Ironwoods
8 2:54:59 Vince Wingate + Predicts EF will cause rents to go up which will force out small businesses.  Traffic will get worse.  Insufficient planned parking.  Pedestrian bridges are needed. Briarcliff resident
9 2:58:21 Beth Mueller + A CDC led public review should occur before FBC is adopted. Vice chair of the CDC, Briarcliff resident
10 3:00:30 Bruce Henschel + Traffic issues (flow and costs) need to be addressed before any rezoning vote is taken.  Briarcliff resident
11 3:03:50 John Morris + Fiscal analysis of EF is flawed.  A lot of the costs have been omitted. former director N.C. Division of Water Resources
12 3:06:36 Kathleen Herr + The advertising and hype paint a wonderful picture, but the EF plan doesn't detail  how the goals will be achieved.  There are too many gaps. Attorney, resident of Colony Woods
13 3:10:05 Dale Coker + EF stormwater plan is inadequate.  Only 10 vertical feet separate us from Jordan Lake. Colony Woods resident
14 3:13:18 Jeff Prather + The Town needs to periodically cleanup our waterways.  There are many downed trees and trash.  Filter trash out of Bolin and Bolin Creeks.  Look at the entire watershed. resident of Oaks, retired environmental consultant
15 3:16:36 Molly McConnell + The EF version of FBC doesn't address the issue of affordable housing.  Fix it before the new zoning is approved. child advocate, tenant in Glen Lennox apartments
16 3:19:48 Charles Humble + Agreements with the public in the Small Area Plan (SAP) have been dropped.  The current EF plan is a developer's wish list. Briarcliff resident
17 3:23:21 Matt Bailey - Chapel Hill doesn't offer the kind of shopping, restaurants, office space, and places that people need.  Matt likes the vision for the EF plan. marketing research analyst
18 3:25:16 Charles Harris + Water sediment issue. Briarcliff resident
19 3:27:50 Holly Fraccaro - Claims that current EF plan is smart.  People are spending their money outside of Chapel Hill.  We need their money to stay in Chapel Hill. Executive Vice President at Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange & Chatham counties
20 3:29:20 Julie McClintock + Town is asking too little of the property owners in exchange for expedited review.  Over 800 people have signed a petition advocating specific changes before the rezoning vote. former Town Council member
21 3:32:41 Ulana Stuart + Public review needs to be added to the proposed FBC process. Briarcliff resident
22 3:35:44 Will Raymond + Presents matrix of 34 suggested improvements to the existing EF plan.  Proposed FBC is missing many key protections provided by the SUP process. on the OWASA board
23 3:39:10 Scott Radway - University Inn has gifted property worth $ 600K to the Town for the Legion Road extension. consultant for University Inn redevelopment
24 3:43:40 Lynn Kane - Is against EF being addressed piecemeal via an SUP process.  Says the Town is doing what it can do to address stormwater.  Individual property owners should do more.  Thinks the current EF plan is great. resident of the Meadows
25 3:47:11 Brian Wittmayer + The four primary objectives of the EF plan are admirable; however, the actual plan doesn't match.  Get to work and improve the plan. Chair of the Town's Sustainability Committee
26 3:50:54 Desiree Goldman - Wants no more public hearings on EF.  Proceed with a vote. Don't modify FBC.  Don't piecemeal EF.  Park Apartments will not stay affordable with or without current plan. Realtor, member of Chamber of Commerce
27 3:53:43 Nancy Oates + Says Aaron Nelson said EF will pass because six Council members will vote for the current plan regardless of public comment.  Unless EF is "strategically sequenced", it will cost us more money that it will generate.  FBC won't be able to be changed every six months as the Mayor contends.  Developers would sue. Columnist
28 3:56:21 Karyn Traut + Current FBC won't address water quality issues.  Get a second opinion. playwrite
29 3:57:49 Terry Vance + FBC avoids the problems of the SUP process, but eliminates the advantages of SUP.  EF plan adds development before fixing any problems.  Rents are rising in anticipation of rezoning.  We need commercial base, but EF isn't making that happen. clinical psychologist/small business owner
30 4:01:23 Greg Warren - Supports the new FBC.  Thanks the Town staff for helping DHIC prepare documentation to attain tax credits.  Rents will range from $ 278/month to the $ 800s. DHIC President, doesn't live in Chapel Hill, invited by Council member Sally Greene
31 4:08:37 Stefan Klakovich + Stormwater issues must be addressed before development is undertaken.  The entire watershed (including planned upstream development) should be considered.  This is "systemic thinking". Environmental teacher
32 4:11:50 Paul Offen + Park apartments is affordable and has a great location.  Don't tear down it down until replacement affordable housing has been provided.  DHIC is 7 to 10 years away. resident of Park Apartments, works at Trader Joes
33 4:13:06 Vivian Foushee + Compared EF plan to the Ford Edsel, a car that failed to live up to the advertising. social worker
34 4:15:27 Ken Larsen + Cited instances of misrepresentation by the Town staff.  Parting question:  What would happen if UNC/UNC Hospital buys the EF buildings?  Answer:  They could waive their nonprofit status and avoid paying taxes. Briarcliff resident
35 4:19:27 John Reeves - Likes the plan.  Says you'd never get this via a piecemeal approach.  
36 4:20:45 Ester Miller + Has had to fight water problems at her house despite it being on a hill.  Colony Woods has that problem. Colony Woods resident
37 4:23:32 Kay Schlegel-Pratt + Concerned about increased congestion that EF will create. Connectivity and walkability are touted.  To actually provide that, a pedestrian bridge is needed to cross Fordham Blvd. Briarcliff resident
38 4:26:00 Martha Petty + We use many of the small businesses currently in the EF district.  We worry that EF will force many of these businesses to leave. resident of Hidden Hills
39 4:27:57 Aaron Nelson - Says that the current EF plan is a "really good plan".  The plan comports with our shared values.  We want to build more affordable housing, we want to improve water quality, we want to grow the commercial tax base, ... President of Chapel Hill/Carrboro Chamber of Commerce

 

+ advocates change to current plan

- Wants current plan with no change

 

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