Agenda - 04-14-1999 - 2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Kimberly Ann Brewer 301 Purefoy Road, Chapel Hill N.C. 27514 MEMORANDUM TO: John Hawkins FROM: , Kimberly Brewer RE: Defining Town Buildout DATE: February 10, 1999 I am sorry to say I will be out of Town February 15 when our Comprehensive Plan Work Group meets with the Councit. I wanted to follow up the Group's recent discussion about the need to better define key terms such as affordable housing, density, and buildout. I Particularly, I'd like to share my concerns about the current definition of "buildout" and suggest an alternative method of projecting build-out conditions. First, let me say why build-out analysis is important. The analysis should assist the commu- nity in understanding the level of development it has authorized through zoning and other land use controls. It is not intended to project a given population or development that will occur, simply that which could occur under our Town's current regulations. The other impor- tant use of the build-out analysis is to help answer, Are we able to achieve our goals under existing programs and regulations? If not, what additional strategies are needed and where?" Only through understanding what is authorized in each Town district canwe begin to' answer these questions. The I Data Book the Work Group recently received states that 90% of the Town is devel- oped. According to the staff, this figure is based on (1) excluding all University property, and (2) an assumption that a parcel is undeveloped if it is either undeveloped completely or underdeveloped (defined by having 1 house per 3 or more acres). Therefore, if a 2.9 acre parcel currently. has 1 house, the lot is defined as fully developed at this density. Compare this to the 11 units or more that.could be built on the parcel under our low density zoning category. To get some perspective on buildout, I reviewed two tables the Planning Department pre- pared for the 1986 Land.Use Plan. These tables show 1984 Land Use and Land Use Buildout. Although the Urban Service Area is now 4000 acres smaller, the tables which I've attached nicely summarize 1984 and projected conditions. Using the revised Urban Ser- vices Boundary/Land Use Plan Map in our packet, I also did a very rough, back-of-the- envelop estimate of housing buildout potential for residential areas. This rough estimate yielded a buildout potential of approximately 67,000 units. Currently, we have 17,345 housing units. This rough approach indicates we are at about 25% of housing buildout potential.