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Joint Panning Agreement Amendments - Transition Area I & II and Floating Conditional Use District: This item was presented by Carrboro Planning Director Roy Williford for the purpose of receiving citizen comment on a proposal to amend the Joint Planning Agreement to incorporate the Facilitated Small Area Plan for Carrboro's Northern Study Area accepted by the Board of Aldermen on August 19, 1997. The plan covers both Transition Areas I and II as specified in the Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan (JPA LUP), as well as areas within Carrboro's extraterritorial jurisdiction. The amendment to the agreement will remove the density cap of one unit per acre in Transition Area II and combine Transition Areas I and II. In addition, the amendment would allow the Board of Aldermen to establish floating, conditional use zones. In February 1996, a public hearing on the Small Area Plan for Carrboro's Northern Study Area - Proposed Draft for Presentation was held. Due to the issues raised during the hearing, the Board of Aldermen proposed that a facilitated planning conference be held, at which a consensus plan would be developed. A Steering Committee made up of elected officials and residents of the study area was established to plan the workshop. There were facilitated meetings in the Spring of 1997, during which the Northern Study Area (NSA) Plan was developed. It was agreed that participants preferred floating, conditional use zones. Three types are noted, residential, mixed-use and office/assembly. This strategy was selected, as it was believed that it would provide the highest level of scrutiny for proposed developments. The JPA agreement amendments have been prepared in order to allow the floating zones to "land" anywhere within Carrboro's transition areas, if deemed appropriate during the rezoning process, with the approval of the Board of Aldermen. A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Crowther, to refer the proposed amendment to the Joint Planning Agreement to the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro for a decision at which time the matter will be referred to the Orange County Planning Board to be returned to the Board of Commissioners no sooner than June 22, 1998. VOTE: APPROVED No - Alderman Jacqueline Gist TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL: JPA-3-98 - Chapel Hill Northwest Small Area Plan: This item was presented by Chapel Hill Planner Rob Wilson for the purpose of receiving citizen comment on a proposal to amend the Joint Planning Area (JPA) Land Use Plan to incorporate the Chapel Hill Northwest Small Area Plan as accepted by the Chapel Hill Town Council on September 11, 1995. In January, 1993 the Council initiated a small area planning process for the northwestern portion of the Town's planning jurisdiction. The Northwest Small Area Plan study area generally consists of the land south of Interstate 40, including a portion of the land north of Weaver Dairy Road, the land west of Airport Road (N.C. Highway 86), and the land north of the University of North Carolina's Horace Williams tract and Homestead Road. The western boundary of the area generally follows Rogers Road. A rail line bisects the study area. The study area is also split into three drainage basins: New Hope Creek, Booker Creek and Bolin Creek. In December 1994 the Work Group recommended the Northwest Small Area Plan to the Council and in September 1995 the Town Council requested that the Plan be considered at a Joint Planning Area Public Hearing. In general, the Plan proposes a Village Pattern of Development along the rail line corridor, primarily located on the Greene tract. The Plan assumes that the Green tract would be developed and would not be used for landfill purposes. Generally decreasing residential densities are proposed as distance from the village center increases, in a effort to help preserve the character of existing neighborhoods. The Plan proposes several greenways, a large community park and recommends that a portion of the tract be used for affordable housing. The Greene tract is jointly owned by Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Orange County and any future use will need to be approved by all three jurisdictions. The Plan seeks to balance community, conservation and development objectives within the Northwest study area. A clustered pattern of growth is envisioned in order to permit the preservation of open space for parks and greenways, while also buffering existing neighborhoods from future development. Mr. Chuck Welsh, of Little John Road in Chapel Hill, commented that the plan looks very good to him; however, he does not feel that it provides for affordable housing. He pointed to the requirement for