Minutes - 20031015 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

There are some manmade constraints on this property - primarily a high voltage distribution line that comes into a substation. There is also the rail corridor cutting through the southwest corner of the site. The topography is desirable for building lOtS. He spoke about the development in Chapel Hill and the millions of square feet of office space, etc., being built. This will create more jobs, which will require more workers that need housing ar public transportation. He said that the need exists to provide homes far the growing workforce. The Town has adopted an Urban Services Boundary and the properties left on the northern edge are the fringe. He said that Chapel Hill's comprehensive plan serves as a guide for what we would like to see the community build out and look like. Zoning is what implements the comprehensive plan. The density designated for this area is 4-8 units per acre. He spoke about the different densities in the adjoining properties. The vision for this site is for a medium density residential site of 4-8 dwelling units per acre. They think that this is the right designation of density for this site. There is full infrastructure in place, I-40 is in close proximity to this site as well as the park and ride lot, there are express buses available, there is a passibility of a future transportation corridor along the railway, water and sewer is readily available to the site, retail goods and services are nearby, and there are two major employment centers in close proximity to this site (Public Works facility in progress and a mixed use office). This site is not adjacent to an existing neighborhood. Based on present infrastructure, they believe that an argument could easily be made that this site is appropriate for high-density residential uses. The property owner has agreed to accept a zoning condition that the maximum density be 7.95 units per acre (278 dwelling units}. They are also willing to accept a condition to the zoning amendment to provide 15% of the dwelling units as affordable units. This would be internally subsidized by the development. Regarding the staff concerns, there was concern expressed that the floor area ratio associated with this is not consistent with a medium density residential development. He said that only 213 of the site is generating usable floor area. The special use permit calls for about 85°~ of the available floor area. The units are roughly 1,100 square feet. He said that anything less would be more studio in nature and an entirely different market than they think should be served here -families and working class people. He asked the boards to favorably consider this development for approval. Suzanne Haff said that she is a resident of the Northwood community on the corner of Airport Road and Eubanks Road. She said that they are not opposed to this development. She wants to know about the parking spaces per unit and how many guest parking spaces there are per unit. She felt that there were not enough parking spaces. She also wants to know if there are any restrictions on apartments to prevent 15 working men to rent an apartment. This is a typical pattern that happened in similar places where she has lived before. She asked if there could be some restrictions to serve families and working class people and not be packed unnaturally.