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The Ephesus Fordham Area became a new zoning district in July 2014. Our goal is to renew and transform an area characterized by strip malls, parking lots, confusing roadways and traffic congestion. The area includes some of Chapel Hill's older, suburban style shopping centers — including Eastgate Shopping Center, built in 1958; Village Plaza, built in 1974; and Rams Plaza, built in 1982. The Ephesus / Fordham District is located near the intersection of Ephesus Church Road and Fordham Boulevard in northeast Chapel Hill and encompasses about 163 acres. Some notable landmarks in the District include Rams Plaza, Village Plaza, Europa Center, and Eastgate Mall. Since 2010, the Council has been discussing policy alternatives for the Ephesus / Fordham District to facilitate positive changes to traffic patterns, stormwater management, affordable housing opportunities, land use management, and other community interests while simultaneously encouraging new reinvestment. The result has been a comprehensive package of ongoing improvements designed to renew the Ephesus / Fordham District. Some of these improvements include: • Implementation of a form -based code to manage private development • A pilot program to incentivize energy and water conservation • A pilot program to incentivize development of affordable housing throughout the District • Partnering with a local non-profit affordable housing developer to provide housing for seniors & families • Roadway improvements to improve connectivity and access for motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, buses • Upstream improvements to the Lower Booker Creek Watershed • Identifying opportunities for new recreation facilities • Implementation of a Municipal Services District • Development of new design guidelines • Development of new streetscape standards Together, these projects are intended to advance the community goals outlined in the Chapel Hill 2020 Comprehensive Plan and address interests expressed in the Chapel Hill Community Survey. A tentative s�_ aaa �lcr_e�l_a° tr b�al actions is available online. 0 Will new buildings meet energy and water conservation standards? Currently, North Carolina state law does not allow municipalities to require building standards more stringent than the state building code. To support Chapel Hill's environmental stewardship goals outlined in the Town's Chapel Hill 2020 Comprehensive Plan, the Council has implemented a pilot rebate program to incentivize sustainable building design in the District. This program authorizes a 35% rebate on permitting fees associated with the construction or renovation of qualifying development proposals. Qualified proposals must achieve an ENERGY STAR 1 -100 score of 75 and meet the State's water performance standard for public buildings. Will the community receive regular updates about progress i Ephesus/Fordham District? ..� _ note: a �o iu uuffuia i 1 /town tii�ll.a ir . m ri � M . .1 � . 2 _... ff..__u.q..ui.re . _ff_ . _ ..s .: prpa / uffu!riue...u.u.., foi a ll 7irr- -dislu ict, .:� t II ua�. �;.