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New video series will debut every month with their enewsletter to showcase members of the creative <br /> community around the County . This month was " Epilogue" the new bookstore coming to Franklin Street . <br /> Last year the County did " LocalFest" at the end of September. That' s falling under the Arts Commission this year <br /> and will take place on June 61n at Blackwood Farm Park again . They are changing the name to Local Roots <br /> Festival but the premise will stay the same with convergence of arts and music but also traditional agriculture <br /> practices . <br /> State Budget impacting the arts right now . Proposed increase to arts funding over the next two years ; a half- <br /> million dollars in fiscal year 2020 and 850, 000 in fiscal year 2021 . There is a stipulation , however, that for the <br /> ten counties in the state that are tier three with populations of more than 130, 000, they will not see that <br /> increase and Orange County falls into that category . That represents 40% of the residents of North Carolina . <br /> This year The Arts Commission had $ 180, 000 in grant requests with only $ 60, 000 to disburse . So the Arts <br /> Commission is establishing a non - profit arm to help raise money that can then go back out as grants and <br /> programs into the arts community . <br /> Working on a big, multi -County, public art event for next summer geared for the middle of summer when the <br /> downtown businesses could use some foot traffic . It will take place in the downtowns of Chapel Hill , Carrboro, <br /> and Hillsborough . <br /> • Pam Hemminger thanked everyone for their support of the Moorefields Bluegrass Festival . It was a very <br /> successful event, their best year yet, and they stopped counting at 700 people . Many came from out -of-town <br /> and commented that they didn 't know where to stay so next time we' re going to market that better. <br /> The Council gave the nod to investigate putting a parking deck on the west end of town behind the Kipos <br /> courtyard area . The hope is to try to consolidate the various small surface lots around Chapel Hill and have a <br /> centralized parking deck that is obvious to visitors . Chapel Hill has a partnership with UNC and Clay Grubb to do <br /> a masterplan on the east end of downtown to make it more welcoming and thriving . Part of that property is in <br /> the opportunity zone so trying to coordinate that as well . Clay Grubb' s group is moving through renovating the <br /> 137 tower. A lot of conversations and partnerships forming to move that to be Chapel Hill ' s innovation hub . <br /> This includes discussion about the parking deck that goes with that and about changing some town policies on <br /> recladding a building, so people don 't have to go through the whole special use process since it doesn 't add <br /> space it just makes the building look better . <br /> 200-year birthday celebration of town government moving along with lots of different events and podcasts <br /> culminating on November 201n . Danita Mason - Hogan is partnering with the Town of Chapel Hill to make these <br /> podcasts celebrating Chapel Hill ' s history . The first podcast is called " Monuments and Statues" will be available <br /> September 91n <br /> Town of Chapel Hill and the Downtown Partnership have coordinated downtown Pop Ups, which are attracting a <br /> lot of attention with art . Town of Chapel Hill has a special art exhibit around the 400 anniversary of slavery in <br /> North America . <br /> Wegmans is moving along, but slower than the town would like, because of all the remediation needed at that <br /> site . <br /> AirBNB community taskforce has been created so if you want to apply or know someone who would be <br /> interested in being on this taskforce, applications are currently being accepted . This taskforce will be discussing <br /> regulating AirBNBs that are whole houses owned mostly by outside investment groups , not individuals renting a <br /> room out or their primary residence or renting their whole house several times a year. Concerns are about <br /> safety and taxes . <br /> Discussions with Police Chief and attorney about moving noise, trash , and parking complaints from criminal to <br /> civil . When you issue a ticket under a criminal charge, the defendant has to go to court . Law enforcement often <br /> doesn 't want to issue these tickets and force someone to go to court for a noise complaint . Civil tickets would <br /> go to the landlord and have a fine associated and a warning advising of a steeper fine for continued infractions <br /> which is a better deterrent . <br /> 4 Page CHOCVB BOD Meeting September 18 , 2019 <br />