Agenda - 05-20-2004-4 - Laserfiche WebLink

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l~ had recently been planed in non-attainment for air quality. Noting traffic congestion, affordable housing, stonnwater, and fiscal equity issues, he said that the quality of life in Chapel Hill was basically under attack, Carolina North will exacerbate all of these conditions, Council Member Hill stated, but it could help solve these problems for everyone. He proposed that the University house more students at Carolina North because that would take cars off the street and students out of the housing market, and would help affordable housing, This was the kind of thinking that he would like to see everyone do, he said. Council Member Fii11 pointed out that the Carolina North plan did not reflect the fact that the Horace Williams Airport was still there,. He described that as "the elephant in the room." Council Member Hill said that the focus 50 years from now was not as important to him as what Phase I looks like,. Council Member Greene agreed that the airport needed to be discussed. "It's really hard to believe that we've been here nearly tlnee hours and we're pretending like the airport isn't there," she said. Council Member Greene asked if L1NC la~ew whether the percentage of people living there at build-out would be greater or less than the percentage of people who will go there to work or attend school. "Will it help or hurt the housing problem?" she asked.. Mr. Waldrop replied that the housing at Carolina North would not solve LINC's housing problems. He did not have figures on the ratio of people living and working there, he said, but this was not the only thing UNC was looking at to solve issues related to employee housing, With regard to the Horace Williams Airport, Mr. Waldrop stated that L1NC was in full support of making sure that the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) remained. UNC was committed to not closing the airport until they have found an alternative site for AHEC, he said, adding that 1tDU would not be that alternative. Mr. Waldrop stated that L1NC believes it can move forward with Carolina North, with the airport in place, until it finds an alternative location for AHEC. He indicated areas of Carolina North that could still be built with AHEC in place. UNC believes in the integrity of the plan as it is and does not intend to change it, he said. Mayor Foy verified that UNC did not intend that Carolina North and the airport would coexist permanently, He also ascertained that UNC anticipated the airport being closed as some point, Mayor Foy asked about the process for relocating AHEC. Mr. Waldrop replied that UNC was natively looking for another site that could serve AHEC within a distance that would be acceptable to the individuals who serve the AHEC program.. In response to a question from Mayor pro tem Wiggins, Mr, Waldrop explained that LTNC had been evaluating how it would phase the development and how it would present that to the Town. Mayor pro tem Wiggins ascertained that the master plan would not include the airport..