Yesterday there was a community meeting for Northside residents to learn about the evolving framework for downtown development. The Downtown Partnership, who is a partner with the Town of Chapel Hill in the development of the plan, live-tweeted the meeting at @CHDpartnership for folks who couldn't attend.
It sounds like it was a very good start, although residents will need to do more digesting and analysis before they have an informed response to the proposal. Here's what the Partnership tweeted...
- St. Paul AME choir opening SOS meeting- beautiful! Presentation & discussion on Dev. Framewrk & Action Plan to follow. Join us!
- RT @Jeff_DeLuca: @CHDPartnership looking forward to finally seeing this presentation in person and hearing the Northside community's perspective!
- Full house at St. Paul's- best turnout so far at public mtg. Dan Douglas begins pres. w/ background, key issues.
- Douglas explains how a developer would approach#downtownchapelhill for re-development- specific sites, lots,roads.
- Tensions, emotions high. Rev. Nixon asking for all to harness energy towards listening& concrete answers, solutions.
- 'This comm. In my heart & in my blood. Now is time to let him go on, then get to discusion.' Douglas continues w/ presentation.
- How will this plan affect Northside Plan from a few years back? DBassett- does not believe it will negatively affect that plan.
- Need definition of 'downtown' for discussion. Can include Northside & neighborhoods, some people just see it as biz district.
- Douglas reponds - plan does not call for road to 'go thru' Hargraves, houses. Explains specific roadway conncts for walkng, reducng traffic
- Dbailey- we are here to hear from all. It's a plan, we've waited for things to happen to us in past. We won't wait too late this time.
- Michele Laws calls all to advocate w/ fierce urgency of now ala Dr. King. We are all concerned w/ Northside issues- Esp. Gentrification
- Discussion has become affordable housing issues w/ rentals w/ too many residents near downtown.
- Concerns for best interest of neglected community, how Carolina North, UNC fits in w/ this plan and into neighborhoods.
- Douglas defining opp. Sites- value of land greater than the value of want is on it. Rosemary St- UNC lots, Tate realty,
- MLaws- hold onto your land when it's valuable. Value is in locAtion, proximity to campus. GPendergraph- empower ourselves.
- Sally Greene- TOCH council member- hears concerns, issues, plan is far from a done deal, hasn't come before boards or TC. Explng zone ovrlap
- SGreene- come to TC mtg to voice these concerns over plan. Wants a plan that protects/ preserves our community.
- Miss Perry giving history of Northside, how residents have struggled w/ keeping homes/ land and who has advocated for residents.
- Follow up: TC mtg 3/14 at 7pm, community mtg 3/22 at 5pm at St. Joesphs Church.
You can see the presentation at http://townofchapelhill.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=6806 .
Issues:
