March 2013

Promoting Entrepreneurship

North Carolina could do a lot more to promote new businesses.  Here's just a quick list.

A Community Conversation- Affordable Housing & Transit-Oriented Development

Triangle Transit and local governments have heard from residents and community groups that it is important to make sure that housing opportunities for residents at many different income levels exist in neighborhoods along the proposed Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit (DOLRT) corridor.

We have heard this concern and will be hosting a Community Conversation with local urban planning researchers and staff from the NC Justice Center about Transit-Oriented Development and Affordable Housing on Friday, March 15th, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Durham City Hall Committee Room.

The event will include about 45-60 minutes of presentations of recent research on affordable housing and transit, followed by 90 minutes for community members to ask questions, make comments, and have a broad discussion on this topic.

City of Durham and Town of Chapel Hill staff will be available to contribute to discussions of specific issues in each community.

All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

 

Key Event Details:

WHAT: A Community Conversation- Affordable Housing & Transit-Oriented Development

WHERE: Durham City Hall Committee Room, 2nd Floor. 101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC

WHEN: March 15th, 2013 - 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM

 

ACCESS: City Hall is located two blocks north of the intersection of Main St and Mangum St. The area can be best reached by bus using the DATA 2,3,9, and 16 routes, as well as the Bull City Connector. Durham Station is about a 10 minute walk away. Parking is available in the Chapel Hill St Deck directly across the street from City Hall.

Date: 

Friday, March 15, 2013 - 10:00am to 12:30pm

Location: 

101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC

Protect & Serve

Many of us were very disturbed by the Yates Building incident in Chapel Hill last year and wondered how the police were trained to deal with public events and demonstrations. How do the police do arrests? What crime and other public safety issues do we have in Chapel Hill? Well, here's a chance for you to find out how our officers are trained and what they do.  

For the last year I've been working with the Community Policing Advisory Committee and the Chapel Hill Police Department to dramatically revamp its Citizen's Police Academy. The new Academy will give participants an inside look at the police department and its work. You'll get to operate a simulator and see what it's like to respond to a domestic call that turns violent, sit in a squad car, watch the SERT and K9 teams in action, and talk to the Chief of Police about tough issues. Along the way you'll learn about the Department's work, how you can help make a safer community and much more. Participation will involve attending one evening session on April 24 or 25 as well as an afternoon session on Sun. April 28.

College Democrats of America Google+ Hangout with Councilman Storrow

Ever thought about what you're going to do after graduation? What will your democratic activist look like after College Democrats? Join College Democrats of America for a discussion with former College Democrat chapter president turned Town Council member in Chapel Hill, NC.

Lee Storrow graduated in May 2011 and was elected to Chapel Hill Town Council in November 2011. He is currently the managing director of a statewide non-profit in North Carolina in addition to active in local, state, and national politics and non-profit work. For more information on Lee, check out CDA's most recent #CDALeads blog on him: http://collegedems.com/blog/2013/03/cdaleads-from-collegedems-to-town-council

Lee will discuss his path to public service, obstacles faced, and advice for current College Democrats looking to break into public service or non-profit leadership post-graduation.

Join us Thursday, March 14th at 10pm EST! We will be using Google + Hangout to run the webinar. RSVP below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1nt4B3VOJRBu-w5vaPUQ99xdIKM3iVDE9bo9lOurZABE/viewform

Date: 

Thursday, March 14, 2013 - 9:00pm

Location: 

Google+

New, big CHPL almost ready

The library will be closing today to move back into their building which has been renovated and greatly expanded. Are you excited?

Chapel Hill Public LIbrary Expansion Project from Town of Chapel Hill, NC on Vimeo.

County poised to privatize our innovative recycling program?

As Terri Buckner describes in her commentary in yesterday's Chapel Hill News, we could be seeing the end, as we know it, of our very successful recycling program in Orange County.

Some will say that since the county has already privatized recycling in the urban areas, this proposed expansion to county residents should not create any concerns. But if all recycling in Orange County is privatized, the current system is effectually dead, including all the outreach and education, the goodwill recycling and composting at public events like Hog Day, the dedicated staff constantly seeking new markets, and the service to both school systems that has always been handled by the county. In other words, we'll be left with the same kind of recycling program that everyone else in the state has.

In 1997 as part of the state's required plan, we adopted a goal of 61 percent waste reduction. We're just a smidgeon away from achieving that goal (59 percent). We've accomplished something amazing, something worth fighting to protect.

Election Day, no really

If you live in Carrboro, you will be selecting your newest member of the Board of Aldermen today. Now, it's true you only have one option, but it's a really good one!

For the rest of us, there's not much to do but speculate about the turnout and celebrate Damon's victory. How many voters do you think will cast ballots today?

Orange County Ranks As The Second Healthiest County In The State (Again)

A WRAL report on a recent study out of the University of Wisconsin has Wake County as the healthiest county in the state.

Orange County placed a respectable second overall with first place finishes in the categories of health behaviors, clinical care, and social and economic factors and second place finishes in morbidity and mortality.  Unfortunately, our overall score was depressed by an eighth-place finish in physical environment.  I guess we know where we have our work cut out for us.

The Orange County scores are at: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/north-carolina/2013/orange/county/outcomes/overall/snapshot/by-rank

Chapel Hill Town Council Business Meeting

Opening
 
  Petitions from the Public
Petitions will not be acted upon at the time they are presented. It shall take a unanimous vote of the Council members present for a petition to be acted upon immediately upon its presentation. After receiving a petition, the Council shall, by simple motion, dispose of it as follows: consideration at a future regular meeting of the Council; or referral to another board or committee for study and report; or referral to the Town Manager for investigation and report; or receive for information. (Receiving does not imply approval, agreement, or consent.)
 
  Announcements by Council members
 
  Consent
Items of a routine nature will be placed on the Consent Agenda to be voted on in a block. Any item may be removed from the Consent Agenda by request of the Mayor or any Council Member.
 
 1.  Approve all Consent Agenda Items.  (R-1)

 
 2.  Approve Budget Amendment to Adjust Various Fund Budgets.  (R-2)(O-1)

 
 3.  Adopt Minutes for the June 11 and September 27, 2012 and February 2, 2013 Meetings.  (R-3)

 
  Information
These items are reports or information for the Council.
 
 4.  Report on Traffic Calming Policy and Procedures.  

 
  Discussion
 
 5.  Consider Land Use Management Ordinance Text Amendments - Commercial Centers, Commercial Ground Signs, Movable Signs (Sandwich Boards), and Wall Signs.  (R-4)(O-2)(O-3)(O-4)

PRESENTER: Gene Poveromo, Development Manager

  1. Introduction and revised recommendations by the Manager
  2. Comments and questions from the Mayor and Town Council
  3. Motion to adjourn Public Hearing
  4. Motion to adopt the Resolution of Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan
  5. Motion to enact ordinance to amend definition of commercial signs
  6. Motion to enact ordinance to amend commercial ground sign heights
  7. Motion to enact ordinance to amend removable, changeable signs


RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Council adopt the Resolution and enact Ordinances A, B, and C.

 
 6.  Presentation: Chapel Hill Transit Pay for Park and Ride.  (R-5)

PRESENTER: Brian Litchfield, Interim Transit Director

RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Council receive this presentation and adopt the resolution amending the user fee policies and schedules, effective August 15, 2013, to include a rate structure for park and ride lots managed and operated by Chapel Hill Transit.

 
 7.  Consider Council Committee on Boards and Commissions' Recommendation to Extend Advisory Board Appointments.  (R-6)

PRESENTER: Gene Pease, Council Member

RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Council adopt the resolution.

 
  Appointments
 
 8.  Adopt a Resolution to Appoint Council Liaisons to Several Boards.  (R-7)

 
  Reserved for Discussion of Consent Agenda Items if Necessary
 
  REQUEST FOR CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS PROPERTY ACQUISITION, PERSONNEL, AND LITIGATION MATTERS
 

Date: 

Monday, March 25, 2013 - 7:00pm

Location: 

Council chambers

Orange Politics Open Editors Meeting

Date: 

Sunday, April 21, 2013 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Location: 

Cafe Driade

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