Government

The leadership team of Chapel Hill 2020 discussed the timeline issue yesterday afternoon. Apparently the conversation was quite passionate and the group is divided with strong opposition to extending from  co-chairs George and Rosemary. I'm a bit surprised since they have always said they had an open mind and were committed to getting it done right. I have yet to hear a clear articulation of why this comprehensive plan should be created in less than a year. 

I have heard some people raise valid concerns about sustaining people interest for a multi-year process, but I think that points to changes that may be needed in the process. For example, what if the stakeholders only met monthly rather than every 2-3 weeks? What if we let the community lead the process more and didn't lean so heavily on the staff to run things? If you would like to explore these questions rather than rushing to complete, please sign on to our letter asking for more time.

This Wednesday, the Chapel Hill Town Council will be holding a public hearing on the proposed Shortbread development- a seven-story mixed-use building across from Breadman’s on Rosemary Street. The residential component of the building will be rental units that will cater to students- a much-needed addition to downtown that will help alleviate pressure on the adjacent Northside neighborhood.