Planning & Transportation
Tonight, the Chapel Hill Town Council is expected to enact fees on users of their park and ride lots. This fee is in response to UNC’s decision to start charging at their own park and ride lots. Leaving Town-owned park and ride lots free would create a traffic nightmare, so the Town is trying to start their own permit program. I’m sure that the extra revenue that will be generated from this fee is also a consideration, especially in a tight budget year.
While most people (75% by CHT estimates) who use the park and ride lots are affiliated with UNC, there is a sizable minority who do not use the park and ride to travel to campus. UNC students and employees will pay for their permit through UNC (because of taxing and payroll deduction issues), and that money will then be given to the Town. Non-affiliated users will purchase their permits directly from the Town. The resolution being considered tonight sets the fee at $250/year, or about $1/weekday.
I understand the importance of implementing the fee, but there are two major issues that have not been addressed:
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
As reported by the Herald Sun, Chapel Hill Town Council Member Gene Pease has written Planning Board Chair Del Snow asking her to resign from the Planning Board. In his letter, which can be downloaded from the Town's email archive, he launches a blistering attack on the "responsible growth" advocates in the community, calling them against any growth whatsoever. Interesting, to say the least.
Next Monday (February 18th),
the Chapel Hill Town Council is holding a public hearing on two major
planning documents for our town: the Parks and Greenways master plans.
As chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, I can tell you that
this day has been long in coming. Work on these plans began over two
years ago, but staff was asked to wait until after the completion of the
Chapel Hill 2020 visioning document to submit them for approval, so the
plans could be as unified in their language as possible. When adopted,
they will be considered part of the Town's comprehensive plan.
As
Chapel Hill continues to grow (with a projected population of 70K by
2025), there is a need to conserve the open space the town has left,
create better connectivity for non-vehicular transportation, and provide
venues for citizens to engage in active, healthy lifestyles. Also, in
most of the assessments that Town has done in the past few years,
citizens have rated trails and recreation opportunities as one of the
Town's biggest needs. With these goals in mind, the two master plans
recommend the following:
Parks master plan recommendations:
Pages
About Us
OrangePolitics is a not-for-profit website for discussing progressive perspectives on politics, planning, and public policy in Orange County, NC. Opinions are those of their authors. Learn more.
Community Guidelines
By using this site, you agree to our community guidelines. Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will result in moderation or eviction.
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by
WeebPal.
